Village officers crack down on ingredients for home-made alcohol

Tuesday, July 19, 2011  

Officers in Hooper Bay, a predominantly Yup'ik village in Alaska, are cracking down on the ingredients used to make home-brew alcohol.

The village is dry and has banned the possession of yeast and sugar in enough quantities to make the home-brew. One recent man was arrested after seven pounds of yeast were found in his home.

The man claimed he was going to make bread, a common defense.

"We'll ask the questions, 'How much yeast does it take to bake a loaf of bread,' and you'll get an answer like, 'Oh, a cup,' " Lt. Christopher Thompson told The Anchorage Daily News. "I mean, it takes like a tablespoon, so that makes no sense."

Nine out of 10 crimes in Hooper Bay are alcohol-related, Sgt. James Hoelscher said.

Get the Story:
Bush police target home-brew ingredients (The Anchorage Daily News 7/19)