If I wanted to open a brewery I could, theoretically, learn to brew at home, practice, improve, etc. Making a business of my hobby requires lots of regulation and process, but I could, at least, start my path at home. But what if I wanted to develop my own gin? Or bourbon? I’m not legally allowed to make bourbon at home, even for personal consumption.
What if owning a still of a limited size for personal use was legal? I’d be more than happy to pay a modest registration fee if that’s what it would take. Localities could have fire code around the location and use of stills for safety reasons. I just think it’s a shame that I can learn the process of brewing in a relatively affordable, hands-on way, but to become any kind of reasonable distiller you have to go elsewhere or know somebody.