There aren't any licenses needed in WA except for the alcohol which also gives you a break on state taxes. The FDA has regulations, the GMP's. The document is long and intentionally confusing but you do not need seperate vessels and equipment. You do need tons of documentation that you cleaned and sanitized equipment, id plant sources, measured amounts of alcohol and recorded lot numbers, etc..... You also need to test finished product, which is what makes it cost prohibitive for smaller folks. But there are grey areas. You can define your own testing. Also you can't make claims in the name of the product or on the label. So far small folks have stayed under the radar, but the next couple years are when the FDA will be coming to inspect them too. Mostly if you make an effort most things are easy to comply with and the inspectors appreciate that you are trying. That said, I gave up the dream of my own company because I don't have running water or a commercial kitchen. Instead I work for a medium sized company that is going through GMP compliance and has been inspected.
