How do you keep SWMBO happy?

Sir.Osis of Liver · 07-11-2007, 05:50 AM

I've noticed a lot of comments on this site about SWMBO. As this new hobby of mine has ramped up in the last half year she seems less impressed. Sticky floors, and beer equipment all over has become the norm. Long conversations about beer appreciation seem to dominate. The word obsession has been tossed around. She enjoys beer too but seems less enthusiastic than myself.

Any free advice out there for the newbie?

boo boo · 07-11-2007, 10:20 AM

If she loves the brew then why not get her involved in making it? Move your brewing outside where it really don't matter much if you make a little mess.

Then go into all grain, buy lots of toys and start your 3 tier system...fill the house with brewing stuff..... lol just kidding, but it will happen if you stick with it. Just little by little.

ArroganceFan · 07-11-2007, 10:22 AM

I haven't been doing this very long, but I try to make sure to brew her special batches that are "her own." Stuff that I don't like, but she does. I also try to make labels for her beer that are "pretty."

I think I am pretty lucky though, she likes the smell of brewing. Yesterday she came downstairs and asked if I was making her brownies because the house smelled so good. She was surprised to see it was the brewing she smelled.

Hopefully some of the guys that have been around a lot longer then I can give you some better advice. Best of luck friend!

boo boo · 07-11-2007, 10:27 AM

Yeah, I make my wife wine that only she likes and print up personal labels for it.
She loves that sort of thing. Too bad she don't like beer.

brewt00l · 07-11-2007, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir.Osis of Liver

I've noticed a lot of comments on this site about SWMBO. As this new hobby of mine has ramped up in the last half year she seems less impressed. Sticky floors, and beer equipment all over has become the norm. Long conversations about beer appreciation seem to dominate. The word obsession has been tossed around. She enjoys beer too but seems less enthusiastic than myself.

Any free advice out there for the newbie?

Sticky floors and beer equipment all over - you're making a mess, clean up after yourself.

Long conversations about beer appreciation/ less enthusiastic - you can't expect her to be fascinated after your 45 minute discourse on the difference between a stout and a porter. You would prb be equally bored if she told you about the difference between coach purses for 45 minutes.

**Schlenkerla** · 07-11-2007, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewt00l

Sticky floors and beer equipment all over - you're making a mess, clean up after yourself.

Long conversations about beer appreciation/ less enthusiastic - you can't expect her to be fascinated after your 45 minute discourse on the difference between a stout and a porter. You would prb be equally bored if she told you about the difference between coach purses for 45 minutes.

I agree with above comments and those regarding your first post, I've heard the same. Having brewing equipment all over the place can be part of the hobby. I don't think I have the facilities to do it outside or store the stuff elsewhere. My wife gets tired of the beer discussion quickly too. Leave that topic up to us and members of your local HB Club if you have one.

I try to make cider for her since she doesn't like beer. She seems to like this and the labels that I made for my beer & cider.

As far as keeping her from complaining I'd try to balance your time spent doing HBing. It tends to piss mine off if its done too much. My wife sleeps in on days-off. I'm usually up early so this is the time have to myself to do HBing. I usually get one full day on the weekend every other week or every 3rd week. Frankly, she gets annoyed the most with time spent on the computer over anything else. She watches a lot of crap TV, therefore this is how I justify the time spent doing posts, and what not, so we kind of do our own thing. Which is OK with her up to a point.

**FlyingHorse** · 07-11-2007, 11:46 AM

If money's tight, agree on a monthly HB budget up front. And go easy counting all the "money you'll save" in this discussion...not because you won't save some money, but because it will bring up a new discussion every time you want to buy a new toy, or decide to pick up a case of commercial brew. This is a hobby you enjoy; treat it as that, and it's worth investing some money. It's cheaper than a lot of other hobbies, even if you don't count the savings.

Second, pay attention to the other investment -- time. Work out an agreed-upon "brew day", or some other way to make it seem like you're not taking every waking minute to brew. I do the majority of my brewing late at night for a few reasons: first, it doesn't seem like I'm saying "here, you watch the kids for the next 5-6 hours while I drink beer and watch this pot boil"; second, I'm a night owl, and my wife isn't.

I'm lucky in that my wife likes beer, likes to discuss it on occasion, and has no problem with me spending a fair amount of money on it. She just doesn't particularly want to get involved in the brewing, and (reasonably) doesn't want it to be the only thing I do when I'm home. YMMV.

Foreigner · 07-11-2007, 12:12 PM

Homebrewing is far cheaper than smoking crack, or any other "hobby" I might end up doing out of boredom

Seriously though, mine is just glad that I have something productive to do that I'm passionate about. That should be enough. If she took up shoemaking I wouldn't dream of saying something stupid like "Why would you waste time and save money doing something you enjoy?" It makes no sense.

But yeah, clean up after yourself

ArroganceFan · 07-11-2007, 12:24 PM

I would have to agree with the posts about cleaning up. I try to be as anal and detailed about it as I possibly can. My SWMBO is kinda OCD about things being clean and I am kinda clumsy and get a lot of stuff dirty along the way. I just try to pay close attention to what surfaces I get dirty/drop stuff on and afterwards I clean the heck out of them. She is really happy if the kitchen is clean when I am done.

Good luck to ya

**EdWort** · 07-11-2007, 12:34 PM

Clean up as you go and brew stuff she likes and make sure you DON'T run out of it.

I'm a lucky EAC as my SWMBO loves my brews & Apfelwein and provides loads of support for my obsession, even to the point of gifts like a Barley Crusher for Christmas and 14.5 gallon conical for Father's Day.

My birthday is coming up on 9/11, I can't wait...sort of.