A Rambling Post That Could Have Been One Sentence

I grew up in a pretty much non-drinking family. Alcohol wasn't ever a part of parties or even discussed much. Don't know why, but I guess they just didn't think about drinking.

My dad once told me that he never cared for beer until he was on a boat (I think in the Philippines) during WWII, perhaps waiting on some Navy officials. Someone gave the guys a couple of cold beers, and they really hit the spot on that hot day.

Many years later, it was great fun for me to get Dad a can of Bud and bring it down to the cellar where he was forever building something. I'd always open the can and have a couple sips as I brought it downstairs, and Dad never complained or scolded me. He'd have one or two a day, and only once did I ever see him just the slightest bit buzzed after a holiday party.

I stumbled full into brewing as the result of a search for yeast to make a sourdough bread starter. Since I was at the LHBS, and I like making food from scratch, it was only natural that I walked out with a one gallon kit. The poor sourdough was almost immediately abandoned as I got obsessed with brewing beer. It's only been a few months now, but I think this will be a long time hobby.

I do sometimes wish that I'd started a few years earlier, and that Dad was still here to talk about and share a nice homebrewed beer!

Nice post Sharon. Similar circumstances here.

SharonaZamboni said:

I do sometimes wish that I'd started a few years earlier, and that Dad was still here to talk about and share a nice homebrewed beer!

Click to expand...

Me too.
Regards, GF.

SharonaZamboni said:

I do sometimes wish that I'd started a few years earlier, and that Dad was still here to talk about and share a nice homebrewed beer!

Click to expand...

My Dad enjoyed beer. When the monthly card party was at our house, Dad would get a "pony" and it was MY job to pump the beer and keep the glasses full. Sadly, my Dad died at age 58 when I was 16. That was back in 1963. Today, he would have had some stents implanted, or bypass surgery, and he'd still be with us.

I, too, would truly enjoy sharing one of my homebrews with my Father. I will definitely hoist a full one on Sunday in honor of a man I love deeply and miss dearly.

glenn514

SharonaZamboni said:

I do sometimes wish that I'd started a few years earlier, and that Dad was still here to talk about and share a nice homebrewed beer!

Click to expand...

I think this same thing every brew day. My Mum always says that "Dad would love my beers".

Great post BTW!

We never had beer in our house. I grew up Baptist. Northern Baptist, but any alcohol was frowned upon. I distinctly remember that as an older kid my dad got a small bottle of Canadian Mist above the stove. After the divorce and I was older I know he had a beer once in a while, but he never really drank it very often.

He passed away at 58 a few years back and although I'd like to think we could have enjoyed homebrewing together, the simple fact is; I doubt he would have gotten into it like I have. He had other hobbies. He very much enjoyed outdoor activities and before he died was very involved in the embroidery and custom shirt business he and his wife operated in a nearby small town.

Instead of wishing for him to take up my hobby, I sometimes feel regret for not asking to join in a goose hunt, or just to visit more often.

Good post, Sharon. Beer with dad is a treasured thing, and posts like this remind me to cherish it.

I had the privilege of brewing with my dad on the day his dad (my grandpa) passed away.

Great post.

My brother and I have brewed with my Dad. I don't remember him ever having a beer when we were young, but he hits them pretty good now when he comes down. And, he is very interested in the process. We have fun.