digdan
Well-Known Member
You expect many sacrifices being married, but let this guide help you on marriage and homebrewing...
Here is my guide to finding harmony between homebrewing and married life.
First and foremost, use propane and a high BTU burner to brew your beer outside. This keeps the mess out of your wifes kitchen, and also the smell. I've noticed that around 50% of women like the smell of brewing (my wife loves it, and its the reason she goes brewery hopping on our vacations). The other 50% HATE the smell and will avoid it at all cost. My buddy had to stop homebrewing because his wife detested the smell indefinably... poor guy.
Now that you have brewed the beer it comes to Sanitizing your equipment for the next batch. Unless you have a special area all of your own to rinse and clean equipment you have to make a deal with the Misses. Keep her area clean. I would wait until my wife would go on a walk or do something time consuming to clean my equipment, and she would never notice. My wife loves that I brew, but she *HATES* messes... her hate for messes hat makes her kitchen great to sanitize my equipment in.
This is the biggest point, in my view any ways... where to store the beer. I had to build a makeshift room attaching to the garage with a heater and a thermostat. I ended up throwing out a lot of batches (look at my signature) trying to get this method to work. The best way to contain an Ale is at room temps... the best way to contain a lager is fridge temps with a controller. Thus, ferment in the house, and stand our ground
Fermenting beer does release some nasty smells, and women hate nasty (and if she doesn't then you're with the wrong woman) I had to sacrifice my work space as storage so I could use the space under the stairs as my fermentation area. Once a week I put an aromatic electric plug in to keep it smelling fresh (as fresh as rank yeast scents can accompany). If you have no space to sacrifice then try to win a closet(any closet). Good things come with sacrifices. And remember to keep the nasty smell away from her nose, and her area!
Once I had the physical aspects of brewing and marriage covered, it came down to the mental aspects. First, make sure you wife enjoys some kind of beer. Even if its Corona light, or Michelob Ultra. Take interest in what she likes in a beer and plan to brew a beer for her a clone every 3 to 4 months. Make sure to keep it very alcoholic for your pleasure .
You now have all the basics of a women covered. Its :
* No offensive smell
* No extra work for her
* Your brewing with her in your heart
Unless she is anti-beer, she will be flattered. And you can go on with your existence. This is the struggle which is man... keeping beer and women in harmony, good luck, and tell her I said HI
Here is my guide to finding harmony between homebrewing and married life.
First and foremost, use propane and a high BTU burner to brew your beer outside. This keeps the mess out of your wifes kitchen, and also the smell. I've noticed that around 50% of women like the smell of brewing (my wife loves it, and its the reason she goes brewery hopping on our vacations). The other 50% HATE the smell and will avoid it at all cost. My buddy had to stop homebrewing because his wife detested the smell indefinably... poor guy.
Now that you have brewed the beer it comes to Sanitizing your equipment for the next batch. Unless you have a special area all of your own to rinse and clean equipment you have to make a deal with the Misses. Keep her area clean. I would wait until my wife would go on a walk or do something time consuming to clean my equipment, and she would never notice. My wife loves that I brew, but she *HATES* messes... her hate for messes hat makes her kitchen great to sanitize my equipment in.
This is the biggest point, in my view any ways... where to store the beer. I had to build a makeshift room attaching to the garage with a heater and a thermostat. I ended up throwing out a lot of batches (look at my signature) trying to get this method to work. The best way to contain an Ale is at room temps... the best way to contain a lager is fridge temps with a controller. Thus, ferment in the house, and stand our ground
Fermenting beer does release some nasty smells, and women hate nasty (and if she doesn't then you're with the wrong woman) I had to sacrifice my work space as storage so I could use the space under the stairs as my fermentation area. Once a week I put an aromatic electric plug in to keep it smelling fresh (as fresh as rank yeast scents can accompany). If you have no space to sacrifice then try to win a closet(any closet). Good things come with sacrifices. And remember to keep the nasty smell away from her nose, and her area!Once I had the physical aspects of brewing and marriage covered, it came down to the mental aspects. First, make sure you wife enjoys some kind of beer. Even if its Corona light, or Michelob Ultra. Take interest in what she likes in a beer and plan to brew a beer for her a clone every 3 to 4 months. Make sure to keep it very alcoholic for your pleasure .
You now have all the basics of a women covered. Its :
* No offensive smell
* No extra work for her
* Your brewing with her in your heart
Unless she is anti-beer, she will be flattered. And you can go on with your existence. This is the struggle which is man... keeping beer and women in harmony, good luck, and tell her I said HI
