I can't believe there isn't a Domestic Tranquility/SWMBO sticky thread

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

high5apparatus

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
278
Reaction score
120
Location
Saint Louis
My wife, who is the great enabler in my homebrew career, brought the cost of brewing into a discussion for the first time last night. I hope this is not a trend.
 
It's the last time I ever bring up the cost of all those fun runs she registers for (and sometimes even participates).
 
the BigHair happened to snag the receipt from my last trip to the LHBS.

"$71! hope you can pay the bills!"

"but, baby,... it's for a parti-gyle; two batches with double the hops and yeast. plus I had to buy more bottles for the SWMBO Slayer I brewed for YOU!"
 
I'm lucky enough to have a SWMBO that enjoys my brewing as much as I do. We consider brewing more beer to be penny pinching and helping with budgeting. We just figure ingredients come out to be less than the cost of commercial beer we would inevitably buy anyway.

The down side being that I have to brew what she likes, so no IPA's in my carboys :(
 
I am one of the lucky ones whose SWMBO encourages me to brew more and expand the brewery. She evens buys the ingredients for her favorite brews!
 
It's the last time I ever bring up the cost of all those fun runs she registers for (and sometimes even participates).

Have you calculated the cost of her not excersing...

because it could be BIG :D

If anything I spend more because of SWMBO. The other day she said, "you know...your birthday is coming up and I know you are planning on building an electric set up"
 
I could do the math to prove that brewing my own is a net savings, but who wants to win that fight?

I dragged my husband to the LHBS last sale day, and we drove away in a slight state of sticker shock. It was basically $100 for a bunch of different grains, some in bulk. Then I started talking about how what I was going to make with those grains would cost us $12 per sixer at the store, but I was making it for $2 per sixer. "The more we drink, the more we save! We're going to drink ourselves to being millionaires!"
 
Each time i came back from LHBS i loudly announce how much money i save by making my own beer, paying peanuts for great quality ingredients and making 10gal of great beer for cost of 12pack saves us lots of money ;), works so far
 
my SWMBO is the greatest, not only she helps me and encourage my brew but she recently started to make her own beer, she is in her second batch, and boy the first she made this incredible APA, I´m afraid she will be better than me in my hobby.
She is totally a keeper.
 
I tried making things for my wife to try and get her on board with what I make. So far, that has not helped me one bit since my wife doesn't really like beer and has not been impressed with the few batches of wine that I have made so I have stopped making things "for her" since that tends to bother her. Instead, I found that cleaning up the kitchen and doing the dishes when I brew puts her in a much better mood.
 
My wife made some noise about my last order but not much. Since my son lives near Midwest Supplies and likes to go there as he brews too, I asked him to pick up my order to save on shipping (150 pounds of supplies). When he delivered I asked him what the total bill would be and he just said, "Merry Christmas, dad". No more noises from the wife and I'm happy.
 
I could do the math to prove that brewing my own is a net savings, but who wants to win that fight?
There are few ways to a woman's heart faster than financial security. It's only a fight if there's a gray area. Saving money is saving money, my friend.
The fight you don't want to have with SWMBO is "which vice would you rather I have"...
 
My SWMBO is very supportive of brewing. It is far cheaper than the other hobbies I have: home theater, computers, woodworking, cars.

I bring up flying lessons every once in a while, too :fro:
 
My wife is sort of bi-polar on this. One moment she is penny pinching and I have to re-clarify that we're saving money; Then next minute she is buying me more equipment when I wasn't even asking for it.

There have even been times when she gets upset that I'm not brewing enough :confused:
 
Very fortunate here: my wife's extremely supportive of my brewing, and generally loves the results, from wines to Belgians to porters to IPAs.

Of course, she has a few expensive hobbies, too, and she's insistent that we be fair about it all. Far be it from me to complain! Heck, the bills get paid, I've got my kegerator, and she's happy. :rockin:

-Rich
 
My wife is pretty supportive, too, though I don't go too crazy on gear and always make sure there's something in the fridge -- or at least the pipeline -- that she likes.
 
My wife wanted a brewery for her birthday. I happily obliged, as this gave me the best hobby on the planet with a wondeful woman who enjoys making beer!
 
I dragged my husband to the LHBS last sale day, and we drove away in a slight state of sticker shock. It was basically $100 for a bunch of different grains, some in bulk. Then I started talking about how what I was going to make with those grains would cost us $12 per sixer at the store, but I was making it for $2 per sixer. "The more we drink, the more we save! We're going to drink ourselves to being millionaires!"

Bob has been the same way with me, but it was nearly $400 at Northern Brewer in September. He blinked, and then just sucked in his breath.

But he drinks at least 50% of the beer around here, and probably 85% of the wine, so he's not really saying much at all at this point. :D
 
The fight you don't want to have with SWMBO is "which vice would you rather I have"...

That one worked out well for me, though...

You highside a motorcycle at 75 mph on a racetrack, and all of a sudden the womenfolk get "concerned" about your "safety"...

So I'm not allowed to do that anymore.

But it does, of course, make brewing significantly safer by comparison :mug:
 
It's surprisingly simple. If you bottle like me, you need a sanitary work environment. That's probably the kitchen.

Dishes done, sink sparkling, counter so clean you could do surgery on it.... all makes for a happy SWMBO.


I'm really fortunate, in so far that while she only has passing interest in brewing her own stuff, she loves the smell of boiling wort.
 
It's surprisingly simple. If you bottle like me, you need a sanitary work environment. That's probably the kitchen.

Dishes done, sink sparkling, counter so clean you could do surgery on it.... all makes for a happy SWMBO.


I'm really fortunate, in so far that while she only has passing interest in brewing her own stuff, she loves the smell of boiling wort.

My wife hates the smell of boiling wort. So this naturally led me to buy equipment to brew outside. She was happy I wasn't inside anymore. Win-win, so far.
 
My wife is very supportive of my brewing. She bought me the equipment kit to get started, and is Christmas she bought me a nice new mash tun with a false bottom. I sometime balk about spending money for kore brew stuf, but she often says, " just go buy it"

I am pretty lucky that she has put up with my obsession.
 
My wife hates the smell of boiling wort. So this naturally led me to buy equipment to brew outside. She was happy I wasn't inside anymore. Win-win, so far.

Funny you should mention this, but my wife encouraged me to go outdoor as well, namely for the larger pot for all grain brews, which lets me make more of her favorite beers :D
 
Back
Top