How to stop teenagers begging for beers

It gets hot and the first thing I know is that the teenage son and his scurrilous friends are begging me for beers. Normally they drink macro bilge water and have little concept of styles or nuances despite many attempts to educate and inculcate in them appreciation for these finer details.

Why should I surrender my finest Vienna lager or beloved Kolsch to such ingrates? Gargling the stuff down like ravenous pirates. I ask them did they enjoy the beer and they state, 'Yeah Mr. Robbie, it was bangin!' That's teenager for 'yes it was very tasty. Got any more?'

Sigh we like to be appreciated and there is of course a certain satisfaction in our family and friends enjoying some wholesome homebrew and if we can reach out to the next generation of homebrewers what an awesome thing that would be :rockin:

I don't think it's an issue for most of us- in the US it's illegal to provide alcohol to anyone under 21 and adults/parents could get in serious trouble for allowing someone under 21 to drink, and providing the alcohol can sometimes be a felony.

I think in Canada the legal drinking age is 19(?) so that's technically a teenager I guess.

Simple answer is to make them brew it (under your supervision).
This way you all get to enjoy some great homebrew and you don't have to work so hard.
Plus you get the brew more often.

Maybe brew some to their taste - light colour, mild bitterness, low ABV session, high carbonation etc.

The bigger problem I find is if using a dispenser and not bottles - the consumers are untrackable and it seems to disappear faster than it should

Yooper said:

I don't think it's an issue for most of us- in the US it's illegal to provide alcohol to anyone under 21 and adults/parents could get in serious trouble for allowing someone under 21 to drink, and providing the alcohol can sometimes be a felony.

I think in Canada the legal drinking age is 19(?) so that's technically a teenager I guess.

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Yes I forgot that the USA is a mixture of Victorian, Puritan and Texan

In Scotland its legal for 16-17 year old's to drink low alcohol beverages like beer and cider in a restaurant if bought by an adult. You can legally buy any alcohol anywhere in the UK at 18 years of age. We also allow couples to be legally married in Scotland at 16 years of age!! Crazee times

mredge73 said:

Simple answer is to make them brew it (under your supervision).
This way you all get to enjoy some great homebrew and you don't have to work so hard.
Plus you get the brew more often.

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That's pure genius! I could have minions of teenagers all slaving away brewing the amber nectar!

Yooper said:

I don't think it's an issue for most of us- in the US it's illegal to provide alcohol to anyone under 21 and adults/parents could get in serious trouble for allowing someone under 21 to drink, and providing the alcohol can sometimes be a felony.

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True in Michigan, not necessarily true in the rest of the country.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_consumption_by_youth_in_the_United_States

Yooper said:

I think in Canada the legal drinking age is 19(?) so that's technically a teenager I guess.

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Varies from province to province. It's 18 in Quebec, Manitoba, and Alberta.

MSK_Chess said:

Yes I forgot that the USA is a mixture of Victorian, Puritan and Texan

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In the past after prohibition it varied from state to state, 18-21, pre-prohibition there was no minimum age in some states, but congress made it 21 in 1984 and compliance was required to get a portion of federal highway funding. Of course, this is for purchase of alcohol, some states have varying possession of alcohol laws and parents can provide alcohol to their child for consumption on their property (though the nuances of this varies from state to state - surprise).

American law is incredibly complicated because of State laws. I found this.


Underage Drinking Exceptions

Although the minimum drinking age is officially 21 in all 50 states, 45 states legally exempt minors from underage drinking laws under certain circumstances, according to ProCon.org.

These exceptions for underage drinking, which have detailed state-specific requirements, include:

On private property (including homes and offices) with parental presence and consent: 29 states
On private property (including homes and offices) without parental presence and consent: 6 states
For religious purposes: 25 states
For medical purposes: 16 states
For government work-related purposes (like working undercover): 4 states
For educational purposes (such as culinary school): 11 states
When reporting medical emergency (e.g. when one underage drinker dials 911 for another minor): 17 states and Washington D.C.
On alcohol-selling premises (such as restaurants and bars) with parental presence and consent: 11 states
Five states — Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, New Hampshire, and West Virginia — have no exceptions to their underage alcohol consumption laws.

http://blogs.findlaw.com/law_and_life/2013/10/legal-for-kids-to-drink-alcohol-with-parents.html

I live in Canada, and it's legal at 18. Originally from the UK, and it's 16-18 there as mentioned above. Many parents introduce youths to it earlier, such as a half glass of watered down wine with a family dinner. Theory being it encourages responsible, socially appropriate consumption.

To the OP's question:
a) as long as they aren't drinking Buckfast, you're ahead.
b) y'know that batch with the terrible off-taste - give them that. That should stop them asking for more of your beer. Or will at least get rid of it for you.

dyqik said:

To the OP's question:
a) as long as they aren't drinking Buckfast, you're ahead.
b) y'know that batch with the terrible off-taste - give them that. That should stop them asking for more of your beer. Or will at least get rid of it for you.

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LOL I visited Buckfast Abbey once in Devon, or Cornwall, I forget now. It was closed and I had to make do with licking the gift shop window!

rhys333 said:

I live in Canada, and it's legal at 18. Originally from the UK, and it's 16-18 there as mentioned above. Many parents introduce youths to it earlier, such as a half glass of watered down wine with a family dinner. Theory being it encourages responsible, socially appropriate consumption.

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Yeah its like the French or Italians, table wine is simply a part of every day life.

Yooper said:

I don't think it's an issue for most of us- in the US it's illegal to provide alcohol to anyone under 21 and adults/parents could get in serious trouble for allowing someone under 21 to drink, and providing the alcohol can sometimes be a felony.

I think in Canada the legal drinking age is 19(?) so that's technically a teenager I guess.

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Depending on where you live that couldn't be further from the truth (I'm thinking about all of you cheeseheads).

MSK_Chess said:

American law is incredibly complicated because of State laws. I found this.

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It makes things interesting. With the exception of Louisiana, the basis for the US legal system is the English Common Law, this includes the 49 other states and federal system. Louisiana uses civil code, and, perhaps, has the most lax alcohol control laws, though Missouri might be in the running. IIRC open containers are still ok.

In the past, Montana allowed open containers and consumption in vehicles in many areas of the state; Montana also had reasonable and prudent speed limit, but federal funding requirements changed that.

Hell here in CO you can rip on recreational marijuana bought from a retail MJ store, which is legal under CO law but illegal under federal law.

triethylborane said:

It makes things interesting. With the exception of Louisiana, the basis for the US legal system is the English Common Law, this includes the 49 other states and federal system. Louisiana uses civil code, and, perhaps, has the most lax alcohol control laws, though Missouri might be in the running. IIRC open containers are still ok.

In the past, Montana allowed open containers and consumption in vehicles in many areas of the state; Montana also had reasonable and prudent speed limit, but federal funding requirements changed that.

Hell here in CO you can rip on recreational marijuana bought from a retail MJ store, which is legal under CO law but illegal under federal law.

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This is really difficult to get a handle on. Do state laws therefore supersede federal laws.

MSK_Chess said:

This is really difficult to get a handle on. Do state laws therefore supersede federal laws.

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No, it's just that the Fed has put a blind eye to it, that could change at any time.
And from what I know banks don't want to handle money from dispensarys.

MSK_Chess said:

This is really difficult to get a handle on. Do state laws therefore supersede federal laws.

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Welcome to the argument on States rights vs. Federal authority. The answer to your question is sometimes yes, sometimes no, and do you have a good lawyer?

By the way, the state of Missouri does not have an open container law. However, some local municipalities do. So if you have an open container in your car but are not intoxicated you could be legal then cross into a different town on the same road and not be legal.

MSK_Chess said:

This is really difficult to get a handle on. Do state laws therefore supersede federal laws.

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No, they are parallel legal systems, with parallel laws in certain areas.

In practice with pot, the Feds don't bother if the case doesn't involve crossing state-lines or a state which hasn't legalized recreational pot, although Sessions seems to want to change that. In some (all?) areas they may only be able to intervene if multiple state jurisdictions are involved, or Federal property or organizations (which is why "mail fraud" or "wire fraud" is a common charge in Federal investigations - it involves the USPS, which is a Federal organization, and so gives clear Federal court jurisdiction to cases that would otherwise be state only).

MSK_Chess said:

This is really difficult to get a handle on. Do state laws therefore supersede federal laws.

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Constitutional law and federal power (and jurisdiction) are pretty messy. Generally a state gets to regulate on the health safety and welfare of the people within its border, and 10th Amendment of the US Constitution says

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

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The framers of the Constitution debated this state v fed power, pretty interesting stuff.

Thanks guys I just been reading up on Article VI and the supremacy clause. Strange that even though a law conflicts with Federal law The States themselves still permit it, regardless. This surely creates a kind of conflict on interest.

MSK_Chess said:

This is really difficult to get a handle on. Do state laws therefore supersede federal laws.

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When selling/buy marijuana they do! Many states in the U.S. have legal pot sales but it's still against Fed law. That made it interesting since banks couldn't open bank accounts for the "pot shop" so it was largely a cash business.

Murphys_Law said:

When selling/buy marijuana they do! Many states in the U.S. have legal pot sales but it's still against Fed law. That made it interesting since banks couldn't open bank accounts for the "pot shop" so it was largely a cash business.

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and yet the Feds if they like can come in and bust you - crazee

dyqik said:

No, they are parallel legal systems, with parallel laws in certain areas.

In practice with pot, the Feds don't bother if the case doesn't involve crossing state-lines or a state which hasn't legalized recreational pot, although Sessions seems to want to change that. In some (all?) areas they may only be able to intervene if multiple state jurisdictions are involved, or Federal property or organizations (which is why "mail fraud" or "wire fraud" is a common charge in Federal investigations - it involves the USPS, which is a Federal organization, and so gives clear Federal court jurisdiction to cases that would otherwise be state only).

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The feds could certainly find a interstate tie to pot production here in CO, fertilizer from out of state used to made the dankest weed, or something else along those lines. A bigger issue though is paying for it, which often times feds will let the states have jurisdiction bc its just not worth it.

MSK_Chess said:

and yet the Feds if they like can come in and bust you - crazee

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Yes it is, so much for the land of the free.

Europe it's 16-18, and sometimes it's 18 but the police will be tolerant towards harmless drinking 16-17 year olds.
And here the link to the information for the rest of the world:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_drinking_age#/media/File:Alkoholersterwerbsalter_(Weltweit)2.svg

You had a great idea back a few posts.....use them for laborers, and their daily ration is two pints per day. As soon as they figure there is work to be done in exchange for pints, they'll be less thirsty than before.

MSK_Chess said:

and yet the Feds if they like can come in and bust you - crazee

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They won't though, politically its not good. Also, Trump is lax on it even though Sessions, his Attorney General, would probably seek to enforce the laws (this is basic, don't want to get into too much politics). Too many states are bringing to ballot the question of recreational MJ and pressure is on politicians at all levels from municipal to federal regarding the question. Also, there is the issue of paying for enforcement which too often the feds will seek help from the state and vice versa.

If anything, it is the federal tax filing that will be problematic. Its always about the money.

Brew low gravity beer (2% ABV) but don't tell them.

I got lucky. When I turned 18 they dropped the age to 18. When I turned 21 they went back to 21 so I was able to drink legally from 18 to 21.

I like the idea of having them brew. Make them buy the ingredients, brew the beer then take half as a fee for using your equipment. I know this gets into the selling of homebrew somewhat.

Then brew your own. Now you get half again as much. Or more, if there are enough teenagers using your equipment. Just supply them with recipes of beers you like.

I think in Canada the legal drinking age is 19(?) so that's technically a teenager I guess.

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Each province and territory is free to set its own drinking age. The legal age for purchase is: 19 years of age in BC, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, PEI, Saskatchewan, and Yukon. 18 years of age in Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec.

ebstauffer said:

Depending on where you live that couldn't be further from the truth (I'm thinking about all of you cheeseheads).

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\

True. When I go to a tavern, it's completely legal for the owner's 10 year old to serve my 10 year old, as long as the parents give permission. (We primarily are in Wisconsin for outings).

But, it's never legal for me to serve a minor that is not my own child without the parent's being present and giving permission. So I wouldn't be able to serve my teens, and "their friends" legally, and in some states it could be a felony. We straddle the border between Wisconsin and Michigan, and it could easily become an interstate thing which makes it a felony!

I do want to mention that discussion is valuable, but we never want to get into talking politics or encouraging violation of laws in that discussion. We can talk about the law in the area we live, but keep in mind that this forum is based in Texas, USA. So any real discussion of encouraging minors to imbibe aside from the type of discussion we are currently having will not be allowed. Thanks!

I'd like to know what the states define as alcohol being "medically necessary"

But back to the point I think that for the OPs concerns if it is legal for the teenagers to imbibe, then make them brew it with you. It will make them have a greater appreciation of where the brews are coming from

Aside from putting those teens to work on a brew day, you could always supply some extra bitter tough drinking brew to perhaps slow them down a bit.

I don't see a prob in a 14+ year old having a super light session ale at home occasionally - rather that than doing it elsewhere with super strong cans or worse spirits

Yooper said:

I don't think it's an issue for most of us- in the US it's illegal to provide alcohol to anyone under 21 and adults/parents could get in serious trouble for allowing someone under 21 to drink, and providing the alcohol can sometimes be a felony.

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I don't think that's quite right. In fact, I believe it's decided state-by-state, with many states allowing underage consumption with parental consent. Other stipulations too, depending on the state.

Regarding the OP, I don't have much advice. I've got 3 older kids (19/23/26) and none of them were ever interested in drinking anything. Odd.

Yooper said:

I don't think it's an issue for most of us- in the US it's illegal to provide alcohol to anyone under 21 and adults/parents could get in serious trouble for allowing someone under 21 to drink, and providing the alcohol can sometimes be a felony.

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Here's the places and stipulations for underage drinking. For the most part, drinking at home with adult supervision and consent is mostly OK. Unless you ask my wife, then no so much

Exceptions to the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) of 21

RevKev said:

I'd like to know what the states define as alcohol being "medically necessary"

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They used to use ethanol infusions to treat preterm labor. Was before my time but I've heard stories of having a collection of drunk ladies on the maternity unit.

chickypad said:

They used to use ethanol infusions to treat preterm labor. Was before my time but I've heard stories of having a collection of drunk ladies on the maternity unit.

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Ethanol is used to treat vascular malformations.