Homebrewing and...children?

[hobbes]

My little one is getting older now and is starting to show an interest in what I'm doing when I brew a batch of beer. She already loves the primary fermentation process, with the bubbling air locks and blow back tubes, and now she's curious about the rest of the process. I tell her what I'm doing, but she wants to help and I'm having issues with that.

So to you other parents out there; what have you done? Do you let your little ones help brew the batch, bottle?

 

[Nightshade]

Let em brew with ya and explain the process as you go, allow them to stir the whirlpool, allow them to pitch the yeast, teach them how to read a hydrometer correctly.

Wait on the tough stuff like cleaning because it is the less desirable or interesting part of it all and if they get bored and run off then let them, they will learn it in small amounts and want to see more as their knowledge progresses.

 

[bigbeergeek]

Why not? As long as the wee ones are safe and not fouling up sensitive processes, why not indulge their curiosity? Odds are decent that they'll grow to be painfully uninterested in your hobby in the next couple of years anyway, so enjoy the fun while you can. What are the "issues" you're talking about?

 

[hobbes]

The creation of alcohol, specifically.

I should clarify; left to my own devices, with no external factors, I wouldn't see this as a problem or issue. She wants to learn, I would be more than willing to teach. I'm not afraid of alcohol, and I don't want to teach her it's some mystical thing to fear either.

But as a single parent, dealing with my daughter's crazy mother, I have some fears that this would impact custody somehow.

Guess it's more a legal question than anything. I just haven't fully thought it through, and wanted the perspective of others who might have had more time to think about it.

 

[huntingohio]

My kids love being gophers, I color code my hop additions so they can run and get the orange or blue bowl.
The only thing i wont let em do is be in the kitchen when im dumping or doing any stirring of the hot stuff, they are only 3 yet so in time.
I bottle when there out of the house[like visting with there mom or something], I'm very afraid they will drink it, they seem to love the smell of it brewing and fermenting, so I don't doubt they would try and take a swig being so young.

 

[Nightshade]

The creation of alcohol, specifically.

I should clarify; left to my own devices, with no external factors, I wouldn't see this as a problem or issue. She wants to learn, I would be more than willing to teach. I'm not afraid of alcohol, and I don't want to teach her it's some mystical thing to fear either.

But as a single parent, dealing with my daughter's crazy mother, I have some fears that this would impact custody somehow.

Guess it's more a legal question than anything. I just haven't fully thought it through, and wanted the perspective of others who might have had more time to think about it.

It is not beer until it is fermented, until then it is sugar water.

It is not illegal to allow your own kids to drink under your own roof (last I knew) although I would not allow a young child to drink or taste test the actual beer.

I was allowed to drink at home from the age of 13 but there were rules involved with it and I stuck to them which allowed me to retain the privelige, each house is their own though and your rules are your rules.

 

[45_70sharps]

If my 7 year old daughter had an interest she would be my little brew partner in a minute.
Time spent with your kid doing things that they are interested in is always quality time.
In no time at all you might be wishing your kid wanted to do something with you.

 

[jerrodm]

Hard to say in that situation, only you know whether or not it is likely to become an issue between you and the ex...even if you're OK on legal grounds, it may not be worth the hassle of arguing over it or dealing with her. Only you can make that call.

However, I can agree with others that having the kids help out is a lot of fun and useful as well, as long as you set some ground rules. In my house, the back porch becomes the brew zone, and the kids aren't allowed out there while I'm brewing, so I don't have to worry about a pot of wort getting knocked over and someone getting terribly scalded. And they know to stay away from anything that's been sanitized and is sitting on my special sanitized stuff towel. But they help by measuring grains and hops, grinding the grains, bagging things, swirling my starters, etc. etc. And I'm happy to explain to them the process along the way--my son could tell you that yeast make beer by eating sugars and making CO2 and alcohol when he was four years old! Of course kids are interested, it's like a huge science experiment, and it's great to share it with them, even if they're not quite ready to share the final result yet.

Best of luck!

 

[hobbes]

I tend to agree, sharps. Nightshade's post prompted me to look up the laws in my state, turns out she CAN have a sip of the stuff we make, which really undermines my entire concern.

Thanks folks, Nightshade in particular. However, I'd still like to hear what others have come up with.

 

[Subsailor]

Mine are all grown up and on their own. I recommend spend the time with them they give you, encourage and participate in their interests, even if they don't match yours. The reward is that they will be more likely to participate in your interests.

To the OP; In the case of the ex, be as open as you can be about what you are doing. I assume you were brewing before she became your ex so she should have some idea. Assure her that you are not encouraging the children to sample.

As a side note; I have dealt with less than understanding and drag you to court on any whim type ex persons.

 

[bluemoose]

My son helps me. He does the hop additions. It is how he learned to tell time. I also let him help me weigh ingredients. Kids love to be involved.

 

[homebrewdad]

I had assumed that my fourteen year old would be interested in brewing. He was... for about twenty minutes.

On the other hand, both my five year old and three year old like to help - oftentimes, quite a bit. They understand that the drinking of beer is not allowed for kids, though they do like to smell it. I encourage all of the above activities (and you can see pics of them helping on my brewing blog).

I enjoy spending time with them, and I think that demystifying alcohol is of immense benefit. Kids rush out to partake of taboos; if you are open about alcohol use - and are responsible about it - they are far less likely to abuse it.

Don't believe me? Check out the various studies and statistics about European underage drinking versus what we have in the States.

 

[hobbes]

I had assumed that my fourteen year old would be interested in brewing. He was... for about twenty minutes.

On the other hand, both my five year old and three year old like to help - oftentimes, quite a bit. They understand that the drinking of beer is not allowed for kids, though they do like to smell it. I encourage all of the above activities (and you can see pics of them helping on my brewing blog).

I enjoy spending time with them, and I think that demystifying alcohol is of immense benefit. Kids rush out to partake of taboos; if you are open about alcohol use - and are responsible about it - they are far less likely to abuse it.

Don't believe me? Check out the various studies and statistics about European underage drinking versus what we have in the States.

That is largely my perspective as well.

My concern was that it would somehow put me in conflict with my state's laws, and jeopardize custody. However, it seems there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, and my paranoia of running afoul of some puritan values was unfounded.

Which works for me just fine.

 

[ThePonchoKid]

The creation of alcohol, specifically.

I should clarify; left to my own devices, with no external factors, I wouldn't see this as a problem or issue. She wants to learn, I would be more than willing to teach. I'm not afraid of alcohol, and I don't want to teach her it's some mystical thing to fear either.

But as a single parent, dealing with my daughter's crazy mother, I have some fears that this would impact custody somehow.

Guess it's more a legal question than anything. I just haven't fully thought it through, and wanted the perspective of others who might have had more time to think about it.

Journal any "crazy" nuances that you notice from the mother. Especially whenever she does anything manipulative or irrational, or if something is repeated from your daughter's mouth. Unless you notice something alarming, keep the journal simply as a log book. This should be done from day 1 of the separation imo.

Journal the brew activities with your daughter as well. Preface this portion of the journal with why you are doing it (including your concerns over custody), why she your daughter is interested, and perhaps a short on your beliefs on alcohol. Elaborate on why you don't want it to be a mystical thing to your daughter.

Other than that it's legal and it's your own business. Leave mom out of it. Especially if she's crazy. At least with a journal you have documented everything you need to should you need to argue for custody. Assuming that ever happened the beer making should be only a small part of it all

IYou are merely taking the steps that you feel are needed to protect yours. The very act of doing this sort of logging shows a level of responsibility that would be hard to fight

 

[flipfloptan]

No legal worries. A person under the age of 21 can buy homebrew equipment and brew wort. Once it ferments it is off limits. When he was 16 he made many last minute trips to Homebrew store for me in the middle of a mash or boil.

My 20 year old is home for holidays and he says "I should be able to drink it until it is carbonated. Yours doesn't look like the beer from the grocery store or bars."

I just hug him and say "Thanks son. It means a lot to me that you think my beer taste so good you will split hairs on when it is really beer." As he is running away he says "It isn't fair it is just one big tease"

He will be 21 in Feb. I will probably have to go to 10 gallon batches next Thanksgiving.

 

[Nightshade]

Also while brewing talk to her about the history behind beer and its shaping of civilization as we know it. As brewers we are keepers of a long and rich history that should be passed along to our children with pride.

 

[Waynep005]

I say let the kids help when it is safe and then get a kit to make rootbeeer and do that with them so they can have a drink also.

 

[jerrodm]

I finally broke down and made my kids some non-alcoholic "apple pop" this year--every year I buy between 10-25 gallons of cider to make hard cider with, and they always ask, "Why do you turn all the cider into alcohol?" So this year I bought a couple of extra gallons and put just enough yeast in to carbonate, then pasteurized to kill the yeast. It tastes so good I think SWMBO's going to drink it all before the kids even get the chance!

 

[shelly_belly]

 

[Hackwood]

I say let the kids help when it is safe and then get a kit to make rootbeeer and do that with them so they can have a drink also.

Exactly what I do. We also race RC cars and he LOVES taking his rootbeer to the track and letting all the kids know that he made it with me.

He's not much for the whole brewing beer process, but if I EEEEVER mill the grains without him, I get the saddest kid-look you can imagine. He seems to get a little more and more into it as the batches go by. I don't hound him though, if he wants to help, he knows he can, but if not, he doesn't have to.

 

[oakbarn]

Help`the brew some soda! My grandson loves being a "brewer" just like GrandPa!

 

[cramar]

My daughter is 6 and has helped me bottle a couple of batches of wine at the local u-brew, ironically in Canada all she can do is watch though, I wanted to get her running the corker but the owner informed me that the 'peoples liquor agent' hides out across the way and if he saw her he would take the owners licence. Here in Ontario (all provinces I believe) the gov't runs pretty much everything related to alcohol and they don't take kindly to competition.

I'm starting home brew this Christmas and I'm definitely going to get her to help, and she can help out as much as she wants and for as long as she has an interest. It's a great hobby with some valuable skills required.