kids helping me brew

[uncommonsense]

Was talken about brewing at work, and I said the my 3 year old likes to help me (throw pellets in, etc.). They told me that it was wrong to have her help make "BEER". Is it, she has fun and I make her wash her hand. I don't think its wrong any of you.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Your coworkers are wrong. You're spending quality time with your daughter teaching her something about science, doing things for yourself and that there's more enjoyment in life than electronics. Their kids are playing video games and watching TV.
Besides, just tell them she doesn't help make beer, she helps make wort, you would never let her near it post chill and yeast pitching time.

 

[uncommonsense]

Thanks they made me feel realy bad even though I feel like you do about it.

 

[robtotten]

They're uptight dip****s.

 

[IffyG]

What's the big deal? It's not like you are sharing a beer with the kid when you are brewing...

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Sounds like some of my pointy headed inlaws.

They "worry" (out loud) about my boys being in a house where eeeevil old BEER is brewed.

Luckily for them, they have never said anything where I can hear them...

 

[SCBrew]

My girls help me clean. They love to pitch in. I would let them help for more of the process, but I am afraid they will burn themselves or something. I see no problem in having them around and letting them participate. Life is short and there is only so much time that I have to spend with my kids. So, when they can spend some of that time hanging out while I do my hobbies, then that is a good thing.

 

[azscoob]

I would bet that you are a far better father than your co-workers are, and think of the pride when your daughter is showing your grandchild the brewing ropes that she learned from you. what are your co-workers teaching their kids, how to stare at a TV or play games? you on the other hand are teaching your daughter a craft that has been passed down for thousands of years.

 

[Shooter]

Your coworkers are MORONS!!!!

Fixed that for you!

 

[A2z]

Nice! It's not like your cooking meth. They can get over it. Just file it back and use it against them down the road.

 

[Stefano]

This bugs me. There is nothing wrong with what you did. I brew with my friends young daughter.

 

[medic76]

My 4 y/o boy Helped me bottle Last week. he had fun and it was fun spending the time with him. and plus it kept him out of trouble.....lol

 

[bob1852]

It's like the discussions we've had on here about including homebrewing as a hobby on a resume, or bringing it up in an interview. You're unfortunately pegged as an alcoholic.

Now, if your kids help you smoke a giant pork butt, are you accused of being an artery clogger?

 

[rexbanner]

I would bet that you are a far better father than your co-workers are, and think of the pride when your daughter is showing your grandchild the brewing ropes that she learned from you. what are your co-workers teaching their kids, how to stare at a TV or play games? you on the other hand are teaching your daughter a craft that has been passed down for thousands of years.

Word. When I have some boys, they're definitely going to be helping me brew some beer. Whether or not you agree with forcing kids to do that, I would have loved that type of father-son activity, and that's not just in hindsight.

When it comes to parenting, which for me is a long way off, I think anything you can do to get your children interested in something other than TV or videogames is good. My parents didn't let me watch much TV, sent me outside on nice days, and forced me to go to summer camp every year. I might have grumbled a bit back then but I'm thankful they did now. I like TV and videogames but they're a colossal waste of time. If I spent even a quarter of the time I spent doing those learning a craft, language, instrument, or sport, I could have something really useful.

 

[Acoma]

I personally dont think there is anything wrong with it. Its not like you are putting it in his cheerios. On the other hand, I have a brand new son and Im not sure if SWMBO would be okay with it. She seems a little overly protective of him already. I'd probably have to do a little convincing.

 

[ETOHonboard]

My 7 and 5 yo boys like to help me brew and I think its awsome! After they help me with my next brew I am going to help them with their first brew (rootbeer). Don't let your coworkers get you down. They are just jealous that you will have a better relationship with your kids than they do with theirs. Just my opinion

 

[Canadabrew]

My little guys help me by counting caps and putting bottles in the case. They love being involved. I think it's great.

 

[GuldTuborg]

It sounds like someone's coworkers need to get off their Puritanical high horse. This reminds me of one branch of the soon to be in-laws during Christmas "Dirty Santa" gift exchanges. They would always try to get the bottles of booze or wine, so they could make a statement by pouring them down the drain right away. Some people are just odd.

I'm with everyone else here, in that if your kids want to pitch in, spend quality time with you, learn about brewing (and fire safety if you're using propane), that's great. I personally wouldn't give them more than a sip or two of the finished product, but even then, you're not going to do any harm unless they're drinking in larger quantities. They're certainly not going to suffer any "harm" by helping brew.

 

[uncommonsense]

They told me I should do something girls like to do. The first thing I though of was that she not in to tea partys, I think she has yeast in her blood. She like to brew with me and bake bread with my dad.

 

[powerfreak]

My kids help when they want to and I'm fine with that. I actually let them have a sip when I'm drinking my homebrew. Blasphemy, right? Not even. They generally don't like it, which they shouldn't at their age. A sip is not going to harm them and will likely deter them for years. So I hope.

My daugher has stirred for me while I added extract or adjuncts. She's also pitched yeast.

All the kids helped bottle, lining up bottles and putting in cases. The one time I forgot corn sugar and needed to reopen and add carb drops, I let them drop the carb drops in. I recapped and let them put back in the cases.

The youngest boy also color sorted my last batch of random color caps I grabbed from AHS.

It's all good and I'm spending time with my kids. They have an interest in what I'm doing and want to help. That's healthy and makes me proud, because they still want to be around me and don't think I'm an idiot. Yet. I do have an almost-13 year old. Idiotdom is coming. LOL.

 

[tbel]

I do have an almost-13 year old. Idiotdom is coming. LOL.

There's alway hope. I've got a 17,14 and 10yr old and they still like to hang around with their parents.
My two oldest came home home from school as I was finnishing my first batch. They jumped right in helped out.
I'll let them help with what ever they want, except drinking it thats all mine.

 

[Rotgut]

Wtf? Dude.. your kid helped you make beer and you spent good time with her. It's not like you had her doing beer bongs. LOL

My 4yo son helps me all the time. He's a regular with me at our LHBS and he always gets super excited and looks forward to helping me brew. I have a photo on Facebook that my wife posted of my son stirring the mash as I poured in grains. It's good times.

 

[Waunabeer]

F them. My 9 year old daughter just sat and watched me brew this past weekend and had a blast helping her dad and spending quality time with me. They probably prop their kids up in front of spongebob all day and think they are great parents.

I think they will appreciate beer more someday and not abuse it like their kids.

 

[jwheelz]

That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!

Is going for a drive in the car with your kids awful because they're too young to drive?

I always have help from my 3 yr old son and 2yr old daughter, they LOVE it. It's good quality family time.

My son bought me some bottle caps at our LHBS for christmas with his own money out of his own wallet. Later he helped me by placing the caps on the beers before I sealed em up, and even now when ever I get one out of the fridge with the silver caps (the ones he bought) he gets VERY excited to see Daddy enjoying and partaking in his Christmas gift.

 

[michur]

My boys, age 8 & 6, love to help me out. From going to LHBS, right next to the local candy store, to lining up the bottles and caping them.

People need to lighten up.

 

[dos_perros]

Honestly I think you, and most every one else on this discussion, are right. Having kids help you brew isnt bad at all. It allows you to spend some quality time with the kiddo and tech them a few things along the way, and you get some good help to boot! Its a win win your coworkers are a bit closed minded if they are suggesting you are in any way wrong by having the kids help. Mine love to help out and think that the whole act of fermentation is just as fascinating as I do, ok maybe not as much as I do but they still think its cool. Keep doing what you do and eff the nay sayers!!!

 

[millsware]

Spending time with your children participating in a legal activity with roots that go back thousands of years.

On a separate rant...That kind of attitude is what's wrong with alcohol consumption in the U.S. It's all or nothing. That's why when kids go off to college (not all, I know) they explode and go crazy. It's because they haven't been exposed to alcohol as a healthy part of life in moderation like everything else.

 

[dmfa200]

Sounds like your co-workers are all Baptists to me.

By the way...How do you keep a Baptist from drinking your beer?

Invite two.

 

[Coldies]

Not wrong at all. Someone mentioned how the US is so uptight about alcohol consumption, because of this we have the highest alcoholism rate. Beer is going to be in their lifes (When they get older) rather we like it or not, its up to us to teach them to be responsible around it. I have a 6 year old girl who would rather ride her bike then help dad and thats fine, and a 11 month boy so who knows yet with him. Dont let them get you down.

 

[SkiSoloII]

My 8-year old daughter was at church school. They were making bread as a project before First Communion. The teacher tells us she was asking some very intelligent questions, then says: "those are the same ingredients in beer! I help my dad make it!" the teachers were impressed with her knowledge, as well as amused.

I'm proud.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

My own kids have never had any interest in brewing (it STINKS, Dad!). But that is ok, we have other things we do together. My girlfriend's 5-year-old, though, follows me around like a lost puppy when I brew. He grinds the grain and stirs the mash like a witch tending her cauldron.

 

[FatherJack]

To chime in with a slightly related story on this.

Living in Japan has sort of de-sensitized (is that even a word???) to how retentive some Americans are with alcohol. Here, it's just another fact of life. If a person gets drunk every night with his co-workers, he doesn't have a drinking problem, but instead he is considered a great socializer. I've been on trains at 6:00am in the morning heading to Kyoto (about 100 miles away) and had people behind me cracking open a brew.

I'm amazed at how uptight America is with alcohol every time I go back to the states. I'm nearly 30 years old and I ALWAYS get carded when buying beer. On my last visit I bought a local beer at the corner store, was gonna walk to my parents' home with it, about a 5 minute walk, crack it open right on the front step and enjoy summer breezes and great beer. The lady at the counter was like "Do you want a bag for that?" And I was like..."huh? NO! There's no shame in drinking great beer." Her reply was "Amen to that!"

Anyway, my little cultural rant on that. Spending any time with your kid, as long as you are not endangering them, is the best time to me. I consider brewing to be like cooking and showing kids the ropes in the kitchen is one of the biggest favors you can do them in life. Brew on!

 

[dukedog]

It's like the discussions we've had on here about including homebrewing as a hobby on a resume, or bringing it up in an interview. You're unfortunately pegged as an alcoholic.

Now, if your kids help you smoke a giant pork butt, are you accused of being an artery clogger?

Well I don't generally put my hobbies on my resume unless they pertain to the job I'm applying for anyways.

 

[beerheart]

Holy cats! You are definitely a far better father/mother than those making the remarks. As azscoob pointed out, you are giving your daughter memories that will last a lifetime.

Chances are your daughter will grow up to have a great respect for beer, and not abuse it like their children will. When she is old enough she will know what well crafted beer should taste like and savor it in moderation - not pound pints of Natty Light at the bar trying to get a buzz on.

 

[Delorean1981]

you on the other hand are teaching your daughter a craft that has been passed down for thousands of years.

Enough said. Cheers to you sir, and your daughter

 

[evilhomer]

Your coworkers are idiots.

My wife and daughters hate the smell when I brew. But like normal I had the wort loaded into the fermentor bucket on the kitchen floor as I was taking care of my final steps. My 3 year old boy walked up, took a big whif, made a funny face and ran away. Then he kept coming back every 30 seconds or so to lean in, smell it and go mmmmm.

 

[ARittner]

They told me I should do something girls like to do. The first thing I though of was that she not in to tea partys, I think she has yeast in her blood. She like to brew with me and bake bread with my dad.

I wonder what they'd say about me? My 14 year old daughter helps me. I've never used my bench capper, since she caps all my batches while I fill bottles. She always helps me taste the hydro samples too. We go out in the back and shoot too, and she's a deadeye shot with her little .22 rifle. Also begs me to let her mow the lawn with the big zero turn. My 11 year old loves to help out too. Kept him stirring the wort on my last batch.

The girl keeps pestering me to do a batch of mead, but I need to get my temp control worked out before I age anything that long.

Anyway, ignore your coworkers. They're idiots.

 

[ndsgr]

My 2 year old daughter likes to throw the hops in.

My Mormon friend found out she helps me and almost had blood vessel explode. "Well, at least she doesn't drink the beer." Me: "Nope, she most certainly doesn't have a little 1oz glass that I taught her to smell, then carefully sip."

 

[msarro]

My brother makes mead with his kids (he's not a beer fan). When I have kids, I intend to let them help me if they so choose. Heck, they can even have some if they want. My parents raised me that alcohol is no big deal, and that if I wanted to drink it, home was a safe place to do it. I was never much for the taste until after college when I tasted my first craft brews.

I guess being told i could have it made it less taboo or something? And who doesn't appreciate something more when they've helped make it themselves.

 

[uncommonsense]

Thanks guy you realy made my do. Especially when she ask me last night why the beer was turn in to water. (She was watching the bubble in the airlock). I told her about fermentation. she realy thought it was funny that yeast eat sugar then poop alcohol and fart CO2.