What can I brew for kids?

[Scout]

My kids want to help me with just about everything. They are age 9-4. What can I make with my brewery that they can help with, and later drink? I've thought about tea, but that seems too simple, but maybe simmple is best for their ages?

 

[mashdar]

If you have a free keg you could make soda? You should to put some sorbate & kmeta in it to avoid it fermenting. Or use a non-fermentable sweetener, or just make seltzer. Probably make sure ph<=4.6.

 

[z-bob]

Root beer, from concentrate. It is fermented, so very slightly alcoholic. You need to refrigerate the bottles so they don't explode (or better yet, use plastic bottles) I know both of these are unavailable right now at Amazon, but maybe you can find them somewhere else:
Amazon.com
Amazon.com

My dad made the McCormick's root beer when I was a kid. I still have and use his bottle capper.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Junior Duff to accompany Junior Laramie

 

[wdavis2003]

I made this for my 11 YO's bday party. The kids loved it. It's very simple. 1 part extract, 4 parts water. Set the carbonation high for at least a week. This amount is designed for a 5 gallon keg.

Sprecher RB Extract

 

[AlexKay]

See if they enjoy drinking sweet wort.

 

[Beerstein]

My daughter likes carbonated crystal light.

 

[z-bob]

My daughter likes carbonated crystal light.

Carbonated apple juice is really good; I used to make that for my daughter in a 1L plastic bottle with a carbonator cap and a CO2 tank.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Root beer is my favorite on tap. I use the extract or Sprechers.

Best served with a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream!

 

[Scout]

I made this for my 11 YO's bday party. The kids loved it. It's very simple. 1 part extract, 4 parts water. Set the carbonation high for at least a week. This amount is designed for a 5 gallon keg.

Sprecher RB Extract

that would be alright, but i was hoping to use the brewery to make something. I do have spare kegs and open taps on my keezer, though.

See if they enjoy drinking sweet wort

I tried that last time I brewed. The middle kid wouldnt try it, and the youngest barely touched it with his tongue. He said he loked it, but wouldn't do anymore than that.

My daughter likes carbonated crystal light.

Sometimes I mix half lemonade and half sprite. I've always thought a carbonated lemonade would be good, but I've never tried it.

Carbonated apple juice sounds good, I'd have to get a carbonator cap first.

 

[GoodTruble]

Has anyone tried carbing koolaid or Hawaiian punch?

 

[balrog]

Anything with water can absorb CO2 and be carbonated, but you don't have to do anything but hook up a CO2 tank to the keg holding said water-based item. Root beer can be done in the brewery, steeping the various roots and herbs, but you'll spend a fortune getting said same aforementioned roots and herbs, while the Zatarain's extract is foolproof. I **do** heat up water to dissolve sugars for root beer; that can be done in the brewery. And yes, sugarS. Various corn, table, light brown, dark brown sugars can be layered to make different root beers.

In the end, it all goes in a keg, hooked up the CO2, and then the kids love pulling a glass from the tap.

A tap with a auto-return spring.

A strong auto-return spring.

Over a mat.

Preferably outside.

 

[Dland]

How about a shandy?

 

[Beerstein]

Has anyone tried carbing koolaid or Hawaiian punch?

I had a work colleague that used to ferment koolaid for their “less sophisticated friends.“

 

[Scout]

In the end, it all goes in a keg, hooked up the CO2, and then the kids love pulling a glass from the tap.

A tap with a auto-return spring.

A strong auto-return spring.

Over a mat.

Preferably outside.

I found that poppet valve springs make good auto return springs. They are a must, in my opinion.

 

[skeeterman]

Just do not add yeast to carbonate. Did that once, before I learned about fermenting, etc. Kids got into it and started acting real goofy. Parents not mused!

 

[Mr. Vern]

I've thought about making syrup for different soda's, even root beer. Some of the methods add alcohol but you can force carb and even pasteurize if you have the desire. It sounds fun to me but I am not sure how much a kid would like to "design" their own soda (and commit through the process HA!)

Jones Soda makes a Thanksgiving Dinner and other outrageous themes, it reminds me that the sky is the limit.

Has anyone tried carbing koolaid or Hawaiian punch?

We got a sodastream for our wedding and spent the summer carbing everything liquid.

Milk was not very good... Orange Juice was a hit, I imagine Koolaid would be too.

Margaritas were the standout, carbonation with bright flavors match well.

 

[GoodTruble]

I may have to try carbing margaritas. I could see that being a hit.

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

I had a work colleague that used to ferment koolaid for their “less sophisticated friends.“

/r/prisonhooch representin'

 

[redrocker652002]

I dig the Root Beer idea. That could be fun when I don't feel like a beer but want something carbonated. Once I get a multi tap setup that might work out for me. Cool.

 

[Bramling Cross]

While reading your post I couldn't help but think, "Turn them into triple decoction stirring peons!" Then you had to write "...and drink."

Why does everything have to be so complicated?

 

[mbauer013]

I made this for my 11 YO's bday party. The kids loved it. It's very simple. 1 part extract, 4 parts water. Set the carbonation high for at least a week. This amount is designed for a 5 gallon keg.

Sprecher RB Extract

We use this for my son, but make it 1 part extract to 5 parts water as the stock recipe was just way to sweet for our tastes.

 

[wepeeler]

I've done seltzer from RO water in a keg. Set to 45psi for a few days, then down to like 30-35 to pour. It's a little aggressive to pour, but it scratches the nonalcoholic drink itch. Amoretti infusions to dose. The lemon lime one tastes a little like Sprite. And the Strawberry one is really good too. 1-2 pumps for a 12oz pour is great.

 

[Dr P]

I have water kefir that is fun to flavor, and can make it fizzy.

 

[Zanatrik]

I would go with the tea idea! Work some malt, cinnamon, and a splash of maple syrup for cinnamon roll tea (malts give a bit of that bready flavor). Or let them experiment and design their own tea recipe to try