Brewing with the Kids?

[Stef1966]

I have a 3 year old daughter and a 1 year old baby boy, my daughter saw me brewing and knows i like to brew and drink beer, she gets a sip once in a while cause she is just curious about the taste but thats about it, she never asks for more than a sip.

So i don't see any big deal with that, when she gets to be a teen she might even find it pretty stupid to see her friends trying to get some at the store with a fake ID then to hide and drink it nervously like it's the coolest thing on Earth.

When i was a kid everyone was drinking beer at family gatherings and then people sang and danced, never any attitude problems or fights or anything like that, if people got too drunk they just slept over at the place and that was all.

I'm from Quebec and here Beer is as commonly used as the French use wine, and there are no specific laws for brewing beer in Quebec, unless you make a moron out of yourself and go driving under the influence that is.

 

[rudy0498]

I have a 3 year old girl and 18 month old twin boys....I fully plan on letting them be involved in my hobby when they start taking interest. I haven't allowed them to take a sip yet, but I don't see a problem with that. The worry about having to answer to CPS or an over-bearing school administrator at some point is a realistic threat. I happen to think that the more serious and more likely threat is to those kids who grow up sheltered from all it and can't handle unlimited access to it once they get to college. I would think that the number of parents getting prosecuted for serving their own children alcohol responsibly in the privacy of their own home is far less then the number of kids that die as a result of alcohol related accidents. I don't have any statistics to support that, but I am much more worried about the latter.

I personally hope that by the time my kids get to college (or even high school), they will understand what good beer is, and won't have interest in doing keg stands of Busch Light . Since it will be more difficult for them to access good beer until they are of legal age, maybe it will curb their drinking a bit until they are old enough to buy it on their own.

Because let's be realistic, how many of us refrained from drinking until we were of legal age? We can't expect our kids to do the same thing. If you educate your kids about it and expose it to them (not their friends) in very limited quantities, they will be more likely to trust you and be up front with you about their drinking habits.

Just my drug store psychology

 

[JesseRC]

i agreee.. I 'll drink to that.

 

[BeerPressure]

Sounds like fun. Teaching your child a fun hobby that he/she may get into later in life, I would include if i had any kids.

 

[JesseRC]

its kinda like demistifying it for them. Hopefully it works. I drink less now that I am drinking for the taste of it than in my get drunk college years.

 

[Cape Brewing]

Shiat. You just described my weekends when my wife is away.

Well hell... I didn't say I didn't do it. (although I don't smoke... butts)...

I meant it more as you shoudl be worried if that was your four year old!

 

[IrregularPulse]

I've discussed this with my wife. My son is only 5 months old so it will definitely be some time before he can help, But I think if he takes an interest and wants to help then that is a very good thing. Anything a parent and child can do together (within reason of course, lets not go on family killing sprees!) is a good thing. And if/when he takes an interested and hangs out with me all day putting work into it, yes he will be able to taste it at all stages. Mind you post fermenting sips will be just that SIPS. But I plan on introducing him to beer young. Not giving it to him buy the glass by any means but tasting it and seeing what it can be. and I think at 15-16 he should be able to drink a glass of Dad's beer at dinner with Mom and Dad. 1 Glass. I want to promote the craft of the drink, not the effect it CAN have. He will probably still drink in highschool at parties but I hope through the years before that he can pick up, through my teaching, that beer beer can be fun but it can be dangerous if abused. It should be about the craft, and not the quantity. SWMBO doesn't agree with the young age drinking, but he is still her tiny little baby, that may change.

 

[jmendez29]

I view the subject of beer and alcohol the same way I view firearms in the house. Education is always the best policy. If you want your kids to respect your firearms, teach them about them so its not so much of a mystery. Likewise alcohol, teach them about it so it doesn't get abused.

I have a 12 year old son and a 10 year old daughter. From an educational perspective, I call it a real time biology experiment. They have both tasted my beers and other alcoholic beverages for several years now. Neither of them liked any of the commercial beers that I have been drinking, but of the two brews that have made it through the bottle conditioning phase thus far, they have both been met with rave reviews from both of my kids.

I have been told from my eldest that it is illegal for him to drink the stuff, which also gives me the opportunity for an education in civics and law. Which, depending on a persons perspective, can also lead to various learnings in governmental propaganda and requests to read the book "1984", but thats a discussion for later.

And one more final point to make, if I can teach them patience in the process, they will very much so be the better person for it. At the very least it will make them much less likely to be arrested for carrying a fake identification card upon the college years. That could be considered a federal offense depending on the circumstances.

 

[Jaybird]

I like this thread
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f29/two-new-brewers-scene-94155/
Then look at my gallery.

Get them involved in your hobbies and teach them things like...
How to read
Measuring and calculating things
Math
Science
Hard work
Team work
Success and failure
Patience
I know there is more!

 

[klmonson]

My 10 year old daughter loves helping me on brewday, up until the point I start boiling, then her and her sister walk around the house with clothespins on their noses. Bottling day is when I get the most help, one preps the bottles and caps, I fill and cap then the other puts the bottles in the boxes. I too am just waiting for the call from the school. At least I am spending time with my family, I could have just popped in a Disney movie and done it all myself very easily. To the hyper-sensitive, over-protective school administrators all I am going to say is ... Relax and have a homebrew.

P.S. I am slightly concerned of the ramifications of this once they are of legal age to consume and discover boys, and the boys discover that my girls can make beer, how popular they may become. ah fatherly pride is a razors edge indeed.

 

[Trenchant]

My mom used to make her own wine all the time and she was glad to see me making beer. I'm probably one of the most responsible teenagers you will find. My little brother took a little bit of a nose dive in the last few years. They're glad to see I understand what I'm doing, everything is made at home where they know whats happening and most importantly I'm learning another skill.

I will hopefully be picking up a fridge tomorrow. Beer will be on tap so I can have friends over for some free beer. But they will know exactly whats going on because everything is in public view to them.

I think they like the beer idea a lot more then when I was toying with the idea of building a still....

It's great to see parents educating their kids and introducing them to the hobby! My mom owns a few fast food restraunts and is usually exhausted after dealing with employee's that don't show up or food that doesn't come in. I'm normally able to convince her to help me. She owns 2 fast food restraunts, my dad owns a life insurance and investment company and I run my own web developement company. We don't always get to see eachother that much.

 

[fratermus]

he refers to all my beers as "Coffee". I have yet to figure out why.

Because you drink it every morning while reading the newspaper?

 

[Moonshae]

It all started with a dip of the finger for me. Now, I have to keep my glass out of reach. It took me a few times to learn that a glass-o-beer left unnattended was oppoirtunity for my boy and I've caught him sampling more than a finger dip before I learned to take the glass with me or put it out of reach.

I have this same problem, but with my dog. She's very good, though, drinks out of the pint glass without knocking it off the coffee table and everything. The first time, I thought, gee, that pint went fast. The next time I caught her with her nose in the glass (I moved quieter that time, so she didn't have time to get away). Now I keep the glass out of reach of I have to leave the room.

 

[nosmatt]

my 9 year old is an excellent helper!

SMWMBO was my bottling buddy, but i was alone for all of the other process... now my oldest boy is nocking down boil overs with the spray bottle, helping with the wort chiller... all aspects. last weekend was the easiest brew day to date, and i bottled in the middle. all because he wanted to help. i should have tapped this resource a long time ago... in fact, ten minutes ago, i got "is it a brew day dad!?" from him.

on the other hand, my three year old could care less
i shall break him in slowly.

 

[Champurrado]

Mr. TuneMarshall:

My 9 year old daughter is very helpful. She doesn't really participate all that much with brew days but she has bottled every beer I've brewed. I'd like to give a demonstration at her school but common sense, for once has prevailed. I don't see a problem having my kids learn about starch conversion, fermentation and hydrolics. It's really just science, right? My oldest daughter works at the brew/pub at her college and when she's home for the holidays, shows a healthy interest in the process. I say get the kids involved.

 

[mr_goodwrench]

My six year old daughter has been helping me for awhile. In fact, my first kit was a father's day gift when she was two. She loves to help and does so with nearly all aspects from going to the LHBS with me to get grains to cleaning bottles. I knew she really liked to help but I had no idea how much it meant to her until one day a few months ago.

She is in first grade and everyday they do what the teacher calls 'writer's workshop'. They pick a topic and write a few sentences about it. She had brought a bunch of them home for us to read and when SWMBO came across one, she burst out laughing:

Well, it brought a tear to my eye! Then I became a bit concerned about what the teacher was going to say. I waited for the phone call but it never came. We even went to parent teacher conference and nary a mention of it!

She understands that like mommy's wine, my beer is an adult beverage and she can't drink it right now. I agree with everyone else that being exposed to responsible alcohol consumption from a young age is the key to a healthy attitude toward it. I am hoping that she will enjoy a good beer or wine when she gets a bit older and is less likely to be out binge drinking.

Here is a picture of her helping to harvest some wild hops at my parents farm.

 

[Stef1966]

Maybe thats because I'm Canadian...

But tell me folks, I do not get why would any school be concerned about kids helping out parents brewing beer, when all we see on TV are murders, rapes, drug dealers, images of war and the like?

I mean, who cares about brewing beer when there are street gangs out there waiting to tax your young child's lunch money with a switch blade knife every day?

People have to wake up that brewing beer is nothing compared to a lot of commonly seen stuff young children get exposed to on a daily basis.

Maybe i do not have my values set in the right order...?

I'll drink to that.

 

[mr_goodwrench]

Thats the way I look at it. Unfortunately, sometimes schools have somewhat skewed priorities and especially around here, there are many stories of kids and alcohol (teen aged driving related usually) that end in tragedy. It seems that schools want to keep kids separated from alcohol at all costs.

And yes, it is because you are Canadian!

 

[Stef1966]

And yes, it is because you are Canadian!

*LOL*

 

[BrewinJack]

if getting your kids involved teaches them respect and other qualities that brewers are required to have to be sucessful, and also many other qualities as well... personally it helped my chemestry lab work in highschool to no end... but now at the age of 21 i look back and learning the skill helped me more times then i could have known... So teach them, let them help... keep an eye on them, and make sure they know and respect what achohal is.... Dont let some naysayer douchepaddle (thanks for inventing this word Revvy) of a health teacher put the star struck immage of achohal in your kids minds... teach then that it should be respected and understood, not feared and worshiped...

Edit: I changed this because it was too personal and wishy washy for my tastes, and i could feel the Mod who saw it lettering there fingers hover over the "Ban" button

Cheers

 

[Moonshae]

persepctive commision disipline pacients steeling freshment tradgedy counslers serivces arested achohal havent reaspect possiably undenyable highschool pregeant acident sacrifce im alot commisioned pacients thats sucessful chemestry highschool achohal Dont immage achohal comming persepctive

Kids, stay in school and learn how to spell. You'll get along better in life. Alcohol will wait for you to finish developing your brain, I promise.

 

[BrewinJack]

Kids, stay in school and learn how to spell. You'll get along better in life. Alcohol will wait for you to finish developing your brain, I promise.

i am thinking of saying somthing mean and definatly insulting, in fact it would likely involve you mother having sexual relations with a goat, and also pontificate at great length about how much foolish and judgemental you are... and how when sombody says somthing you simply make a joke out of it... instead i am gonna just say, you go your way and i will go mine... its clear you dont like me, and now i dont like you... so shove it and I will be over there

cheers

 

[1234ScottD]

Well, on lighter note. I have read through all the post in this thread.
I have a fifteen year old step son, two daughters 10 and 9.
My son and I have had a strained relationship over the past few years, he's not the talkative type, and I had a stressfull job. I quit that job about a year ago, and the family life is getting better.
I decided to get back into brewing and my son and I were home alone. I offered for him to help me. He reluctantly at first helped, but really got into it.
While the wort was boiling we actually started to talk. He has helped with several batches since. The daughters got mad that they couldn't. So they have been assigned the bottling supervisors.
Anyway , I feel the conversations, and time I have spent with my son may have forever changed the way we got along together. We now even talk when not brewing, and I got a hug for the first time in 6 years or so.

I know that there are some out there who say it is wrong to let kids near alcohol at that age, and they do have good reasons.

I respect their right to have their opinion. I don't judge their reasons, or their motives. As for this household, I can say it has many more positives than any possible negatives. I talk to my kids about the effects of drinking. They know that if they do go to that party and drink too much, they will not killed if they call me for a ride. I think because of their new found respect and understanding of alcohol, the chances of that happening are greatly diminished. Ok,,, I think I'm done now.


Scott

 

[1234ScottD]

sorry forgot to subscribe.

 

[Kungpaodog]

I don't have any kids yet, but I can't see any real downsides to brewing with your kids. It seems like everyone here has only good things to say about it, and I bet that any of the children mentioned here will be at very low risk of becoming binge drinkers in college.

I've got a co-worker with a 6 year old son who got very interested in how a keg worked at a BBQ last summer, so dad showed the kid how the tap worked and explained the physics of pressure etc, and the boy couldn't wait for someone to have an empty cup. He was pretty cute re-filling cups all afternoon! This dad is always mellow and willing to teach.

I've got another co-worker who has a boy who's afraid of dogs for no good reason. I take my incredibly friendly dog to any work function when appropriate, and the dad reinforces the boy's behavior by coddling him instead of explaining that the dog won't hurt him and teaching him to get over his fears. The kid seems a bit sheltered.

I'll give you one guess which boy is more likely to escape into the big scary world and go on a four year bender in college.

 

[hungrymonkey]

I tried brewing with my kids.

But they kept climbing out of the pot.






Actually, my 9 year old thinks that anything Dad does (Imagine saying Dad while rolling your eyes).
Is not cool, or interesting in the least bit.

My 2 year old twin boys, like to say "beer". They have no idea what it means. Other than it gets a cool reaction out of mom, every time they say it.



I am contemplating brewing up some root beer, and forcing my oldest son to participate.

 

[ChshreCat]

My daughter is 15 and she loves being my assistant brewer. She even washes and delables bottles without a single complaint!

She's told all her friends at school that she and I brew together and she's learning all about it. They're quite jealous even though they know she's not getting any yet. We're setting aside a bottle from each wine and mead I make for when she turns 21. Should be quite a stash in 6 years.

 

[TheProph3t]

My son is 7 months now... by 2 he will be able to pour the perfect draft and distinguish between different bottle colors… save me from getting up and down…

 

[IrregularPulse]

My son is 7 months now... by 2 he will be able to pour the perfect draft and distinguish between different bottle colors… save me from getting up and down…

haha no no, the green label, not the blue one. And where is the head? I taught you to pour better than that! No Blue's clues until I see a 1 inch head on that glass!

 

[Homercidal]

My 9 yo daughter has helped me brew a batch or two. The first one was an IPA and when it came time to bottle, I told her she needs to taste it to make sure it isn't bad. She was a bit hesitant, but I told her she didnt' have to swallow, but it's important to know if it's bad, because I don't want to bottle if it's not any good.

So she got a sip and couldn't run tot eh bathroom fast enough!! Well, her sister was in that bathroom with the door locked, so she had to run all the way to the back bathroom to spit it out! I guess she's not going to be drinking beer for a long time! I know, mean trick...

Well, she did help with another batch and did taste that one too and didn't like it and spit it out, but she did try it. I am pretty sure she will have no clue as to what a "bad" batch is going to taste like!

Her 15 yo sister refuses to even taste any of my beers, which is a bit disappointing, but she has her reasons, and I will not force any of them to drink if they do not want to. It would be nice if she at least tasted it though, or gave me a reason why she won't. I mean, I have to read her crappy essays from school! LOL!

My little one seems to be interested in the science behind the brewing process, so that makes it more enjoyable for me.