Bringing Kids to Breweries

[lopejuice1]

In my experience, the dogs of beer nerds are much more well trained than their kids

 

[ASak10]

Regardless of how well behaved my kids are, I feel uncomfortable and irresoponsible taking them to any place where the focus is alcohol consumption.

Im sorry, I just dont feel like its appropriate unless it is a special occasion such as father's day and the people without children are the minority in attendance.

Again I think it's a cultural thing. In Europe families go to beer gardens and drink socially around their kids, and it is a family affair. No one thinks twice. Here in the US we are much more secretive about alcohol around kids I think. Whether that is a positive or negative, I can't say. Personally my wife and I will usually have a drink every night when we eat dinner with our boys, as we want them to grow up learning how to drink responsibly and that alcohol can be enjoyed in moderation. I plan on giving them a small glass of wine with dinner at some point if they want it (I don't know what age yet, but maybe 7? 8?) much like the French do.

Which isn't to say that your view is wrong, maybe I need to rethink my approach and look at the negatives more, but I have no problem with my kids being around alcohol and specifically being at breweries. My 4 year old will ask whether we are going to the "beer restaurant" because he knows he'll get to color and play with his Legos for an hour without being bothered

 

[ASak10]

What's maybe most unusual about the whole conversation about kids is that few people would find it acceptable for a dog owner to bring a dog to a brewery that is harassing other people or making a mess and just sits there and lets it happen. But for some reason if it's a kid it's cool. I don't see why we hold kids and their parents to a lesser standard than dogs and their owners. It doesn't matter whether it's kid-friendly or pet-friendly. It's not an excuse to let them run wild.

As a parent of two, I completely agree. My wife and I go out of our way to try to make sure our kids don't bother anyone. We pick a table in the far corner if possible, we occupy them at the table with games/books/legos, and we don't let them run around. Will they sometimes sneak away before we can grab them? Sure, but one of us immediately runs after them to get them back to where we are. Like I said before, we also tend to visit breweries early in the day, and we visit breweries that have other families/kids there at the time. If one of the kids acts up and won't settle down, we leave. It's not too difficult and we've never had an issue.

 

[tosh1]

Personally my wife and I will usually have a drink every night when we eat dinner with our boys, as we want them to grow up learning how to drink responsibly and that alcohol can be enjoyed in moderation. I plan on giving them a small glass of wine with dinner at some point if they want it (I don't know what age yet, but maybe 7? 8?) much like the French do.

That was my parents approach and I turned out just fine.

I actually agree 100% with this, I never quite understood the relative difference in attitude towards alcohol between Europe and the US until I moved here.

 

[evilc]

That was my parents approach and I turned out just fine.

I actually agree 100% with this, I never quite understood the relative difference in attitude towards alcohol between Europe and the US until I moved here.

Americans have gradually turned more and more pantywaste.

 

[nophunk]

I actually agree 100% with this, I never quite understood the relative difference in attitude towards nudity between Europe and the US until I moved here.

So many things here are oddly looked down upon

 

[RyanG1]

So many things here are oddly looked down upon

What about tipping?


*ducks*

 

[gameover170]

******* parents usually results in ******* kids.

This x2

 

[tosh1]

What about tipping?


*ducks*

Are you meant to tip in America? First I heard about that, any general guidelines I should start to follow?

 

[RedCoffee]

Wish I could do it, usually don't. Not because I'm morally opposed, but because the other patrons are usually judgmental and whiny about it.

 

[tripsforjoe]

Just about every brewery here in Greater Cincinnati is kid-friendly, but I think it is a cultural thing. The German tradition in town has never hidden alcohol from anyone. Weideman even used to brew a bedtime beer for kids! I've brought my 5 month old to so many already. Never a dirty look, never a worry.

 

[evilc]

Just about every brewery here in Greater Cincinnati is kid-friendly, but I think it is a cultural thing. The German tradition in town has never hidden alcohol from anyone. Weideman even used to brew a bedtime beer for kids! I've brought my 5 month old to so many already. Never a dirty look, never a worry.

Yeah, and the Germans started two World Wars.

Kids in breweries = World Wars.

 

[tosh1]

Yeah, and the Germans started two World Wars.

Kids in breweries = World Wars.

Too soon man, too soon

 

[screwyouguys]

i dont think there any issues with kids/ children going to breweries, as long has the parents are responsible about the times they bring them, if the parents cant control there kids then they shouldnt be going to brewery with them
if the kid is getting fussy or out of control one of the parents needs to step out with the child and control the situation,
i have taken my 10 yr old to plenty of breweries with no issues, she was with me at my trip to hill farmstead she played with rocks while we waited, i wouldnt take her to a release event where this is waiting long periods of time for bottles or pours, she also goes to a few local breweries with me, never an issue with any of the owners, has even made a friend at times and they play quietly off to the side,

i have also taken my infant daughter, again never any issues when its not busy she gets to sit on the bar and walk around, all new environments while learning to walk lead to fun times for her, on an other note we almost never take both girls to breweries together because it would become to much of a hassle,

i know im not making or breaking any brewery, but if im unable to stop with my wife for a beer at brewery because i have my kids, we obvisouly just wouldnt be stopping

its like been stated previously like anything else dont be an a**hole and there wont be any issues, control your kids and if there having a bad day take them outside to calm down or cut your day short,

 

[nanobrew1]

Been talking about this at work with some coworkers, one of whom has a kid and one who does not.

The ultimate conclusion we came up with was: "If you have to ask, the answer is no."

I can see the opposite. Parent's who ask typically are aware parents and don't want to **** with anyone else's enjoyment. Parent's who don't even think about it can be ignorant to the fact that their kid is negatively affecting everyone else.

 

[gtx281]

I go to breweries to escape from my kids.

 

[arren]

Funny that this article was posted just a day before this article; guess this is on everyone's mind lately, now that it's the summer.

I've taken my daughter to bars and breweries before; I think the first "restaurant" she ever went to was Toronado. When she was an infant she kept quiet and didn't take up space, and I always asked ahead of time so as not to offend anybody there. But now that she's 18 months old and heading into her curious "what happens if I run around and punch this random person in the dick" stage, she's not touching a tasting room, bar, or brewery until she gets a little older.

Moving forward, I'm not intending on taking kids anywhere that isn't truly kid-friendly. Just because a tasting room/bar/restaurant has high chairs to use doesn't make it kid-friendly, especially if the quarters are crowded, dimly lit, and full of surly ********.

 

[steimie]

I've found that, if I'm at a bar or brewery, the beer geeks are generally much more annoying than some kids that might be there.

 

[jbeezification1]

It depends on the brewery I suppose. We took our daughter to Jester King at 7 months old but she's chill as ****.

Saint Arnold's has a dedicated tap for their root beer which is a top 3 root beer for me if not the best and kids get unlimited pours of it. In other words it's very kid friendly.

 

[sacrelicio]

Sounds like an inconsiderate jerk problem. Couldn't you have replaced that "baby stuff" with jackets and purses and had the same story?

I'll let you know how I feel about bringing a baby to bars/tasting rooms in a few months.

The distinct difference is that children and parents are sacred cows in a sense. Kids being special and parenting being hard.

I can generally say "Hey move your coats" to a group of people who don't have kids with them.

But baby stuff? Most people won't confront that at all and parents react differently, often with hostility. Not all, by any means, but many.

 

[sacrelicio]

There are too many angles on this- but, here are some random thoughts:

Our culture isn't really kid friendly or family friendly. I've been that parent trying to slug something incredible down my throat coz I realize my daughter is about to go ballistic...it's a horrible feeling knowing I'm about to piss off the majority of people around me. Looking back, it wasn't worth it.

Most ppl go to a brewery to chill and socialize. A kid in the environment can sometimes kill it for other people, but why can't adults with kids be there too? It's like when one becomes a parent, one is no longer able to enjoy the same things...Unless it's related to kid stuff. Brewery? Or Frozen? Hmmmm tough choices.

This leads to more hypocrisy or contradictory behavior because in Murica, drinking is an adult thing, where adults can yet again act like children with other adults acting like children. So get that ******* kid outta here so no one gets embarrassed when the kid acts better than the adults.

Parents bring too much **** with them and any available counter or table space looks inviting! coz, well most parents are over-worked, tired, under-sexed and socially deprived...so daddy needs a few pops, but does that table get clear? Or do the parents insist the table stay a bottle holder? There's also the money issue for childcare, babysitting, etc.

TLDR: It shouldn't be a hassle, for anyone. It seems like a decision the brewery needs to make. Kids or no kids. It's just that simple because there's absolutely no compromise.

The drinking/driving thing is another issue altogether, IMO.

Wut? Much of this country revolves around children and families.

 

[sacrelicio]

It depends on the brewery I suppose. We took our daughter to Jester King at 7 months old but she's chill as ****.

Saint Arnold's has a dedicated tap for their root beer which is a top 3 root beer for me if not the best and kids get unlimited pours of it. In other words it's very kid friendly.

Depends on the circumstances for sure.

The one time I was at Jester King, last fall, I was sitting outside with my beer, enjoying the sun and the scenery.

Then a group of parents and kids set up shop next to me. Kids running around screaming, parents kicking soccer balls all over to entertain them, kids being chased and reprimanded...it was ******* obnoxious.

There are so many other places to do that. Hell there's a damn pizza restaurant on the property, plus tons of open space to run around away from the seating area.

 

[sacrelicio]

I've never experienced one without the other. Wherever you see the calm family you'll eventually have the melting kids and pissed parents.

Yup. If a brewery wants to cater to families, go right ahead. Whoever doesn't like it can go someplace else. But your average industrial space filled with racked barrels, tables, and couches? No, please don't let your kids run around screaming.

 

[sacrelicio]

Funny that this article was posted just a day before this article; guess this is on everyone's mind lately, now that it's the summer.

I've taken my daughter to bars and breweries before; I think the first "restaurant" she ever went to was Toronado. When she was an infant she kept quiet and didn't take up space, and I always asked ahead of time so as not to offend anybody there. But now that she's 18 months old and heading into her curious "what happens if I run around and punch this random person in the dick" stage, she's not touching a tasting room, bar, or brewery until she gets a little older.

Moving forward, I'm not intending on taking kids anywhere that isn't truly kid-friendly. Just because a tasting room/bar/restaurant has high chairs to use doesn't make it kid-friendly, especially if the quarters are crowded, dimly lit, and full of surly ********.

Yeah I wouldn't want my hypothetical kids around me either

 

[jbeezification1]

Depends on the circumstances for sure.

The one time I was at Jester King, last fall, I was sitting outside with my beer, enjoying the sun and the scenery.

Then a group of parents and kids set up shop next to me. Kids running around screaming, parents kicking soccer balls all over to entertain them, kids being chased and reprimanded...it was ******* obnoxious.

There are so many other places to do that. Hell there's a damn pizza restaurant on the property, plus tons of open space to run around away from the seating area.

That's just people being jerks.

My oldest daughter and my wife took the tour one time while my son and me waited in line for my bottles. It was fun for a bit but then we left Jester King and went to Barton Springs Reservoir and went kayaking. There is so much family stuff to do in Austin, why waste a day at Jester King.

 

[sacrelicio]

That's just people being jerks.

My oldest daughter and my wife took the tour one time while my son and me waited in line for my bottles. It was fun for a bit but then we left Jester King and went to Barton Springs Reservoir and went kayaking. There is so much family stuff to do in Austin, why waste a day at Jester King.

Oh for sure, it always depends, but it was jerkiness directly related to bringing kids and setting up shop. I doubt these people would be noticeably rude or obnoxious if they didn't have kids with them.

The situation happens because there's this perception now that breweries are great for kids since it's laid back and there's usually tons of space, so let 'er rip.

Then of course the childless people are ogres for not wanting a full blown playground situation when we're trying to relax outside with a beer.

 

[evilc]

Oh for sure, it always depends, but it was jerkiness directly related to bringing kids and setting up shop. I doubt these people would be noticeably rude or obnoxious if they didn't have kids with them.

The situation happens because there's this perception now that breweries are great for kids since it's laid back and there's usually tons of space, so let 'er rip.

Then of course the childless people are ogres for not wanting a full blown playground situation when we're trying to relax outside with a beer.

Relax.

 

[sacrelicio]

Relax.

?

 

[evilc]

?

You said you wanted to relax with a beer....

 

[sacrelicio]

You said you wanted to relax with a beer....

No you did ya goof