How do you explain beer and your hobby to your children?

[ReggieDunlop]

I have been home brewing for about a year and I have a 2 year old daughter at home who is learning fast. She is interested in helping daddy on brew day and knows the names of many of dad's brewing tools.

My fiance rolls her eyes at me whenever our daughter says "beer" or anything related to my hobby. I understand her concerns and it's got me thinking about the best ways to approach it.

My question to you brewing parents out there is how do you explain your hobby and teach a respect of beer to your children?

 

[Cider123]

I would get a new fiance. Problem solved.

 

[LouBrew13]

My son is 21 and asks "what's on tap?" Pretty easy.

But when he was younger, even though I didn't brew then, beer was always around. Not that big of a deal really.

 

[Colorowdy]

She is two. Good parenting and time will teach her what she needs to know.

Mine will be 14 September. My good parenting is if you and your buddies start snaking beers in the next few years it's off to military school. That's all he has heard since I started brewing two years ago.

 

[bja]

I would get a new fiance. Problem solved.

This was also my first thought. Your fiance obviously has issues with your hobby, and it's only going to get worse.

 

[wailingguitar]

Your child is MUCH better off learning about this stuff in a family environment rather than having it be some taboo to be explored when she is 14 or 15 and starting to venture out with friends.

One of my daughters is not really interested, but it has been ubiquitous around the house and she has respect for it. The other loves the process and asks me all kinds of questions, she's fascinated and I expect she will pick the hobby up when she gets older

 

[lunchbox]

I have a 6mo, 3yo and 5 year old. The older two know that I brew and like beer and there's no problem at all. My kids even like the "kid beer" (root beer) when I have a beer.

 

[cavalrymsh]

I'm trying to get my 16 yr old involved in the science and process to spark his interest in advanced schooling, perhaps a trade or at worst a really cool hobby while in college. My daughters are young and usually run around saying 'dad-why are you ALWAYS making beer? ' with their noses wrinkled. Their attention span is pretty short though, so watching wort boil loses its intrigue pretty quickly.

 

[Rys06Tbss]

My 4 year old will pick up a magazine and Ill ask him what hes reading. He says reading about beer. When my 11 month old was being baptized my son was looking at a bible and he told my mom he was reading about beer. Kinda funny, but a little worried about what he says a daycare.

 

[JohanMk1]

Wine, beer and spirits should never be taboo.

As has already been mentioned, i would rather my children learned about it from me in the safety of our home as opposed to at some "venue" with "friends"

 

[MaddBaggins]

It's not immoral or illegal so there's really nothing to sweat. I've been brewing since before my youngest was born. There has always been alcohol in the house. She knows thats Dads thing and sometimes he gets drunk. No big deal. I let her have tastes when she was younger (10 now). She thought it was disgusting and has no interest in it now.
She is always happy to pour me a glass though, and she pours well.

 

[Rys06Tbss]

I fully agree with that. I had my first beer when I was 12? and that was followed by getting hammered on wine and spirits shortly after. Having kids of my own now, to be honest it scares the hell outta me knowing all the stupid **** I did when I was a teenager, Im just need to find a way to educate them so hopefully they are a bit more responsible then I was. Kids will be kids, but knowing what I know I was able to get away with just makes my uberparanoid.

 

[SudsyPaul]

I'll echo what most people are saying... your fiance doesn't seem to care for your hobby, and is using your daughter as scapegoat for you to quit... or she genuinely doesn't understand that there's little chance that she'll be an alcoholic because you have booze around.

I'm French, and wine was free-flowing at all family events. My mom gave me samples of alcohol when I was 8+, and because it was never taboo to have a little drink (never got a full glass of anything because it was all "yucky"), I never really went through that "raging drunk" phase in my teens that most of my friends went through. I had a few drinks, enough to have fun, but never super pukey drunk... It was never super crazy fun to get that drunk and although I have been that drunk, it wasn't a norm like with my friends.

Talk to your daughter about beer, and tell her it's just like cooking meat, making preserves or making coffee... it's just cooking, but the end product is for mature people that know how much to have and who are smart about it. Your fiance needs to get on board with you or your daughter is going to have mixed messages about beer/alcohol and that won't end well.

My wife and I have a 10mth old and we're already planning on how we'll approach all the beer talks with her. I want her to be aware of what I'm making, but also aware that it's not for babies/kids

 

[LabRatBrewer]

When my son asked why I have so many kegs, I explain, "this is how you were born".

Just kidding, brewing has always been present so its no big deal for him. He goes through stages where he is interested and wants to help, and other times he could careless.

 

[Beernik]

My 7 year old is quite the joker. I've been brewing a year or two longer than she's been alive.

She thinks thinks making jokes about "being drunk" is hilarious. I'm trying to put the kiabosh on that. But it's no different than all the other inappropriate things she makes jokes about.

She also likes to make gagging sounds when I pitch the yeast, pretending that I'm killing it.

I generally don't let her help out too much. She mostly wants to play with the sanitized equipment, which would make it unsanitized.

I won't worry about her trying to sneak any until she gets over her dislike of all things carbonated.

EDIT: I also tend to get this sort of thing with her: we are at Lowes looking a hoses. My daughter picks up a clear plastic hose. She says, "I like these kinds of hoses. Dad, you should make beer tonight." The other guy looking at hoses looks at her, looks at me, and raises an eyebrow.

 

[Yooper]

Neither one of my kids ever really liked beer very much, but they just accepted my brewing.

Now, my grandson "helps" me brew sometimes. No biggie.

Just like if you were baking, woodworking, working on cars, whatever, being responsible about your hobby and responsible about drinking is all that needs to be done. You can bake a cake without getting fat, and you can brew beer without being a drunk.

As an example, if you were restoring an old muscle car, you wouldn't teach your kid to drive 175 miles an hour on the street. The same is true with brewing.

Teach your kid to be responsible with ALL things in life from caring for a pet to getting a job when old enough. That's a parent's duty.

 

[bluelimbo]

I am in the same boat (my son is just about to turn 2). He seems to like that he can hang out in the kitchen and play with all the cool stuff when I brew. He is constantly saying "beew" (he is still working on getting the 'R'-sound down) and I find it kinda sweet. My wife is just glad I have a hobby so I am not just sitting around the house. I think your daughter with be fine; you will just need to teach her how to approach beer/alcohol in a healthy way.

 

[neo71665]

My 5 y/o helps me just like I helped my dad. Luckily he hates beer right now (unlike me at that age). He forgets every now and then and takes a sip but soon spits it out. Dad lives next door and they brew together.

At least we ain't making shine like my papa did.

 

[day_trippr]

My sons were in their early, impressionable teens when I started brewing with their grandpa. A decade and a half later they have advanced degrees, great careers, wonderful families, and houses we love to visit.

I credit the home brewing...

Cheers!

 

[ong]

Having children around doesn't mean you have to become a child yourself, and restrict your interests to those which are appropriate to children. It's ok for them to witness adult behavior, as long as it's clear what's suitable only for adults and what's fine for children. Partaking in adult "stuff" gives kids something to look forward to as they grow up.

 

[plumber_bob]

As an example, if you were restoring an old muscle car, you wouldn't teach your kid to drive 175 miles an hour on the street. The same is true with brewing.

You can't brew at 175 mph!!!

Can you???

pb --- Teach me more, Yooper, teach me more!!!

 

[Arrheinous]

I figure the best way to learn respect for alcohol of any type - because it can do harm - is to give them an appreciation for the artistry behind it.

Who's going to be up for chugging a pony keg of Keystone and all the stupid stuff that follows when you've given them a taste of a barleywine aged three years?

I'm too young for all the kid stuff yet though.

I'm imagining a scenario where you might be able to get an older kid to keep off of underage drinking by celebrating their 21st with a beer aged since their 18th birthday.

However, I wouldn't be surprised if gaining an early appreciation for the 'craft' in craft brewing combined with the adolescent thought of "I know what I'm doing" would promote somewhat earlier but more refined drinking. Just a thought.

 

[MaddBaggins]

Brewing is art, science and magic after all. What a great thing for a child to witness you doing and eventually help in the process.

 

[mrshaund]

I think it is a good fun hobby and have no shame in getting my girls involved like harvesting hops or helping me clean up. I mean some of the most important people in history were brewers. As for the drinking I explain that there is no underage drinking in this house and when you are of age you have to be responsible alcohol can be very dangerous if you are irresponsible with it god knows I had my wild days lol. But in Mine and My Wifes eyes its better to be open about it.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

both our boys (5 & 2) grew up around it and I constantly tell them it's only for grown ups. they both love helping daddy make & bottle beer though. maybe the fiance is the one needs educated on beer & brewing. you have a greater insight on the responsibilities & "magic" tied to fermentation & alcohol than most of the population. demystify it.

 

[lowlife]

My son is 4. He understands what the difference between mashing at a low temperature and a high temperature will produce. There is nothing wrong with them knowing about it. My son stirs the mash takes temps and adds hops.

 

[neo71665]

You can't brew at 175 mph!!!

Can you???

pb --- Teach me more, Yooper, teach me more!!!

Not sure but I was taught how to drive in a big block, 4 speed nova that done high 10s at the track when I was 12. Don't remember ever using the clutch first shift. Dad said give it some gas, nose came up, I held on to everything I could, and speed shifted in 2nd. Not sure what was funnier, dad scared crapless, me scared crapless, or my grandpa who I'm pretty sure wet himself in the back seat.

 

[Foosier]

I have two kids. A 13 year old and a 10 year old. I agree with all who say to be open and clear about what you are doing and how to be responsible. I too have let my kids taste. I knew that would kill their interest. They just can't handle the bitterness.

As they continue to get older, we will continue to be responsible with beer and other alcoholic beverages. I agree taboos are more attractive than what you are familiar with.

 

[Catfish78]

I have a 9yr old and a 6yr old. Both love to help. As I am still a bottler, they come in handy. We set up a good assembly line. My wife has no problem with them knowing and helping with brewing. They have tasted at all stages, the 9yr old isn't a fan but the 6yr old, is always very emphatic on how good it is. Will have to keep an eye on that one. I try to explain how things work and why in the most scientific way I know how. Nice to sneak science lessons in without them knowing.

 

[andysim]

I have two daughters that are six and eight years old. I invite them to help me brew. Sometimes they like to run the drill to crush the grains, throw hops in the boil, or turn the hose on for the immersion chiller.

Sometimes they don't want to help at all.

I always let them taste the beer, but explain to them its for adults.