What’s wrong with her?!

[SEndorf]

My wife has no interest in drinking beer or Home brewing. Thant’s ok since we have plenty of other hobbies we enjoy doing together + she is the designated driver if I have a few beers when we go out to eat. She supports me in this hobby by giving me the ok to build a designated
brew room in our garage. I enjoy my time alone when I brew. Cheers [emoji482]

I could have written this post. My garage brewery is my alone time happy place...

 

[teesherv]

But there is hope! My wife only drank girly cocktails when we met. Then she moved to BMC for a bit and discovered white zinfandel.
Fast forward, and she dipped her toes into blondes and pales, as well as other wines. I'm not much of a wine drinker, but I started with her and we compared flavors and profiles as they relate beers as well.
After more time, she has turned into a dedicated DIPA drinker who prefers IBUs starting at 75. Quite a jump from girly cocktails.
The bad news is this took time: we will celebrate 20 years of marriage at the end of this month. But again, there is hope.

 

[filthyastronaut]

My wife likes beer in an almost enthusiastically non-enthusiast sort of way. Doesn't know much about styles (gave her a Marzen, said that it tastes Belgian, and I was really worried until I figured out she meant German), actually knows quite a bit about the process for the average person who doesn't brew because of me, but is really quite dispassionate about it. It's her favorite alcoholic beverage, but she doesn't care about it that much. She will go from craving to practically banning certain categories of beer arbitrarily. Right now, she won't drink a "dark" beer, but I'm sure it'll change soon. She will simply like the beer she likes, and nothing more than that. It's bewildering.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

My wife likes beer in an almost enthusiastically non-enthusiast sort of way. Doesn't know much about styles (gave her a Marzen, said that it tastes Belgian, and I was really worried until I figured out she meant German), actually knows quite a bit about the process for the average person who doesn't brew because of me, but is really quite dispassionate about it. It's her favorite alcoholic beverage, but she doesn't care about it that much. She will go from craving to practically banning certain categories of beer arbitrarily. Right now, she won't drink a "dark" beer, but I'm sure it'll change soon. She will simply like the beer she likes, and nothing more than that. It's bewildering.

It’s funny, I got divorced 8 years ago and when I was in a relationship with my now current wife, I thought this woman is truly a unicorn, perfect for me and I realized she is truly perfect, but she’s still a woman. There’s those things about the women we love that are just so alien to men. I sure it’s the same way with women looking at their man and saying WTF. Sometimes I think OMG are you kidding me. But this one is great, I wouldn’t change a thing about her... but she’s still a woman.

 

[boxboybrewing]

Well, I've had 3 wives. None of which liked beer. But that was never the dealbreaker. As much as I love all things beer, I was actually sober when I proposed to them. Lol. I don't care what a woman drinks, as long as she doesn't gripe about what and how often I drink. THAT has been an issue on occasion.

 

[S-Met]

I'm one of those jerks whose wife loves beer and is not shy about telling me about her likes and dislikes for food or brew.

Good news is that she didn't start that way. She was a midori sour drinker, or apple-pucker&sprite. Once she realized there was no alcohol in those drinks, she graduated to mai-tais, Tokyo tea, Long island, etc. But I cant tell you how many of those drinks she never finished because they were poorly made and tasted awful.

Occasionally a wine cooler, jack daniels cooler or a Smirnoff ice, but not every place has those. Out one evening, I had her take a sip of a fruit wheat - ether Pyramid apricot or Lost Coast raspberry or tangerine wheat. Not her favorite, but drinkable. One night we were out and I ordered a nitro-stout. Needless to say, I drank her crappy drink and she had my nitro-stout.

Leaving out the wineries, but will say she went from Beringer White Zin to calling out Residual sugar on supposedly dry wines and enjoying premium wine... fast forward to beer.

Now she says what breweries we are going to stop at along our way to wherever. She still doesn't love IPAs, but will drink pales if theyre balanced. Occasionally a DIPA for the same reasons.

Sours: some she likes, as long as they're not too horsey. The gose are good palate pleasers too.

Guess I'm saying, not the end of the world if the spouse doesn't love beer. But be open and try to expose her to a wide variety - including Ciders. I honestly believe that there is no such thing as someone who does not like beer/wine, rather they have not had a beer/cider/wine that they like. Not just style, but producer.

 

[user 205607]

Mine doesn't like beer for the most part, she likes mixed drinks/Margaritas. She let me build a kegerator and put it in the dining room, I bought her a margarita machine. Any time friends come over for a beer, I make her margaritas. She will go to breweries with me though, which means i have a DD.

 

[allanmorgan]

Wasn't going to say anything, but not sure what you mean by this:

but she’s still a woman.

Twice no less. Just saying. Don't understand.

 

[lootcorp]

My wife does like beer, but she has styles she just won't drink. She hates traditional hefes -- the bubblegum/clove/banana thing does not do it for her. She used to not like hoppy beer, but she gradually became an IPA fan. She also surprised me by taking a liking to sours after initially avoiding them like the plague.

In fact, come to think of it, it's my wife who got me into craft beer with a visit to Harpoon way back in the dark ages. That's also what got my started brewing.

There are so many styles and flavor profiles out there, is it possible there's something your wife might like? Is she willing to try a sip of different styles, or is it just a hard no to any beer?

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

Wasn't going to say anything, but not sure what you mean by this:



Twice no less. Just saying. Don't understand.

At the very least, the constructs of the patriarchy cause annoying differences in women.

 

[Konadog]

I drink the vast majority of my labors because I have loved beer all of my life...ever since I was four years old, Dad said 'please get me a beer', and I got to taste it. Was love at first sip.

That's exactly how my wife started with beer, now I can't make beer fast enough to keep the kegerator full

 

[lorne17]

So I am in the sad sad position in which my wife, brace yourself, does NOT like beer. Like at all. She drinks flavored sparking water and said she doesn’t like it because she says it tastes like beer (WTF beer did you drink back in the day?!). Can’t share my wonderful creations with her, can’t share my craft brewery gem finds with her. Can’t say “I know it’s a white stout but it totally hits your palette like a stouts doesn’t it?!” to her. How is a man to exist in such a fractured twisted reality?! Do you feel me (or are you one of those jerks whose wives just love their beer and can’t wait to taste the next slurry out of the fermentor)?!

Considering you're talking about my sister, I agree, she barely drinks! But nothing wrong with that, because you have a brother-in-law that also LOVES to brew and drink beer. So um...come on by with any tasters and I'd be happy to give you my opinion and 2 cents (like we already do). But it usually takes me 2 beers at minimum for a tasting. Just come prepared

But seriously, my wife doesn't love beer either. However I do have her taste test every beer I make. Even if it's IPA. She's growing closer and closer to liking IPAs. I was surprised when she said my latest Porter is the best beer to date! Dark beers!?!? WHHHAAAATTTT? She makes me so proud. But hopefully you can have my sis grow fond of beers by "tasting" them each batch. More excuses to brew more often so she has more tastings

Enjoy! Can't wait to try your brown you have fermenting!
LJ

 

[cayslayer]

Are female homebrewers really this rare?! They can't be; I know plenty of female pro brewers. I knew this was kind of a boys club but this thread is crazy. *I* got my husband into homebrewing a few years ago and now we both brew together as well as on our own stuff. I took him on our first epic-line beer release adventures. He just recently got level 1 cicerone certified, and works at a brewery and a bottle shop. Most of our leisure/vacation time is spent searching out new breweries and festivals. No point to this except to say that beer loving women absolutely exist.

 

[soccerdad]

We ate late last night (too late for my sensitive stomach) and I had a beer from the kegerator for dessert. Not long after, we headed for bed and my wife said, "Oh your breath! You smell like beer!" I said that the beer was good. She said, "Well stop breathing."

 

[bronzdragon]

When we first met, my wife didn't like beer. She only drank whisk(e)y and 7up once in awhile. At first, she just sort of put up with (I guess) my hobby. But as I started to get better at brewing, she started enjoying the beers and discussion around the beers styles etc...or maybe she's just humoring me. Either way, I've been brewing for more than 20 years now, and we have fun going to different breweries and tasting new beers and discussing. She doesn't drink much, but I think it's a nice part of our relationship that gives us a commonality to enjoy. I can feel for the OP and know that it would be a void, if my wife didn't like beer. But at the same time, you can't really force a person to like something that they don't like. I would advise to make some wine or cider that she may enjoy. The fastest way to create hard feelings, is to try to force someone into something they don't want to do. /cheers and I wish you good luck.

 

[balrog]

Stop Breathing.
Okaaay.

My wife hates the smell of beer, the smell of the hops boiling, the smell of the grain soaking.

I only make beer on weekends she works, and in the garage.

C'est la vie.

 

[JKenshi]

I'm lucky, though my wife is a little picky about beers, we have similar tastes so I can brew the stuff we both like.

Have you ever been to Great Britain? My wife and I went there and I was introduced to still beers and still ciders (uncarbonated). From your description maybe your wife just doesn't like the head (some don't, but that might be a different discussion), or the fizziness. Try a still beer or cider and see if she likes that. Or it could be the bitterness? Maybe try something a bit more sweet.

 

[danielthemaniel]

I'm a lucky one. My wife loves beer and almost all styles. She gives me good feedback and it allows me to commit more money and time to brewing than if she didn't enjoy it as well. If only I could get her to help me brew!

 

[alewife2010]

Well, what can I say, I'm a wife, and I brew the beer! Just call me,

Alewife

 

[Andrew Hodgson]

I'm spoiled I suppose. My GF likes to drink it, and help me make it. That extra set of hands is pretty helpful no doubt.