Any other recent/to be new Dads?

[kellysrepairs]

Have a 20 month old, beer intake went down simply because my wife could not drive a stick and I needed to be alert if something happened also my friend got a dui a wile back, bac was .274 dam. have a brand new car now (automatic)wife can drive now, but will only have more than a few if I know i'm not going anyware for the night. I love my daughter more than anything. And have you tried changing a diaper bomb buzzed, mine as well just start the shower for you both. bottom line fatherhood is amazing congrats.

 

[fifthcircle]

CONGRATS! You look alot more confortable/less scared than I was when they handed my little one to me 3 weeks ago!

Second time for me. The first one was a bit more scary! He still is... :cross:

This is a week earlier, before Ryder was officially a BIG BROTHER.

 

[kpr121]

And have you tried changing a diaper bomb buzzed, mine as well just start the shower for you both. bottom line fatherhood is amazing congrats.

Ha! I actually did do this on Sunday sometime around the Superbowl blackout. I think I ended up using about half a pack of baby wipes and he needed a change of clothes.

 

[MyNameIsPaul]

6 Weeks to go over here, you guys are doing great at motivating me that brewing is still possible after a kiddo comes in the picture! I'm currently working on the nursery, so PINK is everywhere! No time to brew =(

 

[Gduck]

We just had our second on Monday. Brought him home today. His three year old brother is bringing him all kinds of toys to tell him all about them. We'll see how long this affection for his brother lasts, but for now we'll take it!

 

[mxpx5678]

I have a 2.5 year old Boy and we are having a girl any day now. Rushing like crazy to get my brew stand done so brewing will go smoother and quicker (hopefully).

 

[abandonhope16]

We have an 18 month old girl and a boy due in April; we didn't intend for them to be that close. Whoops. I really got back into brewing about 6 months ago after a couple years hiatus. I found that it was a nice hobby that I could have to get "away" but still be home to help out. I assume that consumption will decrease when the new one arrives since there will be frequent wake ups that I will need to help with. But I hope to still have time to brew and just share more with family.

 

[pmhildreth]

I have an 17 month old daughter (future brewmistress). Going to start All-grain next weekend, so hopefully I'll have a brew partner in a few years. She gets a baby sip of whatever I'm trying at the moment, loves Victory Ale Hop Devil.

 

[megalomani]

Twins (boy and girl) on the way in March. The wife is 32 weeks. My brewing has actually picked up in the last month. It is beginning to feel real and I realize it will be at least a few months before I can get to it again once the little ones arrive. I may start taking a few vacation days a year to get some sessions in.

 

[Rys06Tbss]

I have a three and a half year old and a 6 month old. My three year old helped me make some cider a few weekends ago. Now every time I open my pantry, he says look at the beer dada? He looks at the fermenters and goes cool. Kids are awesome

 

[fifthcircle]

Twins (boy and girl) on the way in March. The wife is 32 weeks. My brewing has actually picked up in the last month. It is beginning to feel real and I realize it will be at least a few months before I can get to it again once the little ones arrive. I may start taking a few vacation days a year to get some sessions in.

Twins will be hard. One is hard enough. Good luck!

 

[terrapinj]

started my first brew in 5 months last night - doing a sour mash Berliner Weisse

I figure splitting up the brew day will be much easier do handle with the little one around

Mom goes back to work in a few weeks and will be working weekends, no clue how I'm going to brew when I'm on Daddy duty all day long

 

[fifthcircle]

Mom goes back to work in a few weeks and will be working weekends, no clue how I'm going to brew when I'm on Daddy duty all day long

You won't.
Just plan with your wife for some off duty time to brew. You will need a break from being daddy, and she will need one on one time with the kid.

I actually get secondary racking and bottling done during nap time though. Get everything ready, sanitizer in the bucket and sugar ready to drop in the pot with water already in it before nap time. Then, as soon as the kid is for sure asleep, get'r done! (I keg now, no pressure since it takes all of 10min)
This of course only works if your kid is a solid nap taker. The first few months is pretty iffy. Once they are taking reliable 2+ hour naps, you are golden.

 

[abandonhope16]

Don't forget that mom will also need a break. Send her for a haircut or to get her nails done.

 

[fifthcircle]

Don't forget that mom will also need a break. Send her for a haircut or to get her nails done.

This is good advice, and it pays things forward BIG TIME! You suggest she makes an appt for the weekend, and gets "the works". Then, when you even mention brewing a new beer, she will be ok with it.

At least that's how things work in my house. Actually, things are even better than that for me, but I won't make you all jealous.

 

[terrapinj]

was doing some reading last night about introducing infants to solid food and learned a great trick for the next stuck fermentation or poor mash conversion

breastmilk is apparently very high in alpha-amylase, so the next time your ferm is stuck or you're getting poor conversion just have Mom give a couple squirts for you

 

[SudsyPaul]

I have a 6mth old at home. Beer consumption stopped for the first 4 months, or so... and then I started homebrewing and continued drinking

My wife and I got SUPER lucky that we have a baby that loves to sleep (12hrs/night since 4mths), although her naps are flaky, still.

I've found that brewing with a baby around isn't terribly difficult, you just need to manage your time pretty well. I crush my grain the day before and get all my things in order in a pile in the basement... then on brew day, I bring everything into the kitchen and start heating the strike water during her last evening cat-nap. (4:30-5:30) When she falls asleep at 7:30, I'm the Flash and whip downstairs, crank the heat on the HLT and get mashing before 8pm. I'm brewing until 11pm, most of the time (Sometimes til 1am) but I make it work.

If this is your first kid, all I can say is you're better putting him down and walking away than doing something you'll regret. I don't deal well with illogical behavior, and babies are bat-**** crazy little goblins... but putting my daughter down for a 2-3min while I walked around the house let me get my **** together and allowed me to be super-daddy once more. Your baby will have NO side effects from crying on her own, and you'll stop yourself from doing something you'll regret for your entire life. After a bit, you learn to deal with the stupid non-sensical crying and you don't need the breaks, you just laugh at how crazy babies are.

 

[wbyrd01]

My wife is at 22 weeks, I have a 14 year old step-son but this will be my first baby. Our little girl will be here before we know it! I'm lucky in that my wife likes to drink beer and can't wait for the baby to come so she can have one! Just really hoping that we have an easy baby and I can continue to brew. My wife loves getting her hair and nails done so I'll be sure to make sure she has time to do that so I can have time to brew. I'm really excited to be a dad!

 

[terrapinj]

going to try an overnight mash tomorrow night

mash in and rest like normal, mash out to about 180° and seal up the cooler

heat rest of sparge water in AM, drain, add FHW, sparge and boil.

gonna try to have a friend come over to help keep an eye on the boil/baby but I figure breaking up the brew day will def help.

doing a pale ale with FWH, flameout and 160°ish hop stand additions so boil shouldn't need too much attention

 

[fifthcircle]

If this is your first kid, all I can say is you're better putting him down and walking away than doing. something you'll regret. I don't deal well with illogical behavior, and babies are bat-**** crazy little goblins... but putting my daughter down for a 2-3min while I walked around the house let me get my **** together and allowed me to be super-daddy once more. Your baby will have NO side effects from crying on her own, and you'll stop yourself from doing something you'll regret for your entire life. After a bit, you learn to deal with the stupid non-sensical crying and you don't need the breaks, you just laugh at how crazy babies are.

Very sound advice!
Thanks for the reminder too...with our just turned 1 month old, and the 22mo old....I need little reminders to take a breath, and let them be angry for a minute.

 

[justkev52]

That's great!
My daughter has twin boys coming in June.
I see my brewing time going downhill soon.
Oh well, It's all good.

 

[scubasteve03]

When my son was born there really wasnt a whole lot that changed as he slept all the time. My beer intake only decreased a little because i did not stay up as late. As far as brew day is concerned, I didnt have any problems untill he was mobile

 

[Schemy]

My 2nd son was born January 5th. I missed this thread over the last couple months. My brewing and beer intake have slowed a bit, but more out of self control than anything else. My wife is pretty understanding and fine with my hobby, so it works out.

My son is a bad a$$, and his big brother (5) is rocking the older sibling role right now.

 

[fifthcircle]

My 2nd son was born January 5th. .......

My son is a bad a$$, and his big brother (5) is rocking the older sibling role right now.

LOL!!! Proud Dad, I see. I'm not sure how two month old qualifies as a Bad A$$, but good for you.

 

[fifthcircle]

So, fellow Dad's....how's it going? Got quiet in here!

My son turns 2 on Sunday. I have three fresh kegs for the folks coming over, as well as a fresh bottled batch. Kegged: Hop Head IIPA, Blackberry Wheat and Carmel Apple Cider. Bottled: Java Stout (as well as several other batches that I have 6-18 beers left...including Pliny, Blind Pig, Irish Red, 80-/ and a few others.
Gonna make a couple smoked pork butts, as well as hot dogs and stuff. Just wish the weather was better! It was HOT last year for his birthday, this year, there is a little snow in the shady spots still melting from the other day. WTF????

 

[kpr121]

That sounds like it should be an awesome birthday party! Mmmm smoked pork butt!

Since I started this thread a little over 3 months now, heres my little Gangsta:

 

[fifthcircle]

Great pic! LOL

They grow fast the first year!!! Seems like every other month its new clothes and bigger diapers. Then they walk, and grow UP instead of OUT.

I have no idea where the last two years went. :O

 

[Mb2658]

We have our first coming in November. We are excited. Now I need to get my EHERMS system finished so that I can brew while I still have free time.

 

[ishkochito]

I have a 20 month old daughter (loves to help cook and gonna be a wicked brewer) and a kid due in November. I've recently started exploring the world of extract because I realized I don't have the time for all grain very often anymore. I spend more time planning my brews though, and am planning to use this as an opportunity to experiment with recipe formulation and maybe some small batches.

 

[downtown3641]

My daughter is 10 months old. I only get to brew once every six weeks or so. My brew days are usually on Mondays or Fridays I have off as compensation for working on a weekend. I can drop my daughter off at daycare, brew in the morning, and still have time to be productive in the afternoon.

 

[Rbeckett]

I'm definitely not a new dad by any stretch since my youngest is 26. But yes brewing, drinking and carousing with your bros is pretty much over. Would I trade it? Hell NO!!! Would I do it again, not no but oh hell no.... Kids are a huge responsibility and I learned that I don't do well being responsible all of the time. I can manage a few bursts of it, but long term I fell short. But I will tell you that is normal too. So yes you will cut back, yes you will brew less, and no you wont go to Vegas with your buds. But you will get to spend the next few years teaching a little person all kinds of cool stuff, like not to pee on an electric fence and The cow with the stuff hangin down is really easy to piss off. I had a blast and my sons are now my best buds. We drink, brew and do all kinds of stuff together. So life will get different, but it is really what you do to make the best of it. Ohhhh, and changing diapers comes with the job, so help the Momma whenever she needs it. Your both gonna be tired and crazy from time to time and will need each other to make it through the task you have at hand.... Enuff philosophical junk from me now...
Wheelchair Bob

 

[USMCBrewer]

I have 2 girls. My 4 y/o has started asking me when I walk in the door, "daddy, can we make beer today?". I let her "help"... She stirs my bucket of Star San solution while I'm mashing, etc. This last batch she told me that she was brewing "syrup". Lol. My 2 y/o doesn't get to help yet. We are expecting our first son in early June!!'










And the latest attraction (coming soon to a brewery near me!)

 

[cfrazier77]

My wife and I have trying for a while now and we just found out this week that she is pregnant. I will be the only beer drinker in the house for a while.

 

[USMCBrewer]

My wife and I have trying for a while now and we just found out this week that she is pregnant. I will be the only beer drinker in the house for a while.

Just think of it this way.... You have a DD for at least the next 9 months.... Longer if she breast feeds!!!

 

[abandonhope16]

New dad again. We have a 22 month old and now have a 1 month old. Last brew day was while I was on daddy leave; not much time as of late and I need to get something going since the pipeline is depleted.
Being a dad is so great though. Let's not forget all the great Moms; not just tomorrow but everyday. They make it all possible.

 

[JohnnyO]

Just think of it this way.... You have a DD for at least the next 9 months.... Longer if she breast feeds!!!

Not that he'll need one afterward. His trips out of the house will be to pick up diapers, mylocon or baby food.

 

[funnycreature]

I am the proud daddy of two girls: 28- and a 2.5-months old! It's the best thing ever when those little big eyes look at you The older one also likes to help in the kitchen and says that daddy is making beer whenever she sees my tools/ingredients for brewing.

 

[Mike37]

My daughter is 14 months old. Lucky for us, she sleeps 7 to 7 like clockwork most nights, so my wife goes to dinner with friends and I brew. I do stovetop BIAB so I'm right there if she wakes up and needs a walk around the house (teething). If she wakes up, she looks at all my gear like "wtf, all this stuff wasn't here when I went to bed!"

She can be a super light sleeper some nights, so I basically have to be a ninja brewer. One dropped pot lid and it's all over.

 

[BinghamtonEd]

I have a 9 month old daughter. Beer intake has increased, and it helped to justify the home brewing idea to my wife when the cost of a mix'n'match 6-pack is 9.99. Usually baby gets put down for the night, daddy gets a couple beers while he relaxes. Also creates an excuse for me to stop for 45 min once every week or so on the way home from work at the LHBS/microbrewery to discuss brewing over a beer. Knocking on wood, my daughter has slept 830pm-530am since she was 2.5 months old, minus one night during teething where she woke up for 45 minutes.

My wife usually lets me golf on Sunday afternoons (she has a fair amount of stuff going on on weekday evenings), so I'll just take a Sunday off from that and brew instead. Just brewed an IPA yesterday after mowing the lawn. The smell of fresh cut grass and home brew was euphoric.

 

[LowNotes]

I found out I am going to be a Dad for the first time 3 weeks ago. It was planned, and I feel ready for it, but mentally I am constantly swinging back-and-forth between "Man, 9 months is a REALLY long time, I am ready to be a Dad NOW." and "OMG THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME. I need to wrap up my DIY projects, figure out where to relocate the brew stuff so we can have a nursery. MAKE A NURSERY. Babyproof everything. Schedule appointments, plan vacations, figure out daycare, figure out how our work schedules are going to be feasible."

We haven't told anyone yet either, so maybe it will equalize once the cat is out of the bag and I don't have to pretend that everything is normal. But enough about my weirdness, we're here for beer.

I have started to reduce consumption already, but that is mostly because I was probably going overboard (probably was averaging 5 beers a day everyday). I am a big guy (6-2, 235lbs) so I can handle it without getting losing control, but I have been putting on weight and want to be a healthy example for our wee-one, so I figure I should start now. Since finding out, I now take 2 days a week and drink nothing on those days, and when I do drink I limit myself to 2, 22oz bombers (or 4 12 oz bottles) most nights.

I had 3 brews planned to be done and ready to drink by mid-July, but with the news of our baby, I am scaling it back to save some money, and will instead probably only brew one or two batches, and no longer need to have them done by mid July (was going to share them at a family gathering, but really I have enough already in stock). My plan after the baby is here is to essentially supply 100% of my own beer, and to try and stick to a few favorite recipes to keep costs in check. No more buying 8 different specialty grains to compare slight differences in porter recipes. No more IIPA's with a pound of hops...

Luckily, I do stovetop BIAB, so a lot of the safety issues of brewing with infants around are moot (knock on wood). I brew almost exclusively in the early morning on weekends now...so I am getting the impression that is unlikely to continue. Night brewing sounds fine too though, and I have always been the kind of person that needs some alone time, so this could be a good way to take care of 2 wants/needs at the same time

Well...I really just wanted to vent/share...since I can't tell my Mom until Saturday and I have been driving myself crazy thinking about being a Dad. I can't wait for the day to come (Jan. 5due date, better not be any snowstorms...) but at the same time I feel like I will never be prepared enough once the day arrives.

Thanks HBT Parents. Time to start building my Year-1 Stockpile.