Brewing with Kids?

[QuercusMax]

I have 4 kids from 9 to 3.5, and they don't interfere with my brewing. In fact, when my wife goes out of town for the weekend (and leaves me with the kids) I do multi-brew weekends. This past weekend I made a RIS, a cream stout, an Irish Red Lager, and an experimental gluten-free brew.

My 7-year-old daughter loves helping measure and grind the grain - she does a great job of pouring into the hopper without spilling much at all. My 6-year old really wants to help grind the grain, but he isn't quite coordinated enough and is super jealous.

I try to get them to help bottle, but they usually get tired/bored pretty quickly - except my 3-year-old whose job is to put the capped bottles into cases.

My 9-year-old wants nothing at all to do with it, but he doesn't get in the way.

I've let them all take sips from time to time, and they all seem to think it's "pretty good" (except for my 9-year-old). Trying to make it taboo seems stupid to me. My parents used to let me have a little glass of watered down wine with dinner, so alcohol was never a mysterious thing to me.

 

[jtd_419]

So do you put them in the beginning or the end of the boil?

Definitely at the beginning., gotta boil em longer for sanitation purposes

 

[ShaLaH]

My 4 year old son comes with me to the LHBS. He loves scooping and weighing the grains and checking out all the cool equipment. He gets bored pretty quickly when daddy's brewing but it's a start. I look forward to brewing with him if he's interested, teaching him the process and showing him the care and pride that goes into a great batch of beer.

If anything, I think exposing your kids to Home Brewing normalizes beer and alcohol instead of making it this forbidden taboo that your not supposed to touch until your 21.

I think open, honest, dialogue with your children is the best practice.

 

[ehope411]

Definitely at the beginning., gotta boil em longer for sanitation purposes

I thought Palmer said overboiling could release tannins that lead to off flavors(?). I'll have to hit that chapter up again for a refresher.

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

So do you put them in the beginning or the end of the boil?

Isn't there some old logic out there where if you throw a frog in a boiling pot it jumps out but if you start them in luke warm water and slowly raise the temperature you can boil them? with that in mind i'd think at the start.

 

[JuanMoore]

I don't brew with my kids. That's just because they're 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 though, and trying to watch both of them and brew at the same time is more than I can handle (I've tried it once, and it did not go well). When they get a little older they'll definitely be my brew assistants.

 

[ClunkClunk]

If you're concerned about the "adult" nature of the product you're working on, would you have the same concerns about having your child help you work on your car? That's also an adult-only activity, but working on it can be a fun and enjoyable experience for all, despite the fact that she can't drive the car when you've finished.

 

[unionrdr]

Thanks for this memory^^! My 2nd oldest son (now like 34) was some 10 years old when I had the Cobra Mustang in the garage building a SB cobrajet for it. I'd walk outside on Saturday,& he'd stand next to me with arms crossed,& a real serious voice while agreeing with me about what we had to get done on the tune that day. God bless little kids when they're so enthusiastic about doing manly things with Dad!!!:rockin::rockin:

 

[allynlyon]

I'm all for letting the kids be involved if they are curious as long as it is done in a safe manner. I will not let my kids sample until they are much older, but I don't want alcohol to be a mystery to them and something they abuse behind my back. Here is a pic of me and my 3 yr old on a brewday. She loves to help stir the mash

View attachment 161367

This is a great picture. You should frame it. I love moments like this captured.

 

[allynlyon]

lmao - please repost your position on fries, etc. After you become a parent.

+1

 

[allynlyon]

So do you put them in the beginning or the end of the boil?

At the end for aroma unless they are babies, then their aroma can be not so good.

 

[allynlyon]

I thought the entire point of having kids was to create a good supply of captive assistant brewers. What other reason is there for having them?

Good point. I had kids to do dishes and mow the lawn so why not brew too.

 

[allynlyon]

All of you have made great points. I had the same thoughts as many of you but felt like I needed an extra set of eyes here.

As an example when I was a kid my Dad would hook our sleds to the back of his truck and pull us down country roads. I mentioned doing this with our kids and my then husband looked at me like I had 4 heads. I hadn't thought anything of it, but apparently it could be rather dangerous.

Hence my reason for checking my judgement call here.

I mentioned something to the kids about "brewing" soda and they all perked up and seemed interested, so I think we will do that as well.

 

[Halbrust]

I'll be brewing with my 13 year old tomorrow.
I let her help with every aspect except pitching the yeast. In my understanding that is legally who brewed the beer.

We'll be doing a one gallon rye together, and then she'll be making something with my help. Either a soda, or spice infuced juice.

 

[NickTheGreat]

I was in my LHBS a few months ago and this kid came in inquiring about purchasing empty bottles. They told him their price and he said he'd be back in a few days.

So I asked the guys there about the legality of selling grains, hops, and yeast to someone under 21. They said they thought it'd be legal, because they don't know the whole story. And there's nothing illegal about buying those things, which I agree with.

That got me wondering if I had been an enterprising 16 year old and brewed my own beer and drank it at home, I suppose it's legal?

 

[wickman6]

My son, now 2 1/2 has been helping me since he could walk. Of course it slows down brewdays but I'm perfectly fine with that. I generally time my process so that he is napping right about the end of the boil when I know I'll be busy chilling wort, transferring and the like.

He also loves eating grains, and will tell me "hops make me sick. I don't eat hops"

We both love the process and the time we get together.

 

[LandoLincoln]

That got me wondering if I had been an enterprising 16 year old and brewed my own beer and drank it at home, I suppose it's legal?

No, that would not be legal. A 16-year-old could make wort legally.

 

[eluterio]

I for sure see it as an educational process. I showed most of my kids, nieces, and nephews if they asked. I share with them the basics and compare it to making bread. They have the general idea of how micro organisms work aka yeast and even given them samples of wort. However, I never have or will give them a sample after its done, I will let them smell it out of the hydrometer and I usually get that smells gross.

I do know that some middle school actually have made small samples of beer as used it as a teaching process.

 

[BigJack]

My oldest, who is 10, likes to help me out- though he lacks the attention span for a whole brew day.

I personally don't let him taste beer yet- though in my state, it is perfectly legal for a child to be given an adult beverage by their parent so long as it is consumed in the direct presence of the parent. (Check your local laws- most states allow for this, though they don't publicize it.)

To be flat-out honest, when my kids hit their teens, if they want to sample a beer with dad on a Friday night, I will let them provided that they are in for the night and their friends aren't over at my place. I'm not going to host parties or serve anyone else's child, but I want my kids to learn moderation from me.

 

[dchd1130]

My oldest daughter (7) has no interest, but my middle daughter (5) wants to help with everything in the kitchen. She stayed up late helping me bottle not to long ago. It was a lot of fun having her helping out. I hadn't really thought about bringing her in on brew day, but after reading this I think I will make a point to have her help with that as well.

 

[revelation]

No, that would not be legal. A 16-year-old could make wort legally.

So if you don't pitch yeast and opt for spontaneous fermentation with wild yeast, thekid should be ok. Now the coppers might want to bring up Mother Nature on charges of giving booze to minors...

 

[allynlyon]

No, that would not be legal. A 16-year-old could make wort legally.

Interesting. Now I am curious what our state says about this.

 

[ballsy]

As a parent of several kids this post gave me the best laugh of the day, thanks!

P.S - Good luck with that

Hahahahaha!! + infinity on that one!! My girl loves adding the hops additions. She says she's adding "the seeds". If she misses an addition she gets really bummed.

 

[teachtim]

I let my kids help. My 5 year old boy loves all the steps, especially the "bubbles mean beer" due to fermentation. My daughter who is now 9, is over the process. Enjoy it while you can!!!
We do discuss the science involved too!