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Author Topic: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable  (Read 3314 times)

Offline homebrewdad7

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Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« on: July 29, 2015, 08:35:54 am »
I'm a dad; I'm sure that comes as no shock, given my username.  I'm a father of seven (six of which live at home); that does often raise some eyebrows.

I often get the "how do you find time to brew?" type questions, so last night, I wrote a little article on brewing with kids.

 

Offline BrewArk

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2015, 09:32:26 am »
I've done brewing demonstrations for a Boy Scout (Venture) crew.  It was met w/a fair amount of indifference from both the scouts & their parents.
Beer...Now there's a temporary solution!

Na ZdravĂ­

Offline homebrewdad7

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2015, 09:37:00 am »
I can imagine that would be a tough sell in a scout situation.  At home, with your own kids, is probably different.

Offline udubdawg

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2015, 10:32:58 am »
obligatory:  "I guess I could give this a try, but I generally just use hops."   

Offline homebrewdad7

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2015, 10:34:43 am »
Heh.  I really considered a throwaway "dry kidding" joke.

Offline Stevie

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2015, 11:30:49 am »

Heh.  I really considered a throwaway "dry kidding" joke.
I don't want to know what this would taste like. Kids are covered in all sorts of stuff.

Offline homebrewdad7

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2015, 11:36:30 am »
Pre-chill, so they should be sanitary.

Offline Slowbrew

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2015, 12:12:03 pm »
Nice write-up. 

It is challenging with kids ( I have 4).  I became an early morning (like 4AM) brewer when the kids were in sports and such.  The last few years I take off a day and brew while they are all in school.  Two batches a day and a bunch of time alone not at work.

I also had to fight the urge to make a joke about not hitting my numbers because the crush is too course using kids.  8^)

Paul

Where the heck are we going?  And what's with this hand basket?

Offline homebrewdad7

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #8 on: July 29, 2015, 12:21:36 pm »
Hah, glad you enjoyed it.  Adapt, improvise, and overcome!

Offline Pinski

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #9 on: July 29, 2015, 12:22:13 pm »
I hear they throw a lot of diacetyl... and boogers.
Steve Carper
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Offline 69franx

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #10 on: July 29, 2015, 01:08:15 pm »
Great write up. The 3 kids around my household(my girlfriend's) were interested in helping me brew and/or bottle for about 2 batches. I guess I just need to show them the WIIFM to get them interested again, as I could use a good hop dropper and a cleaning agent
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

Offline homebrewdad7

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #11 on: July 29, 2015, 01:12:06 pm »
Yeah, outright slave labor doesn't always seem to work as a marketing tactic.  I'm not sure why...

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2015, 01:33:54 pm »
Nicely done - makes me a bit misty-eyed thinking back to my bottling partner...he's 23 now and we see him once a month, if we are lucky.  He's a certified beer lover and texts me with new found brews in his work travels.

Don't blink.
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline Toasted360

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #13 on: August 02, 2015, 06:20:56 pm »
Great article!  I also have two boys and when then can, they like to assist in various stages of brewing. Teaching the basics and a healthy understanding of what's occurring.  Thanks!


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Offline Ale Farmer

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Re: Brewing with kids - yes, it's doable
« Reply #14 on: August 02, 2015, 07:34:01 pm »
I thought my days of being up in the wee hours were behind me once my four kids were no longer infants, but now a few years later, and I'm still up late... only the kids are sleeping soundly. I begin brewing at about 8:30 p.m. or so and finish by 2 a.m. or thereabouts. I find focusing on just one thing at a time--brewing--relaxing compared to carrying on a four-way conversation and cajoling and corralling them all day long (all enjoyable--but tiring). When my sons and daughter get older, maybe I can brew during the day and they can help, but for now they collect the different colored bottle caps and ask me what beer I've opened at dinner. Home brewing is about brewing, absolutely, but it is also about doing something at home while my family is in the house, and it's all good.
George

Brew and grow...

Bottled: Belgian May Ale, APA, Wit, Pilsner, Rye Pale Ale, Pale Irish Ale, Dark Mild, Brown Porter, English Pale Ale, Amber Ale

Fermenting:

Next Brews: English Pale Ale, Spruce Porter, Brown Ale