I have important work ahead of me

[FedoraDave]

On Sept. 16, my son, the oft-referenced Bhoy-o, turns 21.

I have already informed him that it is my paternal duty to buy him his first beer, and pursuant to that end, on that evening, I will be taking him round the corner to Defiant and buying him (and myself) a Muddy Creek Lager. I'm hoping my brother and his son will join us; I'm perfectly willing - nay, PROUD - to buy the first round.

Now one thing you need to know about The Bhoy-o is that he's very picky about what he eats and drinks. He doesn't like things that have a lot of flavor, or that have one strong flavor, such as barbecue, or hot wings. He doesn't put anything on his burgers; not even ketchup. He may be a supertaster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supertaster). So I'm thinking he's not going to care much for beer; even a smooth, pleasant one with lower IBU, as is the case with the Muddy Creek.

So I will be disappointed, but not necessarily surprised, if he doesn't develop any taste for beer. Much as I'd like to be able to share a beer - especially my homebrew - with my son in the future, this one event may be the only time I get to experience it. The same is true of my father; he doesn't touch alcohol, so my generation stands alone, as it were. Well, I can still share beer with my brother and my nephews.

[RickBeer]

I have 2 sons, both past turning 21. Two facts you missed Dave.

1) He`s already tired / is drinking. If he's in college it happened long ago.

2) Having a beer with Dad on his birthday takes second place to hitting the bars at midnight the evening of his birthday, with his friends, then trying to do it again the night of his birthday. Friends 《》Dad.

We took our oldest and his friend out to dinner the week he turned 21. Ordered a pitcher of craft beer, neither of them could finish the first pint glass, because it was "too heavy". SWMBO and I had no such problems. At college they drink c rap and drink lots of it, so good beer usually isn't in the picture.

My youngest brewed a Blue Moon clone with me to bring back to school this year and even put it in the fridge a few d as ahead of time as he should.

[FedoraDave]

I have 2 sons, both past turning 21. Two facts you missed Dave.

1) He`s already tired / is drinking. If he's in college it happened long ago.

2) Having a beer with Dad on his birthday takes second place to hitting the bars at midnight the evening of his birthday, with his friends, then trying to do it again the night of his birthday. Friends 《》Dad.

While I understand your presumptions, I have to disagree. You may think me naive, but just follow along with me.

My son doesn't go to college, and he doesn't go out at night. His social life is mostly with family and online/gaming. He also has always had a strong sense of the rules. I've offered him tastes of my homebrew, and he turns it down, telling me he'll have his first drink when he turns 21, but before then, he's not allowed.

Again, you may think me naive, but I believe him, partly because I know his character, and partly because he's a really shitty liar, and I have a strong built-in BS detector. He's tried lying to us before, and we know it immediately.

He's never been your "typical kid".

[Inkleg]

Sounds like he is the child MOST kids should be to me. Respectful, raised knowing the difference between right and wrong, with a tinged of guilt when he has done something wrong (hence the bad liar). Sounds like a good kid Dave. Just don't forget to take a picture of that "first face sip".

My son Jonathan did sample my craft beers when offered. I know that he did tie one on before the legal age of 21. But having been around me, seeing my respect for alcohol and seeing what trouble his friends got into because of it, he became the DD to all his friends. He said he would rather enjoy one good beer than many sh*tty ones.
Now since he's moved out he asks if he can take a few beers with him when he visits. We have a 2 liter bottle with a Cabonator cap. We see what I have enough on tap of (hence me doing a few 11 gallon batches) and fill it up for him and his girlfriend. Sometimes it will be 2 weeks before another refill.
One bad think though, he also has my love for high end Tequilas. Well now that I think about it, that may make Christmas shopping a little easier.

[FedoraDave]

My daughter did get "overserved" the weekend of her high school senior prom. It's tradition for kids to rent some space at the Jersey Shore that weekend and have a getaway. And she got drunk, so I had to sit her down and talk to her, especially about how, since she was actually able to go to the college of her choice, screwing it up by breaking the rules this way would be pretty stupid.

She acknowledged that she didn't like herself when she was drunk, and she had learned her lesson. She graduated with honors from NYU four years later, so I have to believe she truly did learn from the experience. Of course, she does ask what beers I've got in the fridge when she comes to visit, and from what I understand, she mixes a mean martini. But she knows her limit and her pacing, and I'm kind of bemused by the fact that she'll nurse one beer literally all evening. I'll be on my third, and she'll still have half a pint left. Which is why she still fits into her prom dress ten years later, and I still need to lose 25 pounds.

Both my kids are smart and have a conscience. Even when they were little, throughout their teen years, and as young adults, I've always been gratified by those times when they've seen other people (either their peers or, well, anyone) behaving badly, and they just shake their heads and wonder what the hell it is with some people.

But you're right, Jeff, I definitely need to get a pic of the "first taste face." LOL

If he turns out to never want another beer again, I'm okay with that. It's his choice. But I see this as a rite of passage, and should he decide he does want to drink, I want him to do so responsibly and intelligently (intelligently in the sense of the law and his health, and also as far as not drinking cheap, crappy beer).

[Brewbirds]

Right before sitting him down in front of that first beer I might say "now son I know you have very strong preferences in foods and beverages so if you don't like this beer I'll understand but your dear ole dad might like to use your supertaster talents when he has to nail down an off flavor once in a while."

Never waste a rare talent.

[D_Rabbit]

My father doesn't care for many beers except corona and some other crap from canada. Either way, I introduced him to a scottish ale and he really liked it. Very mild to no hop bitter additions. He actually requests it now but that is all I can get him to drink. Just grab him something with little to no hops, that isn't BMC, and be proud as you are. Have fun with the Bhoy-o!

[teutonic terror]

Dave, my daughter loves Blue Moon, Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat and such but really hasn't acquired a taste for my beer.
Same with her new husband. He'll have a couple then he goes back to the Bud Light Platinum.

I figure to each his own.
I ask, when they visit, if they would like one of my beers, and they are polite when they say yes.
The next morning, I look in the spare fridge and they have their own beer squirreled away!

I don't, and you shouldn't, take it as a slight.
Craft and homebrewed beer, IMHO, is an acquired taste!
Some people really appreciate the flavor, and others can't tolerate it.

I'm sure you will find something you can brew , if you don't already have it in the pipeline, he can and will appreciate!
It'll be fine and fun Dave!

[John Sand]

Have fun Dave. Thanks for sharing.

[FedoraDave]

Thanks, everyone.

And I know that he just may never care for beer, or alcohol in any form. He's very picky in his tastes; I've known that for years. So beer may not be his thing. And I'll definitely respect that, the same way he and SWMBO (also a teetotaler) respect my beer and brewing.

Life goes on.

[RickBeer]

If my kids didn't like beer I'd have their DNA checked to see if they were really mine...

[FedoraDave]

If my kids didn't like beer I'd have their DNA checked to see if they were really mine...

LOL!
My son doesn't like barbecue, either! I spent 6 hours making ribs yesterday, and they were very well received by everyone who had them, but the Bhoy-o opted for a hamburger. Plain.

I guess he takes after his mother, who's a bit of a picky eater. Certainly pickier than The Dave-Guy, 'cause I can't get enough BBQ.

[D_Rabbit]

That may change with age. I found myself enjoying things as I reached 25 then 30 that at age 15 and 20 I would never have let touch my lips.

[alb]

Beer and Barbecue -- more for you! My nephew only likes plain spaghetti noodles. Can't stand any sauce on them. And he doesn't drink at all except an occasional sip of whatever my brudder has in his beer glass.

[DaYooper]

My fraternity Big Brother hated beer. We would constantly pick on him about that. The only time I saw him ever have any was when I was initiated and he had half a glass. About 10 years later I learned he had become a bit of a beer snob. It seems he thought all beer tasted like Old Milwaukee or Strohs (our house beers). Turns out was just a huge porter and stout fan in the making. Since then he has learned to appreciate other types like IPAs, reds, etc. but still has the preference for the darks.