Swmbo <> Beer

[Swinging Beef]

Inspired by the "Great News" thread:

Do you guys (and gals) brew beer just for yourself, or are you making it because your partner froths at the mouth in expectation of the next Chinnok Hop Bomb Double IPA or Super Pale Amarillo Aussie Ale?

It was only recently at a brewers meeting, I realised that many of the partners of home/amateur brewers, do not share the love of beer.

Is it not, then, your duty to educate your partners pallete, or educate yourself, to find a brew you can both love?
I know some of you may think "What! And share my beer?", but if your partner is into your beverages, too, then they will be on your case to make that next batch pronto.

So.. how do we help our brewing bretheren get their partner into drinking your beer if they claim to "not like beer"?

 

[reviled]

Inspired by the "Great News" thread:

Do you guys (and gals) brew beer just for yourself, or are you making it because your partner froths at the mouth in expectation of the next Chinnok Hop Bomb Double IPA or Super Pale Amarillo Aussie Ale?

It was only recently at a brewers meeting, I realised that many of the partners of home/amateur brewers, do not share the love of beer.

Is it not, then, your duty to educate your partners pallete, or educate yourself, to find a brew you can both love?
I know some of you may think "What! And share my beer?", but if your partner is into your beverages, too, then they will be on your case to make that next batch pronto.

So.. how do we help our brewing bretheren get their partner into drinking your beer if they claim to "not like beer"?

Mate I would love to know if there is a way but im sure there isnt, I force SWMBO to try every single beer I make, and the best I ever get is "thats pretty drinkable" as she hands the glass back to me <_<

But she comes on beer trips with me and is understanding, so thats the main thing I figure

 

[Franko]

My wife is a beer lover god bless her.


Franko

 

[Hefty]

I like where this thread could go SB!
At this stage my wife tolerates beer and brewing but I have to wait a little longer for her practical education on the subject as she is pregnant and so not drinking until due date and after due to breast feeding.
I'll just have to look on and take notes on how to approach this issue.

My approach (before her pregnancy) has been to get her to just try a mouthful and then push her just that little bit past "tastes like beer to me" to comment on specifics that she notices.
I only do it every now and then so she's happy to oblige me. Once she starts to make some positive comments I might do it a little more often.

Cheers!
Jono.

 

[reviled]

"tastes like beer to me"

This is really a pet hate for me <_<

 

[thunderchild]

I like where this thread could go SB!
At this stage my wife tolerates beer and brewing but I have to wait a little longer for her practical education on the subject as she is pregnant and so not drinking until due date and after due to breast feeding.
I'll just have to look on and take notes on how to approach this issue.

My approach (before her pregnancy) has been to get her to just try a mouthful and then push her just that little bit past "tastes like beer to me" to comment on specifics that she notices.
I only do it every now and then so she's happy to oblige me. Once she starts to make some positive comments I might do it a little more often.

Cheers!
Jono.

My Lady who is very supportive of brewing, turns her nose up at every good beer saying they are 'flowery' i.e she hates hops. The only beer I have ever made and she has gone back for seconds for was a kit clone of a corona. Watered down SH##!

So moral of the story is no beers are made for her because I won;t drink them and its a waste of 5hours and good grain.

 

[joshuahardie]

The missus loves beer as much as me, she goes on brew tours festivals etc with me, and is generally a pretty good sport in letting me let this hobby wander nicely out of control.

Having said that our favourite styles are different, So whilst I try to brew the perfect Dunkel for her, my enthusiasm unfortunately is greater than my skill. But ill keep on trying

The phrase, "not bad, but too bitter for me" is my usual review.

 

[bakkerman]

I get recipe suggestions, Witbier is the absolute favourite, along with the kriek.

Then it goes.. it tastes too good and it all goes to my hips, don't brew me anymore..

then eventually back to point 1..

could be worse I guess.

 

[PostModern]

My Mrs, who I think you met at said brewers' meeting, likes beer, she's just not a fan of "flat warm English beer". She doesn't mind the odd ESB, as long as it's <10C and slightly carbonated and I call it "Pale Ale". Her favourite beer of mine was a huge IIPA I made once with about ten million IBU and 8% alc, next on the list would have been a lightly hopped Weizen. I really can't predict which beers she'll like, but fairly often she helps me drain a keg if she likes the particular batch.

How to help a non-beer person into beer is hard. You need to find out what flavours they do enjoy and craft a beer around that, then gently modify the recipe towards the styles you enjoy, or modify your beers towards her palate. I don't bother, because Mrs PoMo is pretty random in her beer tastes.

 

[Pollux]

Mate I would love to know if there is a way but im sure there isnt, I force SWMBO to try every single beer I make, and the best I ever get is "thats pretty drinkable" as she hands the glass back to me <_<

That sounds familiar......

She is yet to actually drink a whole beer, even a middie in the time I've known her....

Actually, I lie, she did steal a near full schooner of Unibroue Maudite I left on the bench when I went to change the little ones nappy, I returned to an empty glass and the question of "Could you brew something like that??"

She was lucky there was still enough in the longneck to pour another, else she would have been off to buy me another $35 3pk of Unibroue longnecks.

 

[schooey]

My wife hates beer... But doesn't mind me having an obsession hobby. She does take an interest in the fruits of my water purification machine on the other hand... h34r:

 

[Kleiny]

I think my wife likes that i have a passion and i put so much effort in she try's most of what i produce.
She is a sweet wine drinker most of the time and never really liked beer.

Lately she has decided any citrus hopped style APA is her favourite and will ask for one even before a wine. She has also taken a liking to coffee hinted stouts. Both of these beers are a fair way from mainstream beers in flavour and it is surpriseing what she does actually like.

As for an education on beer flavours i think she can find flavours in my beers that i didn't see. A wheat beer from the last xmas swap she said tasted like it had some pear in it and after that i could taste it. Great tasteing partner.

Cheers
kleiny

 

[Swinging Beef]

So moral of the story is no beers are made for her because I won;t drink them and its a waste of 5hours and good grain.

Hmm.. I read a different moral into that story.
Dont waste good grain.
Maybe do a 2nd batch as a small beer with the same grains,and bulk it up with dex or extract.

My partner is really only a fan of my brewing because she likes Witbier and massive double IPA.
Both of which are not only hard to buy, but expensive.
Im not a huge fan of either of these styles, and Im pursuing the perfect Belgian beer, but I still reckon over 25% of my brewing is making >80IBU hop monsters for her.

Ive also noticed other ladies that politely 'try just a small one' seem to want more IPA.

 

[KHB]

This is really a pet hate for me <_<

Ill ask my wife how does this smell?? Can you smell chocolate?? Her reply " Smells like beer to me". God i HATE hearing that, although she dosnt mind me having my obsession.

KHB

 

[MarkBastard]

Mine drinks about as much beer as me. She's also a good critic because I'll for example drink a beer if it isn't carbed right, but she'll complain, so it keeps me seeking quality more.

Also despite doing 'that face' whenever I bought a piece home for my planned chest freezer conversion (ie a font, wood for a collar, the freezer itself etc), when she saw a kegmate recently she said "I want one". This is despite the planned 6 keg freezer. So she wants it in addition to the freezer.

Not bad considering I was thinking long term it'd be good to have a smaller bar upstairs but thought there's no way I'd get it past SWMBO. Looks like those kegmates have good WAF (wife approval factor)

 

[Pennywise]

My better half only drinks my winter beers (porters & stouts), she can't stand my hoppy apa's and wont even be in the same room as a wheatie. I've only made one type of beer that's just for her, cerveza kit, kg of dex, and fresh lemon juice. I don't mind it fresh but couldn't drink more than a pot before my mouth goes into spasms, so I guess I don't really like it that much hey :huh: . I still make her try every batch, so I'm trying to convert her, I'm not holding my breath though

 

[Adamt]

This is why I'm single! (it couldn't be because I look like a mix between Amy Winehouse without makeup and a brush fence, could it?)

It's hard to find one in my generation that doesn't just drink lolly water, passion pop or fruity lexia; or someone who doesn't care that I have almost no income and spend it all on beer/brewing.

Single = 1 mouth to feed.
Married = (2+x) mouths to feed.

 

[newguy]

I'm lucky. My wife loves beer, but tends to lean toward maltier styles, as do I. Lately, however, she has been enjoying some pretty bitter/hoppy beers right alongside me as I've been on a bit of a hop kick. I can't brew enough weizens for her. She loves wyeast 3068.

She does enjoy the odd glass of wine whereas I can't even smell the stuff without feeling sick to my stomach. We both like mead, but she likes it way more than I do.

 

[raven19]

Similar to many posters here, my wife tries it, and typically says its ok or yuk. She is not much of a beer drinker in any case.

She does support my hobby though!

 

[clean brewer]

Im not married but do have a lovely partner and 2 children, when we first met a few years ago, we would go to the pub and she would be sucking down the Boags, I thought, how good is this, she loves (so called) beer...

Turns out now that she doesnt touch the stuff, I think it was all an act to impress me.. <_<

She has the odd glass of sparkling, but is prone to smoking(has to give up now with another on the way), while I have an issue with smoking, its good back-up money wise when buying brew gear..

But honestly, she is slowly becoming more interested in what I am doing, especially since starting AG, and comes in when im cracking grain asking questions and just taking a general interest, its better than hating it altogether..

Im always reminded though that I spend too much time on AHB...