The next generation

[sandman]

I'm 47 and both of my sons help me make just about every batch already. Of course they can't do it themselves yet (being underage), but both look forward to starting their first big batch on their respective 21'st birthdays.

They've also tasted just about every batch I've made just prior to pitching so they can contribute opinions on flavor combinations before fermentation starts.

 

[Tannin Boy]

I've got friends and family who are interested in mead since I started making it, but they're not wanting to make it themselves. They just want me to make more mead for them. ;D

That's one of the great things about meadmaking, sharing it with others who appreciate it and ask for more. One of my best memories of the 2004 International Mead Festival in Boulder was the afterhours parties, how everyone was uncorking their meads, passing them around and saying "Here, try this one." Also the story swapping, how this person got interested in meadmaking, who had gotten them started by passing on that first sip of mead, the ups and downs of wanting to make some more of that wonderful stuff they had first tasted.

"You're not old until you're infirm." Nice quote, I'm not infirm, and I'm older than all of you! ;D ;D

Well, don't know where I fit in here other than on the elder side of the fence at the double nickel speed limit of life!
Hoping to influence younger folks to look to self sufficiency in life and mentor those that look to better quality food sources. Childless myself but many a younger folks look towards the elders for guidance to homesteading principals which I try to help with.

At this point those 5 gallon carboys are at my feel good limits lugging around these days!

TB

 

[mmclean]

Hoping to influence younger folks to look to self sufficiency in life and mentor those that look to better quality food sources. Childless myself but many a younger folks look towards the elders for guidance to homesteading principals which I try to help with.
TB

Good for you.

This is the road I too wish to travel.

 

[Dan McFeeley]

I've done that also, had my daughter help with meadmaking. Maybe some people may frown on this, having underage minors get involved with making alcoholic beverages, but there's some good research out there showing lower levels of alcohol abuse when wine or other beverages are made part of a family setting involving the table, celebration and sharing.

--

 

[Dan McFeeley]

Looks like a few of us were posting at once, I just read the above two replies.

I do the self sufficiency thing too -- mostly kid's cuisine when I have my daughter for the weekend. Homemade colored pasta goes over well, kind of fun using bright green, purple or neon pink colors with ordinary food dishes. A favorite is smoking a pizza over the grill. I've even made my own butter.

She gets the idea, self sufficiency is a bit labor intensive, but the results are better than the over processed stuff at the local grocery store.

I think that's a part of what attracts people to making mead -- something unique, off the beaten track, and fun to make on your own.

--

 

[mmclean]

Looks like a few of us were posting at once, I just read the above two replies.

I do the self sufficiency thing too -- mostly kid's cuisine when I have my daughter for the weekend. Homemade colored pasta goes over well, kind of fun using bright green, purple or neon pink colors with ordinary food dishes. A favorite is smoking a pizza over the grill. I've even made my own butter.

She gets the idea, self sufficiency is a bit labor intensive, but the results are better than the over processed stuff at the local grocery store.

I think that's a part of what attracts people to making mead -- something unique, off the beaten track, and fun to make on your own.

--

Plus you get to cheat the goverment out of their 15% tax or whatever it is. ;D

 

[Tannin Boy]

Plus you get to cheat the goverment out of their 15% tax or whatever it is. ;D

MM,

Well Spoken...
But I would like to think we are not necessarily cheating them as keeping them in check? Too many levels of taxation is truly hurting this economy beyond reason, yet it is never discussed in the public forums? Leaving this place better than when we arrived for the newer generations is all our responsibility's.

Merry Christmas All,

TB

 

[wildoates]

I'm another one who yearns for self-sufficiency...I know how to do lots of things that nowadays I just don't have the space to do.

But I can make mead, and being to be able to make booze is always a marketable skill set.

 

[Tannin Boy]

I'm another one who yearns for self-sufficiency...I know how to do lots of things that nowadays I just don't have the space to do.

But I can make mead, and being to be able to make booze is always a marketable skill set.

Yep!
Booze and gun powder are great commodity's in troubled times...

I just prefer to believe self sufficiency and the least practical carbon footprint we can leave will be to our benefit.... But I am speaking from a cash flow standpoint, not thinking to the what if extremes that life may throw at us? The Boy / Girl Scout thing if you will ( Be Prepared )...

TB

 

[wildoates]

Yep!
Booze and gun powder are great commodity's in troubled times...

I just prefer to believe self sufficiency and the least practical carbon footprint we can leave will be to our benefit.... But I am speaking from a cash flow standpoint, not thinking to the what if extremes that life may throw at us? The Boy / Girl Scout thing if you will ( Be Prepared )...

TB

I've never cultivated yeast, though. I need to learn how to do that.

 

[Golddiggie]

Tannin Boy, Nothing I have would work with black powder... But I do reload my own...

McFeeley, when I was going through elementary school, I either walked or rode the bike. School buses didn't pick us up when I started out... Towards the end they did, but not for the first few years. It was well over a mile to the school from my house, even going on paths and the most direct route. I could usually leave the house after the bus did and get there before they arrived. Jr. high and high school were much closer to where I lived, so I would either walk or bike there too...

I see making your own 'adult' beverages as a way to have better control over what you're putting into your body, control how the product comes out and make it more to YOUR liking, not what appeals to the masses... I do think it ends up costing you less for a superior product too... IF you're willing to put the time in... You could always just go to the liquor store and grab a six-pack, or bottle, and drink right away if that's all you care about...

To me, more than half the fun is making the stuff... The other part is sharing it with others... Well, it will be once I have something ready to share... ;D

I do see getting hop plants in my future... When I have a place I can plant them at least... Too bad you can't do those in a window box... lol

 

[Tannin Boy]

Tannin Boy, Nothing I have would work with black powder... But I do reload my own...

Goldi,

I am there with ya about reloading, yet the black powder side was not mentioned? I agree with you about the health and flavor quality of mead...
It doesn't get any better than that especially if you stick to pure product and stay within the super fruit groups....It is most healthful...

TB

 

[Golddiggie]

Goldi,

I am there with ya about reloading, yet the black powder side was not mentioned? I agree with you about the health and flavor quality of mead...
It doesn't get any better than that especially if you stick to pure product and stay within the super fruit groups....It is most healthful...

TB

Pretty sure you can't "home make" smokeless powder... At least not to the level of the manufacturers of it... Making gun powder would produce a 'black powder' or more accurately 'smoking' powder, unless you managed to find a way to make something else... I just figure before something else takes over the world, I'll be able to stock up on reloading supplies... As it stands now, I'm pretty good in that category. ;D

 

[mmclean]

MM,

Well Spoken...
But I would like to think we are not necessarily cheating them as keeping them in check? Too many levels of taxation is truly hurting this economy beyond reason, yet it is never discussed in the public forums? Leaving this place better than when we arrived for the newer generations is all our responsibility's.

Merry Christmas All,

TB

Touché TB, touché.

 

[Tannin Boy]

I'll be able to stock up on reloading supplies... As it stands now, I'm pretty good in that category. ;D

GD,

I must follow your lead..I have not got reserves where they should be that is for sure...Thanks for reminding me to get after it! This business cycle is killing me here

Let's also think ( Water Purification ) gravity will be my choice! Berkley comes to mind....

Regards,

TB

 

[AToE]

I've done that also, had my daughter help with meadmaking. Maybe some people may frown on this, having underage minors get involved with making alcoholic beverages, but there's some good research out there showing lower levels of alcohol abuse when wine or other beverages are made part of a family setting involving the table, celebration and sharing.

--

I've always been shocked at how hung up some people are about the whole "if you're over this line you're good to drink, totally moral, but if you're not, then shame on you!" mentality.

Don't encourage children to get drunk of course, because it can cause developmental damage and being younger they're more likely to do something dangerous while drunk, but at the same time recognise the likelihood that they will occasionally get drunk once they're past 12 or so. It's better to just accept this and say to your kid "if you end up drunk somewhere, call me for a ride home" rather than try to go overboard with morality and say "don't ever drink or you're in more trouble than..."

But just letting kids have drinks around the house is fine. I probably wasn't given a full glass of wine or a full beer until I was at least 14, but even as young as maybe 5 I was allowed a sip (mostly to see how gross beer was!), and from my early teens I was totally allowed to have a responsable drink or two with a holiday meal, or special occasion, etc. I got pretty tipsy a few times at Xmas, was embarassed at my parents poking fun at me and stopped drinking for the evening. I think it took a lot of the rebellion out of drinking, I never really drank to rebel.

I'm biased as well, because where I grew up the legal age to purchase alcohol (you're legal to drink at home at any age under supervision as far as I know) is 18 years old. I think the norm around my country is 19 though.

I think the idea that someone is adult enough to vote or die/kill in a war, but not to buy their own alcohol or cigarettes is insane.

Rant over now!

 

[Tannin Boy]

I've always been shocked at how hung up some people are about the whole "if you're over this line you're good to drink, totally moral, but if you're not, then shame on you!" mentality.

Don't encourage children to get drunk of course, because it can cause developmental damage and being younger they're more likely to do something dangerous while drunk, but at the same time recognise the likelihood that they will occasionally get drunk once they're past 12 or so. It's better to just accept this and say to your kid "if you end up drunk somewhere, call me for a ride home" rather than try to go overboard with morality and say "don't ever drink or you're in more trouble than..."

But just letting kids have drinks around the house is fine. I probably wasn't given a full glass of wine or a full beer until I was at least 14, but even as young as maybe 5 I was allowed a sip (mostly to see how gross beer was!), and from my early teens I was totally allowed to have a responsable drink or two with a holiday meal, or special occasion, etc. I got pretty tipsy a few times at Xmas, was embarassed at my parents poking fun at me and stopped drinking for the evening. I think it took a lot of the rebellion out of drinking, I never really drank to rebel.

I'm biased as well, because where I grew up the legal age to purchase alcohol (you're legal to drink at home at any age under supervision as far as I know) is 18 years old. I think the norm around my country is 19 though.

I think the idea that someone is adult enough to vote or die/kill in a war, but not to buy their own alcohol or cigarettes is insane.

Rant over now!

Well spoken AToE,

About the same for me and I seem to have made it so far in life without causing to much embarrassment to myself :evil4:
TB

 

[Golddiggie]

Growing up, all I had to do was ask... After about age 10-12 that is... We (my sister and I) would be the bar-tenders for my father (and anyone else there), so we would know how to make drinks, even if we didn't drink them... I've tried some mixed drinks, but never really got into them. Got more into beer and wine (good ones)... I think part of that was due to seeing my father go through withdrawal after back surgery when we took him off of all alcohol, cigarettes and regulated the pain meds... Never smoked due to that, and really didn't want to drink anything over wine strength range (so nothing in the 40%ABV or higher area)... Besides, I never acquired a 'taste' for the hard stuff. I cook with it often enough, but I just don't drink it... So I guess I can like some of the flavors, just not so much burn...

Mead, now, is a completely different animal... After my first try of some, I knew I needed to make it... Just hoping that my initial batches come out decent (or better)... Not doing anything too crazy there, so I should be ok... Not like my beers it seems...

Hmmmm... just had a thought... My beer making is more along the line of the Tim Taylor school of thought... If it comes with 5HP, upgrade to 10HP and it will be better... If 10HP is better, then 20HP would be GREAT!! If 20HP is great, then 40HP would be beyond wonderful... It never does end... >

 

[wildoates]

Heck, my mom used to have me take a shot of whiskey to help me sleep when I was sick...worked like a charm.

My parents didn't prevent us from tasting alcohol, and although my dad drank beer and Mom would have the occasional glass of wine, hard likker wasn't usually even in the house. Both my brothers have had alcohol issues, though, and it wasn't because it was verboten as we were growing up--they're just idiots.

 

[AToE]

Heck, my mom used to have me take a shot of whiskey to help me sleep when I was sick...worked like a charm.

My parents didn't prevent us from tasting alcohol, and although my dad drank beer and Mom would have the occasional glass of wine, hard likker wasn't usually even in the house. Both my brothers have had alcohol issues, though, and it wasn't because it was verboten as we were growing up--they're just idiots.

That's something that I think gets lost on people sometimes, is that obviously you do your best raising a kid, but as they get older they become more and more the source of their own development. You could raise kids in a house full of alcoholics that end up being fine when they grow up, and you can raise a kid in a "perfect" environment and they could end up addicted.

I remember when I was 14 or 15 telling my mom that I'd smoked a lot of pot. She just said she was dissapointed, but was realistic that pot isn't technically even close to as dangerous a drug as alcohol. She told me to stay away from the addictive hard drugs and to be responsible when I smoked pot, because she knew she couldn't stop me.

Once I got into highschool I rarely smoked pot any more, and eventually seem to have developed an allergy to it - so now I don't smoke it at all! Honestly though, even if I wasn't allergic I probably would almost never smoke the stuff. I'm just not a fan of being very intoxicated, I like to retain good self control (and pot has always had a strong effect on me, it's not just a buzz like some seasoned smokers get! It's like being drunk).

Anyways, I know parents feel responsible for everything, but it really does fall on the kids' shoulders after some point in their development. I think the younger a kid is taught that they are in charge of who they are and what they do, and will be fully responsible for the consequences/benifits, the younger they'll start making better choices.

...and I don't have kids of my own so my opinion on this is definitely not even close to as valid as someone who does! Just speaking from the point of veiw of a kid who turned out pretty good.