Of Tykes and Taprooms: Do Kids Belong in Breweries?

Discussion in 'Article Comments' started by BeerAdvocate, Sep 18, 2018.

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  1. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,282) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Oh, the stroller issue really hits a nerve. Especially those double-wide, off-road, 4x4 ones. Lock it to a bike rack outside, don't bring it in.
     
  2. LeRose

    LeRose Grand Pooh-Bah (3,509) Nov 24, 2011 Massachusetts
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    I have been following this a bit because now I have the added perspective of being a grandparent, and I like your thinking here.

    First of all, if it is a situation where tasting/purchasing beer is shared space with production equipment, kids under a certain age absolutely do not belong.

    What you describe here at Trillium - it isn't the fault of Trillium, the dogs, or the kids. Almost everybody should know by now what they are in for when visiting this type of brewery and leave the dogs and kids home. Especially if the plan is to sit there and drink, but even if you are just buying "to go" you're gonna be standing in line along with a bunch of other impatient people. It seems to me this should be so painfully obvious a situation where failure is a certainty it should not even be a point of discussion. Dogs and kids stay home. As my father would say, "that thing in your head ain't just for holdin' your ears apart" - a little thinking is required once in a while.

    I'll take my grandson in if I am going to stop at a brewery and buy beer. I don't do the wait in line thing myself, so it would never happen that I'd be standing in line worrying about him or (worse) letting him run amok. Not much different than going to a store with him. Probably easier because buying at the brewery I know exactly what I want versus spending a half hour "just looking". We will take him to a brewery where there's food, but have walked out when said places are already overcrowded (guess what Papa don't wait in line to eat either) or if the crowd seems a mite unruly already. Common sense. With our own kids - we took them almost everywhere, evaluated each situation, and made (hopefully) appropriate decisions. For one thing, our kids were exposed to a lot of different situations which we believe is a good thing. Our expectations for their behavior were quite clear and consistent even when they were very young, and if those expectations were not met, we'd leave and they learned (and no - not painfully).

    Now, if I was planning to go somewhere and spend the afternoon drinking beers - no, I would not take the sprout along. If I was going somewhere to stand in line - again, no. It just seems like simple common sense to me. My son is 31 and I have never taken him to a bar. I don't understand sitting in a restaurant watching kids running wild and parents being oblivious. Completely baffled that a local working farm and brewery had to post on social media requesting people not allow their kids to throw rocks at the livestock. I don't understand heading into a situation where you probably should know it's destined to fail. One thing I learned pretty quick when mine were born - sacrifices are required, and modifications to my/our own behavior and habits and things we liked to do were not optional. Seems to me this whole "controversy" could be avoided with a modicum of common sense from a parenting perspective.

    Dogs...well...they do not belong where I am buying/eating food or buying and drinking beer. I love dogs as some will remember from WBAYDN posts past, but they do not belong where food and beverages are made or served. Service animals are an exception here, and possibly a place with a large outside area. Yes - I did have dogs and do have cats at home, but that is my choice that is not imposed on others in a public place. Maybe some of this attitude is my food business background, but I don't get why dogs need to be in a brewery, tasting room, brewpub, coffee shop, pizza place, etc. Some people are afraid of dogs regardless of size/breed, some are allergic, it strikes me as generally unsanitary, and potentially physically dangerous.
     
  3. beersgud

    beersgud Zealot (645) Jan 31, 2014 Kansas
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    I agree, it would be nice if more breweries and brewpubs made clear decisions about whether they want to be kid-friendly or not.
     
    brutalfarce and HopsDubosc like this.
  4. azorie

    azorie Pooh-Bah (2,409) Mar 18, 2006 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    I seen them let kids in here in Florida quite a bit. as long as kids are not screaming I am live with them. I grew up in Texas where you could even drink if your parents let you, lol. We also had allot of outdoor type venues. most were byob. its like ANYTHING it depends. I do think when it gets dark kids should be gone, why? well if your an adult and it is night time and your drinking, you do not want some rug rat in your way. ....:stuck_out_tongue::astonished::grimacing:
     
  5. Maestro0708

    Maestro0708 Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2015 Kentucky

    Typically what I find when I bring my daughter to breweries that identify as 'kid friendly', usually in the afternoon, is an environment I'm happier exposing my daughter to than many more 'appropriate' settings.
     
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  6. AZBeerDude72

    AZBeerDude72 Initiate (0) Jun 10, 2016 Arizona

    Having kids myself I am not really bothered when other folks have them with so long as the establishment allows it, etc. My main stand is keep them in line, don't let them run wild, scream, etc. If your there with kids be mindful of others. I personally don't take my kids to any place with drinking. I just don't want them exposed to it, there are plenty of things to do with them as a family, bars/breweries are times I get to relax away from my kids with my wife or friends.
    Today most places I go to are family friendly, dogs, etc. So honestly it is not a real big issue for me either way.
    Cheers
     
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  7. RKP1967

    RKP1967 Savant (1,126) Sep 26, 2010 Virginia

    We've been taking our little one to breweries since she was one. So glad she was the type that sat their and did artwork and didn't "run wild." (Honestly, I don't know if I've ever seen a kid running wild in a brewery, and I've visited 196 of them, some multiple times.) Now that she's a tween, she plays with her phone. She even started a vlog where I review breweries and beer.
     
  8. Beersnake

    Beersnake Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,330) Aug 17, 2013 California
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    As a parent, I would take my kids to a brewery if we are on vacation and I want to stop in for a quick lunch/drink. If I'm going to brewery near home, I wouldn't bring my kids simply because they wouldn't have fun. I understand that it's tough to get a babysitter, but I wouldn't enjoy it if my own child was bored or nagging to go home. If you have a kid that loves breweries, I think it's perfectly fine.

    Dogs - I agree with @LeRose about not having dogs at breweries. I would 100% avoid a brewery if I knew it was a place that always had a bunch of dogs with their owners. I am also horribly allergic to them and I have had aggressive dogs scare the Sh*$t out of me as I walk by with a drink. Not the best combo. I would prefer kids to dogs any day.
     
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  9. Janeinma

    Janeinma Initiate (0) May 24, 2009 Massachusetts

    ok put myself up to be roasted. I have no problems with you bringing your kids to the brewery BUT:
    while at a brewery I don't really want to hear screaming, yelling, crying and I dont want to be shoved, be bitten, trip over something in the middle of the walkways, I also dont want to see bare butts on tables..
    That goes for stag parties, hen parties, kids, babies, drunks or dogs.
    Perhaps we could have an area where it is for adults and allow kids in a different area. Personally babies screaming I find really piercing and gives me a headache. I have been to a brewery and found myself in a middle of at least five screaming babies simultaneously. We left as I was getting a headache.
    Breweries are also now tending to provide food, allowing dogs or putting babies with diapers exposed on tables that people put food and drinks on doesnt seem very sanitary to me.
    I have seen quiet well behaved kids or parents that have walked outside when babies start screaming. I think peopel like that are awesome and have no problem sharing a drink with them..
     
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  10. MNAle

    MNAle Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2011 Minnesota

    The problems begin when some of those non-parents bring their kids anyway...
     
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  11. Junior

    Junior Pooh-Bah (1,859) May 23, 2015 Michigan
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    The same can be said for drinking at home.
     
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  12. nc41

    nc41 Initiate (0) Sep 25, 2008 North Carolina
    Trader

    Depends on the brewery or bar, some just are not really kid friendly family oriented kinda places some are. Personally I have no problems depending on the hours , and I do believe NC has a law limiting times. After the dinner hour there's no reason for kids to be in a bar, get a baby sitter.,
     
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  13. iebforever

    iebforever Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2009 California

    I visited a brewery tasting room in San Diego that was playing gangster rap (f*ck this, f that, etc.) and glanced over to see a young man with his toddler daughter with him. I was embarrassed. A brewery that goes so far out of its way to make itself child unfriendly should just ban children. I was offended, because I didn't like hearing profane and offensive music and for the knuckleheaded father didn't pick up his child and leave.

    I went to a beer festival in Belgium and saw children playing cards and the older ones going to turn in tokens for beer (children can drink if accompanied by their parents). I didn't see any of the drunkenness or inappropriate behavior that I've witnessed at festivals here in the United States. Apparently the Europeans have figured out a way to make drinking beer a communal experience and teach their children appropriate drinking habits. We as a country and culture have a long way to go.
     
  14. Bitterbill

    Bitterbill Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,772) Sep 14, 2002 Wyoming
    Pooh-Bah Society

    You know what, I like seeing the sign that says 21 and over only. Shrugs.
     
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  15. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,176) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
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    It's up to the proprietor to cultivate the ambiance they want and up to the customer to decide if it works for them. No need to judge; there's enough beer for everyone.
     
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  16. BeastOfTheNortheast

    BeastOfTheNortheast Pooh-Bah (2,153) Dec 26, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    No, kids do not belong in breweries. I worked at a bigger brewery a little while back and anytime there was an issue it was because of a kid. And the worst part is the parents were usually drinking and the kids were somewhere else in the brewery raising havoc.
     
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  17. Black_Rider

    Black_Rider Pooh-Bah (1,945) Mar 26, 2013 California
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    my son was born in a brewery
     
  18. rozzom

    rozzom Pooh-Bah (2,534) Jan 22, 2011 New York
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    Just copying and pasting a couple of posts I made from when this was the topic du jour in the controversial opinions thread. But in short I 100% agree with you. The drunk driving part especially. Drives me up the wall
     
  19. kdb150

    kdb150 Initiate (0) Mar 8, 2012 Pennsylvania

    But I wouldn't say you shouldn't be allowed to be there.

    People do annoying stuff. Kids are people. Therefore, kids do annoying stuff. I'm perfectly fine with establishments wanting to stay adults only, and they should be allowed to. But plenty of breweries feel the opposite, and I mean honestly, if you're in a big, crowded space with people drinking beer, chances are nobody is going to care or even notice if my kid starts being loud. Chances are she won't be the loudest person in there. It's actually one of the few venues I can go and not have to be stressed that my kid acting out will bother everyone. I generally trust that if a place is willing to allow children to come, it's because the place is the kind where a kid's

    I mean really, annoying behavior from other people is tolerated as a price you pay for leaving your home every day. If you don't want people annoying you, drink at home. If children bother you that much there are tons of places you can go where they aren't allowed. Your special snowflaky intolerance of children is your problem, not mine, so don't impose it on me like I'm the asshole because you're a misanthrope.
     
  20. Greywulfken

    Greywulfken Grand Pooh-Bah (5,731) Aug 25, 2010 New York
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    I don't think children should be in bars or breweries, or anywhere that the emphasis is on drinking. If they're not old enough to be served, they have no place there.

    Places that are alcohol-forward, but also serve food and have table seating can be problematic, as it's a different type of place. Good example is The Good Life, a pub I frequent. It's a craft beer joint but also a pub with table seating and food menus - in my mind, it's really an adult establishment, but when I'm there during the day, there's almost always someone who's brought their kids. I don't really like it, but there's nothing to be done about it, and I can't say its ever been disruptive.
     
    #120 Greywulfken, Sep 20, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2018
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