Why Every Parent Should Make Booze

Are you interested in fermenting, but telling yourself you don’t have the time or mental space since your kids came along?

Here are my Top 5 reasons why all parents should be (small batch) boozemakers. After all.. I got into this gig after my now-toddler was born. The two things aren’t antithetical.

5. It gives you an excuse to go pick fruit with your little ones, which will make you feel like you are Doing A Good Job and Being Wholesome. Put that s### on Instagram. The little ones will eat themselves silly, fill many buckets in total enthusiasm, and then what are you going to do with it all? Make booze, obviously.

4. Frozen fruit works really well, which is great because you seem to collect untouched fruit (they loved blueberries yesterday?). Shove it in the freezer, and think about it later. Germs? That’s what potassium metabisulphate is for.

3. Almost every country wine recipe can use up a very ripe banana, which contributes body and depth of flavour. You know who always has an uneaten, overripe banana?  Oh that’s right, you.

2. The best booze can’t be rushed, which is great, because you will forget about it for months. Periodically you’ll look at it and wonder when on earth you’ll have time to rack or bottle it. No guilt, no dramas – it’s just going to sit there and get better.

1. At the end, you get alcohol. Nuff said. Make this often enough and soon you’ll have enough for yourself, and to solve every last minute gift giving occasion. Because how often do you actually get to go look in shops any more?

If anyone can find me a use for three tablespoons of chewed up cheese sandwich, though, I’m all ears…