Most guys can remember back to when they were 9 or 10 years old and they asked their mom or dad for a taste of beer. Adults are drinking it so it must be good. But most kids don’t like the bitter taste…at least not until they’re in college. Maybe you can recall sharing a beer with your dad. It’s a rite of passage, right? What seems like a harmless tradition spanning many generations, is now looked upon as heading down a slippery slope that could be introducing young people to a life with alcohol. I sat down with my fellow Patriarchs, Adam Ritz, Jim Burrows and Dan Pantos and we talked about this issue, remembering our first experience with alcohol, and discussing whether we would allow our own children to partake one day. Let me be perfectly clear, I’m by no means encouraging underage drinking. Kids are gonna be curious and they will either ask for a sip, or get on their own. Talk with your kids and grand kids about alcohol is for adults. As far as teenagers wanting to share that first beer with dad, my belief is to be up front with them about not drinking until they’re 21…but to also enjoy this father/son tradition in a responsible way.
