Hoperatives

Today, we have a very special guest post from the newlywed wife of regular Hoperatives contributor Jared Whalen (#14).

Hi. My name is Danielle, and my husband is a home brewer. I’ll assume you’re all shaking your heads in disappointment and tsk tsking him as you read, and I thank you in advance for your pity.

Let me start by saying I don’t enjoy the taste of beer. My drink of choice would be a dry red wine or glass of bourbon. I’ve tried to acquire a taste for beer. In fact, I’m still trying, albeit against my will.

Most times when we go out my husband will request, before I choose my usual wine or fruity girl drink, that I at least try one beer first. I’ve yet to find one that makes me go “Mmmmm”. So, we keep trying and, God love him, he just won’t give up on me. It wasn’t always like this. I get nostalgic about the days when we were dating and he wasn’t as comfortable corrupting my taste buds with the bitter hoppiness of “better beer”.

The worst days were those of coming home from work to the smell of brewing shenanigans permeating the air; knowing that walking into the kitchen meant I had become the second part of a 2 man beer bottling assembly line. It’s remarkable how quickly I would be roped into the pressure washing, sanitizing, filling and capping that would ensue. Eventually he purchased a kegging system and put a couple of taps in the side of the refrigerator in the basement. The day he hooked all that up we were excited for different reasons.

In all honesty though, I think it’s a pretty cool hobby. I might even call it a passion– just not mine. But I’m a good wife, I try to be supportive and greet him at the door with a “Hi Honey, how was your beer dinner? Did you try anything new? Did you get any new badges on Untappd tonight?” and deep down he knows I don’t care but he goes on about it anyway, and I smile and listen.

But is it still considered being supportive when my plans for the weekend before Valentines Day include sitting at home alone with a bottle of pinot noir and a bag of chocolate truffles? He is getting a hotel room with a buddy and plans to spend the weekend staggering about the streets of downtown Cincinnati at a beer festival and beer blogging conference. I know!! Can you believe him?…The nerve…

The answer, however, is yes. It’s still considered being supportive. And I will continue to love and support him and the things he is passionate about. For better or worse, right?