Legal age for drinking?

[ACBEV]

I'm not thinking about kids getting pissed and causing mayhem or getting themselves into any sort of mishap.

My daughter (16) sometimes likes to help me brew beer and in September we make two or three batches of cider using our own apples and pears. She also likes to drink the cider, not so much the beer! I've never discouraged her from having a small glass (half bottle) with a meal, even when she was 8 or 9.

Today we went to a pub for a meal (Not a boozing type pub). I ordered a pint of beer and she wanted a cider with her meal, so I ordered her a half pint. Now considering it's legal for a 14 year old in England to drink alcohol in a pub, with a meal and being supervised by an adult. But the landlady went mental when she realized the cider was for a child. I understand the landlady can refuse to serve whoever she wants, for whatever reason. But she made me feel like a child abuser for something that is completely legal!

Am I wrong?

Edited for typo i.e. 16

 

[jeffpn]

Your kid, your rules (within the confines of other laws). At least that’s the way it should be.

I believe in my state that it is legal for a minor accompanied by a parent (not just an adult) to consume alcohol in a restaurant or bar. But I don’t think many bar/restaurant owners allow it. Shame on them.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

well the 21 limit here is for a good reason, kids today are out of control and they don't respect authority unless caught, the law here is a good one otherwise too many kids would be in jail and parents picking up the bill, its a judgment call really I think 18 is questionable but under that is setting up a child for an addiction or worst bad judgment while drinking, just my thoughts

 

[GFHomebrew]

Well better in your company me thinks the one who loves her most in all the world and would want to shape her drinking expierience of one of moderation not straight sculling and puking ya gutz everywhere!

 

[ACBEV]

Maybe 21 for public unsupervised drinking is a good idea. In England its legal to drink alcohol in a private place at 5 years old, not saying 5 is the right age! But with the right attitude and supervision they don't go onto drunken spree's when 18 or 21...

 

[jmcnamara]

Better that she learns responsible use, rather than keeping alcohol a hidden and taboo thing, which could lead to misuse later.
God forbid we take that approach with teenage sex ed and birth control

 

[Head First]

If it is legal then it is legal. If she can legally drink in a pub and you ordered a second or third pint it would be different. Obviously there must be better places to have a bite and a swallow in your area? I would go somewhere else next time.

 

[Mark D Pirate]

My family had fairly relaxed attitudes towards drinking at a younger age , we were limited to either small serves or low ABV% and as such once we were old enough to go out drinking we already knew how to control ourselves .
We have a mix of lemonade and beer called a shandy and was common for us to have one on a hot day with dinner .
Funny enough i have 13 cousins and all of us have a healthy attitude to booze

 

[Head First]

well the 21 limit here is for a good reason, kids today are out of control and they don't respect authority unless caught, the law here is a good one otherwise too many kids would be in jail and parents picking up the bill, its a judgment call really I think 18 is questionable but under that is setting up a child for an addiction or worst bad judgment while drinking, just my thoughts

Have to agree with you on 21 in the US. Our society is a mess. Quote:"We don't have to be responsible and respect each other, we are free to do what we want, right?"

 

[Nosybear]

I'm not thinking about kids getting pissed and causing mayhem or getting themselves into any sort of mishap.

My daughter (16) sometimes likes to help me brew beer and in September we make two or three batches of cider using our own apples and pears. She also likes to drink the cider, not so much the beer! I've never discouraged her from having a small glass (half bottle) with a meal, even when she was 8 or 9.

Today we went to a pub for a meal (Not a boozing type pub). I ordered a pint of beer and she wanted a cider with her meal, so I ordered her a half pint. Now considering it's legal for a 14 year old in England to drink alcohol in a pub, with a meal and being supervised by an adult. But the landlady went mental when she realized the cider was for a child. I understand the landlady can refuse to serve whoever she wants, for whatever reason. But she made me feel like a child abuser for something that is completely legal!

Am I wrong?

Edited for typo i.e. 16

"Legal" drinking age in Germany is 16 and they have a much lower alcoholism rate than we in the States with our legal age of 21. I don't see a problem introducing kids to alcohol under controlled conditions, in fact, I see benefits in teaching them that it's something that can be enjoyed as a food rather than something to use to become intoxicated. It's a bit of a reframe: For us, particularly when we go off to college, alcohol is an intoxicant. But last night I was at a dinner where we were pairing wines with food for the simple pleasure of drinking and eating. Introducing kids to that is, in my opinion, not wrong. Letting them randomly introduce themselves to intoxication later with no idea of what alcohol can do is to me far less responsible.

 

[sbaclimber]

@ the OP: I wouldn't have been happy about the proprietor denying someone who is legally allowed a drink and not intoxicated a drink, but it is her right to deny anyone she wishes for whatever reason. As a patron, it is also our right at that point to get up and leave...
The whole 16 vs 18 vs 21 yo debate is IMO generally too simplified. It isn't just the age that dictates behavior but the culture.
I have always thought 21 in the US is BS, not because of the number itself, but because anyone who has been to college (or even high school for that matter) knows that it is still fairy easy to get a hold of booze long before you are 21. That legal age only marginally has to do with how one deals with alcohol became apparent to me while I was in NZ and got to experience some of the bars populated by students on the weekends. From what I have heard, England/UK is exactly the same. Both countries with lower legal drinking ages than the US and easily as much absurd drunkenness but often way more aggressive behavior!
How to responsibly handle your booze is something that is best taught in a non-forbidden (e.g. at home) environment, regardless of age, but culture and personality is going to play a role too.

 

[ACBEV]

I think its all about being responsible. From adults and children, children learn responsibility as they grow up with some good parenting. There are always people who are irresponsible whatever and should be constrained in society, but the majority should be able to be free to enjoy whatever it is, as long as its legal and respectful to others.

Its quite common in British towns and cities at weekends for hoards of young people who are drunk and being a nuisance. Being a nuisance is mostly not a big problem, the police do a good job at keeping order and if things go to far they have powers they use. Many years ago, when I was young and stupid, I went out most weekends drinking 8 to 10 pints of beer in an evening. Here there is no law saying I can't be young stupid and drunk, good thing too. I never got into any trouble, I was never disorderly, you can be arrested for being drunk and disorderly here, but not just drunk.

 

[ACBEV]

@ the OP: I wouldn't have been happy about the proprietor denying someone who is legally allowed a drink and not intoxicated a drink, but it is her right to deny anyone she wishes for whatever reason. As a patron, it is also our right at that point to get up and leave...

I agree... I didn't mind being told my daughter can't have a cider, its the proprietors right to refuse for any reason. I was upset at the rant which ensued. A polite no would have done and everyone would have been happy.

 

[Myndflyte]

I agree... I didn't mind being told my daughter can't have a cider, its the proprietors right to refuse for any reason. I was upset at the rant which ensued. A polite no would have done and everyone would have been happy.

Or even a "I don't feel comfortable serving a minor" would have probably been better than a rant.

 

[Nosybear]

A rant from the serving help is a good excuse for me to ask for the check and find another restaurant. It's not customary to serve alcohol to minors here in the States even with parents present but still, I take my grandkids to the local brewery with me and no one questions what is in their glass (root beer, or cola). But I'm not paying my money to have the service moralizing to me. I'd vote with my feet in a case like that.

 

[NathanUK]

You are correct about the law and her attitude was way off and she should know the law being a licensee. However it's her establishment and she can choose not to serve your daughter. A simple polite, sorry we don't serve alcohol to under 18s, would be better.

This government website is quite clear.
https://www.gov.uk/alcohol-young-people-law

As for being drunk and disorderly, the UK police take a pretty no nonsense approach. It's fine to get completely rat arsed but be an idiot and cause trouble, it's straight to the drunk tank with you and your name and photo on the pubwatch list, basically barring you from all pubs in town for a few months.

 

[Hawkbox]

It's 18 here but considering that just means you have someone's older brother buy for you it doesn't mean much. I think letting kids drink moderately in a controlled environment is a good preventative measure to prevent binge drinking later on in my opinion.