Should children be allowed inside a brewery? This Boston location says not at night
BOSTON - Thanks to their casual atmosphere and affordable food, breweries have become a popular spot for families. But there is a debate brewing over whether kids should be allowed to hang out inside and one Boston brewery is establishing a curfew.
No children after 6 p.m.
On Friday, Notch Brewing, with locations in Salem and Brighton, announced a change to their "kids policy." They will now expand their "21+ after 6 p.m." rule to seven days a week and not just the weekends. Their online statement read in part, "We will now be asking parents to have their kids out the door by 6 p.m. We look forward to everyone's understanding and cooperation."
Despite disabling the comments, that was enough to get the internet buzzing.
"I want to take my kids wherever I go," said one customer at a different brewery in Boston.
"My time here is for me to be with other adults and relax," said another.
Other places like Castle Island Brewing in South Boston have a similar policy. They require 21+ at the door starting at 8 p.m. nightly, according to their website.
No minimum age at other brewery
Dorchester Brewing Company used to have an age policy, but they heard from so many customers they changed it. Now, they do not require a minimum age in an effort to foster an inclusive environment.
"It just didn't feel great to have to kick somebody out that was enjoying themselves and having a beer and just because their kid was with them. So we kind of looked back and looked at things and we were like, why are we really doing this," said Stephanie Berman, Dorchester Brewing Company general manager.
Berman said the debate over age restrictions is something most brewery owners she knows grapple with. "I know there's some breweries that I've been to, and I am like, wow it's like Chuck E. Cheese. It's a lot. I think it really just comes down to as long as parents are mindful of what their kids are doing in the environment, everybody can cohabitate in the same space."