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A New Year for Football and Kegerators

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After a night spent celebrating on New Year’s Eve, for many New Year’s Day is a day to sleep late, deal with a hangover from the night before and then spend the day watching college football. For those that enjoy a few beers along with football viewing, or are planning to have a get-together to continue the celebration on this day off (whether to watch football or simply relax), tapping the kegerator is a part of this first day of the year.

Football and Kegerators

If you hosted a party the night before and didn’t own a kegerator, you may also be spending the day cleaning up lots of bottles and cans from the drinks imbibed by your guests during your New Year’s Eve festivities. And you also may be out of beer, which would mean you’d either have to watch football without being able to have a cold beer, or you’d have to run to the store to buy some more.

But if you own a kegerator, chances are that you still have enough beer left to enjoy a drink or two while watching the games, and you also don’t have a lot to clean up, other than maybe a few cups or mugs. So, all that’s left to do on this first day of the new year is to relax and to enjoy.

It is a tradition of many people to spend the day gathered with friends and family to watch football throughout the day and evening. New Year’s Day is one of the biggest football television viewing days of the year, and there is no lack of games to watch. As with many other football “big events”, drinking beer and eating good food are very much a part of the activities of the day. So, if you have a kegerator, hit the tap and pour a few cold ones for your football viewing buddies, take out the chicken wings and pizza, nachos, or whatever your game day food of choice is, and start cheering for your favorite team. The kegerator will supply the beer throughout the day – all you need to do is make sure that you don’t run out of food before the last game ends.

Even if you only have a mini kegerator, or if you got one as a Christmas present this year, New Year’s Day is the perfect time to time to take your new mini kegerator out of the box, pop in a mini keg of beer (that’s about 5 liters of fresh, cold beer to enjoy throughout the day with friends and family!), and enjoy!

Sure, you can get through the day without a kegerator and even without a beer, but one of the best ways to deal with a hangover, as well as to relax and enjoy the game, is to sit back on the couch with a cold beer or two, surrounded by good friends and fattening food. After all, there’s always tomorrow to start focusing on your more serious new year’s resolutions – today is a day for celebrating, relaxing, cheering on your favorite teams and enjoying yourself.

Fill the Kegerator – It's New Year's Eve

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New Year’s Eve has always been a night to celebrate and rejoice – to ring out the old year and ring in the new one. This is one of the biggest nights of the year for parties and get-togethers, and therefore is a night that kegerators get put to good use.

New Years Eve Kegerator

While many people associate champagne with New Year’s Eve, the truth is that most people do not spend the night drinking champagne only. If they did, they’d probably have a wicked hangover the next day, not to mention the expense that the bubbly would wind up setting them back. Instead, most people spend the night enjoying their favorite drinks among friends, possibly making a champagne toast sometime around the stroke of midnight.

So, if you are planning a party for New Year’s Eve and are fortunate enough to own a kegerator, you’re in luck! Kegerators are a great way to provide alcoholic beverages for a crowd easily and economically. Buying a keg, or a half keg of beer as many kegerators hold, is a lot cheaper than buying an equal amount of beer in cans or bottles. And it is certainly a lot less expensive than buying wine or hard liquor for a crowd.

Not only is a kegerator an inexpensive way to provide drinks at a party, but it is fun, too! Most people love the idea of using a real beer keg in someone’s home and a kegerator makes them feel like they are out at a bar, except they can operate the tap on their own – and without having to tip the bartender! The beer dispensed in a kegerator is usually ice cold and super fresh, just like a draft beer would be at the local bar. When you host a party and own a kegerator, the appliance usually becomes the central gathering point of the party and is where all the fun begins.

So, if you are planning on hosting a New Year’s Eve celebration this year, break out the kegerator, make sure it’s full (or that you have a spare keg on hand ready to be tapped) and make your guest list. Then get some munchies or ask everyone to bring their favorite snack and turn on some good music. To really make the evening festive, you can even consider hanging a few decorations or even just a couple of bunches of balloons, and getting some hats and noisemakers. Party stores often have News Year’s Eve party kits, complete with hats, tiaras, noisemakers and even confetti so that everyone can be well-outfitted when the glittering ball starts to drop in Times Square.

Kegerators are a great way to enjoy the celebration of the impending new year, but it is important to make sure that all guests drink responsibility and that they do not head out on the road if they’ve had a few too many. Better to be safe than sorry and either have designated drivers, call cabs to get your friends and loved ones home, or turn your New Year’s Eve celebration into a slumber party, so everyone can crash until the next morning. After all, if you let everyone stay, the celebration can continue into New Year’s Day!

It's Christmas Eve. Time to Tap the Kegerator!

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Christmas Eve Kegerator

Christmas Eve. In popular songs, it’s a night filled with wonder and hope, excitement and anticipation. At least if you’re a kid. As a small child, you put on your new pair of jammies and hustle off to bed, awaiting the arrival of the jolly ol’ man himself and all the gifts that he brings. For some, sleep comes quickly, because they know that Santa can’t arrive until they are fast asleep. For others, the excitement of what is to come makes them toss and turn all night long.

But what if you’re an adult on Christmas Eve? Chances are that you have loads to do to make the upcoming Christmas Day one that is extra special. There may be gifts to wrap, trees to decorate, lights to hang, and food to prepare for family and friends. Feeling a bit overwhelmed? That’s why it’s a good idea to tap into your home kegerator to set the mood and make the long to-do list a bit more palatable.

If you have a kegerator, or even a mini kegerator, you probably already know how good it can taste to fill up a nice cold, frosty mug of beer. On a night such as Christmas Eve, which can sometimes turn into a stressful time filled with lots to do, a kegerator can be a lifesaver – giving you a chance to relax and unwind a bit as you cross things off your list one by one.

Sure, you can also open a can or bottle of beer that’s sitting in the fridge, but the taste of a draft beer straight from the kegerator tap is smooth and appealing on a busy winter night. And chances are, there’s no room in your fridge anyway because it’s filled with all the fixings for tomorrow’s big holiday meal. So, unless you have an extra fridge in the garage or basement, or you have a kegerator, you may not have access to that great tasting beer at all.

Why drink beer on Christmas Eve, rather than wine or even egg nog?
We’re not saying you can’t, but if you like beer, you like beer. Wine can make you sleepy, and you can’t afford to be sleepy on a night like this – there’s too much to do. Egg nog is a great drink to have once you’re all gathered together in celebration of the holiday, but it is rather heavy and sweet and is not the type of drink you typically have on its own, without the accompanying holiday festivities.

So, once you get the kids to bed, why not thinking of heading over to your kegerator with your spouse and taking a few minutes to share a refreshing beer together as you plan your night’s activities. Then you can divide up the chores, put on some festive music, and get to wrapping, and decorating, and preparing food for the day ahead. Make it a point to reconvene by the kegerator, or by the fireplace if you’re looking for something cozy, at the end of the evening, to maybe share one last drink and rejoice in the excitement that the holiday brings, despite all the work that may be involved now that you’re an adult and not a wide-eyed child. Then call it a night, and head off to bed, dreaming of the joy-filled day that lies ahead.

Celebrate a Veteran This Veterans Day With A Mini Kegerator

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Veterans Day, celebrated each year in the United States on November 11th, is a day to honor our nation’s military veterans. While it is not necessarily a gift-giving holiday, like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day maybe, there is no reason why you can’t make this year’s Veteran’s Day something extra-special by getting a gift for that special veteran in your life.

Celebrate a Veteran with a mini kegerator
Show a veteran how much you appreciate their dedication and sacrifice for our great nation with an unexpected kegerator gift.

Gift giving on Veteran’s Day is not the norm, and is probably not something you plan on doing every year, but if you want to let a special veteran know how much you appreciate their service and the sacrifice they have made for our country, think about getting them a mini kegerator as a gift. It’s a one-time gift that they can enjoy for years to come.

The nice thing about getting someone a mini kegerator as a gift is that almost everyone can use one, or at least anyone that likes to drink beer. Mini kegerators are basically small, table-top models that are similar in function to full size kegerators, except that they are designed to fit mini kegs. Some models only fit Heineken 5 liter draught kegs, but other models will accept any type of mini beer keg, so check the features of the mini kegerator you are considering buying before you make your purchase. In fact, there are even some models of mini kegerators that will also dispense wine, although this is not the norm, and it is generally not recommended that you buy a mini kegerator for a wine drinker.

A mini kegerator is a great gift for those that like to get together with their buddies to toss down a few cold ones, whether they do that at home or somewhere else. Unlike an under the counter kegerator or another type of large kegerator that needs to stay in one location, mini kegerators are small and portable. This means that your favorite veteran can take their mini beer dispenser with them, whether they are on a boat, going on a camping trip, getting together at a local hangout with their friends, or even tailgating at a ball game. Of course, they’ll have to make sure that they only bring their mini keg with them where it is legal to drink its contents, but having a portable kegerator to take along wherever the party may be is a great way to show your appreciation while ensuring that they have a good time, or at least a few cold, fresh glasses of beer.

Mini kegerator prices are generally in the range of $100 – $300, with most models falling right between the two numbers. Although this can be a somewhat pricy gift for a holiday that is not even one in which gifts are expected, the unexpected gesture is sure to be one that is appreciated and remembered for a long time to come. In addition to the opportunity for the gift recipient to have a beer dispenser that provides, cold, fresh and good tasting beer at the touch of a tap, the mini kegerator will also wind up saving your favorite veteran money, since it is less expensive to buy mini kegs than it is to buy the equivalent amount of beer in cans or bottles. This is just another benefit to this thoughtful and unique gift.

So, as you plan to celebrate the importance of Veteran’s Day, be sure to show your appreciation for your favorite veteran and remember how great it is to be an American thanks to all that veterans have done to make our lives what they are today. Then, head to a local store or go online to buy a mini kegerator to let a veteran know how much you honor their service.

It don't matter if you're black or white

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MJ said it best and now it’s your turn to choose! Tap Boards, Inc. already has their patented write/erase tap handles in Chalkboard. Coming soon in mid-October there will be a new White board version added to the line. So, now it really doesn’t matter if you’re black or white. Just make sure you keep the moon walking to a minimum. We know how excited you all get about new beer gadgets.

The (dry erase) White board Tap Boards will be available mid-October (just in time for the holidays) on their website TapBoards.com and we will have them on Kegerators.com too. The new White board version comes with one standard black dry erase pen, but the new white surface will allow you to get a little more creative with colored pens.

Tap Boards

Kegerator Modifications: Splitting CO2 Lines

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Splitting CO2 Gas LinesOne of the great benefits of owning a kegerator is tinkering with and modifying it.  One of the most popular modifications is to add an additional tap or two.  To modify your kegerator to dispense additional beers, you will need to split your CO2 lines.  You will probably want more than one tap on hand, so your kegerator can dispense from sanke kegs, soda or Cornelius kegs, or whatever keg may appear at your doorstep.  Splitting your CO2 lines can be as simple as a t-joint or as complicated as a multi-tap regulator for dispensing different beers at different pressures.  We will look here at the kits and equipment currently available on the market and processes for modifying you kegerator for dispensing any kind of beer from commercial to home and craft brew.
Co2 Splitter
For adding a quick extra beer tap onto your kegerator, a stainless steel or plastic t- or cross joint will do the job of splitting the CO2 to the different kegs – but gas leakage may occur if your keg tap isn’t maintained properly.  This is the most inexpensive way of splitting your CO2 line, and all you will need is the appropriate taps for the beer you want to dispense, surgical tubing, hose clamps, and of course the kegs of beer.  Adding an inline valve will even make it so that you can minimize gas wastage when changing kegs.  The T-splitter will cost you less than $5 and the inline valve probably less, and you can find for these items online or at your local hardware store in the plumbing section.  Aquarium supply stores may also have the fittings.  You will still need beer taps – more on that later

A more refined approach to splitting CO2 lines is the use of a gas distributor.  These units have one gas in and multiple gas outs to facilitate multi tap kegerator modifications.  The gas distributor has valves for each of the line-outs, and you can use a gas distributor to split your gas out in multiple directions.  Gas distributors are available in a number of configurations.  Two way gas distributors cost roughly $40, while the larger multi tap distributors with 6-8 line-outs can cost $120 or more.

For a draft beer system that requires dedicated individual pressures for different beers, a secondary regulator panel or a dual body CO2 regulator is necessary.  This is very advanced stuff most people need not go into this much detail, but these units will cost upwards of $150 just for the regulator panel, the price depending on how many regulators you need, or $120 and up for a dual body CO2 regulator.  If you want to force carbonate your beer while dispensing beer from the same unit, a secondary regulator panel or dual body CO2 regulator may be the modification you want to make to your kegerator.

One factor to keep in mind when splitting your kegerator’s CO2 line is that your operating pressure will decrease depending on the length of tubing you use.  When long lengths of tubing are used, the tubing expands and makes it difficult to keep the CO2 pressure at a constant rate.  The same also goes for beer lines.  If you cannot avoid having a long-draw system, you will need to use certain materials for the majority of the draw in order to ensure optimum beer quality and cleanliness.  You should strive to have no longer than six feet of regular surgical tubing from CO2 canister to keg, or 12 feet of beer lines all together from between keg and faucet.

Although there are some exceptions, long-draw systems still push beer from the keg via CO2.  The standard flexible surgical tubing is used, but coupled with a special “barrier tubing” soon after leaving the keg.  Barrier tubing is thicker than regular surgical tubing and has a mesh cover, which keeps the vinyl tubing from expanding and causing CO2 pressure irregularities.  With the use of a tubing flare tool, you can create your own stainless steel tubing for your beer lines as well, which are by far the most durable and cleanest options, although they are harder to build and modify.

See related:
Modification Project: Adding Double or Triple Tap Tower
Placing CO2 Disconnect Couplers
Installing Co2 Lines Efficiently
CO2 Tank, Pressure and Regulator Questions
CO2 Tank Guide

The Mini Kegerator Craze

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Mini kegerators are a convenient way to enjoy draft beer at home, and many beer fans are joining the bandwagon. In our world of gadgets and gizmos, this invention is quite sellable. Most mini kegerators are designed to dispense from a new kind of five-liter beer keg, available at most supermarkets. While these mini kegs are easy to find, I have only seen them from Heiniken, although I hear that many other companies produce them. Mini kegerators are very portable, making them the perfect choice for weekend camping or boat trip, and also fit into any RV with little work, as some brands run on 12-volt power. Mini kegerators are about the size and weight of a microwave. They make a good gift idea for any die-hard beer fan.

Some mini kegs require the use of electricity to keep the beer cold, and others you simply place in your fridge. This is where the mini kegerator comes in. Many companies are making these gadgets these days. Here is a brief revue of some of the more competitive models:

EDGESTAR HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED

EdgeStar Mini Kegerator

EdgeStar Mini Kegerator 
Under $200.00
The EdgeStar Mini Kegerators are good multi-purpose mini kegerators. Heineken 5 liter Draughtkegs can be used in them, and they feature quiet operating noise. These mini kegerators light up with a blue LED light to illuminate your mini keg beer choice. Includes cleaning kit (a must), and is capable of running off of AC or DC power. All this for only $200.00 or so. See Mini Kegerator Details

Avanti Mini Kegerator

Avanti Mini Kegerator
Around $200.00
The Avanti Mini Kegerator MBD5L is another multi-purpose kegerator in which either gravity flow or CO2 can be used for operation. This unit can also be used with AC or DC power, making it a good choice for RVs, camping, or boating. It features a digital display and both tapping and cleaning kits are included, a real bonus! This model can be had for around $250.00. Icy Cold Mini Kegerator works with CO2 mini kegs and gravity feed mini kegs, and can hold even 6-liter mini kegs. A fan inside the kegerator ensures even cooling of the keg, and it is hand washable. These are found for around $200. See Mini Kegerator Details

Krups BeerTender Mini Kegerator

Krups BeerTender Mini Kegerator
From $99.00 to $200.00
Krups BeerTender is powered by a CO2 pressure system, and features three temperature presets (36°, 39° or 42°F), a beer volume gauge, and keeps track of how long your mini keg has been opened. A good multi-function mini kegerator – these run about $200.00. See Mini Kegerator Details

Vinotemp Mini Kegerator

Vinotemp Mini Kegerator
Around $300.00
Vinotemp Mini Kegerator VT-BEER. Beer flow is powered with CO2. This unit comes with a digital display and push button temperature settings, and the cooling system operates efficiently. It also comes with 3 CO2 cartridges to get you going. Prices run from around $300. See Mini Kegerator Details

Nostalgia Electrics Mini Kegerator

Nostalgia Electrics Mini Kegerator
Around $175.00
Nostalgia Electrics Mini Kegerator BC4600 is a mini kegerator designed for use with gravity flow mini-kegs. This model is self-cooling, and runs about $175.00. See Mini Kegerator Details

As you can see, there are many variations on the theme of mini kegerators. Some models focus on efficiency, some on multi-functionality. Take the time to consider what qualities will make the mini kegerator useful to you – it is a good idea to shop around to ensure you best value if you plan on buying one. Some questions you should ask before buying are:

Is this mini kegerator energy efficient? With the current economic and environmental situations we are facing in the world, this is an important issue. We see, smell, and hear pollution from our cars and trucks, but we often don’t see, smell, or hear the pollution coming from our power plants – but the effects of such pollution are drastic and frightening. The environmental destruction from coal and nuclear power plants is hard to measure now – future generations will be more familiar with the real costs of utilizing such techniques to power our gadgets and gizmos. Therefore, it is wise to conserve energy.

Does this model accept the mini kegs of my favorite beers? This is the most important question. What good will a mini kegerator be if you can only drink swill form it? Double check that the model you buy will fit the keg you drink from – or that an adapter is available for it.

Will this mini kegerator work with CO2 powered mini kegs? This question is related to the previous one. If the mini kegerator utilizes CO2, and your favorite beer mini keg utilizes CO2, it will probably work. If it does, you will also need some CO2 cartridges – know what you will need to operate your mini kegerator.

Is this model noisy or quiet? For some, noise pollution is as bad as smog. If you or the person you are buying for has sensitive ears, look for a mini kegerator that features quiet operation. If the user does not have sensitive ears, then go for the value on the louder mini kegerator.

Will this model function on DC power? And does it come with an adapter for such use? Especially if giving a mini kegerator as a gift, you will want to make sure it comes with everything it needs for operation. DC power is nice to have, and some models with DC power come with the adapter, but just in case, make sure that the model you are buying has the adapter – it may be hard to find otherwise.

If you are buying a mini keg as a gift, you should make sure to give them beer with it. Like giving a flask, it is bad luck to deliver the gift empty of alcohol. Some models use a gravity feed system, while others use a CO2 system for dispensing the beer. It is a good idea to check in with the mini keg receiver about what beer they like and suit the mini keg accordingly.

What's so Special About Kegerator Beer?

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Ah, to enjoy a cold draught beer after a long day of work or play – and in the comfort of your own home.  Kegerators can make any gathering more special, whether it is a night of music, movies, gaming, or football.  Finding the tight kegerator for your home can make all the difference, and they are essential appliances for the home bar, whether it be in the den or a speakeasy-style basement bar.  For home brewers, kegerators are the perfect choice for serving your kegged home brew.

Canned and bottled beers are great – but they run out so quickly.  They also take up a lot of space in the fridge.  This is why kegerators make such great additions to any beer fan’s home, whether you are a home brew hobbyist, a craft beer enthusiast, or just a fan of beer.  Draft beer just tastes better, especially at home.

Kegerator Beer

The best thing about having a kegerator around is when company comes over.  To be able to say to friends,

“Help yourself to as much beer as you want – the kegerator is right over there!”

That is a beautiful moment.  I remember my first night of kegerator drinking.  I believe it was Austin, TX micro brewery Live Oak’s Big Bark Amber Ale.  My host was generous, and the beer cold and tasty – thanks to his kegerator.  It certainly made that visit “just to say hi” much more special.

Buying a kegerator doesn’t have to be expensive, either.  Kegerator conversion kits can turn that old fridge that you don’t know what to do with into a useful appliance.  They are available for $50 to $250, depending on what design elements you wish to incorporate.  You can even put that top compartment freezer to use keeping pint glasses and mugs nice and frosty.

If you are looking for something pre-packaged, you can still get a mini kegerator for as little as $100.  These mini kegerators dispense store bought mini kegs of the five and six liter variety with optimum ease.  Some even dispense the beer with CO2, supplied via cartridge, to ensure that your mini keg beer keeps for up to 30 days.  But one party and that mini keg is toast, trust me.  If the beer has not been drank after 30 days, you are doin’ it wrong!

Most kegerators have the capacity to serve at least one 15 1/2  gallon keg of beer at time.  With pony kegs or soda kegs, and multi-taps, you can even have more than one beer on tap at one time.  Some kegerators come with four or more beer taps.  That’s better than a lot of bars! 

Kegerators are also highly customizable.  If you want more taps, you can always add them later.  Tap handles are another way to customize your kegerator.  Put tap handles of your favorite beers on your kegerator, or make custom ones out of a gear shifter or a My Little Pony.  I have even seen someone take a wooden wine barrel and use it to build a façade around their kegerator to make a most convincing and entertaining illusion that the beer flowed up right from a wooden keg.  You can equip your kegerator with a nitrogen system for smoother draughts or add a filtration system for clearer pints.  Spice up your kegerator with custom skins or beer decals.

Whether mini or full sized kegerator is for you, the benefits of having draft beer at home remain the same: make your home more hospitable, have better parties, and never be short of beer, even on Sunday.  A kegerator in your home bar is a definite plus, whether on game day or for a great birthday party.  All of this is what makes kegerator beer so special.

Kegerators and Lagering

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Kegerators and Lagering

Lagering beer can be problematical for home brewers, if they are not properly equipped.  The key is that, for home brewing, kegs and lagering go hand in hand with the handy home bar invention called the kegerator.  A kegerator can do two things at once – act as a lagering closet and serve beer. If you want a little more control with your lagering temperature, you may opt for a lagering closet or separate fridge or freezer conversion.

The ideal lagering temperature for beer, according to white labs, manufacturers of specialty brewing yeasts, changes over the lagering period.  Ideally, the lagering process starts out at 51 to 53 degrees.  This temperature is maintained for the first week, and then the beer is allowed to warm to 62-64 degrees for four to six days.  After this, white labs recommends lowering the temperature five degrees per day until the ideal long-term lagering temperature of 31 to 32 degrees is achieved.  Then, lagering for six weeks at the lowest temperature takes place.

This is the most complicated lagering scenario I have heard of.  Most home brewers do not maintain such precise controls in any their brews, but it is clear that one would need to have a precise temperature controlled lagering closet in order to produce a lager of such exacting qualifications.  Keep in mind that the process of lagering was first developed by Bavarians keeping their beer in caves.

I would recommend a slightly more low-tech approach to lagering.  By utilizing your kegerator, you can lager your beer at roughly the same temperatures, as long as you are not serving beer at the same time (except at the final lagering stage, if you fudge the temp up to the regular serving temp of 38 degrees).  For the homemade conversion-style kegerators, there is plenty of room for an additional Cornelius keg, and sometimes a Sanke keg.

It is at this final stage that the keg comes into the picture.  This is the perfect time to transfer your lager beer into a keg for its final fermentation stage.  By lagering your beer in the keg for its final fermentation cycle, you can ensure that it will be a simple process to serve your beer.  After the fermentation is complete, simply tap the keg onto your beer line and serve.  No need to move the keg around and let it settle – although be sure to clean and sanitize your beer lines between each keg.

A custom temperature control can be installed into your kegerator or lagering closet if you do want to maintain such precise lagering controls as described by White Labs.  Johnson Controls produces what is probably the easiest to use temperature control unit.  The Johnson Controls unit plugs right into he wall and controls the power coming into your kegerator or freezer, turning of the power when the temperature reaches the right reading, and turning the power back on when the reading goes above the dial.

Whether you go low or high tech, lagering beer at home can be a challenge if you don’t have a kegerator or temperature controlled freezer / lagering closet.  It is not an impossible challenge, however, especially not for the home brewer who knows how to get things done.

Breweriana: Treasure Hunter's Guide to Nostalgic Collectibles from the World of Beer

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Breweriana has been come to be known as the collectable detritus of brewing’s past. The term breweriana first appeared in the U.S. as the 1972 founding of the National Association of Breweriana Advertising. Most beer fans consider old beer signs, neon signs, advertising bills, old rusty beer cans, pint glasses, t-shirts, patches, or anything with a brewery’s logo on it to be breweriana. The collectiblility potential of breweriana is easy to see – some people have been able to make a great deal of money through the sale of breweriana antiques.

Breweriana is a popular field of collectables for a couple of reasons. Firstly, as with most collectables, is nostalgia. To determine the nostalgic value of an item you must look at how trivial items play through history. The item must also be authentic to be worth much. Knock off nostalgia items tend to break the spell of nostalgia eventually. As with other fields, in the area of breweriana, it is important to look at discontinued items.

Another reason why it may be profitable to trade in breweriana is that many bars look for these ancient items when assembling their décor. If you run across a big sign or neon from an antique dealer or scrapyard hustler, you might be able to turn a profit by inquiring at local pubs and the hipper dive bars. The antique décor motif is one used in curiosity shops, bars, and even big chain stores like the cracker barrel.

When looking at breweriana, it is a good idea to find out about the location of the brewery that first created the breweriana. Regionally, breweriana from closed down and defunct breweries is more valuable than it is nationally. This is because more people recognize the name brand of their once-local brewery or brewpub. It is a good bet that an old beer sign can fetch a better price in the state that it was originally displayed.

There are many folks that collect beer cans and bottles from the past. These items must be handled with care, as the beer contained within (if any) has often undergone a hideous transformation. Most collectors drill a small hole in the bottom of the can and drain the sometimes-noxious contents before setting the collectable on the shelf. Bottle caps can be pried off carefully and re-applied to achieve the same effect.

Keep a look out for older cans. Cone tops, crowntainers, and flattops are among the most valuable. Cone tops and crowntainers both have a cone like top, which was usually capped with what we cap bottle caps these days. Flattops had no tab and required a bottle opener to get at the beer inside. “Instructionals” is the term for flattops that have instructions for opening listed on the side of the can.

Some of these cans, the earliest from the Krueger Company, required their own can openers. Flattops had no tab and required a bottle opener to get at the beer inside. The "flattops" needed a regular can opener, the sharp lever-pry type. Some of these collectibles (the openers) are usually formed from a piece of steel rod which loops around and is about 5-6 inches long. Usually the beer can openers have a stamp from the beer manufacturer. One of the more popular pieces of breweriana among private collectors is the crown, or bottle cap. Bottle caps were initially manufactured in the 1890’s. Those that survived through prohibition are the hardest to find, and most of those are from defunct breweries.

Beer signs, or even posters, are another hot item, mostly because they are sought after by bars and pubs to add to their décor. Some older signs look like posters but have been printed on sheet metal. We can see reproductions of these items out on the market as well, such as the old Guinness mascot, the beer-swilling Toucan. The original designs are worth a lot, not so much for the reproductions.

When looking for breweriana, make sure you know what you are looking at. There are many books out on the subject now, such as Beer Signs for the Collector and the Beer Advertising Memorabilia series. A visit to Amazon.com or your local library will give you some insight on this field of antiques.

See related:
Breweriana: Collectible Beer Signs
Breweriana: Collectible Pint Glasses
Breweriana: Specialty Beer Glasses
Breweriana: Collectible Beer Steins