Mugs of Beer

DIY – Put Your Beer Mug Up To Any Of These Unique Beer Tap Ideas

Wall Tap Ideas

Mugs of Beer that Made the News

This week, I have come across some interesting beer steins stories that I thought I would share with you.  One almost brought me to tears.  And another story did bring me to tears, but in a different way.

Senator Ted Kennedy was loved by many.  When Goo Goo Dolls Johnny Rzeznik met him, they must have hit it off because Ted gave Johnny an entire set of beer mugs with “United States Senate” on them.  Can you imagine having a collection like that in your home bar?  I would love something like that in mine.  Well, it seems that over the years Johnny has broken three of them.  He has one left.  That’s about enough to make a grown man cry.

Traditionally, beer steins have been a story line based in historical events.  You might find warriors on horses to commemorate a war that was fought in the middle ages.  You might find the king and knights eating at a table in the banquet hall to tell the story of a firstborn child or a marriage.  But, we have finally stepped into a new era of historical events.  There are now World of Warcraft beer steins to commemorate the popular video game.  Very artistic and elegant, they stand up to the quality of other steins.  I just still haven’t wrapped my brain around this step yet.

Phil Broughton, a Berkeley Radiation Expert, has got the answer to the perfect beer stein.  It keeps your beer cold for hours, possibly days if that’s necessary.  He made his own personal beer stein with laboratory equipment designed to keep liquid nitrogen cold enough so it doesn’t boil off into vapor.  So, when he took his beer stein to Oktoberfest and gave it a whirl, a bartender talked him into putting them on the market.  He has sold them for $375, which is a very good price because these babies are going to be collection items one day.

DIY Project – Put Your Beer Mugs Up

Putting a bar in your home can be so easy if you are willing to be creative. You might want to hire a contractor and spend tons of money. But, you can do it yourself if you just form a plan and then figure out the best way to put it together.

The back of your bar can be as easy as installing shelves that reach the ceiling on both sides. Place a mirror in the middle and hang a television. Now, you have a sports bar look that makes you feel like you are in a real sports bar. But, that was easy. Here are a few ideas you may not have thought could be so easy.

The next thing you might want to add to your home bar is the glass holder that hangs above the bar. You’d be surprised how easy it is to make one. You need wood slats that form the base of your frame. The perfect size wood slat for this part of the glass holder is about 2 in. X 2 in. Then, you need wood slats to serve as the holder for the different types of stemware you have. But, this part is actually the teamwork of two different sized slats. One is about 2 in. X 1/8 in. and the other is 1/4 in. X 1/4 in.

The best way to attach these slats is with a handful of nice looking, gold nails. Run 2 in. X 2 in. slats horizontally spaced as far as a foot between. But, it’s a little classier if you place them about 4 inches from each other. Vertically, you will run your 2 in. X 1/8 in. slats about an inch apart. But, make sure to place a 1/4 in. X 1/4 in. slat under each one. Drive a nail through the 2 in. X 1/8 in. slat and the 1/4 in. X 1/4 in. slat where each 2 in. X 2 in. slat sits. That way, you’ll create a nice ledge where you can hang your stemware. Attach your glass holder to the ceiling with hooks and chains. You’ve got a great look that has functionality.

For glasses with handles like mugs and coffee cups, create a wood slab where you can screw golden hooks into and use them as hangers. You can stack all other types of glasses or you can create another wood slab with clamp-like holders directed upward. If you can’t find the clamps at a hardware store, you can take the time and make them yourself using a sheet of metal. The gauge shouldn’t be too thick but strong enough not to bend to the weight of the glass.

Cut your metal using metal cutting shears in 4 in. segments. Drill a hole through the metal and into the wood slab you have ready for hanging in your bar. Then, screw the metal clamps to the wood slab and begin hanging all the glasses you have left.

Now, every glass in your bar is off the counter. Watch television or enjoy looking at yourself in the mirror. But, you’ll have plenty of counter space for other things like liquor dispensers and pretzels.

Putting Your Home Bar Together Easy

It’s extremely understandable that a beer enthusiast with home bar dreams might get a little out of hand. Of course, it’s a phenomenon that home bars are always quite unique and that should be your ultimate goal. But, you have to start somewhere first and then you have to know when to quit.

Your home bar needs more of you than anything else. But, you need a place to start and then you can start pouring your own personality into it. Let’s begin with the basics, discuss different ideas and then move on to how you can bring a bit of you to your own home bar.

The Bar

Of course, any conversation about a home bar would have to begin with the bar itself. Different types of bars normally begin with a wood décor. But, you can go with stone, marble, or leather as just a few ideas to start.

Of course, your stone or marble bar doesn’t have to be expensive. It can be framed with 2x4s and plywood. Then, cover with stone or marble veneer. Leather can be pasted on and then stylishly fastened with brass snaps. But, the wood look is the best.

Of course, you would still frame with 2x4s and plywood. But then, you want to add the nice looking finish of cedar or pine. Why use the ancient not-so-flattering wood paneling when you can have a great looking bar with the quality natural wood look of grooved paneling? No, I am not a salesperson.

You can panel the top as well. But then, add some style with trim. It’s easy and affordable just adding some trim to touch up the edges of your bar. Once the bar is ready, simply add a kegerator with a beer tap and some beer tap handles. Of course, you know what to do. Go with your favorite beer.

Décor

Starting with shelves to hold a collection of beer glasses is the first place I would go once the bar is in place. You can start collecting sets of beer mugs and glasses that represent different beer choices and different pub locations. People get real excited when they see their beer of choice on your walls or if you have a mug of an exotic bar half way around the world. Those are the types of things that start adding your personality to the bar.

Putting beer signs and mirrors on your walls is the next place for you to go. I once met a friend bartender of mine at his bar because we had plans. I arrived right on time because the beer distributor had just shown up to stock more beer in the bar. That’s the perfect time to get great stuff. I was offered a rare beer mirror that the distributor was told to send around with their drivers on deliveries and offer them as a promotion to different bars they serviced. The driver didn’t care who he was giving mirrors to and I ended up with one.

You may not have that kind of luck. But, everyone can look online for unique beer signs and mirrors that they can purchase to decorate their bar. You can start with a few just to get yourself going and then keep your ears and eyes open for opportunities.

Bar Accessories

Your bar is almost finished. But, it’s not quite ready for company yet. You have to add those types of things no one else has. It’s not as tricky as you might think. But, it does take some “good eye” action and be ready for the moment.

A Jagermeister machine is in just about every bar. But, I have rarely seen one in a home bar. Having a Jagermeister machine steps you up into the professional realm where your friends and family will really be impressed.

But, the hottest trend sweeping the nation right now is beer pong. Having a beer pong table with some great beer pong accessories will make for hours of fun when you have company over to your house. There will always be some people who won’t want to hang out in the bar. They’ll want to sit at the dining room table and talk. Well, let them. Have fun playing beer pong for hours while they talk politics on their stuffy bums.

Home bars aren’t necessarily hard to put together. A little planning and you can have an affordable home bar with very little effort. Then, start adding some of your personality to it so that it’s undeniably yours. Friends who didn’t think of it first will be very envious.

Your Own Design On Your Own Beer Mugs

One thing you can do to make your home bar more Your Home Bar, make your own design on your own mugs.  Display them proudly in your home bar and let your friends drink out of them.  You might even learn enough about it to make mugs for your friends and family, OR turn it into a business.

How?

Finally, secrets revealed to have the best and most inexpensive glass etching processes.

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This resource goes over all the processes of etching glass from the basics of finding designs, to creating stencils through various processes, and into etching the final product.  Essentially, there are three major forms of glass etching:

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Some people don’t understand how easy and inexpensive glass etching can be with these methods. But the truth is, it doesn’t have to be as expensive as websites price their supplies and equipment, even more so if you’re sandblasting glass.

The Secrets inside reveal the different ways to approach abrasive etching and cream etching, with a comprehensive knowledge of everything you need to know.

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Etching Glass to Make Your Own Personal Beer Steins

Oktoberfest – Lederhosen and Beer Steins

The great celebration of German culture was kicked off early this year for some people because Oktoberfest actually was meant to correspond with the beginning of Fall.  Moorpark, California is one such community celebrating Oktoberfest according to tradition.  But, most communities will throw together their celebrations for 18 days in October the way they are used to doing.

Donning the lederhosen, eating some brats, and hoisting beer steins are the traditions of Oktoberfest.  But, there are people who don’t know anything about it.  To me, my first Oktoberfest reminded me of a trip I made as a kid to Disney World.  I remember hearing the music and watching the dancers as we walked by one part of the theme park.  But, a few years later I would eventually go to a real Oktoberfest and there was so much more to it than Disney’s version.

Lederhosen – Shorts that extend to the knees and are commonly worn with suspenders.  Credited mainly to Bavarian people, Lederhosen went out of style at one time because people believed they were peasant clothing and not appropriate for city dwelling folk.  But, they were brought back by clubs who meant to preserve their cultural heritage.

Brats – Bratwurst served like a hotdog, only topped with onions, peppers and a whole plethora of other toppings.

Beer Hoist – A game that involves beer, mugs and lifting with one arm.  You can start a collection with the beer steins you get at Oktoberfest if you go year after year.

Oktoberfest is over by now and it seems throughout the world, wherever it is celebrated, it went down without much of a hitch.  No deaths were reported.  Very little violence.  It’s just a fun time.  And the reason I go…

Well, other than meeting new people and having a good time…I love the St. Pauli’s Girl dress that many of the beautiful ladies at Oktoberfest are wearing.

A Unique Wine Rack Idea

When I saw this wine rack design the other day, I thought how easy it would be to build one for myself.

But, I like sharing DIYs with others and had to figure out how they could enjoy this unique wine rack design without spending a ton of money on it.

And my mind went to town.  But, I was in a hurry to share with everyone.  I haven’t had time to build one for myself.  So, I wrote a Wine Rack Idea article about how it will work.  If you can follow the blueprint in the article, you can enjoy a unique wine rack that might look like it cost you a pretty penny.  But for those of you who may need clearer instructions and step by step pictures, I would be willing to write a DIY for everyone who wants it.

Let me know, email me at beertaps@aweber.com to receive notification when I get the DIY together.  You’ll get a confirmation message from me, Stan Schubridge, and then you’ll stay up to date.  And yes, you can unsubscribe at any time so that’s fine to stay on the list until you get the DIY.

How To Make Your Home Bar More Bar And Less Home

When you are trying to create a bar in your home, of course you begin with the taps and the handles, mirrors and signs.  You built a bar!  It has to look right.  Right?

But when the bar is in place and you think you have it all, what kind of lame bar serves draft beer in plastic cups?  And I’ll be willing to bet that’s what you have.  Red plastic cups that you bought at the grocery store.  Hmm…all that work and then you tap out at the end.

Well, you can add some specialty glasses so that your friends are drinking in style.  This is where it gets tricky, but you can manage.  You don’t just want to get mugs of any kind.  You need to stock up your cabinets with mugs of all kinds.

Vintage mugs from old fashioned beers add such a touch of class.  Especially when you have friends asking you where you got the mugs.  That’s when you realize saving money on those red plastic cups wasn’t worth it after all.

But, don’t stop there.  You should have Pilsners and Pints, Dimpled Mugs and Retro Pubs.  Get mugs with different logos like Coors, Molson, Blue Moon and Killian.  It’s a blast to make sure that you drink out of the right glass for the right kind of draft.

Logo Beer Glasses