I know you can get the brew for all, all for brew tap handles, but what about recipe specific handles? Wouldn’t it be cool to have a matching handle for kits like the Dead Ringer, White House brew, Chinook IPA, etc? I know you can get the glassware and bottle labels, so why not a matching tap handle? That would look really cool on someone’s kegerator. If the price is right, I could see NB selling a bunch of those.
Could use the bottle label on a handle with an blank face.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page ... te=ROCKLERJust sent it in. Thanks Nighthawk.
The bottle shaped tap handles look good, but I’m hoping NB can put out some of the resin cast handles like you see in some bars. I think a resin cast of the hop hurling Dead Ringer skeleton would be a big seller.
Make your own like I did!
Cheers!
These are what I use: http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-bee … 100-4.html I like that they are compact and easy to make different labels for.
Ken, how did you do yours? It looks like you have a male threaded piece in the bottom of each, then use a FxF coupling of some sort to attach to the tap. I tried using the ones from NB that you thread in, but had issues with getting them straight.
I used a threaded piece (they sell them individually and also a “threaded rod” and the correct size is 5/16"-18) on each handle. The threaded rod I have is 3’ long so I took a hacksaw to it and just cut off 1-2" pieces for the handles. Drill the hole, put some glue in there, insert the rod and let it dry. If you use that size, it’s the correct thread for a ferrule (the chrome piece in the pic) which is available from a bunch of online suppliers like KegWorks for about $2 apiece. More HERE
http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=104961
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EDIT: There are larger “inserts” that can be placed inside a handle and those will go directly onto the faucet but they are quite large and the thread is very coarse and it’s tough to insert it straight. If it’s not perfectly straight, your handle will lean. I liked the idea of a thin rod so the hole could be smaller and then the ferrule bridges the gap between the handle and the faucet… much easier to manage. Cheers.
Slightly off-topic, but if anyone is in the mid-atlantic, this dude does a class on making them every year for Baltimore Beer week (you can also order them). He makes awesome stuff. Check out the custom ones in particular.
http://www.marksupikco.com/#[quote=“Pietro”]Slightly off-topic, but if anyone is in the mid-atlantic, this dude does a class on making them every year for Baltimore Beer week (you can also order them). He makes awesome stuff. Check out the custom ones in particular.
http://www.marksupikco.com/#[/quote]True. He does make good stuff. Over HERE
on my OTHER STUFF page, I have some custom handles that were made by Mark. He made me 2 white ones and two black ones and put a different label (of mine) on each side for a total of 8 beers. They are very nice but that was an expensive little splurge there. This is why I started making my own handles… I love the idea of having a nice, beer-specific handle for my taps but the cost of having them made “custom” like that was too costly.
Tip for installing threaded inserts using a drill press. What they don’t say here is; after you drill the hole for the insert, do not remove your tap handle blank or change any setting on the press.
http://americanwoodworker.com/blogs/tip ... serts.aspxIn main response to the “brand” specific handle.
If your willing to compromise and follow the old KISS methodology. Just invest in a few "white board-Chalkboard handles and then your beer name and your own drawings can be the solution. Much more economical and easy to change in an instant.
http://www.tapboards.com/tap-boards.phpSomeone engineering a little better hardwood style, longer tap.
HBT post:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BestBrewTapKen, awesome looking taps. Where do you get the decals for them?
They also make nice-looking wood handles that have a slot for a label. You could design the label, print it out on photo paper or other thick stock, cut it out to fit the slot and drop it in. I’ve seen a few different flavors of those and the chalk board/dry erase jobbies are available as well. I like the idea but when I see the cool handles at brewpubs, etc., I have to admit that I don’t like the idea of just “writing” on the chalk/dry erase board. Sorry to be a tap handle snob. 
I make those myself. I steal the artwork from whatever I can find on Google Images, design the label with my “beer name”, etc., print it on photo paper, cut it, fasten it and then spray a clear coat over the whole thing so it doesn’t run if it gets wet. When making these, I can rattle off about 8 or 10 in about an hour. Then eventually prime them, paint them, add the label at some later point when I make a beer where I need a new handle. At the moment I have 10 or 12 that are cut, primed, have the screw ready to go, etc. I just have to paint them, design the label (basically finish it) and it’s ready to go. Cheers.
I would say DIY is better than the average bear. In most cases it will be more to your specific vision instead of a generic idea.
I suggest the white boards-black boards for the OP if he is the type that pay other people to make it kind of brewer.
Here’s the latest one I made…
Making the handles can be as fun as making the beer!
You bet it is.
That is the best part of the hobby/ craft is to engineer/ reverse engineer personal solutions all the time. I take way more pride in my DIY inventions/ solutions than a store bought trinket.
Although give me a $5000 tippy dump pilot brewery and I will be REAL happy although with slightly less pride!
[quote=“ITsPossible”]You bet it is.
That is the best part of the hobby/ craft is to engineer/ reverse engineer personal solutions all the time. I take way more pride in my DIY inventions/ solutions than a store bought trinket.
Although give me a $5000 tippy dump pilot brewery and I will be REAL happy although with slightly less pride![/quote]
I’ll be honest. I’m not a handy, build-everything-myself kind of person. I could do that in some cases but if we’re talking about something brewing-related that absolutely, positively has to work perfectly, I might go the store-bought route. On the handles, I made some that were not that great and I made some that were slightly better and then some that were very nice. I like the creativity of it and the bottom line… it’s wood. I can work with wood. And paint. And some easy-to-use hardware. Cheers.
