Show me your tap handles!

Post by **gwcr** » Fri Feb 13, 2015 2:44 pm

With the new double faucet tower in place, the next thing on my list is tap handles. What have you done for your handles? Keep the black plastic ones? Make your own? Buy online? Would be cool to have ones that I could swap out the labels for my own. Show me what ya got!

Post by **Beer-lord** » Fri Feb 13, 2015 2:56 pm

Tis a shame with all the money I spent on a tri tap, perlicks etc that I went el cheapon on the handles but WTH? I use these.
They are clear, 2 piece and you can get a template to use to print out your beer name, cut them out and input into the clear handles. They clean easily and have worked fine for me for over 2 years now. I never really intended to go this long with out better ones and even hoped to make my own out of wood.
I've seen some cool ones that use Whitelab vials filled with grain.

To get an idea what's out there, google 'tape handles' then click on the Images option and you can get even more ideas. Man, many of these are expensive!

Dawg LB Steve · Post by **Dawg LB Steve** » Fri Feb 13, 2015 3:25 pm

I got mine at Kegworks I have these in the second picture but there is another changeable one.

Post by **gwcr** » Fri Feb 13, 2015 5:18 pm

Nice!

John Sand · Post by **John Sand** » Fri Feb 13, 2015 5:44 pm

I just recently read an article (BYO?) on making your own. I think the threaded collet was found cheaply at a home store, threaded inside and out. The author cut and turned standard handles. I thought I might use old oar handles or tool handles when I get around to it. I do have one dry erase one coming from a Kickstarter.

Rebel_B · Post by **Rebel_B** » Fri Feb 13, 2015 6:31 pm

: ImageUploadedByTapatalk1423870269.058882.jpg (158.57 KiB) Viewed 941 times

Wood handle with chalkboard paint.

FedoraDave · Post by **FedoraDave** » Fri Feb 13, 2015 11:09 pm

I opted for buying oak handles online because I knew we were staining the collar to look like oak (even though it's high-quality pine). You can see the clear plastic picture frames attached with strong magnets on either side of the tap. I print a label for whatever beer I've currently got and it just sits next to the tap.

FrozenInTime · Post by **FrozenInTime** » Sat Feb 14, 2015 1:34 am

My fancy taps, have 3:

Gymrat · Post by **Gymrat** » Sat Feb 14, 2015 10:50 am

I had mine custom made by a guy who has an etsy store. He donates all the money he makes to charity.

I collect chess sets. So these were perfect for my man cave. My kegorator is underneath a photo I took of one of my sets.

Inkleg · Post by **Inkleg** » Sat Feb 14, 2015 1:10 pm

FrozenInTime wrote:My fancy taps, have 3:

Mine are the same as FITs. Just that I have 7 pouring right now.

Dawg LB Steve · Post by **Dawg LB Steve** » Sat Feb 14, 2015 3:10 pm

Here are the ones I have.

Kealia · Post by **Kealia** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 12:12 pm

Some friends at work ordered this one for me. It has a picture of my Shepherd on it.....don't mind the mess behind it.

The second one is actually from Ace Cider Company out here. I saw them at a local festival and liked the jester hat. I was able to talk the rep into accidentally leaving it behind when he left at the end of the day.

FedoraDave · Post by **FedoraDave** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 1:19 pm

Don't get me wrong, because these are obviously personal choices, and everyone's space and tastes are different, but having had to make the decision on tap handles myself, I have to question the decision on the longer handles. They just seem to me to be too large, and just something that would get in the way needlessly.

For a bar, maybe it would pay to have handles that were more visible, to identify certain beers, or influence customers to buy something that's a buck-fifty more than a BMC or a Blue Moon. But for a home system, I can't see it. At least, it's not for me.

John Sand · Post by **John Sand** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 1:21 pm

Very Cool. (The Ace Joker)
But Dave, I think that's true for me too. This is one time when more than a handful is too much!

Kealia · Post by **Kealia** » Sun Feb 15, 2015 6:11 pm

They're purely for fun. Because of the tilt of the handles on the tower I have to keep the black one turned slightly but they add a little pizazz. Keep in mind when I bottle I like to have labels too, so its definitely just a preference/aesthetics thing.