Sunday 6 December 2009

Engraved Glass Beer Mugs | Class In A Glass

Most of the beer mugs I've discussed so far have maybe been a little bit tacky or have had some sort novelty appeal to them. I'm referring mostly to the talking beer mugs of course! There's nothing wrong with these but if you're looking for something with a little more class how about engraved glass beer mugs?

Firstly, it's made of glass so none of this cheap plastic rubbish. It's much heavier and sturdier than traditional beer mugs and I've also heard a few people that the beer actually tastes better out of one of these mugs. I'm not sure if I believe that a beers a beer to me! I guess maybe there's something about the feeling of a glass beer mug that makes the experience a little more enjoyable than drinking from a plastic beer mug or beer stein. As with other types of beer engraved glass beer mugs come in all shapes in sizes. My favorite being the 1 liter super beer mug! Wow, but don't be having too many of those. Some of them are works of art I have to say. You can really appreciate the craftsmanship that has gone in to making these beautiful glass mugs. This can be reflected in the price so you can expect to pay a little more for a glass beer mug or stein. Not as much as those rare beer steins which I'll cover in a later post but certainly more than you would for some tacky plastic offering.

So lets get on to the engraved part of these mugs. What can you get engraved on the mug? Pretty much anything you want. This includes monograms or more complex pictures or company logos. I've seen quite a few sites online offering these as gifts for the professional in their Barware section. I can see why they are marketed like this as they can be quite classy gifts for professionals out there. There always a great way for companies to brand an item and either give them away as promotional items or sell them to customers who are fans of the brand. This is common with companies such as Budweiser or Coors. Engraved beer glasses can make quite the classy gift for that special someone in your life too. Perhaps for a birthday gift or Christmas gift.

As I mentioned earlier, the quality of engraving is generally quite high with the print being 600dpi or more. Make sure you check this out before you order any online whoever. You're looking for a minimum of 600dpi on your print before it's laser etched on to the glass. The last thing you want is your engraved beer mug coming in the post only to find out it's not the quality you expected!

If novelty beer mugs aren't your thing them why not try an engraved beer glass with your choice of slogan or logo on the side of the beautiful mug. It can also be used as a wonderful marketing tool for your company to promote your web site or whatever products you sell online.




I'm adding this tag in so Technorati can pick me up, regular readers please ignore I'll removed this later! WHQ2FKNQ74ZR

Friday 27 November 2009

Have You Ever Heard A Talking Beer Mug

I know it sounds like such a strange concept but believe it or not there are such things out there as talking beer mugs. How do they talk? What do they say? Would you really drink from a beer mug that's talking to you? Well I guess that would depend on how many beers you've actually had. A talking beer mug could be your new best friend! Someone who won't get bored of you when you start to think you're a good singer and you want to profess your love to everyone! There are even a few talking beer mugs out there which start to nag you for a refill. You can always wave it at the barman (or your poor wife!) who might step up to the challenge and get you a lovely new cold beer in that mug.

OK so I admit talking beer mugs are a bit of a gadget with perhaps some limited novelty appeal. They tend to have a restriction of 4 or 5 phrases which get repeated over and over but they are really good fun. Like photo beer mugs and personalized beer mugs they make superb presents for that special beer guzzler in your family. The most common phrases used are "Cheers", "Refill required" and "Your beer is running dangerously low". There might be a fun siren on there to draw even more attention to you and your empty glass. It's a great way to drop some hints that it's someone other persons turn to go to the bar to get you a drink!

Talking beer mugs vary in price depending on how sophisticated they are. The most common three phrase option will set you back about $30 which is great value for money. There are also some TV show inspired mugs such as The Simpsons Duff Beer mug which features Homer's voice shouting at Moe for another beer. Wonderful if you're a fan of the show or if you know someone who is. You could really brighten up their day with a gift of this magnitude!



You can also look out for talking beer steins as well as mugs if you want something a little classier than a plain old mug! Not that there's anything wrong with beer mugs of course but I know we each have our own individual tastes. You can find most of these items for sale online on one of the many gadget sites now up and running. The mugs tend to come in a hard plastic form which is nice and sturdy if you get a little bit tipsy after enjoying the contents a little too much. I have to admit that they don't look that great but that's not really the point! They tend to be quite clunky and have a plastic finish too them but I think this just adds to the whole tacky charm of having a beer mug like this. I doubt any of us will using it to dine with royalty anytime soon! So there you have it, talking beer mugs, the future is here today!

Friday 23 October 2009

German Beer Steins - A Brief History

One of the most prized beer jugs among any collector of beer mugs is the German beer stein. To call a stein a mug would be incorrect since a mug does not contain a lid. Its handle and hinged lid characterize a stein. The word stein comes from Germany and translates into English word for jug. The reason that German beer steins are so valuable is due to the great amount of detail that is displayed on the outside of the stein. The steins worth the most amount of money will be out of production and will not have been massed produced. Also, the value is reflected in the size and the techniques and technology it took to produce said stein. Steins can have any sort of theme etched on the outside such as nature, coat of arms, intricate filigree, etc. One of the most well known themes is Oktoberfest. Every year Munich holds the world’s largest beer festival, and what would a festival be without steins to hold that beer!

One of the most well known producers of German beer steins is a company called Mettlach. Their steins are very popular and quickly become collectibles. As well as making some of the most beautiful steins they have also made some of the biggest I have ever seen. One very rare stein can hold a whopping 7 liters of ale or beer. I think if you managed to finish that off you would soon find yourself on the ground! After viewing Mettlach steins you can see why some of their most collectible steins can sell for up to an astounding $1,500.

Personally German beer steins are my favorite not only for their incredible craftsmanship, but also for the interesting history behind them. Ready for a quick history lesson here we go. Back in Europe the Black Death, or plague, was running rampant killing copious amounts of people. Now, the disease was spread through rats as most people know, but most people don’t know flies also spread it. Flies would buzz around, fall into people’s open topped beer mugs, drown, and people would drink their ale none the wiser, and soon after would become infected. Then the Germans though of a clever idea: put lids on the mugs in order to make them more sanitary. Germany soon passed a law stating that all food and drink must be covered, which skyrocketed the popularity of the stein. So in summary the stein not only held beer or ale but also saved people’s lives. I really think this important bit of history as well as the fact that even to this day a stein would keep any insects out of your beer has contributed to the stein remaining popular through the ages.

I strongly suggest investing a bit of money into purchasing a German beer stein because they are both practical and profitable. Use the stein for your beer, keep it in good condition and in a few years it could be worth double or triple what you paid for it.

Tuesday 20 October 2009

Personalized Mugs | Personalized Beer Mugs Perfect Christmas Gift

Personalizing any gift makes the person you are giving it to feel really special. It just shows rather than going to the store, picking out a gift, and buying it, you went that extra mile to personalize the item especially for that person.

Personalized beer mugs are a great gift anytime of the year. However, if the gift recipient is not keen on beer but loves tea, coffee, or even hot chocolate then you may want to think about purchasing personalized mugs. These mugs can be monogrammed with the person’s initials or they could proudly display the name and logo of their favorite sports team. The most common type of beer mug found on the internet to personalize is the classic tall glass mug. The glass is absolutely perfect for creating personalized beer mugs because the image or text is etched right into the glass. This means that your gift will last much longer through handling, washing up, and many mugs of beer. If you are really in the giving mood and in the spirit of personalized gifts then if you search on the internet I have even seen websites that sell a hat that is monogrammed and contains a beer opener on the side. How much would your friends love you after receiving that gift! They would have their cold mug of beer that proudly supports their favorite team and a bottle opener that will never get lost and is always in reaching distance. Your friend would never have to move off the couch until the game is well and truly over.

Personalized mugs are perhaps a little more appropriate for Father’s Day, birthday, and even as a baby present. If you know someone that has recently had a baby then you could personalize their mug with a picture of their newborn, a proud mom or dad can now take this into work to not only drink out of it, but also use the mug to show their co-workers their new pride and joy. For Father’s Day, the kids could get together and put a silly picture of himself or herself on the mug along with text like “#1 Dad” or “World’s Best Dad!”

These personalized gifts can be used as way to poke fun as well. You could buy mugs and have them personalized for a groom to be or bachelor party. I have seen ones that read “Groom To Be” and the O’s in groom are turned into a ball and chain. For the bachelor party you could have the mugs etched for example with “Dave’s Hangover Cure.”

Mugs come in a range of different sizes and shapes, ranging in price anywhere from $20- $30. Obviously standard coffee sized mugs will be a bit cheaper, but then again if that person is also on the go you may want to invest in a bigger commuter/travel mug.

Personalized gifts are a great way creating a tangible reminder of a certain day. They also show the person that you are giving them to that you have really put a lot of care and thought into their gift. So why not buy a personalized beer mug?

Wednesday 14 October 2009

A Photo Beer Mug - The Perfect Present

Sometimes it seems like there are so many different special occasions that occur throughout the year that you have to try to think up different ideas for that perfect gift. Don’t be fooled I’m not just talking about the holiday times, but other days such as birthdays, weddings, and father’s day, etc.

However, if you have a beer lover or connoisseur that you know I have the perfect gift suggestion, photo beer mugs. Any beer lover knows it’s a world of difference drinking beer from a frosted mug rather than a bottle or can. With a bottle and especially with a can you do not get the full depth of flavor that is released when poured into a mug with the perfect head of foam. Actually just because it is called a photo beer mug does not mean that this gift is limited to only beer drinkers. A beer mug can be perfect for a kid’s gift as well. Now, I know that might sound crazy but if you think about it how many children love the tasty goodness that is a coke or root beer float. In saying that there are plenty of adults that remember coke and root beer floats and drinking one out of a custom beer mug would take them right back to their childhood. If you give anyone a photo beer mug with their favorite photo imprinted on it, that mug will soon become their favorite drinking vessel!

It is really easy to create a photo beer mug and there are plenty of websites online that offer beer mug personalization. All you have to do is just pick out either your favorite photo of the gift recipient or their favorite photo and the style of mug that he or she would love. If you’d rather not use an actual photograph you can still create a photo beer mug using text. Just type your message such as; “Happy Birthday Dad!” and that will be imprinted on the mug. The text idea is great if you are looking for gifts to give to the wedding party groomsmen. You could create a mug with the date of the wedding, the groomsman’s name, and the name of the bride and groom. This is a great keepsake, but also a gift that would be used and could remind the person of the great time they had at the wedding every time they have a sip out of that mug.

Usually you can pick from two sizes of beer mug, either a 10-ounce size or 16-ounce. You can also customize the look of the mug. You can pick either the classic frosted mug look or go for a more unique stein. The great thing about the classic frosted mugs is that you can put them in the fridge or freezer to get nice and frosty. Any drink whether a soda, float, or beer becomes that much more refreshing when the contents are ice cold.

These photo beer mugs do not have to cost a fortune, obviously prices will vary from website to website, but the average price runs about $25. This price is a really good value if you figure how much use the person will get out of this type of present.

Sunday 11 October 2009

Welcome to I Love Beer Mugs

I've always found beer mugs to be very interesting, the way they differ from different cultures to different countries around the world. I thought I'd start this blog to show off some of beer mugs I like as well as the stories behind them and what they mean in different cultures. Some of them are very collectible pieces now and can be sold for a small fortune at auctions all around the world. There's also many collectors out there (perhaps you're one?) who love beer mugs and see them as prized items. There are so many variations including the novelty photo beer mugs. So get ready to learn more about beer mugs, you'll never want to drink beer from a bottle ever again!