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Deposit for tap handles?

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  • Deposit for tap handles?

    Anybody doing this. If not, why not?
    Every time I bring this up, people look at me like I'm crazy.
    Tap handles ain't cheap!
    There are a lot of accounts that flat-out refuse to put your beer on without a tap handle. You supply one that you paid anywhere from $10 to $40 for, they blow the keg...put something else on... and display YOUR tap handle on a wall or shelf like it's some sort of trophy. So...to make $20 or less net profit on the keg, you spent $30 for the handle. Marketing...blah, blah, blah,...people can see your brand..blah, blah, blah. This will still happen with a deposit to cover the tap handle to insure you get it back or the account keeps you on.



    Your thoughts...?

  • #2
    Why can't you just ask for it back?
    In any case, I think you are absolutely right; the handles cost you money, and it should be returned to you or your distributor along with the empty keg.

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    • #3
      A good option instead could be to let them know the handle must be returned if they're not going to continue with your beer on tap. If they want to keep the handle in the way you're mentioning, they're welcome to buy it from you for your cost. I would hope that would work. Just a suggestion anyway.
      ~Phil

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      • #4
        It has been my experience since the mid 90's and at four different breweries that when accounts were asked to either pay for handles, give deposits, or (SHUDDER!) return the handle when they stop pouring our beer, they all responded with words or actions to the effect: F*#K YOU AND YOUR BEER!
        I have come to accept that providing accounts with tap handles at no cost to them is one of the costs of doing business. Whenever one of our distributors picks up some tap handles from us, I know I will NEVER see that handle in my brewery again.
        I have purchased hundreds of tap handles (from TapHandles.com! shameless plug I know but I'm hoping for a t-shirt from them!) and have handed them out to accounts. They get used (yeah!), people steal them from accounts (boo!), or the bar manager moves another beer on that tap and our handle goes into a box under the bar (sob!). Bottom line is: once the handle leaves my brewery, I don't count it as my property any longer.
        If you can get accounts to consistently pay for handles, DO IT!
        But don't be surprised if they laugh at you for the suggestion.

        Prost!
        Dave
        Glacier Brewing Company
        406-883-2595
        info@glacierbrewing.com

        "who said what now?"

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        • #5
          We have had a lot of issues with accounts "loosing" our handles. We are starting to experiment with tap handle deposits and haven't really gotten much push back so far. I am sure you will run into the situation where someone says "everyone else gives them away for free why don't you?"

          I have also heard of other breweries invoicing customers for handles that they loose.

          Not sure what the best solution is here.

          Good luck!

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          • #6
            As a new brewery we when't thought the whole thing we try asking for a deposits. getting them back or makeing them pay for them finely said just give it to them and be done with it but we also dont buy are tap handles we make then it take me about 3 day to make 30 tap handles and the totel cost still is around $15-25 a handle its just part of doing business i guess

            cheers matt
            3GB

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            • #7
              We invoice them and then credit the amount which may seem somewhat pointless but at least they see the cost of the handle. We self-distribute which I think helps because then they associate the handle with a person that they have established a relationship with and may be less likely to lose the handle than if you are using a distributor which is viewed as an entity rather than a person.

              Just my reasoning.
              Tim Eichinger
              Visit our website blackhuskybrewing.com

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              • #8
                Thought

                Anyone experiment with charging for the tap handle then reimbursing the bar/restaurant after they have hit a certain total of kegs with your company? Example, take a tap deposit of $30-35 for the tap, but once that bar/restaurant hits 5-6 kegs bought you reimburse them for their tap deposit.

                Thank you,
                Gabe

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                • #9
                  I invoice my distributors and I'm sure they pass the cost along in the price of the beer. There haven't been any complaints.

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