Hoptown Handles

What Hoptown Handles does

Hoptown Handles is a privately held, founder-owned American manufacturer of custom tap handles headquartered in Clackamas, Oregon with production operations in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 2015 by Ben Weston (a former attorney and homebrewer), the company designs, engineers, and manufactures Standard and Premium custom tap handles for craft beverage clients, using a proprietary internal thread system (Inbody) and UV-cured inks to address durability issues common in the category. All production is 100% USA-based and the company competes on price parity with overseas manufacturers while offering shorter lead times, no setup fees, carbon-neutral shipping, and FSC-certified wood sourcing.

The go-to-market is sales-led: enterprise customers initiate via a contact form, receive a 3D design rendering and quote, and proceed to production, while SMB and consumer buyers can purchase can handles and upcycled merchandise direct through an e-commerce storefront. Customers span craft breweries, cideries, distilleries, wineries, coffee roasters, and kombucha breweries, with named accounts including Deschutes Brewery, Night Shift Brewing, Hopworks, Pure Project, Outer Range Brewing, and Bauman's Cider. The business is operated as a family of brands: Hoptown Handles (core tap handles), Shore Up Supply (responsibly sourced branded merchandise, apparel, and point-of-purchase materials), Beer to Bags (upcycled malt bag products acquired in April 2024), and SeaThirst Creative (graphic design services for beverage clients).

Revenue is generated through one-time purchase of custom-manufactured tap handles at unit pricing of roughly $22-43 with steep volume discounts, complemented by merch/apparel sales through Shore Up Supply and upcycled product sales through Beer to Bags. The company has not raised institutional capital, maintains a small team of 1-10 employees, and operates globally while concentrating primary demand in North America. Sustainability positioning (FSC wood, carbon-neutral shipping, upcycled product lines, and 10,000+ malt bags diverted from landfills since 2021) is a meaningful brand differentiator in the craft beverage vertical.

Name

Hoptown Handles

Legal name

Hoptown Handles LLC

Website

https://hoptownhandles.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hoptown Handles is a privately held, USA-based manufacturer of custom tap handles for craft beverage producers, including breweries, cideries, distilleries, wineries, coffee roasters, and kombucha breweries, with production in Portland, Oregon and an expanded family of brands covering merch, apparel, and upcycled products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Clackamas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Tap Handles: One-time purchase of custom tap handles for breweries, bars, and restaurants. Products include Standard Custom Tap Handles and Premium Custom Tap Handles with various shapes, materials, and customization options.
2. Upcycled Merch Products (Beer to Bags): Sale of upcycled products made from discarded brewing malt bags including tote bags, bottle carriers, fanny packs, and pocket brew bags.
3. Merch and Apparel (Shore Up Supply): Branded merchandise, apparel and point-of-purchase materials through sister company Shore Up Supply.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hoptown Handles manufactures 100% American-made custom tap handles for the craft beverage industry, offering Standard Custom Tap Handles (11 pre-defined shapes with customization) and Premium Custom Tap Handles (fully custom shapes, materials, and finishes). The company also produces PLA bioplastic can handles and upcycled merchandise (Beer to Bags brand) from discarded brewing malt bags, all with proprietary durability features like the Inbody internal thread system and UV-cured inks.

Product overview

Hoptown Handles is a manufacturer of American-made custom tap handles for the craft beverage industry, operating as a family of brands. The core offering consists of Standard Custom Tap Handles (pre-defined shapes with customization) and Premium Custom Tap Handles (fully custom designs with unique shapes and materials). The product line also includes specialty can handles (12oz, 16oz, Slim) for use on draft taps. Following an April 2024 acquisition, the portfolio expanded to include Beer to Bags — an upcycled product line that transforms discarded brewing malt bags into tote bags, bottle carriers, fanny packs, and pocket brew bags. The family of brands also includes Shore Up Supply (merch and apparel) and SeaThirst Creative (graphic design services). All tap handles are manufactured domestically in Portland, OR with a focus on durability, sustainability, and competitive pricing without setup fees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shore Up Supply: Responsibly sourced branded merchandise, apparel and P.O.P. materials, highlighting sustainable and USA-made whenever possible.
• Beer to Bags
• SeaThirst Creative

Products and services

• Standard Custom Tap Handles Pre-defined shape tap handles (also known as stock handles) designed to maximize budget by being affordable and durable. Choose from 11 different shapes that are customized to best represent the brand, with custom paint colors, stains, full-color digital printing, and laser engraving. Made for craft breweries, bars, and restaurants.
• Premium Custom Tap Handles Fully custom tap handles with unique custom shapes, a variety of materials, and custom engineered features allowing complete customization of shape, color, materials, and branding methods. Designed for craft breweries, cideries, distilleries, wineries, coffee roasters, and kombucha breweries seeking fully bespoke handles.
• 12oz Can Handle PLA bioplastic can handle with standard 3/8-16 internal threads, same dimensions as standard 12oz can for label application on canning lines. For breweries and beverage producers using 12oz cans with draft tap handles.
• Slim 12oz Can Handle PLA bioplastic slim can handle with standard 3/8-16 internal threads, same dimensions as slim 12oz can for label application on canning lines. For breweries producing slim 12oz cans.
• 16oz Can Handle PLA bioplastic can handle with standard 3/8-16 internal threads, same dimensions as standard 16oz can for label application on canning lines. For breweries and beverage producers using 16oz cans.
• Wooden Paddle Tap Handle Maple hardwood tap handle that serves as a showpiece for breweries or home bars, with area for custom branding or chalkboard sticker for style/flavor display.
• 2 Bottle Carrier (Upcycled Malt Bag) Licensed Riverbend Malt House two-bottle carrier made from upcycled malt bags, featuring water resistant tarpaulin base and chipboard insert. Holds wine, cider, or crowlers. Sold as part of the Beer to Bags upcycled product line.
• 6 Bottle Carrier (Upcycled Malt Bag) Licensed Riverbend Malt House six-bottle carrier made from upcycled malt bags with six dividers for secure bottle holding, water resistant tarpaulin base and chipboard insert. Sold as part of the Beer to Bags upcycled product line.
• Brew Flowers Fanny Pack (Barley Belt) Upcycled malt bag fanny pack/hip pack with two zipper compartments and front pocket made from recycled water bottles, featuring design by Brew Flowers artist Kate. Sold as part of the Beer to Bags upcycled product line.
• Malt Mash-Up Pocket Brew Bag Upcycled malt bag tote featuring repeating pattern of bottles, malt, flowers and logo icon designed by North Carolina beer artist Richie Cook. Eco-friendly reusable bag for carrying 6-packs, groceries, or travel. Sold as part of the Beer to Bags upcycled product line.
• Barley and Me Pocket Brew Bag Upcycled malt bag tote featuring artwork by Em Sauter of Pints and Panels celebrating barley in the beer making process. Eco-friendly reusable bag for carrying 6-packs home from breweries. Sold as part of the Beer to Bags upcycled product line.
• Shore Up Supply - Branded Merchandise and Apparel Wholly-owned sister company providing responsibly sourced branded merchandise, apparel, and point-of-purchase (P.O.P.) materials for breweries, beverage companies, and other brands. Highlights sustainable and USA-made products.
• SeaThirst Creative - Graphic Design Services Wholly-owned graphic design services company specializing in creative and design services for breweries, beverage companies, and additional brands.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ malt bags diverted from landfills since 2021
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Beer to BagscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Acquired in April 2024, Beer to Bags upcycles discarded brewing malt bags into tote bags and accessories. Founder Emily Neville joined as Director of Business Development at Shore Up Supply. The acquisition supports Hoptown's growth in sustainable merchandise and aims to reduce waste in the brewing industry, with Beer to Bags having diverted over 10,000 malt bags from landfills since 2021.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Custom Ink: Consumer and B2B custom apparel/merch platform. Overlaps with Shore Up Supply for brewery-branded apparel and accessories rather than tap handles.
• American Metalcraft: Established broad-line supplier of bar, tabletop, and beverage-service equipment including tap handles. Much larger catalog and broader foodservice focus, but overlapping product category.
• 4imprint: Large promotional products distributor offering custom-branded merchandise and barware to breweries and restaurants. Adjacent competitor for branded merch/POP business (Shore Up Supply overlap).
• HALO Branded Solutions: Major corporate promotional products company with deep brewery and beverage client base. Competes for the merch/apparel side of Hoptown's family of brands.
• Quality Logo Products: Promotional products distributor carrying tap handles and brewery barware. Competes for the same brewery purchasing managers with broader catalog and faster fulfillment for stock SKUs.

Direct peers

• BrandNew: Craftsman-built custom tap handles and branded barware for breweries, mirroring Hoptown's build-to-order customization model and craft-brewery target customer.
• Etchey (Tap Handles Inc.): Long-standing custom tap handle manufacturer serving craft and macro brewers with wood, resin, and metal options. Competes head-to-head with Hoptown for premium custom tap handle business.
• Best Tap Handles: Direct competitor in custom-manufactured tap handles for breweries and taprooms. Offers both stock and fully custom wooden tap handles with comparable volume pricing — the closest functional competitor to Hoptown.
• Spiegel: Wooden tap handle manufacturer producing both stock and custom designs for breweries. A comparable craft-woodworking peer with overlapping product offering and customer base.

Emerging players

• MiiR: Direct-to-consumer brand making sustainable drinkware and merchandise (tumblers, growlers) with a similar sustainability/B-Corp narrative. Competes with Shore Up Supply and Beer to Bags for sustainability-driven brewery merch.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/hoptownhandles
• Xx.com/hoptownhandles

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hoptown Handles