Neon Beer Signs

From the bar to the museum, neon beer signs are all the rage

As the 20th century fades into memory, its motley inventions have become a genuine source of historical interest — even neon beer signs. While neon beer signs aren't large or geographically significant enough to receive status as historical landmarks, they have been featured in museum exhibits throughout the country, such as the Museum of Neon Art in Los Angeles.

First neon beer signs

Though the first neon signs were displayed in the late 19th century, serious production of neon beer signs began in the 1930s after the end of Prohibition.

Neon beer signs are made by craftsmen who bend tubes of heated glass and melt the tubes together to create an image or lettering. Air is then removed from the tube and replaced by neon and other gases. These gases emit light in response to an electric current.

Neon signs were widely incorporated by the Art Deco movement of the 1930s and 40s. Neon signs also became synonymous with film noir, as the glowing and seedy nightlife of those films captured many iconic images of neon signs.

Today, many museums and individuals collect these first neon beer signs. The Museum of Neon Art exhibit, titled Neon on Tap, featured unusual neon beer signs such as a Miller sign with an image of the Golden Gate Bridge, or a double-sided Haufbrau neon beer sign of a brewmeister filling a mug.

Along with this academic interest in neon beer signs, locations such as the Museum of Beverage Containers and Advertising in Millersville, TN, have their own charming roadside appeal (a virtual tour is available at www.gono.com/museum2003/museum.htm).

Modern neon beer signs

Of course neon is more commonplace now, and neon signs are no longer unusual enough to stop traffic or cause rural visitors to the big city to stop and stare. The popular interest in retro design has actually spurred a renaissance in neon beer sign design, with manufacturers incorporating new images such as Budweiser's Louie the Lizard, or combining brewery logos with NASCAR or NFL team icons.

With neon beer signs so commonplace, it's very easy to find the exact sign you're looking for. Neon beer signs for leading breweries such as Budweiser, Miller, Heineken, Coors and others can be found in many different designs, with prices ranging from about $100 to $500.

But then buying a neon beer sign should be like getting a tattoo: if you're going to do it, you might as well get one that's interesting. If there's a microbrew or particular import you enjoy, you should be able to find a neon beer sign online.

As for those beer aficionados with rare tastes, they can always have a neon beer sign custom made. Depending on where you live, you should be able to find a local neon artist who'd be willing to do smaller pieces like neon beer signs.

More information on beer signs