Nerds Republic

College is supposed to be where the future thinkers of our nation gather to open their minds and learn more about their favorite subjects. In all honesty, though, the only thing that many college students put to the test is their alcohol tolerance. Fortunately for these drunken scholars, there’s a bevy of drinking games out there designed to help them do just that.

Enterprising youngster knicholas198 decided that he would apply his unerring collegiate skill to his love of competitive drinking. With a few broken hockey sticks, he created something unique and useful.

First, he gathered and arranged the hockey sticks.

He lined up enough of them to span the length of your average beer pong table, and cut the sticks to a uniform size.

The frame was created using more hockey sticks, and a plexiglass sheet was added to create an even base.

A decorative center panel was then placed in the center.

What better way to represent your alma mater than with a beer pong table?

Legs and support beams were fashioned using planks and hinges.

The legs fold up under the tabletop so that it can be stored between parties.

The two portions then came together.

Almost there!

After a nice coat of paint, the beer pong table was done and ready for use.

(source: Imgur)

The project came out looking like every frat boy’s dream. Let’s just hope that this guy applies the same hard work and dedication to his coursework!

You could store your beers in the fridge, or in a bucket full of ice. Or in…a tree?

Well, you might do that if you’re Reddit user TorchForge, who created an artsy beer holder that’s putting all others to shame. This unique piece was created using steel, wood, copper wire, and even old bullet casings. If that makes no sense to you, read on:

Meet the beer tree. This pretty, but durable, little accessory is offering you a perfectly ripened harvest of…beer.

It’s also got some surprising components, like the spent casings that were used to create the floral details.

They were split open and hammered into “petals.”

Copper wire was used to assemble the petals.

After some trial and error (mostly error) involving Super Glue, TorchForge’s wife stepped in and took over flower fabrication.

TorchForge still doesn’t know exactly what she did, but it worked!

This steel stock would become the trunk and branches.

It was welded together to make the main support of the tree.

These pieces would become the branches, and were designed to have a tapered look, just like real tree branches.

After being welded together, the bundles were heated in a 2,000-degree (Fahrenheit) forge. While still glowing hot, they were twisted into flowing, organic shapes.

More curves were added using a hammer and anvil.

The branches were formed into beer-holding spirals.

Now for the base…

First, the stump was chiseled to look “less like a piece of firewood.”

The metal trunk was inserted into a hole and attached using JB Weld.

It took about a day to cure.

Here we see the beer tree taking shape, and the casing flowers being added.

It wouldn’t be complete without a way to open the bottles, so an opener was created.

TorchForge made this one from scratch by modeling it on a key chain bottle opener.

It was attached to the tree.

“Roots” were wrapped over the base. They don’t actually offer any support, so they were put on last.

After the whole thing was complete and secure, extra copper wire was run through the trunk and branches for contrast and texture.

And the beer tree was in full bloom!

It’s the perfect item for a sunny day in the garden.

(source Reddit)

While a beer tree might seem like a lot of work for simple beer storage, TorchForge is glad to have it, and says that it only took about two weeks to build, spending several hours per day on the project. And while he (obviously) likes a cold brew, you should of course never mix alcohol and power tools (or cars, or bikes, or texts to exes), if you want to live to enjoy the next crazy craft we cover.

One day, Kyle Bice headed over to his local drink-and-draw, a community activity where artsy types get together for a few pints and create artwork. On that day, however, Bice realized something: he’d forgotten his paints.

That small detail might have put a damper on things, but luckily, Bice is pretty innovative. Instead of having to rely on a fellow artist for materials, he simply used what was available: beer.

By using the beer, Bice achieves delicate sepia tones and a loose, watercolor-like style. The result is a timeless look, calling to mind vintage photos, but the Impressionistic style keeps it modern.

Bice has strong ties to the craft brewing world, too. He works as a label artist for New Holland Brewing, based out of Holland, Michigan, and he’s also a published author. After going on a promotional tour with New Holland, he found he could turn the Beer Portraits into a regular part of his work.

(via BoredPanda)

You can read the interviews with some of Bice’s sitters on his website, and see more of his work, too. When he’s not painting with beer, he also creates more traditional illustrations and paintings, which can be seen on his portfolio site. You can also watch his newest art unfold on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Originals are even available on his Etsy store for purchase.