Poppin’ Bottles: The Gropener

The GrabOpener—or the Gropener, if you can repress your giggles—is for any bartender, party host, or beer drinker looking for an easy, one-handed way to pop the top off a bottle of beer (or any other non-screw top, bottled beverages).

The handy device—which is used by bartenders at Gaetano’s, the Squeaky Bean, and even Jack Doyle’s Bar & Restaurant in NYC—was designed by Denver native and photographer/entrepreneur Mark Manger. He was inspired by makeshift bottle openers (a screw and wooden block combo) while living in Ghana during his stint in the Peace Corps. The ingenuity of the homemade openers would eventually inspire the GrabOpener when he was back living in Denver.

Although not the first one-handed beer bottle opener, the GrabOpener is designed to work with just “a single motion,” which makes it easier for someone who is working with limited strength, movability, or motion. It’s for “anyone in a position where they only have one hand free,” says Manger, and doesn’t require a lot of effort. The GrabOpeners, which are made of extruded aluminum bars from Utah, are cut, produced, and packaged in Colorado. Shop for your own personal GrabOpener here.

Bonus: Manger works with several Denver-area workshops throughout the GrabOpener’s production process, including Shalom Denver, which provides training and employment opportunities for special needs adults in the area.

(Note: The hand in the picture isn’t holding the GrOpener properly. Please watch the how-to video. Also, read more 5280 beer coverage throughout the month of October.)

—Image courtesy of Bradi Wells