06/04/2026
Hello!
I've been waiting 5 months to make this post, and I'm excited (a bit nervous) to finally share the completed PiggyBack Rides electronic tap handle created for Launch Pad Brewery Aurora
At the beginning of this year, I challenged myself to improve in several areas: product photography, 3D design, painting, electronics, and video production. I am a hands-on kind of person so learning while doing is my preferred method. What started as a custom tap handle quickly turned into an opportunity to dive headfirst into some intimidating software and tools, including Blender, Adobe Premiere Pro, Arduino programming, and more.
The original goal was to build a unique electronic tap handle. (A massive undertaking in itself.) The video wasn't part of the plan. But once I started taking glamour shots and collecting footage, the rabbit hole opened. A rocket launch clip here, a spaceship sound effect there, and before I knew it I had enough footage for a 30-minute cinematic edit. After a lot of cutting, trimming, editing, and re-editing, it became the final video you're watching today.
The final video ended up being just over 3 minutes long, and I know some of you death-scrollers are already thinking, "Ugh." But if you stick it out, I think you'll enjoy the ride. There are a lot of details, lighting effects, sounds, and little moments packed into it that make the whole project come together.
This project pushed me well outside my comfort zone and taught me a tremendous amount along the way. I'm definitely not an expert in all these disciplines, but that's part of the fun. Every project is a chance to learn something new.
A huge thank you to Launch Pad Brewery Aurora for trusting me with this build and giving me the opportunity to create something completely over the top.
🚀 PROJECT STATS 🚀
• Project Start: January 2, 2026
• Project End: May 31, 2026
• Total Duration: 149 Days
• Estimated Hours: 330–400+
• 6 Tap Handles Created
• The electronic tap handle took about 28 hours to print (and it's Version 6)
• The 5 client tap handles took about a week to make from design to build
• 17 Software Platforms Used
• 15+ Disciplines Involved
• Custom Audio, Lighting & Interactive Features
• 3 Minute 8 Second Promotional Film
• Designed. Built. Programmed. Filmed. Delivered.
• Project Status: Mission Accomplished
Hope you enjoy the video as much as I enjoyed creating it.
