I do magic at a bar. I'm planning on adding coin in bottle to my routine (With David Roth's "inside out bottle" ending if I can find one) but was wondering if anyone knew of any other effects that utilize beer bottles?

There are always plenty on hand. I heard (or rather read) someone mention a card in bottle in a thread here but they didn't elaborate. Any ideas?

The second thing that comes to mind (after coin or card in bottle) is bottle through the bar. It is a stunner of a trick especially done close up.

Then there is the floating bottle and the floating glass as you pour the beer/liquid (can’t be handed out).

You can produce the bottle (full) from a couple of paper napkins or have the bottle appear as the final load to your egg bag routine (almost every bar magician in Chicago in the late 50’s through the 60’s did this, of course later Tom Mullica made it a central part to his bar act in Atlanta. Maybe it’s time to bring it back!).

So there you have some ideas including a vanish, productions, and levitations just to start you brain storming.

Card Under Bottle, (J.C. Wagner) "this" is a comercial effect using 3 scarves to produce a bottle,
Topsy Turvy Bottles, Topit Vanish
Bottle thru Silk, Anti-gravity, just to name a few
Michael MacDonald

Check out Karl Fulves "Self working Handkerchief magic." It has Bob Read's original bottle production. Also check out Magicomedy by Caveny, his bottle production is AWESOME.

Corey B.

Check out Michael Weber's Cap in Bottle.
Perfect for a bar environment and parties.
I did it one time in a party people freaked out!
Highly Recommended
try it!!!

Harry, for bottle levitations..do you prefer power-lev-like-devices or Finnjon's technique?

Bottle Cap in Bottle is the hands down best IMO, and the best version is the one that Denny and Lee carry that Scotty York marketed using the Rey Ben gimmick.

Here's what it looks like. You take an empty bottle, make the cap penetrate through the bottom of the bottle, dump it out the top, make it penetrate through the bottom of the bottle again, and then hand them the bottle with the cap inside as a souvenir to take home.

I have one twist on it that I haven't revealed to other magicians yet, but do it exactly as described and you'll slay people. I've used it behind the bar to great effect.

Thanks for all the ideas (feel free to keep them coming ). Larry, I can't find the Scotty York effect you mentioned on the Denny & Lee site but "Daryl's Cap in Bottle" on MagicSmith.com sounds identical.

Is this going to get costly though? If I'm handing out the bottle will I have to spend 18 bucks everytime I want to do the trick?

Bravo, call Denny. Daryl's is NOT identical. And it will cost you no more than the price of the bottle you give away - - you only give them the bottle and the cap, and you reuse the gimmick which should last forever. If you can't locate this item, post a response to that effect and I'll track it down for you. It's the BEST!

Mr. Hyde, I was actually thinking about two different effects. One is the bottle levitation (the old gag/gimmick here, usually costs less than $5.00 USD and can be easily homemade). Finn Jon used something similar.

The other is the old “Floating Glass” as made popular by Lance Burton. There are about half dozen versions of this. The old gimmicked glass version is still very workable (and cheap).

Honestly I haven’t used the power levs at all. I still use my old simple (and primitive) methods. They work and get the reaction I want. Maybe someone else here can address those gimmicks.

Harry, I'm thinking the bottle lev you're using is basically Finn Jon's. How do you discard the gimmick easily, considering you perform surrounded by people?