A toast to the memory of the Katz Coaster company

[Neil Yamamoto]

You know, those absorbant coasters with advertising and given away by almost every beer company at some point in time. "Drink diapers" as I call them.

The Katz Coaster company controlled about 60% of the European market and 97% of the USA market for the beer coaster.

All of us know someone who collects them, or we have passed time with coaster games on the bar room table. But times are tough for beer sales, so it rolls downhill to Katz losing business and declaring bankruptcy.

The beer coaster made its debut back in 1880. (Not quite making the cut to be koryu) Friedrich Horn, a German printing and board mill company, created small cardboard mats and printed messages on them. Pub owners liked them since they protected their tables, were disposable, and were typically free from the breweries or advertisers.

So, while not a major thing, it is a part of drinking and pub culture I will miss if they disappear. I hope some other company will take up the slack, and games of coaster hockey and football will be with us for years to come.

This also opens the door for new high tech options though. See below link.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4298344.stm