Take two children's hula hoops, make a T cross and wind five turns of wire through the hoops. Voilá, you now have a superb medium wave DX antenna.
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/loop/hulaloop.html
designed to be used in conjunction with the standard 4 foot square loop used in MW for long distance reception.
http://www.zen22142.zen.co.uk/Circuits/rf/qmult.html
Here's a look at British Wellbrooks active loop for the 150 kHz to 30 MHz frequency range
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/loop/ala1530.html
There have been several times that the loop has made the differrence between hearing a station or not. Though the antenna is not a beverage, it is a good alternative.
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/loop/coaxloop.html
GM3MXN describes a loop useable from 7 - 21 mHz, using half inch copper tube 3 feet in circumference.
http://www.g3ycc.karoo.net/loop.htm
This inductively coupled booster requires no power, and has no amplifier to introduce noise of its own. It is easy to construct from common material
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/loop/inducloop.html
The Wellbrook ALA 1530 loop antenna is a nice antenna for those with limited space. But when space is no object, passive antennas are always best.
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/loop/ala1530.html
Different active and passive loop antennas, performance, construction and comparison.
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/loop/index.html