Tap Handle #288: MillerCoors - Red Dog

Here we have the iconic Red Dog bulldog. I've wanted this tap for some time, as Kelly has a really great display that matches it. The head is made of a hard plastic rather than wood or resin. They aren't rare, but they are not prolific, either.

Red Dog was first introduced by Miller in 1994 as part of their Plank Road Brewery Family. The Plank Road name was resurrected in the 1990s to sell Icehouse and Red Dog as a more premium beer under a different name, so as not to directly associate them with Miller Brewing. Although popular during the mid-to-late 1990s, Red Dog faded into near-obscurity after the turn of the 21st century. However, since 2005 it has been making a comeback.

Brewed with two barley malts and five varieties of American hops, Red Dog is a bold, yet uncommonly smooth beer. Golden in color, Red Dog is a full-flavored lager with medium body and crisp, refreshing finish. It won a gold medal at the 2002 Great American Beer Festival. Weighted average on ratebeer.com is 1.46 out of 5 - barely enough to keep it out of ratebeer.com's 50 worst beers in the world list.

Red Dog has its own Facebook page, but does not have its own website; instead it has a brief mention on the MillerCoors website. For more about Miller Brewing, see this post.