Tap Handle #307: Jungle Brewing - Jaguar Jungle Brew

I really liked this tap but I was hesitant to buy it, since I wasn't sure it was real. After a little more research I bought it, and I haven't seen another since. A very rare and very cool tap, and in great condition - thanks to legal issues (see below), this tap never even made it into bar and is brand new.

What information I have on Jungle Brewing seems extremely confusing. According to some reports, River City Brewing in Jacksonville, Florida was unable to sell their Jag Lite beer at Jacksonville Jaguars football games, due to a Florida law that states brewpubs cannot own breweries and vice versa. Supposedly, River City turned to the Williamsville Brewery in Fernandina Beach to have their beers brewed under contract. The Williamsville Brewery in Richmond, Virginia owned the Fernandina Beach location, as well as the Main Street Beer Company and Wilmington Brewing in Farmville, North Carolina (which they acquired in 2000). Williamsville filed a trademark for the Jungle Brewing Company, but something went wrong (exactly what isn't clear). Jaguar Jungle Brew was only produced for a short time by Wilmington Brewing before legal issues shut the Jungle Brewing operation down. Eventually Williamsville and all of its breweries closed. Interestingly enough, there must have been a change to the laws in Florida, as River City is now able to brew their Jag Lite themselves. Then again, some of the information here may not have been accurate to begin with.


There is no entry for Jungle Brew on ratebeer.com. Beer Advocate describes it as a Dortmunder/Export Lager but has no ratings.

Since Jungle Brewing, Williamsville Brewing, and Wilmington Brewing are all defunct, there is no website for this brand.