Tap Handle #359: Natty Greene's - Old Town Brown Ale

Tap Size: 12.25"
Rarity:  Uncommon
Mounting:  standard 3/8" ferrule on 5/16" anchor bolt

This beauty has a metal body, giving it a very solid feel. The top is resin, and the difference between varieties is the label on the upper part. At the very top of the tap is a likeness of Nathanael Greene. I had a difficult time photographing this tap due to the reflections of the light off the metal. The tap is fashioned after a big tank sitting out in front of Natty Greene's brewery.

Click through for more photos and to read more about Natty Greene's and their Old Town Brown Ale...

Natty Greene's was founded in 2004 in Greensboro, North Carolina by Chris Lester and Kayne Fisher. Lester and Fisher were college students in the 1990's that were passionate about beer and the Revolutionary War. In 1996 they took ownership of the Spring Garden Bar and Grill in Greensboro, turning it into a showcase for unique craft beers from Colorado and Oregon (North Carolina did not have readily available craft beer), and renaming it Old Town Draught House. Between 1998 they opened two more pubs.

In 2004 they got the brewery off the ground, opening Natty Greene's Pub & Brewing Co. in a renovated three-story building.  The brewery, as well as the city of Greensboro, were named for Nathanael Greene, a Rhode Island native who became one of George Washington’s most trusted generals and whose tactics helped win the Revolutionary War. In 2006, due to rising demand, Natty Greene's opened a production brewery to bottle beer, which was expanded in 2010.

Also in 2010 Natty Greene's opened the Raleigh brewhouse in the old early 1900s Raleigh Electric powerhouse, with a restaurant area and two pub/bar areas. Capacity increased from 6,000 barrels to over 20,000 barrels, and Natty Greene's became the 30th fastest-growing brewery in the country by 2013. Distribution has expanded outside of North Carolina to Virginia and Washington D.C., with plans to sell up the East Coast from Florida to New York.

Old Town is a brown ale that's driven by its malt character. In crafting its flavor profile, seven malts and only one hop are used, and it is filtered to remove the masking flavors of the yeast and proteins. Notes of sweet toasted malt and baker’s chocolate define the flavor of Old Town Brown. Smooth and easygoing, it's a great beer to settle in with at the end of the day. Weighted average on ratebeer.com is 3.24 out of 5.

Natty Greene's Official Website

Source Material

Natty Greene's website