Tap Handle #402: Martin House - There Will Be Stout/The Imperial Texan

May 22, 2014

Tap Handle #402: Martin House - There Will Be Stout/The Imperial Texan

Tap size: 10"
Rarity: Rare
Mounting: internal 3/8" nut

Since this tap bears two different labels, I've decided to profile both beer varieties. The tap itself looks like wood, but is actually made of resin...it's likely that the original was cut from wood with a scroll saw, then a mold was made and resin was poured in the mold to create the tap. Though it is not colorful or detailed, it's still got a great profile, featuring purple martins in flight stacked on top of each other. I've only seen a few appear and I haven't seen any since, although the price was very reasonable thanks to its simplicity.

Click through to read more about Martin House, the brewery's The Imperial Texan and There Will Be Stout beers, and to see more photos of the tap...

The Martin House Brewery was founded in Fort Worth, Texas in 2013 by David Wedemeier, Cody Martin, and Adam Myers. The two men met in college and shared an appreciation for beer. After college, Martin and Wedemeier remained friends but took different paths...Wedemeier worked in the telecom industry (which made him miserable), while Martin pursued engineering. Everything changed when Martin's wife gave him a homebrew kit for his birthday. When the Martins moved in with the Wedemeiers and another couple, the foundation for Martin House really began to take root. Wedemeier raised enough money from friends and family to quit his job, and within three or four months, the business plan was solidified. They brought on their friend Myers, a civil engineer, to head up construction and become the third founder. They chose the name Martin House not only because it was Cody's last name, but also for the purple martin birdhouse behind the brewery that represents the communal living the Martins and Wedemeiers experienced.

They found a large warehouse that overlooked both the downtown skyline and the Trinity River and put some work into it. Sliding back doors open to a vast lot ripe for tail-gaiting, where the brewery sets up boards for games of washers. They currently brew 8 varieties, and their beers are now on draft at more than 130 bars and restaurants across North Texas with plans to go statewide. They have retained a DIY, grassroots spirit...the brewery’s small, partly automated beer-canning machine is still loaded by hand, three beers at a time. Collaboration is also part of the spirit of the brewery...they belong to a monthly North Texas craft brewers guild, and a beer tied to the musical group Toadies has been fruitful as well, with the band members giving input into a beer dubbed Rubberneck Red in honor of their platinum-selling album.

There Will Be Stout is the Original Pretzel Stout, brewed with over six pounds of crushed sourdough pretzels per barrel. The salty fingerprint of the pretzels works with the sweet and roasty flavors of the chocolate malted & roasted barley to give this beer a flavor that is much greater than the sum of its parts.

Ratebeer weighted average: 3.45 out of 5

Beer Advocate: 88 out of 100 (very good)

The Imperial Texan is an American Strong Ale with a profusion of hop flavor and aroma. Two pounds of American hops per barrel are added very late in the beer making process, The Imperial Texan is able to retain a wondrously piney and resinous hop character that perfectly balances its smooth but strong and dry malt backbone. This beer has a sticky presence that puts each sip perfectly on the tongue.