Tap Handle #466: Thatcher's - Green Goblin Cider

Tap size:  10.25"
Rarity:  Very Rare
Mounting:  internal 3/8" nut

The Green Goblin tap was sculpted by the same artist that did the popular Hobgoblin tap. In fact, many people would associate this tap with the Wychwood Brewery (which produces Hobgoblin) - but that would be incorrect. It is an easy mistake, since Wychwood once owned the Green Goblin brand; however, the tap was produced by Thatcher's after they acquired the brand in 2010. Thatchers had been making the cider under contract for Wychwood, but struck a deal to take over the brand themselves, and began marketing it heavily. The tap was part of that marketing plan, including a U.S. distribution that has brought the cider and the tap to America. It is very similar to the Hobgoblin tap in detail and limited color scheme, but check out the chalice and the fingernails and you'll see a bit more detail. They do come up from time to time, and the price has dropped and then stabilized over the past year, but it's still fairly expensive.

Click through to read more about Thatcher's, their Green Goblin Cider, and to see more photos of the fantastic tap...

Tap Handle #465: Foster's (SABMiller) - Surfboard

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

Our tap handle tour continues with another Australian beer tap, following the Matilda Bay Redback tap in the previous post. Although the Foster's surfboard is the most common Foster's figural tap, the price can vary wildly. The tap is a deep blue (which you can see on the back), with a decal on the front bearing the Foster's name and logo, and some yellow and light blue patterns decorating the surface. If you decide to pick up one of these taps, watch for decals that were not applied properly, creating bubbles or creases under the decal. The mounting nut is placed in a small protrusion from the base, which tilts the surfboard back and gives it kind of a cool profile.

Click through to read more about the storied Foster's brand, their lager, and to see more photos of this radical tap...

Tap Handle #464: Matilda Bay (CUB/Foster's/SABMiller) - Redback Original

Tap size:  13.75
Rarity:  Scarce
Mounting:  standard 3/8" ferrule on 5/16" anchor bolt

Several years ago I thought I had one of these, but let it slip through my grasp. I finally got my hands on one last year, and though I had to pay quite a bit more, it's worth it. This one's a beauty, from the faux knife handle to the blade that has been highlighted with a bronze color. The tip of the blade is not visible, as the knife has been stuck into a chunk of "wood". The base, made to look like wood, is three-sided. with the label appearing on each side. I have no idea when these were produced but it had to have been during the Foster's ownership era. Since this one is only the third one I've ever seen and it's a foreign tap, it is quite scarce.

Click through to read more about Matilda Bay Brewing, their Redback Original Lager, and to see more photos of this sharp-looking tap...

Tap Handle #463: Liebmann (Drinks Americas) - Rheingold Extra Dry Lager

Tap size:  12.75"
Rarity:  Scarce
Mounting:  internal 3/8" nut

This tap is one of my "cream of the crop" taps. It's expensive, scarce, and awesome. The detail work and paint job are amazing - this really looks like the Statue of Liberty's hand and torch...a fitting tap for New York City's most famous beer! The tap is hollow and has a light feature...two screws at the top of the torch are removed, then the flame lifts out, bringing wires and a battery holder with it (that are stored inside the hollow tap). Two AA batteries light a bulb inside the flame, but it does not stay lit; instead, there is a motion sensor that makes the light flicker when the tap is moved. It's almost impossible to capture using photos (see my last picture), but it is a cool effect and makes the tap very unique. I'm unable to determine whether the tap was produced during the Michael Mitaro era from 1996-2005 (when a large amount of investor funds were pumped into marketing), or the later 2005-2012 period under Drinks America. Whichever period it hales from, neither the tap nor the beer are still in production, making the tap is quite rare - I've only seen one other.

Click through to read more about Liebmann Brewing, their legendary Rheingold lager, and to see more photos of this iconic tap...

Tap Handle #462: Coastal Extreme - Castle Hill Windward Weiss

Tap size:  10.75"
Rarity:  Scarce
Mounting:  internal 3/8" nut

The Castle Hill Windward Weiss tap handle is the eighth lighthouse tap I have profiled since starting the blog. Like the Cheboygan lighthouse tap, this one is based on a real lighthouse, Castle Hill, which is located on Narragansett Bay in Newport, Rhode Island at the end of the historic Ocean Drive. It is an active navigation aid for vessels entering the East Passage between Conanicut Island and Aquidneck Island. The lighthouse was completed in 1890 on property formerly belonging to the naturalist, oceanographer, and zoologist Alexander Agassiz of Harvard University. Agassiz sold the land for the lighthouse to the United States Government for $1.00. Although the lighthouse is not open to the public, the shoreline and cliff face where the lighthouse sits are accessible by several footpaths from the Castle Hill Inn and the Castle Hill Cove Marina. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988 as Castle Hill Lighthouse.

The tap itself is beautiful, featuring an excellent likeness of the lighthouse, with a small outcropping of rock next to it. Below that, the long base extends down to a unique, flat ferrule. The detailing down the base resembles wainscoting paneling. At the foot of the base is a tufted grass symbol with the words "Newport Restaurant Group". Windward Weiss beer is made by Coastal Extreme exclusively for Newport's Castle Hill Inn (pictured right), a magnificent hotel and restaurant near the lighthouse that was originally Agassiz's summer home, and the beer is not found on the Coastal Extreme website. As a result, the tap is very scarce - I have never seen another.

Click through to read more about Coastal Extreme Brewing, their Castle Hill Windward Weiss, and to see more photos of this majestic tap...

Tap Handle #461: Steam Whistle - Premium Pilsner

Tap size:  8.25"
Rarity:  Very Rare
Mounting:  internal 3/8"

The first thing you notice about the Steam Whistle tap when you are holding it in your hand is how heavy it is. The tap comes in three different sizes: small, large, and extra large. This is the small version, and it weighs two pounds! I'm not sure what it is made of - perhaps machined stainless steel - but it is very impressive despite its short stature. The label, which is a separate piece but attached to the base and also made of metal, has a bluish color that is a nice touch. There is no ferrule, but simply a long extension of the base with an internal thread. The front and back of the tap are identical to each other, as are the two sides to each other. I have seen very few of these on the secondary market, and I imagine the shipping costs are expensive based on the weight.

Click through to read more about Steam Whistle Brewing, their world-class Premium Pilsner, and to see more photos of this hefty tap...

Tap Handle #460: Oaken Barrel - Razz-Wheat

Tap size:  8.5"
Rarity:  scarce
Mounting:  internal 3/8" nut

Even though this tap is a bit simple, I wanted it for the scarcity and because it features a barrel. The raspberries in the front are quite colorful, and the letters "OB" are sculpted into the side of the barrel. Below the raspberries is a sign indicating the variety. This is the one of the two Oaken Barrel taps I own, and it is quite rare - I've never seen another.

Click through to read more about Oaken Barrel Brewing, their award-winning Razz-Wheat beer, and to see more photos of the tap...

Tap Handle #459: Flying Mouse - Five

Tap size:  11.75"
Rarity:  Scarce
Mounting:  standard 3/8" ferrule on 5/16" anchor bolt

I'd like you to meet a new friend of mine. His name is Bartleby Hopsworth, and he's the official mascot of the Flying Mouse Brewery. Brewery owner Frank Moeller explains:

“I’ve always had a thing for bats (a “flying mouse” as it is called in other languages), and we initially selected a bat as the character around which the brand of the brewery would be developed. As the idea of the brewery grew, along with our thoughts of linking the brewery with the “steampunk” design concepts born out of the books of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, it was decided that the character should be an example of the spirit of invention, and actually be a mouse that invents a set of mechanical wings in order to fly. The idea of a small mouse wanting to become something so much more than it is also embodies the idea we have for the brewery experience, and how a small brewery can be about more than just making beer.”

The tap is full of all kinds of amazing little details. A bust of Bartleby at the top of the tap shows off his winged jet pack suit. Below that is a copper barrel inscribed with the word "Flymo:b", and sporting a couple of gears, one of which holds the numeric labels (see right). Under the barrel is small chamber that almost looks like beer or an energy source, with little electrical diagrams across the entire surface. At the very bottom is what looks like stitched leather. All over the tap you can find small details such as aging effects, rivets, and gauges. Another steampunk tap added to the collection is cause for celebration! I have a feeling this tap will appear more in the future as the brewery grows, but at this time the tap is scarce.

Click through to read more about Flying Mouse Brewery, their Flying Mouse Five brew, and to see more photos of this incredible tap...

Tap Handle #458: Mammoth Brewing - Golden Trout Pilsner

Tap size:  10"
Rarity:  Scarce
Mounting:  standard 3/8" ferrule on 5/16" anchor bolt

Mammoth Golden Trout is a beautiful tap featuring bas relief styling. At the top is a mountain scene with the words "Mammoth Brewing Company" in front of the mountains. Towards the bottom is a red ribbon with "Pilsner" written on it. The main feature, however, is a large trout leaping out of water with "Golden Trout" written above it. This tap dates to an early period in the brewery's history...Mammoth has long since switched to simpler style of tap, and as a result, this tap is long out of production, making it scarce. Like a lot of taps I've profiled lately, I've never seen another one of these.

Click through to read more about Mammoth Brewing, their Golden Trout Pilsner, and to see more photos of the tap...