Tap Handle #501: Parallel 49 - Gypsy Tears Ruby Ale
Rarity: Very Rare
Mounting: internal 3/8" nut
This tap comes to the Museum courtesy of the fine people at Parallel 49 Brewing, and it's definitely a great addition! Featuring a bust of "Ruby", a beautiful dark-haired gypsy woman in a red dress, the detail and sculpting make this one an instant classic. She manages to look sensual and dangerous at the same time! There is a rose in her hair, she holds another behind her back with gloved hands, and wears a gold hoop earring, all of which are nice, subtle touches of detail. The name of the beer is displayed on a banner, and below that is the symbol of the brewery. This tap is very rare, and the secondary market price reflects that.
Click through to read more about Parallel 49 Brewing, their Gypsy Tears Ruby Ale, and to see more photos of this beguiling tap...
Parallel 49 Brewing Company was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 2012 by Mike Sleeman, Anthony Frustagli, Nick Paladino, Scott Venema, Graham With, and Michael Tod. Sleeman, Frustagli, and Paladino grew up together in East Vancouver less than ten minutes from the spot where the brewery now stands. They were home brewers and craft beer enthusiasts for years before they finally decided to join forces and go into business together. In 2008, the three friends quit their day jobs and opened a restaurant/pub called St. Augustine's, that quickly became known as a destination for craft beer in Vancouver. As the restaurant business thrived, they began to focus on opening their own brewery. They teamed up with Graham With, a home brewer with a degree in Chemical Process Engineering from the University of British Columbia and who had founded the VanBrewers network of home brewers, and Michael Tod, a friend with sales experience in the craft beer industry.
Initial demand for their product took off and they couldn't keep up. In 2012 they added a tasting room that included a specialized Growler filling station. The specialized equipment purged the growler of Oxygen and replaced it with CO2, keeping beer fresh for longer periods. They were the the first in Canada to employ an alternative carbonation system that puts a drop of liquid nitrogen in each bottle. They also expanded the brewery and added an enormous warehouse which stores and refrigerates the beer before shipping it off to the pubs and restaurants around the city. Parallel 49 beers, besides being distributed around the city, go to the Prairie provinces and Ontario. The brewery won four Canadian Craft Beer Awards in 2013, including a gold medal for its Belgian Style Abbey Ale, and silver medals for American Style India Pale Ale, Brown Ale and Wood and Barrel Aged Strong Beer. They currently have four year round varieties as well as several seasonals and specialty brews.
Gypsy Tears is a ruby red colored amber ale with a rich caramel malt flavor and a burst of West Coast hops. Using only late hop additions and dry-hopping, the bitterness is restrained while the hop flavor and aroma are pronounced.
Ratebeer Weighted average: 3.36 out of 5
Beer Advocate: 87 out of 100 (very good)
Parallel 49 Brewing Company
1950 Triumph St.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5L 1K5
Source Material
Parallel 49 website
There are a couple of these for sale on eBay, unfortunately the price is kind of high $399!
ReplyDeletei have one but can't seem to find any sort of price guide, and couldn't find her on ebay
ReplyDelete