Tap Handle #652: Greenbrier Valley - Mothman Black IPA

Tap size:  11"
Rarity:  less than 50 seen
Mounting:  3/8" ferrule on 5/16" anchor bolt

Back in tap post #636 I profiled the Greenbrier Valley Wild Trail featuring Sasquatch's foot. This second offering from Greenbrier Valley is actually my favorite of the two taps. It features the legendary mothman creature on top of metal tower. The mothman is quite ferocious-looking, with red eyes, a pointy, triangular mouth, claws, and large bird-like wings. The tap is three-sided, with the base bearing the name of the beer and the symbol of the brewery on all three sides. It rarely pops up on the secondary market and tends to sell for more than the Sasquatch foot.

For more about Greenbrier Valley Brewing, see this post.

In West Virginia folklore, the Mothman is a legendary creature reportedly seen in the Point Pleasant area from November 12, 1966, to December 15, 1967. The first newspaper report was published in the Point Pleasant Register dated November 16, 1966, titled "Couples See Man-Sized Bird ... Creature ... Something". The national press soon picked up the reports and helped spread the story across the country. The Mothman was introduced to a wider audience by Gray Barker in 1970, and later popularized by John Keel in his 1975 book The Mothman Prophecies, claiming that there were supernatural events related to the sightings, and a connection to the collapse of the Silver Bridge. The Mothman is the subject of regional folklore and popular culture. The 2002 film The Mothman Prophecies, starring Richard Gere, was based on Keel's book. An annual festival in Point Pleasant is devoted to the Mothman legend, and a 12 foot metallic statue of the creature, created by artist and sculptor Bob Roach, was unveiled in 2003. The Mothman Museum and Research Center opened in 2005.

Click through to read more about Greenbrier Valley's Mothman Black IPA and to see more photos of this frightening tap...

The Mothman Black IPA is a hop forward, medium bodied black ale. The strong hop flavor is from the use of the choicest Pacific Northwest hops; lending to a balanced bitterness of citrus and hints of floral. The German 2-row and English Crystal malts offer a touch of roasted toffee and chocolate. Mothman Black IPA was one of the brewery's initial offerings, and pays homage to a local legend.

Ratebeer weighted average:  3.39 out of 5

Beer Advocate:  85 out of 100 (very good)