Tap Handle #706: Manrock

November 08, 2018

Tap Handle #706: Manrock

Tap size: 11.25"
Rarity: less than 10 seen, fragile, small scale
Mounting: 3/8" ferrule on 5/16" anchor bolt

Manrock Brewing's tap is cool yet creepy, featuring the Grim Reaper wielding a scythe in one hand, while the other reaches around a tombstone to hold a frosty mug of beer. It's almost as if he's saying "Don't fear the reaper, because he likes beer too!" (Sorry, I couldn't resist throwing the Blue Oyster Cult reference in there.) At the top of the headstone is the "RIP" abbreviation, while at the bottom is the name of the brewery. The Grim Reaper undercurrent is thanks to owner Mike Hiebner's heritage...the inspiration came in part from a scythe hanging in his dad’s wood shop, and Mike's family has had a longtime, playful fascination with the character, which shows up on some of the label’s packaging and especially in many of the beer names. I've chosen to profile their Apocalyptic Double IPA. Due to several sharp corners and edges, this tap is subject to damage along those edges. It is also quite rare, with very few appearing on the secondary market.

Click through to read more about Manrock Brewing Company, their Apocalyptic Double IPA, and to see more photos of this foreboding tap...

ManRock Brewing Company was founded in Grover Beach, California in 2012 by Mike and Desiha Hiebner. Mike was in the corporate retail management field while his wife Deshia was a full-time accountant. After multiple relocations that saw them end up in the California central coast area, they put down roots not far from where Mike's maternal great-grandparents, Henry Mansfield and Franny Plaskett, had homesteaded from 1888 until 1964. Family connections were important to Mike, and it comes as no surprise that family - Mike’s mother, who was a homebrewer herself - set him up with his first homebrewing kit. From there, Mike went straight into building his own little brewing system and learned how to brew. In 2011, Mike decided he wanted to pursue his dream of brewing for a living. He and Deshia had been talking about it for 10 years, until Mike finally made the decision.

It took a lot of hard work, creativity, and community support to make it happen. The name Manrock was chosen, a shortened version of "Mansfield Rock", which was a large coastal rock formation named after Mike's great-grandfather, as a way to keep the family history alive. The Hiebners initially chose a very small location in Grover Beach in 2012, but soon they needed more capacity as they outgrew their tasting room. In 2014 they moved to a larger, much more visible location, which included a patio space with a wood-fire brick pizza oven, a five-barrel brewing system and a tap room that boasts big screen TVs and 17 taps. Although the goal is to have the majority of taps pouring ManRock beers, they occasional feature guest taps from other Southern California breweries like Coronado Brewing and Hanger 24. Deisha runs the kitchen, Mike handles the brewing, and their two adult children also participate. Their daughter, Paige, was a fermentation science major at Allan Hancock College and managed the tasting room while handling the marketing and graphics, while their son Blake helps in the kitchen, brewery, and in the tasting room as well.

ManRock specializes in ales but dabbles in every type of beer. Their IPA is an East Coast style, rather than West Coast. Mike's philosophy is to stick to brewing styles that he's good at. In addition to blonde, amber, house IPA, double IPA, seasonal stouts, and bourbon-barrel-aged beers, Manrock also produces a tangy, mildly sweet mead. Wine from regional wineries is also available by the glass. The Hiebners are choosy about the festivals in which they participate because the beer-making process is time and labor intensive, and they prefer festivals the help support the local community.