Tap Handle #773: Rebel Mettle: Hot Rod

Tap size:  9.5"

Rarity:  less than 10 seen

Mounting:  black 3/8" ferrule on 5/16" anchor bolt

This is the tap I was originally trying to obtain from Rebel Mettle but received the Gas Pump tap instead, which I didn't even know existed. Rebel Mettle Brewing owner Mike Brown was kind enough to recognize my mistake and sell me this tap as well, which is known as "Hot Rod", or Rebel Mettle's "Signature" tap. I think it's so cool that the tap is essentially a stack of tires, and I love the way the snake weaves in and out of them. The top features the same brewery logo that the Gas Pump tap does, but it is encased within a tire that sits up vertically. The tire in the middle of the sculpture reads "CIN * USA" in a nod to the brewery's location in Cincinnati, Ohio. The backside features the same top logo and writing on the middle tire, but features a different look due to the snake. The detail is fantastic, from the patterning of the snake's scales and the treads on the tires to the snake's flickering tongue. The black ferrule is also a nice custom touch. And like the Gas Pump tap, the Hot Rod tap has not appeared on the secondary market, as the brewery is still fairly new.

For more about Rebel Mettle, see this post.

Scroll down to see more photos of this intricately entangled tap...