The Museum Turns 12 Years Old, Part 2: Top 25 Taps Acquired

The subject of the top taps I acquire within a particular year is always among my most popular posts. In the past it was a top 10 list, but in 2020 I expanded it from a top 10 to a top 15. For this year, 15 taps just wouldn't do. Due to the higher number of overall acquisitions this year, I ended up with many really fantastic taps that I felt compelled to include in this post...in fact, it was pretty tough to cut the number down to 25. Inclusion on the list was based primarily on scarcity and desirability; price was not necessarily a factor. I didn't really profile any new acquisitions from partnerships with breweries or tap manufacturers this past year, except for one tap from Sour Cellars. Since that tap has already appeared on the site, in this post I'm going to focus on other taps I acquired that have not been profiled yet. These acquisitions are presented in no particular order...

#1:  Midland Brewing - Copper Harbor Ale

This Copper Harbor Ale tap is really beautiful in person, photos don't really do it justice. It is a fine representation of the Copper Harbor Lighthouse located in Copper Harbor, Michigan, inside Fort Wilkins Historic State Park. It is also a Michigan State Historic Site and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A couple of these taps did show up on the secondary market for reasonable prices but there hasn't been one listed in over a year.

#2:  Hatuey (v2) - Cuban Style Lager

I refer to this version of the Hatuey tap as version 2, as the original tap is much older (see tap profile #710). From the limited information I was able to find, it appears that the version 2 taps were created in 2022 to celebrate the release of Hatuey's new Cuban Style Lager. Up to that point, Hatuey had produced only a Pale Ale. I've seen 2 of these new taps hit the secondary market, one with the Pale Ale label and this one with the Lager label. Of the two new taps, I'm happy that the Lager came my way because it is a new beer. The other version 2 tap, which had the Pale Ale label, sold for over $350!

#3 & #4:  Thirsty Frog - Caribbean Wheat and Red Ale

This past year I was able to acquire 2 Thirsty Frog taps, the Caribbean Wheat and Red Ale varieties. Both are very hard to come by... Thirsty Frog beers are produced for and served exclusively on Carnival Cruise Line ships. There are 2 other varieties plus a separate Frisky Frog tap. They are also not available for sale, so it takes some work and/or a bit of luck to get a hold of one. I've seen these in the hands of collectors, but only a couple have hit the secondary market, where they command prices of $150 and up.

#5:  Emerald Republic - 10 Wraiths IPA

I was excited to acquire this tap...not just because it is so amazing, but also because I really want to tell the story of the brewery - a story of perseverance. The brewery, located in Pensacola, Florida, has been shut down 3 times in 3 years: in 2019 for Covid, in 2020 for Hurricane Sandy (which damaged the brewery), and in 2021 for a microburst - an extreme weather phenomenon- which damaged 90% of the brewery. Later in 2021 they re-opened and have been doing well since. The tap is not old and I expect to see more appear in the future. I have seen 1 on the secondary market that was a green and white color scheme, and it sold for over $150.

#6:  Crown Valley - Gunslinger Double IPA

Crown Valley's Gunslinger is an example of a tap that makes this list not because it's costly, but because it's so hard to find. I've been chasing this tap since 2016 with no luck. This past year I finally got one and can remove it from my wish list. I have 2 other Crown Valley taps but this one is by far my favorite. According to reviews, the brewery is just a side business - their winery, distillery, and packaging facility are the main focus. They were sued last year for bacteria in one of their bottled drinks and Pabst is involved in the story - it's pretty fascinating. I've seen 4 of these taps hit the secondary market at great prices ($40-$100), but they get scooped up quickly.

#7:  Lucky Girl - Haunted Pumpkin Ale

This is a tap I've been trying to acquire since I saw it on the Tap Handles website back in 2016. Like the Crown Valley Gunslinger, Lucky Girl's Haunted Pumpkin Ale tap is not expensive when it appears, but I've only ever seen 2 others. The brewery's story is so crazy you can't make it up...dying investors, a building that caught fire 3 times within 24 hours and burned to the ground, and a wacky Instagram account. They are listed as temporarily closed but it's been well over a year so there's really no telling if they are coming back.

#8:  Alexander Keith's Galaxy Hop Ale

Here's another tap I've wanted since a fellow collector showed me a photo in 2016. It's simply a gorgeous, magnificent tap. I've never seen one on the secondary market, although I know of several collectors that have one. The brewery, based in Nova Scotia, Canada, has quite a history that goes back to 1820, although it is currently owned by Anheuser-Busch/InBev.

#9:  Shiner - TexHex IPA

There are a couple of plain versions of the Shiner TexHex IPA tap, but the figural version is absolutely incredible. The details are fantastic, from the weathered look of the clothes and the fringe on the jacket to the rattlesnake border on the signage. The color is also incredible, the blue, pink and yellow really pop. But it's the light-up eyes that really set this tap over the top. Just a phenomenal tap design and execution. This is reflected in the price...roughly 8 have hit the secondary market, with prices ranging from a low of $295 to a high of $700!

#10:  Lucette - Shining Dawn

My Lucette collection is now complete with the addition of Shining Dawn. This is the hardest of the 5 Lucette taps to find and I've been seeking it for many years. It first appeared in 2013, and every time this tap hit the secondary market it got snatched up immediately. Of the 7 that have appeared, the price ranged from $29 (for a slightly damaged copy) to $305.

#11:  Parallel 49 - Wobblypop

Parallel 49's Wobblypop is an amazing find. This is a prototype that was never put into production, so to my knowledge it is the only one that exists. Many thanks to a fellow collector who helped this come into my possession. Eventually the tap will go to that collector, but for now it exists only in the Museum. I imagine there was supposed to be a decal on the red signage area that would have had the name "Wobblypop" on it.

#12:  Apple Knocker

I'm not entirely certain, but I believe this Apple Knocker tap is also a prototype. I have two versions of the tap...one is hand carved, and the other is 3-D printed. I have no idea whether the tap was actually put into production or not. It was made for Owl Creek Vineyard in Cobden, Illinois, which primarily produces wine but has put a lot of effort into the cider operation that was first launched in 2012. The style of the tap reminds me a bit of Redhook's Seedy Blonde (tap profile# 679). Traditionally, an "apple knocker" was anyone who would sell, grow or pick apples. Later on, it became more of an adverse term for a working class individual. The name of the cider ties in to the local Cobden high school, whose mascot is an apple knocker. When the high school first began to compete in athletics, it did not yet have a mascot, so other schools started using the unflattering phrase "apple knockers" to insult the new school. However, when Cobden High School made it to the state basketball championship in 1964, the name stuck, and this mascot became the pride of Southern Illinois, showing the world what a small town could really do.

#13:  Gritty's IPA

First produced in the 2012-2013 timeframe, this beautiful tap popped up in Gritty's online store in 2014. I kept putting off buying it as I chased more rare handles. Unfortunately I waited too long and they left the store in late 2015...only now have I finally managed to snare this fine specimen. While they have appeared on the secondary market in decent numbers over the years, they had either too much damage for my liking or they were too expensive - it was hard for me to swallow paying $100-$150 for this (or the current asking price of $235!) when I could have bought one for $40. But it all worked out in the end - I just had to wait a little while.

#14:  ShuBrew

Back in 2018, about 3-4 of these hit the secondary market as new and in the box from the same seller. Unfortunately, all of them were shipped without the box in an envelope (I know some of the people that bought the others that were listed). Needless to say, mine (as well as those of the other buyers) arrived in about 100 pieces. It was one of the most disappointing purchases I have made. Museum Restoration Expert Kelly could not even salvage it. Like the Gritty's IPA above, I finally got one, I just had to wait a while. They are extremely hard to find now, with less than 10 popping up, and none appearing since 2022.

#15:  Four Stacks - Double Circles

This awesome tap was made by Four Stacks Brewing in Tampa, Florida back around 2018. Four Stacks was doing contract brewing for a restaurant/brewpub called Circles. However, from what I have been able to dig up, ownership of Four Stacks changed hands in 2019 and the new owner stopped brewing operations, turning Four Stacks into a taphouse and ending their agreement with Circles. The tap was produced for a Circles house beer called "Double Circles", and based on the imagery of the tap, I'll let you guess for yourself what the meaning of Double Circles is. This is 1 of only 2 that I've ever seen.

#16:  Gambrinus?

I'll admit to being stumped on this one. There's no label indicating beer name or brewery. I swear I've seen it before but can't place where. When I reached out to other collectors, no one else knew what it was, although one person suggested it might belong to Gambrinus. The tap is absolutely stunning, and for now it remains a mystery.

#17:  Goslings Rum

I believe this Goslings tap might be fairly new, as the first one I saw was less than a year ago. Since then I have seen 3 others, all going for over $125. As a spirits tap I would expect the production run to be limited. Time will tell if more appear on the secondary market.

#18:  Redhook - Storm Surge Hazy IPA

I was very excited to add this one to the museum. It was first introduced in 2021 and won an award for Tap Handles LLC. Like the Redhook Atomic Robot tap I acquired last year, I believe this beer has a limited distribution on tap in the Pacific Northwest - it is primarily found in cans. As a result, you aren't likely to see many of these floating around. In fact, this one is only the second that I've seen.

#19:  Bud Light - State Fair Of Texas

I've seen multiple versions of a State Fair of Texas tap, and I believe they may have all been made by different manufacturers. Some were produced by Shiner, while others were produced by Bud Light. This is by far my favorite State Fair of Texas tap. It is fairly new but was a very limited run, so it may be hard to find, as it was used to pour Bud Light exclusively at the State Fair of Texas. This tap in my possession is the only one I've ever seen.

#20:  Anchor - West Coast IPA

Like the Redhook Storm Surge above, this was first introduced in 2021 and won an award for Tap Handles LLC. Unfortunately Anchor Brewing was closed last year by owner Sapporo after 127 years in business. As a result, there's no telling how many of these produced or are stored in a warehouse somewhere. I've seen half a dozen hit the secondary market, including one last month (at the time of this writing), so it's possible more will appear. The price has been very reasonable, from $40-$125, but I don't expect it to stay there.

#21: American Barrels Whiskey

I'll admit I was a bit confused when I originally saw this tap...I couldn't figure out the significance of the design. A search soon cleared things up for me, as the tap is a likeness to the brand's unique bottle, but tipped upside down. Shotguns, rattlesnakes, and whiskey barrels are all themes used in the company's promotional imagery. The headquarters for American Barrels is in Fort Myers, Florida, and their flagship 90-proof whiskey is distilled and bottled in Charleston, South Carolina. It is bottled in a bespoke vial featuring a brass shotgun shell and a rattlesnake wrapped around the bottle. This is the only American Barrels tap I have ever seen.

#22:  Hendrick's Gin

Hendrick's Gin is the third spirit tap in this year's field of entries. Like the Goslings, I believe it is fairly new, and also like the Goslings I expect it is very limited. It's a little on the small side, but the design and detail are fantastic.

#23:  Pabst Blue Ribbon - Cats

The PBR Cats tap isn't necessarily rare - 16 have hit the secondary market so far, with another still available, but the demand drove prices sky high shortly after it first appeared, peaking at $500. The prices eventually came back to earth, but supply seems to have dried up for now and the lone available tap is listed at $345. It reminds me of the PBR "Good Times" tap that came out several years ago featuring dogs stacked on each other. The Cats are superior to the dogs in my opinion, in terms of appealing design and color.

#24:  Pabst Blue Ribbon - Cool Blue

Released at about the same times at the Cats tap above, "Cool Blue" also created a stir and demand drove prices into orbit. With 12 appearing, the prices ranged from $85 to $350. Unlike Cats, however, prices for Cool Blue stayed high at around $250-$300, and the supply seems to have currently dried up. In his superhero costume, Cool Blue is one cool character. The face sculpting is very interesting, as the style resembles some of Pabst's old chalkware or metal barback advertising pieces such as the PBR boxer or the PBR bartender. It appears they applied that style to create a likeness of Wade Boggs, a professional baseball player who played for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. PBR and Boggs struck a deal to make Boggs the official spokesperson for PBR last year.

#25:  Beaver Creek

Here's another tap that makes the list due to its scarcity. Only 5 Beaver Creek taps have appeared on the secondary market. The first one appeared in 2018 and sold for $250. After a small group of 3 hit in 2019 and sold for between $100-$125, the only other one to appear was in late 2023 and the price was back up to $235. Most that have appeared have been missing a label...I actually have a label, but I am missing the "Wibaux, MT" decal that goes across the red ribbon. The beaver is holding a beer and wheat stalks, and its animated expression is hilarious.

That ends an amazing year for tap acquisitions! Next up will be the ATH Awards post and then I'll give away some tap handles...