Tap Handle #825: Rock Creek - Black Raven Porter

Tap size:  11.75"

Rarity:  10 or less seen, brewery closed, hand-made

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

Here comes another tap from the Bill Gibson wing of the Museum. Of the 3 Rock Creek taps, this is probably my favorite. It's pretty simple, featuring a solid black raven with red eyes, and "Black Raven Porter" and "Rock Creek" in sculpted, raised letters. In a way the raven reminds me a little of the Eel River Ravenseye tap, but below the raven this has the white base that all the Rock Creek taps have, like the previously profiled Nutrageous. On the back of the white base is an "S" and a "C", along with a date of 1999, meaning it was produced by manufacturer Sculpture Concepts when Rock Creek started up their new brewery in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1999. The condition of this particular tap is notable in that it has very little of the shrinking resin/cracking paint that plague several of these late 90's to mid 2000's taps, and it looks barely used. The only other one of these taps that I've seen was sold last year for a bargain price of $50. That one was missing paint as well as the ferrule and anchor bolt, and had writing in permanent marker on the back of it, so the condition may have impacted the price. Due to the scarcity, I would put the value for a nice one at about $150, to a collector that values the rarity of the piece as well as the condition.

For more about Rock Creek Brewing, see this post.

Rock Creek's Black Raven Porter was a rich, ink-black ruddish-hazed London-styled mocha porter with a medium body and a dry, roasted character. It maintained brisk dry-hopped char and dusky cola-macadamia sear, with a finish of black cherry, raisin, fig, and roasted chocolate. You could hold it to your nose and notice the chocolate aroma.

Ratebeer:  3.16 out of 5

Beer Advocate:  no score