Tap Handle #845: Elk Grove Brewery & Restaurant - Wrangler Red

Tap size:  12"

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

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

Back in profile #486 (written in 2015), I posted about the Elk Grove Diamondback Wheat and how it was the only tap from the brewery that I had been able to obtain. Since then I have managed to acquire their other 3 taps, and this Wrangler Red is the first of the 3 that I'll be profiling. This is another tap from the Bill Gibson wing of the Museum. Created in 1997, it features a red-haired cowgirl on top of a white base; red sculpted letters on the base bear the name of the brewery and the beer variety. It is a simple yet highly desirable tap, and can be found in both resin and hard-to-find urethane versions; most resin versions have crackling and/or peeling paint (mine has a little paint loss), while the urethane versions don't have that issue. I've seen about 7-8 of these appear on the secondary market since 2008, making it the second-most rare tap from Elk Grove. While I had written in the Diamondback Wheat post that Elk Grove taps were some of the most expensive taps to acquire, the market has changed considerably since then, and that is no longer the case. What is true is that Wrangler Red is the most expensive of the Elk Grove taps, with a historical price range of $120-$280; however, the cost has recently skyrocketed, with the last one selling for $450.

For more about Elk Grove Brewery & Restaurant, see this post.

Elk Grove's Wrangler Red Ale used toasted malts to give the ale its appealing amber color and rich malt flavor. Mount Hood hops lent a balanced hop accent.

Ratebeer:  2.77 out of 5

BeerAdvocate:  no score