Tap Handle #863: Shipyard - Red IPA

Tap size:  12"

Rarity:  beer and tap no longer produced

Mounting:  gold and dark colored 3/8" ferrule on 5/16" anchor bolt

Like the mermaid featured in tap profile #194, this is another beautiful figural tap from Shipyard, although this tap is a partial figural rather than a full figural. The tap depicts a lovely red-haired woman wearing a dark maroon beret and holding a foaming mug of beer close to her chest. Her flowing red locks cascade down around the figure in ornate, sculpted curls that extend from the top of the tap down the base. The maiden wears a maroon and white striped top, and her face is delicately painted with subtle features including blue-green eyes. But if you think this scarlet lass is just another pretty girl, think again. The bottle label artwork for Red IPA reveals more of the character's story - she is depicted as a swashbuckling pirate maiden, brandishing a cutlass in one hand and a mug of ale in the other, with a skull and crossbones Jolly Roger flag billowing behind her (see photo inset). The tap handle captures only the beer-hoisting portion of this scene, and I would have liked to have seen the rapier or the Jolly Roger flag incorporated into the tap, which would have taken it up a notch. Below the figure is a common Shipyard tap feature, the three-sided base. A maroon signage area displays "Red IPA" in gold lettering, which sits atop the white, tapered base with "Shipyard" vertically emblazoned in maroon letters against a backdrop that has been grooved to resemble wood painted white. The sides of the base feature the same flowing hair design, signage and text. The ferrule is gold but has been brushed or washed with darker colors to simulate tarnished brass. Interestingly, the original manufacturer's box labels this as "Red Rye IPA," though the tap itself clearly reads "Red IPA" and all other references I could find also say "Red IPA", with no other instances of "Rye" in the title. A smaller "shotgun" version of this tap also exists. The tap was produced in 2015 and first started appearing on the secondary market in 2016, with an initial price around $80. As the tap became more plentiful, the price consistently dropped into the $20-$30 range. However, after being retired, the tap has steadily climbed back up into the $50-$80 range.

Shipyard Red IPA was a Red India Pale Ale that featured toasted malt character with a well-balanced hop profile. Pouring a hazy, ruby red to copper color with an off-white head, the beer presented aromas of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, pine, caramel, and toasted biscuit. The palate offered citrus and tropical hop flavors balanced by moderate dark and bready malt notes, finishing smooth and dry.

BeerAdvocate: 83 out of 100 (good)

Untappd: 3.5 out of 5

For more about Shipyard Brewing, see this post.