Tap Handle #536: Grand Canyon Brewing - Sacred Saguaro Vienna Lager

Tap size:  11.5"
Rarity:  Rare
Mounting:  internal 3/8" nut

It has been quite some time since I profiled a tap from Grand Canyon Brewing - profile #130, to be specific - which was quite literally years ago. I had always admired this rare seasonal tap featuring a Saguaro cactus, but I had always passed on them due to price until I finally acquired one last year. Since the front and back are mirror images of each other, I have only taken photos of the front side. There are flowers in multiple places on the cactus, a sign with the name of the brewery and variety of beer, fence posts with barbed wire wrapped around the posts and cactus, and cattle skulls at the bottom. The word "Seasonal" runs up the front of the cactus. This tap doesn't appear on the secondary market very often, which usually makes it a little expensive to obtain.

The saguaro cactus is one of the defining plants of the Sonoran Desert. These plants are large, tree-like columnar cacti that develop branches (or arms) as they age, although some never grow arms. These arms generally bend upward and can number over 25. With the right growing conditions, it is estimated that the slow-growing saguaro can live to be as much as 150-200 years old. They can grow to be between 40-60 feet tall, and they are the largest cactus in the United States. When rain is plentiful and the saguaro is fully hydrated it can weigh between 3200-4800 pounds.

For more about Grand Canyon Brewing, see this post.

Click through to read more about Grand Canyon Brewing's Sacred Saguaro Vienna Lager and to see more photos of this prickly tap...

Grand Canyon Brewing's Sacred Saguaro is an amber Vienna style lager that is only available as a summer seasonal. It is high in dark Vienna malt and Saphir hops, resulting in a smooth, refreshing medium bodied lager that is sure to get you through your summer day.

Ratebeer weighted average:  3.35 out of 5

Beer Advocate:  No Score