Tap Handle #801: Brothers Brewing - Classic Golden Lager

Tap size:  10.5"

Rarity:  brewery closed, less than 10 seen, fragile

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

In tap profile #800, I presented a tap from Brothers Brewing Company (BBC), Honey Brewed Amber Ale, which featured a cello. I mentioned that it was 1 of 2 taps that BBC produced. I also mentioned that I suspected the tap designs possibly evolved from one or more of the owners having a love of jazz music. Here's where I rest my case: the second BBC tap, which features a saxophone. Once again I have to thank Mr. Bill Gibson for hooking my up with both BBC taps - thus this is part of the "Bill Gibson" wing. While not quite as stunning as the cello, there's a lot more detail on this tap, with all the finely sculpted keys and even a keyguard. That is a lot of intricate work! That also makes it more fragile as the keys are very easy to chip off. The color is a metallic gold. Since the saxophone itself is a bit on the small side, the elongated ferrule gives it a good bit of boost in length. Like the cello, this tap dates back to 2000, when the brewery redesigned their labels and marketing materials, and it is 1 of only 2 taps released by BBC. I haven't seen the same comment of "less than 20 of these were made" as I did for the cello, but the saxophone may be even more scarce, as I've only seen 5 others for sale. The last one sold in 2021 for $250, and the historical price for one in good condition runs between $180-$300.

For more about Brothers Brewing Company, see this post.