Tap Handle #806: Midnight Sun - Pleasure Town IPA

Tap size:  12"

Rarity:  less than 10 seen

Mounting:  internal 3/8" nut

This is the last tap in the group of three that I purchased from Midnight Sun Brewing back in 2016, along with Kodiak Brown and Sockeye Red, which have been previously profiled. There are other taps from the brewery in my collection, but they will appear at a later date since I purchased them much later. I laughed when I saw this tap on the brewery's website and knew that I had to have it. At the top of the tap is a round sign featuring the name and logo of the brewery. Directly below that is the name of the beer in sculpted, raised lettering. Where the tap really goes over the top is just below the lettering. Sculpted in the same flat yet three-dimensional style is a naked man riding a cartoonish moose, while holding up his underwear in one hand. "IPA" appears in raised letters on the underwear. On the man's chest is what appears to be a tattoo of a flower. Completing the flat yet sculpted look at the bottom of the taps looks like what might be mountains with "India Pale Ale" below them in raised letters. Maybe they aren't mountains and just some kind of random pattern, but I like to believe they are mountains, because the effect makes it appear as if the naked man and moose are jumping (or flying) over the mountains. It's wacky and hilarious! One more thing to mention is the sculpted stars down each side of the tap. Since the front and back are identical to each other, as are the two sides, I have reduced the number of photos taken. The tap is listed in the brewery's web store but currently shows as sold out. Less than 10 of these have appeared on the secondary market, although that may be because it was in the web store for so long that people were able to get it there instead. Traditionally it has sold for well over $100 on the secondary market, a fair bit more than what the brewery was selling it for. Will it come back in stock in the web store? There's no way to know for certain. There is currently one on the secondary market, listed for its historical market price, meaning over $100.

For more about Midnight Sun Brewing, see this post.

Brewed year-round, Pleasure Town IPA is one of the brewery's core beers. It is brewed with Cascade and Citra hops, then dry hopped with Chinook and Citra. From the brewery: "Don’t act like you’re not impressed. We figured out how to put pleasure in a package. And now we’re selling it. Pleasure, that is–the can is free. And when you can barely lift your right arm, grab life by the horns and come along for the ride. Moustache not included. Pleasure Town. Oh. We’re going there.

Ratebeer:  3.42 out of 5

Beer Advocate:  82 out of 100 (good)