Tap Handle #839: Coors Barrel

Tap size:  10.5"

Rarity:  tap no longer produced, 25 or less seen

Mounting:  3/8" to 1/4" coupling reducer nut on 1/4" anchor bolt

This Coors barrel tap is one of the oldest taps that I possess. It dates back to the late 1980's, and I believe it was a companion piece to a similarly-styled Coors barrel beer sign (see photo to right). And like the beer sign, it is a hard plastic that resembles carved wood. The tap was most likely made by creating a hand-carved wooden prototype, then using vacuum formed dense plastic to make multiple copies. The words "Original Coors" are carved into the front of the barrel, alongside a scene of wheat stalks and next to a profile of the Rocky Mountains in an oval shape which is the symbol of the brewery. All of this is repeated on the opposite side of the barrel, as well as on each end. The "Coors" letters can be the black you see here, or are painted yellow-gold. The base is a shaft with raised carvings of wheat stalks and hops, and the back and front of the base are different from each other. The mounting is a bit unusual, as the tap has a 1/4" anchor bolt instead of a 5/16" or 3/8" anchor bolt. This means a coupling reducer nut must be used to connect to the 1/4" anchor bolt on one side while having a 3/8" threaded nut on the other side to connect to a standard tap mount. Mine was missing this coupling nut so I found one at a local hardware store, but you can also find them on Amazon (a 4 pack is less than $8).

Even though the tap is from the late 1980's, it didn't start showing up on the secondary market until 2013. I've only seen about 13 of these, and I believe this is due to the fact that Coors didn't start marketing nationwide until 1986; you would not have seen Coors taps as widely distributed as they are now, especially when Coors was primarily found in cans at that time. These taps and signs were a marketing push to make bar patrons aware that they could order Coors on tap, and by the time Coors became commonplace, these taps were no longer produced. Secondary market prices have ranged from $15 (earlier offerings) to $85 (more recent offerings).

For more about Coors, see this post.