Tap Handle #869: Hops Restaurant and Brewpub - Hammerhead Red

Tap size:  9.5"

Rarity:  10 or less seen, fragile

Mounting:  internal 3/8" nut

This Hammerhead Red tap from Hops Restaurant and Brewpub is the third from that brewery that I am profiling, with 3 more tap profiles that will be coming in the future. It's pretty simple really, featuring a swimming Hammerhead shark on the distinctive Hops round brass base (which is quite heavy), but the detail is good and the tap is highly sought after. It might even be a little better than the Hammerhead depicted on the Fort Christian tap (profile #485), simply because this Hops version is fully figured, while the Fort Christian only shows the underside of the shark. Unfortunately mine is suffering from significant paint loss and former Museum Restoration Expert Kelly never got around to touching this one up. I have listed this tap as fragile because the fins are easy targets for breakage. Early appearances on the secondary market, starting in 2014, are not good indicators of price; 2 were damaged, 1 had the wrong base (Brewmaster Special instead of Red), and 2 had no bases at all. Later offerings that were in good condition revealed the true value of the tap, with a range of $300-$420, including the last one to appear, which was in 2025 and sold for $420. The tap had been retired for a few years before most of the brewpub locations had closed, so it is not easy to find.

Hammerhead Red was an American amber/red ale, also served under the name Thoroughbred Red depending on the region. Brewed with imported Czechoslovakian hops, it was a malted amber ale with sweet caramel character, medium body, and good hop bitterness. It poured a clear, medium-dark red to copper color with an off-white head.

BeerAdvocate:  75 out of 100 (okay)

Untappd:  3.17 out of 5

For more about Hops Restaurant and Brewpub, see this post.