What Are The Best Tap Handles In America?

By Writing Community Member Mathew Muncy

When you hit the bar, one of the first things you notice are the tap handles for the plethora of beers available. They help you identify exactly what the bar has on tap, without having to ask the bartender multiple times. But companies also use them as a marketing tool; the more unique and eye-catching, the likelier someone will be to try the beer.

Breweries tend to make identical tap handles for their standard beers and then create unique tap handles for their one-off or seasonal brews. I decided to find some of the best and most unique tap handles in the country, which was hard to do because there are a lot of good ones out there.

Michelob Winter’s Bourbon Cask Ale
Michelob used their Winter’s Bourbon Cask Ale mascot as their tap handle for this winter seasonal. This works great because: A. Who hates snowmen? B. Who hates bourbon ale? Not many people, if any, so when you see this tap handle it’s going to pique your interest.

Samuel Adams Rebel IPA Spray Can
The Rebel IPA has become a “house” beer for Sam Adams, but they created a Spray Can tap handle to be used at bars, which fits with the graffiti art style of the label. Because Samuel Adams is well known, their beers can sometimes get lost in the shuffle. With this crazy tap handle, they made sure their Rebel IPA stood out from the rest.

Nola Brewing Mecha
Originally known as Mechahopzilla – until the owners of Godzilla sued them - this double IPA had one of the coolest tap handles. A giant lizard, scaling the tops of skyscrapers would immediately catch the eye of anyone. Upon learning the tap pours a DIPA, there will likely be some who decide to pass, but they won’t forget the name of the beer because of the tap handle.

Ommegang Brewery Take the Black Stout
New York brewery Ommegang teamed up with HBO and Game of Thrones to create five specialty brews. Take the Black Stout was, “Inspired by the brotherhood of the Night’s’ Watch” according to Ommegang’s website. A specialty beer needs a specialty tap handle, and they didn’t disappoint with this one. The swords lead your eyes straight to the Game of Thrones name, which leads you straight to the bar and your order straight to your lips.

Toolbox Brewing
With Toolbox Brewing it’s not just one tap handle that’s unique, but all of them. The brewery re-purposed old hand tools into tap handles and it’s the perfect fit for their brand. They may not be crazy or a rare design, but they are eye catching enough to make you ask what beer comes from their beautifully crafted handle.

​Through my research I was unable to find many tap handles from Indiana breweries that were any different than their non-seasonal counterparts. But two breweries have tap handles that I find pretty cool for different reasons.

3 Floyds
You could argue that 3 Floyds’ tap handles belong in the best list and I wouldn’t argue with you. The designs for each beer are perfect and the crown topper is a nice touch. When you get up to the bar and see the crown topper, you know exactly where the beer is from and the only question that needs asked is whether that tap holds Zombie Dust or not.

Upland Brewing
This one might have you scratching your head. What’s so special about Upland’s tap handles? Nothing, yet as the son of a carpenter I have great appreciation for finely crafted wooden objects. I bet even Nick Offerman would appreciate these fine works of wood art.

​Ok, so which ones did I miss? What tap handle(s) are your favorite and why? Let me know in the comment section below.