The Tap List System

Every wonder how we choose which beers to be at tap throughout the year? We'd like to share with you the internal system we have developed based on beer performance & customer feedback over time. I'm going to call this our Tap List System.

Tap list at Rosko's at the time of this writing

We have 8 main tap lines at Rosko's, and have the ability to expand to 10 on occasion with two taps on our kegerator. We focus mainly on this 8-tap system, as it allows us to have plenty of variety and churn through new beers quick enough (but not too quickly for those who fall in love with certain beers).

We shift the #'s throughout the year depending on which styles we want to show up first on the menu, serving styles, or other strategic reasons, but here's how we generally look at it:

Tap #1. Malty or European Lager

Tap #2. Pale or Light Lager

Tap #3. Sour or Fruit Beer

Tap #4. Seasonal Staple

Tap #5. "Hazy" or New England or low-IBU IPA

Tap #6. "West Coast" or malty or bitter IPA

Tap #7. Pub Ale

Tap #8. Dark or Malty Beer

Let's relate this to our current menu at the time of this writing:

Tap #1. Rosko's Lager on side pull (previously Devet on side pull)

Tap #2. Beer League, Canadian Pilsener

Tap #3. Outside City Limits, Berliner Weisse

Tap #4. Leggy Blonde: Pomegranate, Fruited Blonde Ale

Tap #5. Trail by Snowball, Pale Ale (hazy)

Tap #6. BRRR: Icebrrrg Ahead, Cold IPA

Tap #7. The Party Possum, Coffee Porter

Tap #8. Skinty Fia, Irish Dry Stout *on nitro

Now of course this is constantly evolving, and we aren't always in a perfect balance of our Tap List System, but this is how we generally think of things. A few of our non-negotiables are these:

1. We always strive to have 2 lagers on tap at all times (usually a light and a malty)

2. We always strive to have 2 IPAs/Pale Ales on tap at all times (New England & West Coast)

3. We always strive to have unique and seasonally timed beers that you can't find easily at local & regional breweries (examples: porter, stout, English IPA, ESBs, Kolsch, hefeweizen, kellerbier, red ale, etc.)

4. We always strive to have at least 7 beers on tap. Once a batch of beer kicks, we immediately replace it to get back to 8 beers that weekend, or we wait until the following weekend to replace it, depending on timing.

What are some styles you would like to see? Come into to Rosko's and let's chat about it over a pint. Cheers!