Buying a gift for Father’s Day can be a real pain in the you-know-what, especially for those looking to avoid perennial favorites like neckties, golf clubs and power tools. If you have a dad who loves craft beer, however, we highly recommend the Hopsy SUB Home Tap, a countertop draft beer machine that dispenses brewery-fresh beer.
The machine itself is produced by German manufacturer Krups and boasts a sleek, compact design that will fit on most kitchen counters. It’s essentially a Keurig for beer and just as easy to use. All you need to do is plug it in, load a mini-keg into the top compartment and start pouring, provided the beer has already been pre-chilled. If you’re loading a mini-keg that’s at room temperature — because let’s be honest, not everyone has that kind of space in their refrigerator — you’ll need to wait about five to six hours for the machine to chill the beer before it’s ready to go, so plan accordingly. Each mini-keg stays fresh for about 15 days after you tap it and contains two liters of beer, which works out to roughly $7-8 per 16 oz. glass when you factor in the cost of the mini-keg and shipping. While that may seem a bit pricey, you can save money by signing up for their subscription service, which will automatically send a selection of curated beers every four to six weeks to your doorstep.
For the most part, the Hopsy SUB Home Tap works as advertised; there’s a slight learning curve in terms of getting the right pour, but it doesn’t take very long to master. Although there are a few features we wish were available, like the ability to change the temperature settings and see how much beer is left in the mini-keg, this is a great product for those who want to experience craft beer from a tap in the comfort of their own home.
