A weekly look at the draft selection at beer-friendly bars across the country.

The Ginger Man began as a Houston legend. Opening in 1985, some consider it to be the first true multi-tap bar in America. By 1994, locations had opened in Dallas and Austin making it a Texas-wide phenomenon (a fourth establishment opened in Fort Worth in 2007). And in 1996, The Ginger Man moved up to the big city (though, yes, Houston is quite a big city) when a "cousin" location, inspired by that original Ginger Man spirit, opened in New York City where people pronounce the word Houston a little bit differently. (Since that time, the NYC pub has even expanded with two locations in Connecticut, Greenwich and Norwalk. Phew.)

But let's get back to that original Ginger Man. Still going strong well over 20 years later, The Ginger Man has taken up the power of the internet to keep their current draft list online. As they say on their site: "We're making a new effort to keep [our draught beer list] page updated, since it is arguably the most important page on the whole web site." Here, here.

After the jump, let's take a look at what The Ginger Man is currently serving up on tap...

Here's the list. They chose to break the list down by country, so I follow suit. Yes, it is very long, but scroll down for notes at the end.

• from the UNITED STATES
  
• New Belgium 1554
  
• Arrogant Bastard Ale
  
• Stone Smoked Porter
  
• St. Arnold Christmas Ale
  
• Bear Republic Big Bear Stout
  
• Real Ale Dunkel Roggen
  
• Brooklyn Brown Ale
  
• Real Ale Coffee Porter
  
• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
  
• Sam Adams Winter Lager
  
• St. Arnold Amber (Houston)
  
• St. Arnold Elissa IPA (Houston)
  
• St. Arnold Elissa IPA Cask
  
• Scrimshaw Pils
  
• Bud Light
  
• Live Oak Hefe Weizen
  
• Southern Star Logger
  
• Brooklyn Lager
  
• Sam Adams Boston Lager
  
• Dogfish Head 90 Minute
  
• Southern Star Pale Ale
  
• Fat Tire Amber Ale
  
• Breckenridge 471
  
• Ziegenbock
  
• Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
  
• Real Ale Rio Blanco Pale Ale
  
• Stone IPA
  
• New Belgium Giddy Up
  
• Anchor Steam
  
• Sierra Nevada Harvest
  
• Real Ale Full Moon Rye
  
  
• from GERMANY
  
• Spaten Optimator
  
• Spaten Oktoberfest
  
• Paulaner Oktoberfest
  
• Paulaner 1634
  
• Franziskaner Hefe-Weizen
  
• Spaten Light
  
  
• from ENGLAND
  
• Newcastle Brown Ale
  
• Young's Double Chocolate
  
• Fuller's London Porter
  
• Young's Oatmeal Stout
  
• Old Speckled Hen
  
• Fuller's ESB
  
• Wells Bombardier
  
• Boddington's Pub Draught
  
  
• from BELGIUM
  
• Maredsous #8
  
• St. Bernardus Abt 12
  
• Lindemans Framboise
  
• Lindemans Pomme
  
• Kwak
  
• Chimay White
  
• Mannekin Pis
  
• Maredsous #10
  
• Stella Artois
  
• Hoegaarden
  
  
• from IRELAND
  
• Guinness Stout
  
• Harp
  
  
• from SCOTLAND
  
• Belhaven Stout
  
• Belhaven Scottish Ale
  
• Tennent's Lager
  
  
• from THE CZECH REPUBLIC
  
• Czechvar
  
• Pilsner Urquell
  
  
• from HOLLAND
  
• Amstel Light
  
• Heineken
  
  
• from MEXICO
  
• Dos Equis Special Lager
  
• Modelo Especial

In total, 66 beers. As with many modern beer bars, American beers take center-stage with Belgium also being a popular choice. Seeing "Holland" on the list only to be followed by Amstel Light and Heineken is always worth a chuckle, but if you're going to break it down by country, so be it.

Overall, the international selection, though diverse and extensive, doesn't offer up a ton of surprises. However, the 31 American beers on tap represent one of the most evenly selected groupings of styles and flavors that "What's On Tap?" has inspected. From dark stouts and coffee porters to IPAs of distinctly differing flavors and hoppiness, malty amber beers to pils, the U.S. selection really covers the gambit.

Looks like this Houston legend is still doing what they do best: Serving beer.

The Ginger Man Houston is located at 5607 Morningside Dr., Houston, TX. houston.gingermanpub.com.

[Photo Credit: gingermanpub.com]