Hudson1984 Homebar Build

[Hudson1984]

So, perhaps some of you will have seen the tap tower plan. Well that's now become a complete rebuild of my home bar....

So this is where I've started. The bar is normally a bit tidier, but this was the only picture I had before I've ripped it out.

The Kegerator has gone, the worktop and cabinets have gone and in it's place is the beast:

this beauty will take 8 kegs easily and room for reg board and 2 gas bottles on the hump.

So the plan is:

Short Collar for the Keezer, not for taps, merely for pipes etc to pass through.
Frame out the new bar
Make Worktop from Scaff boards.

Now I got a cheap fridge off facebook yesterday, this will be for bottles etc, I did want a glass doored bar fridge but the cost of these is crazy! I can fit 40 500ml bottles in this fridge and it cost me £30 - I don't need to store more than than.

So, On the bar will be a 6 tap, tap tower.

a bit like this:

Now I've managed to get all the bits for this i'll start to put that together too.

The idea is to have the keezer on wheels and to be pulled out from under the bar when I want to change barrels. I got the new wheels on last night and seems to move quite freely. They're rated to 550kg so should do the job.

Tonight i'm hoping to get the collar on the keezer, this will allow me to mark out the frame a bit more and put some plans into action.

Stay tuned.

 

[crowcrow]

I love seeming people's builds and end results! Thanks for sharing. I have a lot of want to do to my office/tap room/brew shed - and it all comes from threads like these!

 

[MickDundee]

Looking good. It’s a decent sized space, is it a former garage?

 

[Hudson1984]

Looking good. It’s a decent sized space, is it a former garage?

yeah the garage is 9m x 3m, so the wall with the door is a partition I put in. So the front end is where I brew - which is 3m x 3m. The rear is the "pub" which is 6m x 3m

 

[MickDundee]

yeah the garage is 9m x 3m, so the wall with the door is a partition I put in. So the front end is where I brew - which is 3m x 3m. The rear is the "pub" which is 6m x 3m

We’ve just converted ours, but we got the professionals in because my DIY skills aren’t good enough for anything like that. It’s not a dedicated brew space (I still do my actual brew days in the utility) but we have a store room at the back which is 75% Homebrew gear (including brewfridge and kegerator) and a bar hatch through to the main room which is a second sitting/entertaining area.

 

[Hudson1984]

Cat seems to like it haha!

yes, I mean my garage has been all manor of things since we moved in - started as a workshop, and all I ever made was....the workshop! then it was a gym but i've realised I'm happier being drunk and fat so sod all that nonsense.

I had a plasterer come do the plaster work but I'd treated the walls and damproofed, then insulated and boarded it out before he came in. The carpet is rubbish but it was cheap and we go in there with boots and things so i'm not too fussed. Once I finish I may come back to it and get a nicer floor but it's not a priority at the mo. We've used it alot over lockdown - feels like going out.

 

[MickDundee]

Cat seems to like it haha!

yes, I mean my garage has been all manor of things since we moved in - started as a workshop, and all I ever made was....the workshop! then it was a gym but i've realised I'm happier being drunk and fat so sod all that nonsense.

I had a plasterer come do the plaster work but I'd treated the walls and damproofed, then insulated and boarded it out before he came in. The carpet is rubbish but it was cheap and we go in there with boots and things so i'm not too fussed. Once I finish I may come back to it and get a nicer floor but it's not a priority at the mo. We've used it alot over lockdown - feels like going out.

Yeah ours was a gym when we first moved in, then my wife got a promotion at work so we joined an actual gym and I sold all my gym gear (just in time for COVID hitting and the gyms closing).

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Should have stuck with red walls that way the blood won't show

 

[Hudson1984]

walls are still red.... and funnily enough, just put some of the tap tower together and cut my finger......how did you know......

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Been in enough bars to know that blood will flow.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

We’ve just converted ours, but we got the professionals in because my DIY skills aren’t good enough for anything like that. It’s not a dedicated brew space (I still do my actual brew days in the utility) but we have a store room at the back which is 75% Homebrew gear (including brewfridge and kegerator) and a bar hatch through to the main room which is a second sitting/entertaining area.

View attachment 46599View attachment 46600View attachment 46601

I know how your cat feels, waiting for the bar to open!

 

[Hudson1984]

Well the collar is on.
Excuse the rubbish, pretty much chucked whatever was on hand on the lid to weigh it down.

Now I've not gone for a huge collar - I'm not fitting taps to it, it's purely there for me to drill through and run lines. I used the existing top holes from the original position of the door and merely moved the hinge up. I think i'll add some foam insualtion tape to the top edge of the wood, just to completely ensure a good seal.

Once it's dry I'm just going to run some silver tape on the inside of the wood to keep it cool, but i'm not going to worry about further insulation. It's all going to be under a bar, and essentially in a cupboard - I think that's overkill really.

Today the rest of my pipe should arrive to enable me to dry fit the tap tower together. Received the wood for the frame yesterday so hopefully get a few hours into the frame build over the weekend.

 

[Hudson1984]

so the general layout is sorted. Made a start on the cladding but lots to do there.

I’m ditching my tap tower idea and going for something different.
I’m going to emulate this shelving unit. But on one of the horizontal beams I’ll install my taps. Wish me luck!!

 

[cushyno]

@Hudson1984 This looks great. You've a great space to play with and it looks like you're onto it.

Wish I had a decent space for a brewery/taproom, but I haven't so the detached prefab garage will have to do for now!
Looking forward to seeing how your build turns out.

 

[Hudson1984]

Well we're making progress, I've made a start on the cladding for the keezer, as you'll see i've left the end board loose at the moment. This is because I've screwed the support frame in to get correct levels, once i've secured the boards to the frame I'll then attach those end boards but just wanted to get the boards cut and in place first.

I'll be finishing the serving side next I think, although probably need yet more boards! going through scaffold like no ones business.

Ad you can see on the bar top, i'm modifying my tap tower Idea, I'm going to remove the existing shelf, and make the tap tower a shelf unit as well as a tap tower. This is mainly because the keezer is so big, the bar depth isn't ideal - so I need to bring the taps further forward to give a comfortable position, that would waste alot of space, so by making it a shelf unit I can still get the tap tower I want but also make use of the space available. I was intending to do two shelves but again, with the depth of the keezer I don't think i'd reach it....could have some display bits up there I suppose....anyway, build the bar first, move on to taps after.

So next step is the "customer side" I've made a little cut out for legs and also a "hide" for our table skittles board, so at least the bits I want to use and store will have a proper home.

Not looking forward to all the sanding!!! I'm still not sure on the finish I'm after. The bar top will be planned and coated in poly oil to make it smooth and comfortable, might have to see how that looks and then plan the vertical boards after, they'll be getting a quick sand regardless just to clean them up a bit.

 

[Hudson1984]

found this online, I think i'll emulate this to an extent. So i'll sand back the boards, scorch, then just apply a stain. Think that'll look great, then the bar top can have more layers

 

[Doive]

That looks fantastic so far, will be watching with interest.

 

[Hudson1984]

the end is in sight!

So, run out of boards again sadly, so can't finish the back side for leg holes just yet, but I've got loads of sanding to do, would like to get the bar top sorted and fixed ready for piping to come so I can actually use the keezer!

so I might just hold fire buying more boards just yet, catch up on the other bits, definitely want to get it all plumbed in because largely that side is sorted.

As you can see the shelf has been removed, re-used the brackets to give the bar overhang more support, Just need the pipes in place for the new shelf.

The black ikea bookcase will be destined for gumtree I think, I've so many odd bits of scaff left over so think I need to make some interesting bits, maybe small shelves and things.. see what happens when this is done.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I love to see projects like this. The bar is looking great.

I made my bartop from planks and sanded them down with a belt sander. The end result is great but it’s an awful job.

If you’ve done this before then you’ll already know but in an enclosed space you’ll barely be able to see through the dust and will need a decent breather and eye protection. Tape up the doors to the house too!

I’m looking forward to your next post and seeing the project unfold.

 

[StJayJay]

Looking very cool!