Home bar - tap options

[heisthegaffer]

All

In the process of fitting out my bar and I wasn't going to bother with taps etc as bottles are so cheap but now reconsidering.

What options do I have? The perfectdraft system is nice but too expensive to run at 30 quid for an 11 pint keg.

Anything else I can do?

[smith335I]

There are the taps that run off the smaller kegs you can get at the super market.
I've also been looking at THE SUB (not sure if im allowed to link so ill just let you google it). Is much cheaper and has smaller 'kegs'.

[Rosscow]

smith335I said:

There are the taps that run off the smaller kegs you can get at the super market.
I've also been looking at THE SUB (not sure if im allowed to link so ill just let you google it). Is much cheaper and has smaller 'kegs'.

The beer is still bloody expensive though, isn't it? £7.50 to £9 per 'torp' (which is less than 4 pints).

[Mr Roper]

I have the PD. There's regular offers to buy the machine, I bought mine for £99 (Beer Hawk) but I was very lucky. Although i do see them for sale for £150 often.
The barrels are steep at £30 but with that you get £5 credit for each returned empty (free collection).There's also 20% off when you buy 4 or more so the price creeps down. Short dated kegs are typically £20....Plus there's almost always an offer on.

It will never be cheaper than buying cans or bottles but it really is a decent bit of kit if you like a druaght beer at home...And the constant 3 degrees is lovely

[guindilias]

Corny kegs and a sodastream bottle have been used for years, keeps it fizzy and pushes it out the tap. Remember you'll have to clean the lines, though...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sodastream-A-Cornelius-...

But you can put two of them in an under-counter size fridge, and mount the taps on the top or on your bar - two draught beers available nice and chilled, whenever you like! Stacks of stuff for Kegorators out there.

[TooMany2cvs]

I guess you're just looking at fizz, rather than real beer?

[Shnozz]

smith335I said:

There are the taps that run off the smaller kegs you can get at the super market.
I've also been looking at THE SUB (not sure if im allowed to link so ill just let you google it). Is much cheaper and has smaller 'kegs'.

Just had a look at that as I too am tempted but not only does it come in at £2 - £2.50 a pint, if it only hold 3.5 pints then if I am entertaining (or even just having more than a quiet night alone) then the nicely cooled beer will soon be gone to be replaced by a luke warm keg?

[motco]

This is the way forward



to achieve this



or this



Art of Brewing bitter kit at c.£12.00 for 40 pints. Serious beer drinkers in my family and friends drink it regularly.

[Joe M]

Shnozz said:

smith335I said:

There are the taps that run off the smaller kegs you can get at the super market.
I've also been looking at THE SUB (not sure if im allowed to link so ill just let you google it). Is much cheaper and has smaller 'kegs'.

Just had a look at that as I too am tempted but not only does it come in at £2 - £2.50 a pint, if it only hold 3.5 pints then if I am entertaining (or even just having more than a quiet night alone) then the nicely cooled beer will soon be gone to be replaced by a luke warm keg?

Also been looking at this, I think the torps are small enough to keep in the fridge so just a case of swapping them. Not as good a selection of beers as perfect draft though.

[Jag_NE]

motco said:

This is the way forward



to achieve this



or this



Art of Brewing bitter kit at c.£12.00 for 40 pints. Serious beer drinkers in my family and friends drink it regularly.

I’ll take your word for it that it tastes ok but how do you chill and store it?

[Jag_NE]

Mr Roper said:

I have the PD. There's regular offers to buy the machine, I bought mine for £99 (Beer Hawk) but I was very lucky. Although i do see them for sale for £150 often.
The barrels are steep at £30 but with that you get £5 credit for each returned empty (free collection).There's also 20% off when you buy 4 or more so the price creeps down. Short dated kegs are typically £20....Plus there's almost always an offer on.

It will never be cheaper than buying cans or bottles but it really is a decent bit of kit if you like a druaght beer at home...And the constant 3 degrees is lovely

Is there a reason why PD tastes better than cans? I presumed it’s pre gassed beer in a big can so in theory won’t taste any different to a regular can of beer? I hope I’m wrong as I like the idea of having one!

[Turn7]

Not the cheapest, but the best solution if you have room.....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Complete-Home-bar-Setup...

Edited by Turn7 on Tuesday 19th June 20:53

[motco]

Jag_NE said:

motco said:

This is the way forward



to achieve this



or this



Art of Brewing bitter kit at c.£12.00 for 40 pints. Serious beer drinkers in my family and friends drink it regularly.

I’ll take your word for it that it tastes ok but how do you chill and store it?

It's in my basement which rarely rises above 15ºC and is often cooler. Because the beer is bitter it should be cellar temperature but not chilled. It is stored in kegs with CO2 from a pub cylinder supplying gas for dispensing and preservation. One cylinder lasts a couple of years and then it's refilled.

[Jer_1974]

I do all grain brewing and built a kegerator for my larder. I only have two taps just now but I have room for another two kegs and taps. Some on Youtube are amazing and use chest freezers (Keezers) with wood cladding. Not sure what you would fill it with unless you did some sort of homebrew but think you can buy a pub keg and some adaptors. If you want to fit it under a bar you can get a small fridge with a tower tap that can fit two corny kegs or a beer keg.











It does become addictive I have a fermenting fridge in my garage and have bought lots of kit but a pint of say something like a Punk IPA clone is less than 50p to make.

Edited by Jer_1974 on Tuesday 19th June 21:35

[Jag_NE]

motco said:

Jag_NE said:

motco said:

This is the way forward



to achieve this



or this



Art of Brewing bitter kit at c.£12.00 for 40 pints. Serious beer drinkers in my family and friends drink it regularly.

I’ll take your word for it that it tastes ok but how do you chill and store it?

It's in my basement which rarely rises above 15ºC and is often cooler. Because the beer is bitter it should be cellar temperature but not chilled. It is stored in kegs with CO2 from a pub cylinder supplying gas for dispensing and preservation. One cylinder lasts a couple of years and then it's refilled.

It isn’t real ale in that case if kegs and co2 are involved?

[Christian85]

Jer_1974 said:

I do all grain brewing and built a kegerator for my larder. I only have two taps just now but I have room for another two kegs and taps. Some on Youtube are amazing and use chest freezers (Keezers) with wood cladding. Not sure what you would fill it with unless you did some sort of homebrew but think you can buy a pub keg and some adaptors. If you want to fit it under a bar you can get a small fridge with a tower tap that can fit two corny kegs or a beer keg.











It does become addictive I have a fermenting fridge in my garage and have bought lots of kit but a pint of say something like a Punk IPA clone is less than 50p to make.

Edited by Jer_1974 on Tuesday 19th June 21:35

What a brilliant idea!

[motco]

Jag_NE said:

It isn’t real ale in that case if kegs and co2 are involved?

Call it what you like, I make no claims to ajuthenticity, but the CO2 is simply a blanket to keep it from oxidising, and the beer is propelled by its own natural condition. It is 'live' with yeast residue, and unpasteurised. The 'keg' is HDPE rather than wood but it's easier to clean. What's 'unreal' about any of that?

[justin220]

Another vote for the Perfect Draft, it's usually on offer, and the kegs are around £20 each if you multi buy and return the kegs for the £5 refund.

Convenient, and tastes great!

We're on holiday just now and I actually took mine with us

[hairyben]

Re: the cost, can you buy full-size kegs from a local brewery? In America a self contained counter sized keg fridge complete with tap on top is a thing for your home bar.

[anonymous-user]

I like real ale as much as the next man, but shouldn't this thread about home bars be in the "A bit council" thread 😉