My Basement Bar Build

Well I'm finally going ahead and building a bar. I have a nice size basement. I have a pool table, and want to give it more of that bar feeling. Ive been searching the internet for about a year now getting ideas and such. In that process I have found this forum. I look forward to keeping you guys up dated on my progress.

My bar will have a kegerator. Were I'm building the bar its right next to a wall and behind the bar is closet. I already have a full size fridge in there. Im going to run a 4" pipe through the wall and under the bar for my Tap Tower. I already have the full kit and just need my co2 tank. I went out and bought oak plywood, oak trim, and 2x4s. I plan on starting it this weekend. Will update with more pictures but this is all I have for now.

One thing that sucks about Florida.. no basements for this kind of thing... Ill have to win the lottery and build a designated beer hall/guest house at my new place.

Good luck man.. Sounds like its gonna be lots of fun.

Subscribed! Can't wait to see it all come together. Now that mine is finally completed, we're enjoying the hell out of it. Good luck and keep us posted.

I have a question. I heard of a company that sells a little fan to cool a tap tower. I think with my run of about 4' PVC for my lines under the bar they will need help staying cool. I plan on insulating them. But what do you guys think about one of those small fans? What is your idea? Thanks in advance.

Awesome! I would put a fan in if the PVC will run into the kegerator, that way you will get some help keeping the lines cool. Can't wait to see the progress.

I have a 2" computer fan that moves air from the fridge down into the keg storage area. It would be more than enough for your application.

Subscribed. Good luck man!

david_42 said:

I have a 2" computer fan that moves air from the fridge down into the keg storage area. It would be more than enough for your application.

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Thanks. I did a little research on that and it seems pretty simple to wire up. Plus cheap, you can get a fan New on Ebay for around $10. Not bad...Thanks.

Well I started building today. I got it almost finished framed out. Should get some more done tomorrow. That louvered door is a closet. I already got a fridge in there and I will be running my lines in a insulated PVC pipe under the bar.

Made some more progress today. Finished framing and started putting the oak up. I got as far I could without a table saw to do more delecate cuts for the shelves. The taller shelf on the right is going to be a wine rack and the center two are going to have cabinet doors.

Before I started building the wide asked to see a blueprint. So I did a rough sketch of what it was going to be. She said no i want to see dimensions or are you just half assing as you go. Ive got it all my head. I'm just building it with the area I have. I don't think I'm half assing anything.

Lookin' good. I wish I had enough room to build myself a bar.

Looking good so far. As far as "blueprints" go, I figure out what I want to do on paper, but until you start cutting wood, you're never really sure just how its going to work/look. I draw most of my projects up before hand, but they usually end up evolving as I build them. And always end up looking better at the end for it.

Thanks guys.

beardedidiot, that's how I do most of my projects. I've built a hearth for my pellet stove which is next to the bar, build a bathroom and laundry room. Shes always second guessed me and everything came out badass. She says half assing as I go. But I've always flow by the seat of my pants.I wouldn't be wear I am and have done what I've done if I didn't live like that.

I don't want to alarm you, however there is a weird looking skunk in your basement.

That looks almost exactly how my bar looked at that stage. Except I left mine totally open underneath.

Another question for you guys. I'm going to buy some PVC today to run under the bar. I need about 5' of it. This is what my tap lines are going to be ran in. What size PVC should I use? I was thinking 3". The tap towers hole on the bottom is about 2 3/4".

I'm currently going to run a 1 tap system. But I always like to build things in case of upgrades. I may want to go 2 or 3 taps later on.

What do you guys think?

Bump?....anyone have input on what size PVC to put my keg line in to run under my bar.

hurst1979olds said:

Bump?....anyone have input on what size PVC to put my keg line in to run under my bar.

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Well, you want to keep it as small as you can to minimize the space you have to keep cool. You say you're planning on expanding up to 3 taps eventually? I would take some beer line with you to the store and find the size PVC that allows you to run the lines and allow for air movement from the fan, without being overly large.

depends on if you are going to put the insulatin in the pvc or over the pvc.

I had planned on putting it on the outside of the pipe. I was going to have a fan blow air into the pipe. I didnt think about insulating the inside of the pipe. HomeDepot sells a peel and stick strip insulation I was going to put on the outside if I used a 3" and they have a pre-slit fiberglass that I would be able to use for a 2".

Hung up some trim today. This weekend I will be able to do some more. I'm hoping to get the back side and cabinets cover in oak.

My uncle and cousin are contractors. They have a portable saw mill and will be cutting me a 1 1/4" thick top out of an oak tree they cut down. It will give it a little personal touch and something to take about around the bar.

Well these pictures are not of the bar but of my pool table in the basement next to the bar and the bathroom in the basement....the basement is going to be a game room area. We thought it was fitting.

That Mario Bros bathroom rocks.... my wife would never let me have something so cool though.

Thanks Mikey. The best part it was my wifes idea. I thought it was brilliant. Very fitting for us.

Did some more work today. Got the cabinets partially completed. The tall one will be a wine rack. Picked up some 3" PVC to run my lines in. Still have to figure out some insulation. Also got a 3 1/2" hole saw to blow a hold in the wall and the fridge in the closet next to the bar....can wait to have beer on tap.

hurst1979olds said:

Another question for you guys. I'm going to buy some PVC today to run under the bar. I need about 5' of it. This is what my tap lines are going to be ran in. What size PVC should I use? I was thinking 3". The tap towers hole on the bottom is about 2 3/4".

I'm currently going to run a 1 tap system. But I always like to build things in case of upgrades. I may want to go 2 or 3 taps later on.

What do you guys think?

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Great looking build so far! Since you will be going a far distance with the PVC I would go large enough for your future expansion now. I might also, do line cooling because of the distance. To save money instead of a glycol unit you can set up a rig in the fridge/keezer with a submersible in a tub of some sort and run the lines in the PVC too. Awesome bar

Thanks. I found a guy he sells a 39cfm blower motor with a hose. I planned on using that. Plus insulate the hell out of the outside of the pipe. I will be hooking everything up in the next week or 2 before the counter tops here just to see how well it cools and its easier to change before the top is in. I did make access panels in the cabinets for the future.

Here's some pics of what I did today. I wont be able to do much in the next week or so but did quite a bit. Still more to do.

Nice build so far, I'm looking forward to seeing it progress.

Also, nice handle!

Looks great!! Love the Mario Bros in the bathroom. How did you do that?

Thanks guys. There's been a lot of hardwork put into this basement. Can't wait till everything is done.

The Mario is a decal kit the wife found online.

Any chance you can post a link to said website?

Nice job and good luck. Here is my FIL's bar to give you some ideas. He's installing a kegerator and tower soon.

63belair said:

Any chance you can post a link to said website?

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I think this is the site. I know she did a simple search online. http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/a6d0/

Thanks about my username. I'm a car guy what can I say. I take it you are as well.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/pvc-tower-cooling-solution-43072/
Well I found this thread. I was thinking about doing something like this for mine But maybe only the first 3-4' then have a blower with a hose going to the tap tower 5' away?. I have about 5' of 3" PVC coming out the side of the fridge with a 90* elbow going up to the tower. What do you guys think? I will be insulation the PVC on the outside with R-13 Wall insulation.

If it were you what would you do. You can see pictures of the PVC in a previous post of mine.

That's a healthy distance to travel and I think it would work but I am not sure how well. You can test it out with a thermometer though to give you an idea.

hurst1979olds said:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/pvc-tower-cooling-solution-43072/
Well I found this thread. I was thinking about doing something like this for mine But maybe only the first 3-4' then have a blower with a hose going to the tap tower 5' away?. I have about 5' of 3" PVC coming out the side of the fridge with a 90* elbow going up to the tower. What do you guys think? I will be insulation the PVC on the outside with R-13 Wall insulation.

If it were you what would you do. You can see pictures of the PVC in a previous post of mine.

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I might be over thinking it but your insulation value is based on it being expanded not compressed around a pipe. A better option may be that reflective insulation stuff that keeps heat out. They sell it at HDs...Others might have a better take on this, just thinking out loud.

Looking great. Subscribed!

AZBrewing said:

I might be over thinking it but your insulation value is based on it being expanded not compressed around a pipe. A better option may be that reflective insulation stuff that keeps heat out. They sell it at HDs...Others might have a better take on this, just thinking out loud.

Click to expand...

Keeping the heat out....makes sense....now would it be easier to keep heat out or cold in? If I were to keep cold in I would have to insulate from the inside not the outside? Looks like I have more research to do.

Insulation doesnt know heat from cold. Basically think of everything as heat. Cold is simply heat loss. Insulation insulates. It keeps heat from being lost or transferred to matter that is less hot.