Bratwursts and Shillelaghs II

[Baron von BeeGee]

Never been there, but I heard Habitat for Humanity has a store around there where a bunch of leftover materials from their builds are re-sold. Jon should know where it's at.

Those places are great...my wife hates it when I go there! I bought some windows for $2 each to make coldframes and an old door that I haven't figured out what to do with, miscellaneous hardware (hasps, knobs, etc). Also some landscaping plants. Now if they would just get in some utility sinks...

 

[Dude]

Teaser pic:

Almost done with the cold box portion...we'll fill it in with insulation and then close it up.

 

[Fiery Sword]

This room looks excellent. I love the cold box idea - might be borrowing that one when it's time.

The only thing that I'd be cautious about is the faux wood flooring. While manufacturers like to claim the stuff is bulletproof, I've seen installations that over time suffer from water damage. A friend who did his entire basement with a no-name Pergo type system has boards that are pulling up along the seams due to the fact that they are in a "wet" entry area. I've also worked on a handful of residential projects with similar problems. The "cheaper" articifial wood flooring products are suspect to me, though they claim to be OK for use in wet areas. I'll ask around to see if these experiences have happened with particular brands.

 

[JimiGibbs]

The cold box looks really good .... Got me thinking I've got a refrigerator that size but with a built in freezer (so it won't fit a keg). Post lots of pictures. That may be my next project.

 

[Dude]

This room looks excellent. I love the cold box idea - might be borrowing that one when it's time.

The only thing that I'd be cautious about is the faux wood flooring. While manufacturers like to claim the stuff is bulletproof, I've seen installations that over time suffer from water damage. A friend who did his entire basement with a no-name Pergo type system has boards that are pulling up along the seams due to the fact that they are in a "wet" entry area. I've also worked on a handful of residential projects with similar problems. The "cheaper" articifial wood flooring products are suspect to me, though they claim to be OK for use in wet areas. I'll ask around to see if these experiences have happened with particular brands.

I'm not understanding what you mean by faux wood floor.

The floor in this is a sheet of plywood with a piece of sheet metal over it, then everything is caulked air tight. Even if I do get water in there, it will pool inside the cold box. It'll be easy to clean up in theory. Nothing should get outside of that box though if I caulk it correctly.

 

[Fiery Sword]

From first post in thread:

...the other half of the room I will rip the carpet out and put down some faux hardwood laminate and make it like a bar area, complete with bar and kegerator taps.

Sorry for the confusion. I meant the floor area in the general area of the bar - ground zero for when a drunk friend spills beer all over your beautiful new room, and floor.

 

[Dude]

From first post in thread:

Sorry for the confusion. I meant the floor area in the general area of the bar - ground zero for when a drunk friend spills beer all over your beautiful new room, and floor.

Oh, okay. Yeah, that laminate floor idea got scrapped. I'm gonna leave the carpet in until it gets too nasty.

Now that I see the bar though--I'm wishing I would have ripped the carpet out. This sucker is heavy.

LOL...I just looked under the bar to see how much room that cold box will have. I can fit all 5 of my cornies, 2 carboys, and it still has room for a quarter barrel.

I cannot wait for this to be done!!!!!

 

[Dude]

Oh, okay. Yeah, that laminate floor idea got scrapped. I'm gonna leave the carpet in until it gets too nasty.

Now that I see the bar though--I'm wishing I would have ripped the carpet out. This sucker is heavy.

LOL...I just looked under the bar to see how much room that cold box will have. I can fit all 5 of my cornies, 2 carboys, and it still has room for a quarter barrel.

I cannot wait for this to be done!!!!!

Just did a quick measurement. 9 square feet of room. That will hold a lot of beer!!!!!

Hopefully we get close to finishing this baby tomorrow. Need to put a panel and a door on the cold box and then start the "L" part. That won't take long because it will just have shelving in it. I'm not even putting in a sink yet. No need for it IMHO.

Anyone coming here for the Super Bowl party to help christen the room?

 

[Dude]

Good progress today:

I can start doing some finishing work now, all that needs to be done yet is to close up the cold box and then put the bar top on. This weekend I might try to get some panels to finish it off and then some laminate for the work area.

It really ties the room together. I'm happier than a puppy with two peters right now.
:rockin:

 

[SwAMi75]

Lookin' good!

 

[Orfy]

nice.....

 

[Ize]

I dig how you've planned the chiller into it. That's going to be one helluva bar Dude.

When you christen it pour some beer on it to honor those of us who are there in spirit. (mop it up quick with a towel of course)

Ize

 

[Dude]

More progress:

All that is really left is to put on the door for the cold box and then finishing. I still haven't decided on how I'm going to finish it so it may be a little while on that. Also deciding on the best way to do a beer gutter.

The guy building it also does upholstery as well, so he is going to make a padded rail for me. This kicks so much ass. :rockin:

 

[Brewpastor]

I have been watching this and just can not wait for the first annual HBT gathering in your brewroom. Forget Denver and the AHA, I say we all get drunk at Dude's for the week. First one to puke on his new bar wins.

The project looks great Dude! Can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[user 574]

Looks like you're having a heck of a lot of fun there Dude. Projects like these that start coming together are awesome!

 

[Cheesefood]

Dude,

that's so freakin' awesome. I'm super-jealous. When we get our next place...

 

[Brewpastor]

So Dude, did the painting of the woman's back come with the house?

 

[olllllo]

So Dude, did the painting of the woman's back come with the house?

That's one of those brand new flat panel lcds.

 

[Uncle Argyle]

Beautiful bar and the idea of a cold box is great. I did a search to see if I could find more info and came across this website. It uses a small dorm fridge...is this efficient or will it run all the time? I have a dorm fridge and this would make an excellent project.

http://kpscellar.atlantabeer.com/bar/kegerator.html

Slainte,

Mike.

 

[Dude]

So Dude, did the painting of the woman's back come with the house?

Nope, I've had that for years. It follows me everywhere it seems.

Beautiful bar and the idea of a cold box is great. I did a search to see if I could find more info and came across this website. It uses a small dorm fridge...is this efficient or will it run all the time? I have a dorm fridge and this would make an excellent project.

http://kpscellar.atlantabeer.com/bar/kegerator.html

Slainte,

Mike.

I got my plans from www.barplans.info . The guy has a few cool designs. I changed the plans slightly so the cold box was bigger, and some other things too.

I made the frame for the Irish Coffin box tonight, and bought some panels for the finishing. I decided on cherry, which I absolutely love. Might get some of those up today (Wednesday). I'll take pics if we make any progress. At the very least the cold box will be completed today, and I'll do a test run to see how cold I can get it. I have some ideas on distributing the "cool" if the fridge doesn't get cold enough.

 

[Brewsmith]

Looks great, Dude. Man, I need to get a house...

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

If you treat the cherry with lye, it turns it antique cherry-red - it's how restoration specialists repair old cherry stuff. Do a little test on a cutoff if you have the means.

 

[Dude]

Almost there!

Made big time progress today. Cold box is finished. I'm holding 45 degrees inside with the fridge set on medium. Might need to put a fan in there to push the cold into the main chamber, but I'm thrilled so far.

Put on some of the finishing panels, and will start the bar rails tomorrow. Had a slight setback with the bar top but I ordered it, so should be good to go there in a few days. That will get me time to finish the Irish coffin box as far as putting in some of the taps. Also have some trim and some staining to do.

I can definitely hold 4 (5 gal) cornies, a carboy, 3 (3 gallon cornies) and a ****load of bottled beer with room to spare. Kick ass.

 

[todd_k]

Looks good, man! I'd love a bar but I don't have any room for it.

 

[the_bird]

Me, either. I'm hoping to get a fridge or two set up in the basement this year, but it's so dark and dingy down there, no way to really finish it and make a nice space out of it (and there's NO room upstairs).

Looks awesome!

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Very nice. Beats the hell out of my bar, but I'm just happy to have one at all. I didn't build it, it came with the house. I'm a lousy carpenter.

 

[Flyin' Lion]

Me, either. I'm hoping to get a fridge or two set up in the basement this year, but it's so dark and dingy down there, no way to really finish it and make a nice space out of it (and there's NO room upstairs).

You'd be surprised how well a dingy basement can be transformed into a great man room. My cousin used some old carpet and faux wood paneling to make a "Lions Den" in his basement in Michigan. There are also ads on TV for Owens Corning wall systems that make a basement liveable.

Just a thought.

 

[Flyin' Lion]

Oh, and that is a sweet looking bar Dude.

Cheers,

 

[SwAMi75]

That is outstanding, man!

 

[Dude]

Irish coffin box is now 98% done. I drilled the holes and added the shanks, now I just need to put a quick layer of paint on the border. It turned out freaking awesome so far.

The bar top came in today as well, and I bought the "pleather" for the bar rail. Looks like it will be a close call to get this done by the Super Bowl, but it WILL happen.