How to label faucets when you have 8 beers on tap?

[kal]

Not meant to be snarky, really isn't but if I see a sign that said #5 Brown Eyed Ale - I easily mentally count 5 from the left and pull a pint. If I've been drinking to a point where I can no longer count, probably a pretty good sign to stop.

Totally love your set up but if I found the handles I wanted - design wise, I don't think I'd worry too much about people being able to figure out just which tap was number 3 or 6 etc, I'd find the style I like the best aesthetically and rock on.

So I've been going back and forth with my basement & bar designer guy as things get ironed out and he's on the same thought as you Andrew as you wrote above, that you shouldn't need to label them.

The more I thnk about it, the more I tend to agree. Keep it simple.

Been looking at and considering this T-tower as well instead of the passthroug I originally thought about:

This thing is less wide so it fits in the space a bit better (taps are 2.5" spacing instead of 3"). The taps are also in groups of 4 so easier to count I suppose? I think it looks good just as is with simple little tap handles like above. No need for anything larger/fancier.

The bonus is that I can use this drip tray with glass rinser too and save a little bit if depth because of the cutout:

The basement & bar is going is fairly modern (think New York club, not British pub) and this seems to fit well in terms of style.

Directly behind the taps will be a chalkboard where I can write 1-8 to show what's what.

Trying to decide on which simple tap handles out of the first 3 (gold is out):

If anyone has other simple/narrow/small/modern tap handle suggestions I'm all ears too. They don't have to be custom. Just simple/linear/modern.

Kal

 

[Spartan1979]

I like the limestone handles. I'm going to have to bookmark that for future reference!

 

[kal]

I like them to, I just don't think they'll work right in the space we're setting up.

Kal

 

[A4J]

what sort of "modern" theme are you going with? I think 4301-CHP probably would look the best, but what about using an exotic wood blank.

It would be basically like this Peroni tap handle.

 

[GlenF]

If you use the black plastic handles, you could just put a round numbered sticker on the top of the handle. Although, I do like the metal look.

Otherwise, if the taps will be on the wall, just get a long chalkboard and list the beers horizontally. Put them at a tilt or use arrows etc.

 

[kal]

what sort of "modern" theme are you going with?

We haven't gotten to the stage where we pick finishes, but here are some inspirational pictures to show what I think when I say "modern bar":

A lot of darker colours, natural stone/wood/metal/etc. Straight lines.
Not modern as in retro plastic stuff with lots of curves.

I think 4301-CHP probably would look the best, but what about using an exotic wood blank.

It would be basically like this Peroni tap handle.

Interesting. It would be narrow.

Any ideas where to get them? I suppose I could make them pretty easily. Buy some exotic wood, cut & stain, then stick a stainless ferrule on the end.

Kal

 

[kal]

Ok, I never knew something called "exotic wood blanks" even existed:

I Googled:

They're 3/4" square by 6" long and are available in a variety of woods.

Example: http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?c=&p=62168&cat=1,250,43217

Cheap too. Most are $2-3!

What exactly was the original purpose of these things? Just miscellaneous woodworking?

Kal

 

[Raenon]

The chrome handles you posted above look pretty good... but I'd throw in my vote for the Branding-On-Demand as well.

I have a couple of them that I picked up with my kegerator from BeverageFactory, and they're super simple to mark what's on tap. They provide a PDF template that you can overlay with your own design, print on regular paper, and then slip between the black plastic center (which has screws onto the faucet lever) and the outer clear acrylic (which fits like a glove, and snugs between the lever and the handle)
You could either print your numbers there and leave them permanently attached, or skip the chalk/wipe-board and just print what you've brewed as you need them. I used a stock photo of a red ale for one of mine, big cartoon-y mug of root beer for another, when I filled a corny of yuengling (from a sankey I store in another fridge) I was able to print out the yuengling logo- not quite as nice as the real brewery handle, but good enough some asked if it was.

I still plan to get some brewery handles for a few of my favorites, but I'm in no way ashamed of this look (well, except where I bunched up the red ale insert... need to reprint that one)
I plan to buy more.

 

[Raenon]

Oh, and they do make the same style in chrome, so you wouldn't even have the black at the end:

 

[KES]

Oh! I like those exotic blanks. Cheap too. Have to save that link.

 

[mux]

We haven't gotten to the stage where we pick finishes, but here are some inspirational pictures to show what I think when I say "modern bar":

A lot of darker colours, natural stone/wood/metal/etc. Straight lines.
Not modern as in retro plastic stuff with lots of curves.



Interesting. It would be narrow.

Any ideas where to get them? I suppose I could make them pretty easily. Buy some exotic wood, cut & stain, then stick a stainless ferrule on the end.

Kal

That looks like a bar in a hotel lobby.

 

[mikemacwillie]

What exactly was the original purpose of these things? Just miscellaneous woodworking?

Kal

They're intended for pen turners. If you look for 'pen blanks', you'll find a ton more.

 

[fall-line]

Great idea on the pen blanks. A few of those and a lathe (or not, if you prefer them squared off), and we're in business!

 

[A4J]

Another option would be to get steel square tube, then get it powdercoated/chromed/finished to match all other finishes in the bar.

 

[Chia]

I found a picture of something similar to your granite handles in wood. It looks quite uniform - not sure that I ultimately like it though (don't know why). But I would assume the granite would look similar. I think you would have to get use to pouring beer by grabbing the top of the handle only as it doesn't look like there is much room to grab the sides.

Other than granite you could look at concrete, polished or not (sounds funny but its a popular material for many contemporary artists/designers), perhaps glass or incorporate a sheet of lexan with an etched number or letter on it.

I'm out of ideas, back to work. Good luck!

i have a friend that can engrave wood, metal, synthetics or even glass with a laser engraver. pm me for the info if you want it. just email her the jpg and mail the wood if you have it picked out, or she can get the wood, whatever. she did the top of my tapper

 

[onthekeg]

That looks like a bar in a hotel lobby.

I'm in the hotel all week. The last thing I want is a bar at home that looks the same. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[kal]

Yup, they're probably hotel bars. Just trying to show the modern style we like (straight lines, lots of natural wood/stone/etc products), that's all. I'm not building a hotel bar in the basement. (At least I don't think I am).

That said, I've seen a lot of nice hotel bars. Or at least it's a style I like. I'm not a big fan of the traditional UK/Irish pub look. Different strokes like the previous poster mentioned.

Kal

 

[mux]

I'm in the hotel all week. The last thing I want is a bar at home that looks the same. Different strokes for different folks.

I like it. Can't wait to see the real deal.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Kal, I think based on your style, the tap handles are a hassle and would not be ascetically balanced for the setup. Keep the normal (black) handles which looks sleek with the chrome tubing.

Then, you should build a digital menu that you can change as you rotate the beer selection. The digital (display) menu would be low key. It would give you something new to design and build.

I like that, perhaps with the 1-8 pool balls screwed into the top and a chalk board behind to list the selection. Usually simple ends up best.

 

[ao125]

How about setting up an LED flat screen behind the taps. Run it to a computer where you can run a slide show of the different beers on tap (say.. 8 scrolling screens). Each screen will show information about the beer and perhaps a picture of the tap handle that leads to the beer being advertised on the screen. Have 8 unique handles that are modern, stylish and unique. Or have numbered tap handles..

Perhaps even a screen that is sectioned off in 8 columns. Thus allotting room behind each tap handle for a picture and info.

Just a suggestion.

I was thinking perhaps having the Blue Angels fly overhead and write what the beers are in the sky.

 

[CidahMastah]

Now you have me thinking about tap handles again...

I like the exotic wood handles as well. When it comes to the bar i believe in the KISS philosophy. I bought some funny taps handles and I find I prefer the straight forward clean looking types (as does the wife).

 

[kal]

I like the exotic wood handles as well. When it comes to the bar i believe in the KISS philosophy. I bought some funny taps handles and I find I prefer the straight forward clean looking types (as does the wife).

+1

While it's not always the case, when it comes to bars simpler is also usually cheaper too, so I guess I lucked out in the regard as I like simple clean lines. A really ornate custom bar with a ton of woodwork is not cheap.

Kal

 

[kal]

Decision made. I placed an order with Micromatic for the items I listed here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ho...ve-8-beers-tap-317372/index4.html#post4032799

One less thing to worry about.

They broke ground (aka concrete) today so construction has official started. Some design/layout pictures can be seen here.

Kal

 

[william_shakes_beer]

You are going to post progress pictures, aren't you.

 

[kal]

Sorry, I started a basement/brewery/bar build thread here.

Kal

 

[kal]

The order from Micromatic arrived:

I knew the boxes would be big, but I wasn't prepared for how big. The wide angle lens on the camera is deceptive. The larger box on the right is nearly 4 feet long.

The 8-tap tower was well packaged and protected (spray foam is used to conform to the shape of the product):

The product lines are all stainless, the glycol lines are copper. Both have barbed ends that have been welded on:

Trunk line (8 product lines + 2 glycol lines):

Glycol only trunk line:

Drip tray with integrated glass rinser:

Stout faucets:

Inside the black shaft you can see the little restrictor plate with tiny holes. The beer is pushed through this plate which knocks out carbonation creating that nice creamy thick head that goes well with certain beer styles, Guiness of course being the most well known:

Two of the taps will be stout faucets for serving with C02/Nitrogen blend, the other 6 will be regular Perlick taps served with straight C02.

I tested the new tap tower to make sure that there aren't any leaks given that it's completely welded together and not really serviceable.

So I attached the tower temporarily to a piece of OSB that happens to already have a perfect cutout, then attached all of the faucets, filled a keg with water, set the pressure to various pressures from 5 to 20 PSI, and then pushed water through each of the faucets one by one:

Worked great. No leaks at all.

Kal

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

Based on how great that looks so far, there's only one proper way to identify the taps:

You need a 65" high def TV screen behind the bar to display the info on...

Bob

 

[kal]

Hi

Based on how great that looks so far, there's only one proper way to identify the taps:

You need a 65" high def TV screen behind the bar to display the info on...

Bob

Nah, not for me. Someone suggested this earlier and I wrote:

I'm not big on the idea of a powered display for the following reasons:

(1) You have to basically keep it on all the time when you think you may want beers and with a home theater screen around the corner it just wouldn't work (you do not want any extraneous light).
(2) Extra work. You have to turn it on/off to see what's available. Not to mention you have to program it, etc.
(3) Extra power, not very environmentally friendly.
(4) To each their own but I find it a bit cheesy. I would either look like segment LEDs, neon lights, or a flat panel display. All of which I don't think would look that nice. But that's just me. Others may say the same about a chalkboard.

No point in a 65" TV for watching movies/sports either when around the corner is a 10 foot screen. Why would I want to watch something ~4 times smaller?

Kal

 

[phoenixs4r]

My ADD is at a all time high this morning, so I didn't read the whole thread, but was attracted to the shiny metal objects. So sorry if this doesn't fit or has been brought up before.

How about a nice, wooden shelf that spans the length of the taps with a beer bottle behind each tap with the beers label? You could even make it easy on yourself by laying the bottle down, pouring some epoxy in it and glue some magnets inside the bottle and have magnetic labels so they can be swapped out. That would be handy so you can permanently affix the bottles to the shelf so they can be close to the taps without worry of being knocked over or knocked around.

If you felt like it, you could recess the bottles inside the wall and add lighting to bring out a more modern theme?

That's a beautiful tap system.

 

[phoenixs4r]

Or, which would look trick but would hurt resale if you plan to, have a glass blower or someone who knows how to work well with glass, bevel the bottom of the bottles so they fit perfectly on top of the actual tap pipe, and affix some bombers behind each tap handle. That might be too close though.