Home bar advice

[Fella]

I bought a bar! An antique.


And a Pump

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290722267343? ... 500wt_1282


Now I just need someone with experience of running a bar, or a homebar, to tell me the best way to get it all to work, and how to store the beer!

Cheers!

 

[joe1002]

I have no experience of those taps but you will need some sort of keg /cask to store the beer in. Getting hold of one could be a problem.

IMO, you will be better off with a cornelius keg system (have a search on the forum, there is loads of info on them). I don't think you will be able to connect that tap to a cornelius keg, but i'm ont 100% sure on that.

Sorry I can't be of more help

 

[carl_saint]

You would definitely be better off with a cornelius setup! I have one and have them connected to a pump on my bar and it's perfect!

That pump will work with a cornelius. Think it takes a little more work but I will work. I believe one of the guys has one connected up working.

 

[joe1002]

I am not doubting you at all Carl but I am keen to know how a pump like that works with a corny.

I didn't think it would work as the pump mentioned above works by sucking the beer from the keg (I think) but beer from a corny is force out by pressure?

 

[Fella]

I was under the impression if I take a regular vat, full of beer, then add the siphon to the bottom of the keg, then pump, the action will work the same as a siphon?

I understand there is a good chance Im wrong...

 

[TRXnMe]

I know sod all about beer pumps, but a fair bit about quite a few other types of pump and if you can connect the beer pump to a corny it should work, but you will have to manage the pressure in the keg so you don't try to create a vacuum in there.

 

[joe1002]

What type of vat do you invisage using? I assume you will need to prime in it, therefore there will be sediment in the bottom. Also how will you add your beer line keeping the vat sealed? You will also need to be able to add co2 as the beer level drops.

 

[joe1002]

I know sod all about beer pumps, but a fair bit about quite a few other types of pump and if you can connect the beer pump to a corny it should work, but you will have to manage the pressure in the keg so you don't try to create a vacuum in there.

Having had a quick google search you need a check valve to use a hand pump with a corny.

 

[jobby]

i have that style pump and what i did was use a check valve from the pump then run a pipe from the check valve to a 10-14mm straight reducer then a 14mm pipe straight on to me pressure barrel, works great for me.

 

[graysalchemy]

I think you can get cask breathers for cornies which replace the liquid drawn out of the cornie with co2 so it is not pressurised but has a protective blanket of co2.

Just found this thread on Jims about. They say to use a check valve on a cornie. :thumb: :thumb:

If I had a home bar I would definately want hand pulled beer and not gassy pop. :lol: :lol:

 

[Swift Pint]

ah, I think I might look at getting a check valve.
I've hooked up my hand pumps to cornies before, but its always been at parties where all of the beer is going to get drunk in one go, so have just vented all the co2 before hand, then closed the co2 valve to stop air getting in, and only re-opened the valve when it becomes hard to pull beer through with the pumps. Its worked OK for me, but then the beer has always been drunk within a day or two, so not ideal for a homebar!

It looks like check valves are the way forwards. I'd be a bit worried about the beer sitting in the beer engine between uses as presumably it will go stale and need to be discarded before pulling a fresh pint, could lead to a lot of wastage?

 

[Hawks]

I have cornies and a hand pump, as do a few people on here I think - they do work :thumb:

As said, I use a check valve between the two - this stops the pressure pushing the beer through.
You can also / instead use a cask breather to keep atmospheric pressure on the beer in the keg - but I just use a very low pressure and the check valve and it works fine.

There is some wastage, and for that reason I only use the hand pump for parties etc when a lot of beer will be drunk. I dont think its worth it for a couple of pints every now and then as I found I would waste too much. BUT - I think some people have it set up to minimise this, but you'd need to do some searching on the forum or hope one of them looks at this thread.

 

[Pipey]

I've got a pump like that in my bar, I have a selection of pressure barrels, 40pints, 20 pints and ten pints. The thread on the pressure barrels are 3/4 so take out the existing fitting and replace with a speed fit washing machine valve. Hose pipe from the pump to a 90 degree piece of 15mm copper with jubilee clips, this then plugs into the washing machine valve, open it up and pull the perfect pint mmmmmmm

 

[Fella]

What keg would I need to use?

 

[Pipey]

Use a 5 Gallon Plastic Barrel, Vent Cap and Tap for 40 pints and the 2 gallon one for twenty pints, i managed to get 1 gallon ones from a company near me for 10 pints

 

[Fella]

It's now in my apartment.

Accepting charitable donations and links of where best to buy - bar towels, Bar stools, nozzles, a red blazer (!), a small vessel with which I can load homebrew and then pressurise to run through the tap, optics, and associated bar paraphernalia.

 

[Devonhomebrew]

fella you can buy pins they are 4.5 gallon kegs that work traditionally with beer engines you can buy casks for less than cornies

 

[Vossy1]

Use the forum search facility ans search for 'cask and breather' there are enough posts there to answer all your questions Fella...like this one :thumb:

EDIT, nice bar btw :mrgreen:

 

[joe1002]

I cant see the pictures, is it just me?

 

[TRXnMe]

I cant see the pictures, is it just me?

Might be, I can see them anyway.