Portable Party Keg Bar

[Doc]

I posted this in my AHB Blog here but thought I might get more feedback if I posted it here too.

Yet another project in the planning phase; a Portable Party Keg Bar.
After building my coolroom, I had a couple of 75mm panels and off cuts left over that I kept.
The plan was always to build a little chamber to hold 1-2 kegs with a nice bar top on it for social functions.
I've been mulling it over for some time, and I think I've solidified what I want and how to execute it.

The main chamber will hold 2 x 19 litre kegs and will be just high and wide enough to do so. I don't want this thing to be too bulky that would inhibit any potential portability issues.
The top will be interchangeable was I want two possible functions for the unit.
One mode will be two corny kegs with a two tap font on top.
The other will be two conry kegs, one attached to a single tap font, and the other to my beer engine.

The main chamber will be water tight and have a drain at the bottom. This is so it can be filled with ice if required on really hot days, and then drained at the end of the day.
The top, I'm thinking should be a nice wooden top, to give it some eye appeal.
A couple of wheels also to aid mobility.

Anyone done anything similar and can provide any helpful advice before I start cutting ?

Doc

 

[Greg Lawrence]

Sound lik ea good idea to me.
If you want a nice timber slab for the top, they sell them at the "timber & working with wood show" at fox studios 19-21 June. I got a couple of slabs of camphor laurel (spelling?) last year for a really good price.
http://www.eee.net.au/showwood.php?id=sydney

Look forward to seeing the end result.

Gregor

 

[shawnheiderich]

I would go for big diameter wheels. Having just finished (awaiting 1 part) my portable bar I have found it hard to move on 100mm castors. On the concrrete it is good but grass becomes harder.

Good luck and enjoy the build.

Shawn.

 

[schooey]

Save the $20 odd it costs you to get in and go see Trend Timbers at Mulgrave, Doc... Not too much of a drive for you from Cherrybrook.

The have off cut bits of many local and exotic hardwoods from Jarrah to Brazilian Purple heart at pretty reasonable prices

No affiliation with them. just a happy customer

 

[FNQ Bunyip]

I built a custom trolly for a busking musician once , use pneumatic wheels , I used golf buggy ones from the local pro shop but later found i could of got bicycle ones from the repair shop way way cheeper..

will have a look for a pic later ..but think like old ladys shopping cart ... but in ply on a welded frame...
cheers

 

[Doc]

Thanks for the tips guys.
All great feedback and taken on board.

Looking forward to building this one.

Doc

 

[Guest Lurker]

Large wheels, room for two kegs, wooden top, portable - hey thats my wheelie keg! Demolition jarrah floorbords screwed to steel rails, cheap, light, looks fine.

Lessons from that: 1) the wheels need to be a bit bigger, fully loaded its heavy and can get bogged, 2) the taps get warm at picnics, might be better with coolroom panels, but I ended up putting in a boat bilge pump which picks up melted ice at the bottom and pumps it over the tap shanks at teh top, gives a much better pour.

 

[gregb]

I put an old 30L fermenter in a 60L bin and filled the gap with expanding foam.

 

[wyatt_girth]

My brother is in the middle of knockin one up from what used to be a timber bbq trolley. It has come to a standstill as his girlfriend has noticed it looks ok as a pot plant stand <_<

 

[PHARSYDE]

Did you mean something like this Doc??

Just need a base with wheels and a glass rack or plastic cup holder on the side and everyone will want to try one!!

 

[Doc]

Large wheels, room for two kegs, wooden top, portable - hey thats my wheelie keg! Demolition jarrah floorbords screwed to steel rails, cheap, light, looks fine.

Lessons from that: 1) the wheels need to be a bit bigger, fully loaded its heavy and can get bogged, 2) the taps get warm at picnics, might be better with coolroom panels, but I ended up putting in a boat bilge pump which picks up melted ice at the bottom and pumps it over the tap shanks at teh top, gives a much better pour.

Thats it. A coolroom panel plus font version of that.

Did you mean something like this Doc??

Just need a base with wheels and a glass rack or plastic cup holder on the side and everyone will want to try one!!

Yep, and I miss the old Merc we had too thanks to that piccy

Doc

 

[br33zy]

I posted this in my AHB Blog here but thought I might get more feedback if I posted it here too.
...
The main chamber will hold 2 x 19 litre kegs and will be just high and wide enough to do so. I don't want this thing to be too bulky that would inhibit any potential portability issues.
...

Doc

What's up Doc....err sorry...

This sounds like a great idea - looking forward to see the final result.

I can't see mention of room for a CO2 cylinder in the main chamber - are you planning on squeezing one in there?

Cheers

Breezy

 

[Doc]

This sounds like a great idea - looking forward to see the final result.

I can't see mention of room for a CO2 cylinder in the main chamber - are you planning on squeezing one in there?

I use a sodastream cylinder for my existing party setups. I hope to house it internally as well.

Doc

 

[PHARSYDE]

Yep, and I miss the old Merc we had too thanks to that piccy

Doc

Oh sorry to hear that Doc, what model did you have?

Plus theres plenty of mercedes stock over there in NZ?? <_<

Not that that will help you being in Sydney? hehe

 

[Asher]

Lesson 2) the taps get warm at picnics, might be better with coolroom panels, but I ended up putting in a boat bilge pump which picks up melted ice at the bottom and pumps it over the tap shanks at the top, gives a much better pour.

The constant sound of trickeling water in the background is no good for the prostate challenged :lol:

 

[brettprevans]

Large wheels, room for two kegs, wooden top, portable - hey thats my wheelie keg! Demolition jarrah floorbords screwed to steel rails, cheap, light, looks fine.

Lessons from that: 1) the wheels need to be a bit bigger, fully loaded its heavy and can get bogged, 2) the taps get warm at picnics, might be better with coolroom panels, but I ended up putting in a boat bilge pump which picks up melted ice at the bottom and pumps it over the tap shanks at teh top, gives a much better pour.

- A medium aquarium pump or pond pump would suffice instead of a bilge pump wouldnt it? Good idea though althought it does mean you need power....
-Unless you make a second smaller 'box' for arounf the taps and have some ice in that esp to keep it cool. think the small ice container inside upright freezers....
- as for wheels. yeah go big wheels. bunnings/mitre10 etc etc have big selection.
- probably want to have a plug/tap at the bottom of the container to let all the melt ice out (im assuming your not gonna run a gycol system Doc).
- maybe a wheelie bin as the outter is an idea and line the inside with collerrom panels (not knowing how thick the panels are of course).
- you could easily knock up a small cradle for the sodastream bottle on the inside so it stay nice and dry (hell a couple of U hooks would do the trick).

edit:

The constant sound of trickeling water in the background is no good for the prostate challenged :lol:

funny. although if you can hear the trickle of water at a party there are bigger problems than heady beer!

 

[ozshots]

The only thought I can add is to think how it will fit in the car.

Not a problem if you have ute or station wagon..