Beer Tap at Home - Cool for Party and for Ordinary Days

I always wanted to have the beer taps at home. You know, exactly the same like in bars or in restaurants. Why ? Because it is cool :) It can be used during parties, because You can pour anything You want from such taps: beer, cider, wine, water and even whiskey ('I've really tested it) and juice. It is up to You if You want to have gas in liquid (beer, cider) or no gas at all (water, whiskey etc).

So as You can see the beer taps could be also used during ordinary days. My kids love to pour the soda water from them. Really.

It turns that installation for home taps is in fact pretty easy. You will need:

- pepsi KEG (called also Cornelius) - this is the container for the liquids. I've bought used one, with a lot of scratches around but at 1/3 of the price of new one. The cost is about 30-50USD for used one.

- pipes (beer pipes 3/8 ") - made from some kind of plastic. They can hold the pressure easily if You want to have gas in liquids.

- John Guest accessories - to connect the pipes

- CO2 bottle - I've chosed the 5kg bottle which allow me to serve for up to 12 KEGs.

- reducer for the CO2 gas - to lower the pressure from the bottle

- valves for cornelius keg - easy to find in the internet

- taps - I recommend to use not china taps. China are the less expensive, but not very good quality.

Step 1: The Board for the Taps

Taps could be installed in the wall without the board, but it is a lot of easier to install them in the board. In my opinion the pretty board makes them also look cooler. You can made the board alone, or You can find the CNC/wood shop in the internet and order whatever shape You like.

I've ordered the raw board in the CNC/wood shop. Without no protection coat. It is because I wanted to add an oil, same as I used for all other furniture in my kitchen. I've just wanted the board to fit to the rest.

First step is to carefully plan the places for the taps.

Next You need to drill the holes. You can use such drill like in the picture added to this step.

Step 2: The Board - Protection Layer

When You have the board it's time to add some protection to it. You will be pouring the liquids very close by, so it has to have some protection. I recommend to use an oil with the attest for food. In my opinion it is good protection from water and still You have nice touch of the wood surface.

Of course, the best protection is the lacquer, but i don't like such things.

Step 3: Taps & Pipes

Taps should sit tightly in the board. If You have standard taps, the John Guest 3/8" accessories are very easy to mount. It's not commercial from my side, it is really the only company making such connectors. I believe, they have some kind of patent for it.

The plastic (but elastic) pipe goes to the John Guest connector and this connector goes to the tap - easy! Yes, but You also have to add little red blockades to prevent the disconnection of the pipes.

Step 4: Mounting It in the Wall

I have the concrete wall, but of course, the taps can be mounted in thinner walls made from wood or from cardboard gypsum.

In my case, because I don't have proper tool, I've made several holes in the place of the taps and then I used the chisel and a hammer to make the big and round (ok, almost roun ;-) ) holes.

On the other side of the wall I've used the electrical, plastic holders (for electric wires), to make the path for the pipes.

The board is hold to the wall by very long screws.

Step 5: KEG & CO2 Gas

For the installation I recommend to use the Pepsi KEG which is also called Cornelius KEG. It can be cleaned and reused. It has the big lid and two valves - to one You need to put the gas (CO2) which will push the liquid through the second valve (pipes to tap goes here).

As a gas to push the liquid from the keg the CO2 is used. The bottles of this gas varies from 1kg up to 8kg. If You have the space/room - chose the typical 8kg. You won't have the problem with refueling.

You cannot use the gas from the bottle, You need to have the reducer which will lower the pressure to 0,5-1Ba.

Be careful when You install the reducer to the bottle and connect all things together.Carefully read the instration of Your reducer and do as it is in instruction.

The connection is like this:

bottle -> reducer -> pipe to Cornelius KEG -> pipe from Cornelius KEG to tap.

not very complicated.