How To Set Up A Pub Shed Draught Beer System

Once you have your own home bar or pub shed, one of the things that you might want to add is a draught beer system. Well I did, but I also wanted a fermentation unit too for brewing, so I thought I would explain my set up.

The easiest way to have a draught beer system is to buy a kegerator, but they are pretty expensive. So to build your own you will need a beer pump, some beer line, various connectors and a fridge which is optional. These can all be connected to a keg or beer in a bag, and you have your own draught beer system.

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Why Set Up A Draught Beer System

If you like beer and have a home bar or pub shed, then you probably have a stock of cans and bottles of your favourite beer. However we all like the draught pint you get down the pub, so why not get draught beer at home.

Also there are many breweries that now supply beer in a bag in a box and deliver it to your door. This is great because you get fresh beer straight from their tanks which takes just a few seconds to connect to a draught beer system.

It is not complicated to set up, and doesn’t cost a fortune. It is definitely cheaper than buying a kegerator.

So what do you need to set up your own draught beer system?

What You Need To Set Up A Draught Beer System

There are several thing you need to set up your own draught beer system. So I will list them below.

Beer Engine

The main component for your draught system is a beer engine, which is basically a pump that draws the beer from a keg or beer in a bag.

These can be expensive when you buy new, the most popular one being the Pint 365 which at time of writing is £195.00.

However I got a refurbished unit from Ebay for £70.00 which is like brand new. All the seals in the cylinder are new and the wooden plynth and handle look new too.

A beer engine simply fits on the edge of a bar or any kind of worktop or counter top. There is a small connector at the back of the beer engine which your beer line fits to.

Check Valve

A check valve or non return valve is a little unit that you place close to the beer engine. This stops the beer flowing forward when there is no demand, basically when you are not operating the beer engine.

It has an inlet and outlet, one connects to the beer engine via a short length of beer line. The other connects to your keg or beer in a bag via another length of beer line.

A check valve is very simple to install.

Beer Line

You will obviously need some beer line for your beer to get from a to b, from your beer in a bag to the beer enigine.

The length of beer line you will need will depend on where you beer is located to the beer engine. Beer line is special food grade tube, so don’t just connect any old pipe.

It is not expensive to buy and you can buy it on a roll or cut to size. I went for insulated beer line which helps keep the beer cool while it sits in the line.

Connectors And Clips

You may need various connectors and clips for connecting your beer line together. I have two metre lengths of beer line which joined with a simple push on John Guest connector.

I also have two jubilee clips that secure the beer line either side of the check valve. The John Guest Connectors and the jubilee clips are pence to buy.

The last connector and probably is the most important is the one that connects the beer line to your beer in a bag.

A beer in a bag comes with a little push tap to dispense your beer, just like the wine in a bag in a box. To connect you beer line to this you will need a Vitop connector which simply fits of the little push tap and screws down turning the tap on.

A Vitop connector can range between £8 – £15 depending on where you buy and the quality.

If you are filling a keg with beer, then you will need a different connector. There are a variety of keg styles and each one might have a different connector.

Once you have everything connected, then you are good to go and pull your first draught pint.

Fridge (Optional)

If you like your draught beer cool then you might want to add a fridge to the system. However it is optional and you have to think how you will get your beer line into the beer in a bag cooling in the fridge.

The easiest way most people achieve this is by drilling a small hole in the side or door of the fridge. However it is not something I recommend, even though I did exactly that.

Just do your research first, and be very careful.

You can source a used fridge locally, I got mine on FB market place for £40.

Fermentation Unit

I like to brew beer, so when I am not getting a beer in the bag from a brewery I will use my fridge as a fermentation unit.

It involves adding a small heater to the fridge as well as a temperature control unit. This will keep my beer at the temperature I set while it is going through the fermentation process.

Once my beer is ready to be dispensed, I will transfer it to a beer in a bag and switch my fermentation unit back to a fridge.

What do I need to turn my fridge into a fermentation unit?

Heater

The first part to a fermentation unit is a heater, to bring the temperature up for the beer. I use a small tube heater which can easily heat the area in a fridge.

You can get these for around £20 at the time of writing.

Thermostat Control Unit

To control the temperature in the fermentation unit you need a thermostat control unit. This simple plugs in to a socket outlet, the you plug the fridge and the heater into it.

Set the desired temperature and the thermostat control unit will maintain the desired temperature by switching between the heater or the fridge.

The unit I have is an Ink Bird Thermostat which is about £40 at the time of writing.

My Beer Draught System

Final Thoughts

It is pretty simple and straightforward to set up a draught beer system in a home bar or pub shed. Although you don’t need a home bar or pub shed, you could set one up anywhere.

The simplest version is without a fridge, but it is easy to add the fridge to the system (remember I do not recommend drilling a hole in any fridge).

My system also incorporates a fermentation unit which is pretty easy to add, but only if you want to brew beer like me.

If you have any questions or thoughts about a beer draught system, then do share them below.