Most people won’t be interested in this, but I think there are probably a few weirdos out there like my friend and me, so I’m posting our new project: the post apocalyptic bar.
I have:
-little to no money
-lots of odds and ends laying around an old house I’ve sorta inherited
-a total fascination with 3rd-world-type improvised/repurposed furniture, gadgets, etc.
-a geeky interest in post-apocalyptic/dark future sci-fi
So my buddy and I are going to put together a bar, keezer with 3 taps, and semi-entertainment center while following a few easy rules. We will attempt to build everything out of stuff we already have (raw materials coming from dismantled junk), or can get free or super cheap from the local junk/swap meet. The only new stuff will be the kegging hardware and wood for the keezer collar.
Now, we’ll probably end up having to cheat here and there, but the real fun will come from the improvisation and creativity forced by the lack of new materials. I’ve seen some amazing projects pulled off by homebrewers, so I only hope we can be half as creative.
Here’s a cool website full of examples of “street use” or improvised stuff: Street Use
Depending on where you live, check local farms… especially dairy farms. You can find some decent used stainless steel around dairy farms these days at an affordable price, I just saw a long double wash sink that could be modified and made into one or two open fermenters… bulk milk tanks if you’ve got the capability to do large batches. The hardest part about large batches is the energy and size of equipment required for such a large volume. Good luck with your PABP.
This sounds like a pretty cool idea. Guessing you’re going to go through with all the work to acquire a brewpub license and whatnot. Heard there are hefty fees involved in that. Good luck.
Oh, sorry–misleading name. This will be a free beer bar (home bar). Not selling anything. I should change the name to PA Home bar/brewery. Not so catchy but more accurate.
Nice. Yeah that would be both awesome and horrible to maintain. I’ve always thought British beer engines were kinda steampunky–something about pumping the handle and delicious beer bubbling through yards of tubing from the cellar into your glass.
Oh snap! I was cruising the swap meet in my town for junk for the bar and what did my wondering eyes behold? A three faucet all brass draught tower (Perlick) lying on some dude’s blanket! I asked, “How much for this?” and he said, “25…well, 20.” Done. Holy crap. I about peed my pants. I still might.
It’s just missing tap handles and the little bolt thingy that the fits into the tap handle hole and works the inside tap piece back and forth. Pics to follow!
The PA pub is looking less post-apocalyptic at the moment. My drywalling job looks way too good (that really IS easy) and my father helped me build the bar counter. With him being a woodshop teacher, it came out beautifully. So…not that PA except for the complete lack of finish on it. Also, the brass faucets were so corroded that I’ve had to buy some new perlick faucets.
If I’m not careful, this bar’s going to turn out looking pretty nice.
quite a few Chicago Bars with decent brew and beer engines draw in the steam punk crowd. You also get your grubby post hippie hippies and naturally just some people that like beer.
I peeped out your blog and saw “redneck tech” That better describes my rig. see also, neolithic braueri or crummy garage with beer brewing gear.
Yeah, I like that a lot…haha. I like functional and super cheap. As my budget is almost completely blown now (after making sure everything that holds pressure or touches beer is good quality), I will be back to my primitive ways for lighting, decoration, stools, etc.
Do you have pictures of your rig? I always like see other brew setups.
Sam Calagione describes his swap meet tactics in “Brewing Up a Business”… To get fermenters for his production brewery, he went to a dairy farm swap meet with a bunch of samples. He made some farmer friends with the samples, and no one bid on the items he wanted… walked away with a bunch of “new-to-you” fermenters for little to nothing!
That is an awesome tip. I’m a swap meet junky, but I’d like to find some industrial salvage/swap meets where large containers, piping, etc is available. Anybody know of something like that in the LA/OC areas?
Haha! My mashtun was sitting on top of two half barrels. My brewing stand might fit into your redneck tech or PAB theme when its done. Hey what else was I going to do with a 6 foot long metal aquarium stand? :D I do have a march pump so I won’t have as much lugging things around going on… I think maybe…
