Home Brew Dispensing Mobile Command Center Build

I'm sure a pinic tap is much easier but I decided to make something different that would hold 3 soda kegs and let me serve homebrew out and about. This is what i came up with. I'm going to use a 55 gallon poly drum. I'm going to build a 3 branch tapper out of PVC and run it all off of a paintball tank. The thing is going to be heavy so i'm using pneumatic wheel barrel wheels so that it can tilt back like a dolley or hand truck to move around. I also plan to incoporate some kind of cup dispensing system. Anyway i'm going to start building this week. Here are some pictures of the parts.

Awesome. Just planning on filling with ice? Don't see a drain there with your parts.

Yep, just throw some ice in there, I'm going to put a plastic spigot on the bottom to drain the water. I still have a few things left to buy. I'm hoping that it will be a fairly cheap build overall. I also need to figure out some kind of drip tray for the lid. I could cut slits in the plastic but I think i need the lid to stay pretty strong to hold the tappers. There is also a big metal ring that clamps the lid on which is also not in the picture.

I love the idea of a driptray. We didn't add one to our ghetto kegerator, because it's used outside but adding one would certainly be less messy. Another thing to think about is trying to insulate it somehow. Even on not-hot days, the ice melts so fast that some insulation would be great.

I totally stole Biermuncher's write up in BYO, and lschiavo and I built this: (we have joint custody)

I second the insulation! Also, consider the condensation that this thing will create on the outside. Don't set it anywhere that the floor shouldn't be getting wet without some type of drip tray!
And whatever holes you put in the bottom by putting the wheels on will essentially be a nice drain for melt water to drip out, so make sure you seal them all up good.

Oh man...I've been planning a semi-portable unit and I was going to do the same thing. I like the 55 gallon barrels because a 1/2 barrel will also fit. I was having trouble finding barrel on the cheap so I went a different route (will be posting my build soon). After I bought my other stuff, I ended up getting a free barrel today. Very interested to see how this turns out. Since I have a barrel now, maybe I'll make another portable unit.

Can you fit 4 cornies in there or just 3?

I know i can fit 3 for sure, but it might fit 4, i will have to try it out. Also, I only am really thinking of using this for outdoor use (tailgating/camping etc) so the condensation and drip shouldn't be a problem.

Here's mine. It's insulated and can be plugged in.
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Alright so I put together the tapper last night, I didn't glue it together yet so some things might be a little crooked. This it what it will look like. Its very front heavy which has me a little worried. Hopefully the PVC glue is extremely strong. Also its going to be fun trying to thread the beer line through the different twists.

Lookin' good Superb. I really like how the PVC looks!

Someone posted this a few weeks ago:

yeah that was me that posted that a few weeks ago, that belongs to me too. Its my prize possession. Can't have enough ways to dispense beer.

I like the gnarled PVC tower. It might be really cool to spray paint it, and have a colored tower that doesn't look so much like PVC, if that would appeal to you.

Supurb said:

yeah that was me that posted that a few weeks ago, that belongs to me too. Its my prize possession. Can't have enough ways to dispense beer.

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Haha, well apparently I'm a huge fan of your work. Well done.

Yeah I think spraypainting is a good idea. Do they make spray paint that adheres to PVC? I'm sure there is something, I'll probably have to sand it all down first. Good idea though. I've been brainstorming the insulation part as well. I don't want to put anything on the outside, but perhaps i could build and inner ring from plastic and then spray in foam between that and the drum? Hmmm all good ideas !

Supurb said:

Do they make spray paint that adheres to PVC? I'm sure there is something,

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Yes:
http://www.krylon.com/products/fusion_for_plastic/

Available at HomeDepot, Ace, Menards, etc.

I built one out of the same type of drum with 4 taps, I quit using it because it took a lot of ice just to fill the bottom and it melted very quickly even with a blanket wrapped around it.

Thanks for the insight. I will definitely make some kind of foam insulation, then it should stay cold and won't take nearly as much ice. Two birds ! I like your tapper set up.

Does that paintball canister have enough CO2 volume to dispense 15 gallons of beer?

Yuri_Rage said:

Does that paintball canister have enough CO2 volume to dispense 15 gallons of beer?

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Yep. You can dispense about 5 gallons with two of the little 16g disposables.

Yeah i have a 20oz tank and i'm not using it to keep the beer carbonated or anything, just to push the beer out, I think it should be enough. Originally i was planning on using button on the side of the drum that when pushed would recharge the kegs with c02 when they got low. Here is basically what i bought:

http://www.pneumadyne.com/push-butt..._medium=organic&utm_campaign=Base&language=en

I don't think it was made for c02 and when i hooked it up, it was impossible to press the button in. So unfortunately that idea didn't work and i'll probably just use a regulator.

Yooper said:

I like the gnarled PVC tower. It might be really cool to spray paint it, and have a colored tower that doesn't look so much like PVC, if that would appeal to you.

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I've been thinking of covering the tower on mine with silver aluminum duct tape. Just to get away from that "sewer pipe" look.

Okay so i bought some sheet metal that i'm going to put inside the drum in a circle. I'm going to put that spray in foam insulation around it. I think that will make it much lighter as it will take less ice, also i'm hoping it will solve the insulation problem. I will post a pic as soon as its done.

I will be watching!

Is that a Beer, soda & porta potty all in one?

The blue one on the Harley GC ...

Supurb said:

Okay so i bought some sheet metal that i'm going to put inside the drum in a circle. I'm going to put that spray in foam insulation around it. I think that will make it much lighter as it will take less ice, also i'm hoping it will solve the insulation problem. I will post a pic as soon as its done.

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Your spray foam is going to get water logged unless you have some means of sealing it.

Yuri_Rage said:

Does that paintball canister have enough CO2 volume to dispense 15 gallons of beer?

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I have a 20oz. paintball tank that I've force-carbed and served 4 kegs between refills. It's 1/4 the size of a 5lb. tank, so take your usage on that size and divide by 4.

It costs me $3.21 with tax to refill it at the sporting goods store.

jblizz said:

Your spray foam is going to get water logged unless you have some means of sealing it.

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Really, that stuff is not waterproof? I'll just have to run a bead of silicon along the bottom then.

tre9er said:

I have a 20oz. paintball tank that I've force-carbed and served 4 kegs between refills. It's 1/4 the size of a 5lb. tank, so take your usage on that size and divide by 4.

It costs me $3.21 with tax to refill it at the sporting goods store.

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What sort of regulator are you using with it?

Supurb said:

What sort of regulator are you using with it?

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Initially i wanted to run the paintball tank to pnematic button. So when the flow was reduced you hit the button and gave it a shot of c02 to recharge the kegs. This idea failed, once hooked it up i was unable to push the button in. So I'll probably just use a normal regulator with the adaptar that changes the threads from standard Co2 tank to a paintball tank. Unless anyone had any ideas on how to get the button to work.

Here is the lastest pics so far.

After moving I finally got back to working on the project this weekend. I got the sheet metal and was happy to find out that two standard size pieces from the hardware store were the EXACT size i needed. It fits 3 corny's like a glove and is the exact height I wanted, which meant no cutting necessary. I sprayed in the foam this weekend. I think its going to work really well. I used "BIG STUFF". It hardened up nicely and will definetly hold the sheet metal in place. I made one mistake putting it in however. After spraying I should have flipped the drum over. This would have utilized gravity to allow the stuff to expand into the whole length of the drum. Instead it expanded downward and compacted and leaked out the bottom. I dont' think it got the full expansion out of the product and after drying overnight it actually pushed in and bent the sheet metal in one spot.

Here are the latest pics

Supurb said:

What sort of regulator are you using with it?

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Sorry I never responded. I use a standard CO2 regulator with the adapter. I recently got a good deal on a 7lb. CO2 tank so I've got the paintball tank just sitting there but it will make for a good portable serving system.

Back to the project. I decided we needed a cup dispenser, I found one online for like $10 and then wrapped it in sheet metal and gave it some brackets. I also made it detachable for transportation.

I also figured we should throw in some light so that people can find the tapper at night. I decided to use some LED's and go disco crazy with it. The LED lights run off of a $20 scooter battery and have a remote control which is kind of cool. Not to mention all the different effects they can do. Below is a picture of the LED setup & the results.

Liking the light effects.

Supurb said:

I also figured we should throw in some light so that people can find the tapper at night. I decided to use some LED's and go disco crazy with it. The LED lights run off of a $20 scooter battery and have a remote control which is kind of cool. Not to mention all the different effects they can do. Below is a picture of the LED setup & the results.

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You should put a radioactive decal on it!

Dang nice idea with the lights.

Did you get those lights at Costco? The ones I bought a while ago had a different remote, but I do agree, they are cool lights.

After seeing the lights, I want one now. Holy crap that looks cool.

Also dig the little beer dispensing golf cart. That'd be pretty sweet.