mashpaddled
Well-Known Member
I'm exploring building a bar in my basement in an area that is kind of an open space that we don't use so naturally is begging to be turned into a bar for my homebrew. It's under the kitchen near the sink so I want to take advantage of easy access to the drain and water connections to install a small sink and glass sprayer as well as an RO system for brewing liquor. The hitch in my vision is the area isn't big enough to build a walk around bar where the seating is behind a service area with the taps. It will need to be a straight bar against the wall with the seating facing the wall. More of a service bar on your way to other seating areas in the house than a place to lounge. My wife wants it to look nice and I know that means the keezer needs to get built into the bar. My thought is to do one of the trap door type builds and put a wood facade on the front of the bar so it has a nice look to it.
Here are the questions:
1. How long should I realistically expect a keezer to last? It's one thing to have to tear up a bar fifteen years from now and rebuild the cosmetics but I don't want to have to rebuild this every five years.
2. If there is a risk the freezer will pass away does it make sense to build the front facade so it is easily removed so I could slide out a dead freezer and replace it?
3. Is there an issue with letting the freezer bear the load of the bar on top of it? My thought is if I need to remove the front of the bar I could position the freezer near the front of the bar with no beams in front of it but 2x4s on the other three sides helping support the weight so the freezer is really only supporting the bar directly above it, a collar and the taps?
Here are the questions:
1. How long should I realistically expect a keezer to last? It's one thing to have to tear up a bar fifteen years from now and rebuild the cosmetics but I don't want to have to rebuild this every five years.
2. If there is a risk the freezer will pass away does it make sense to build the front facade so it is easily removed so I could slide out a dead freezer and replace it?
3. Is there an issue with letting the freezer bear the load of the bar on top of it? My thought is if I need to remove the front of the bar I could position the freezer near the front of the bar with no beams in front of it but 2x4s on the other three sides helping support the weight so the freezer is really only supporting the bar directly above it, a collar and the taps?