A tap on the counter is the detail that turns a shed into a bar in most people's eyes. It is also the most demanding piece of equipment you can add. Draught needs cleaning, cooling and, in many systems, a gas cylinder that must be handled properly.
Three levels of draught
Countertop mini-keg dispensers
These take small branded kegs and chill and pour them. They are the easiest entry point and suit occasional use. Check which keg formats a machine accepts before buying, because they are not interchangeable.
Kegerators
A kegerator is a fridge built or converted to hold a keg, with a tap through the top or door. It needs a gas supply to push the beer and regular line cleaning. It suits households that will actually get through a keg while it is fresh.
Built-in taps and a cooler
The full pub set-up uses a separate cooler, lines and a font on the counter. It is a bigger project and usually means bringing in someone who installs drinks dispense equipment.
Be honest about how much you drink
A keg that goes stale before it is finished is wasted money. If the bar is used for a few gatherings a year, bottles and cans from a decent fridge are simpler and often better. Draught makes sense when the bar is used regularly and the household enjoys the ritual of looking after it.
Gas cylinders need respect
Many draught systems use carbon dioxide or a mixed gas. Treat cylinders as the supplier instructs: secured upright, away from heat, in a ventilated space, with regulators fitted correctly. A leak in a small, closed bar shed is not something to be casual about.
Cleaning is part of the deal
Beer lines need regular cleaning to keep the drink tasting right and the equipment hygienic. Follow the equipment maker's schedule and cleaning products. If that sounds like a chore you will skip, choose a system with fewer lines or stick with bottles.
Place it for the conditions
Like a garden bar fridge, a kegerator or cooler has an ambient temperature range. A cold, unheated building in January and a hot, sunny one in July can both sit outside it. Check the range, leave the ventilation gaps and plan a proper supply.
Hosting, not selling
Pouring for friends is hosting. Charging for pints is a different matter entirely. Read our licence guide before taking any money.
Start by tracking how many drinks your bar actually serves over a few gatherings. That number decides whether a tap is a treat or an expensive ornament.