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Most beer and wine aficionados have considered having a home bar at one time or another. A home bar can be a wonderful addition. It adds value to the house and gives you a place to relax and unwind without leaving home. But before installing a home bar, there are many things to consider, and one of the most important is the type of beer and wine refrigeration systems you wish to use.
Key Considerations for Your Home Bar’s Refrigeration
To have a first-class bar—which is the reason you want one in the first place—the wines and beers need to be stored at the proper serving temperatures. In public bars, this is seldom the case, with most people believing that beer and white wine should be ice cold, and red wine should be at room temperature (whatever that means to them), instead of the standard 60ºF. Many fine beverages have been ruined by this way of thinking.
In reality, no beverage should ever be served ice cold (around 32ºF). Beverages served too cold, or too hot, cannot develop their full character and flavors. Anything over 62ºF will cause many components in beverages to break down, ruining their nuances.
As a general rule, the lighter the beer or ale, the colder it needs to be. Here are the recommended serving temperatures:
- Pale lagers and pilsners: 42º to 45ºF
- Wheat beers and heavier lagers: 47º to 48ºF
- Stouts, lambics, dark beers, British ales, and IPAs: 55º to 60ºF
Wines are a bit different. Here’s how you should store them:
- Sparkling wines and champagnes: 48ºF
- Rosés: 53ºF
- White wines: 51ºF
- Red wines: 62ºF
As you can see from these guidelines, a good home bar will require a refrigeration system that can hold beverages at various temperatures, or perhaps even several systems. There are many types of beer and wine refrigeration systems available, including wine refrigerators, draft beer refrigerators, kegerators, and beverage centers. The type or types you choose will depend on several factors, such as the amount of space available and the types of beverages you plan to stock. For keeping beer, wine, and soda, a single unit, called a “Back Bar Refrigerator,” may be all you need.
Another consideration is whether you want the coolers to be free-standing or built into the bar. If you choose built-in units, make sure to get models with front-facing compressor vents and those rated for built-in use. Otherwise, the hot air from the compressor will have nowhere to go, which can burn out the motor, causing the entire unit to fail.
One major piece of advice: get all the large items—like sinks, refrigeration units, and coolers—before you begin building the bar. In many cases, it will be necessary to build around the equipment.
There are several models of wine refrigerators on the market, ranging from small 16-bottle units that sit on top of your back bar refrigerator to large reach-in models that hold 100 bottles or more. Choose the model for your bar based on the types of wine you drink most often and the appropriate temperature range.
Installing a draft beer system or kegerator isn’t particularly difficult, but it’s easier to install during the bar’s construction rather than afterward. Keep in mind, beer must be kept at the right temperature to avoid becoming “skunky” or all foam. For this reason, your draft beer system should be placed on the same side of the bar as the tap station to avoid long tubing, which can cause the beer to warm up due to friction while moving through.
There’s an excellent single-keg system designed to be built into a bar or cabinet system, with the taps positioned on top. There are also under-the-counter keg coolers that can be built into the front or back bar. These are easy to install and can be pulled out and used as standalone units when needed. A stand-alone draft beer refrigerator is another good option, and it’s typically several hundred dollars cheaper than the other systems. Unless you’re specifically looking for commercial-grade equipment, this is ideal for home bars.
If you want to save money and don’t care about the aesthetics, you can repurpose an old working kitchen refrigerator. Simply remove the shelves, install a tap system, plug it in, add a keg, and you’re ready to go. It’s a good idea to have a drip tray underneath the tap, as some beer may spill. These setups are very popular in the South.
If you’re planning to stock canned or bottled beer, ales, wines, malt beverages, sodas, or juices, you will need a beverage center. These are small to medium-sized reach-in coolers built into the back bar, often with glass doors so you can easily see what’s inside. You can also store things like lemon and lime wedges or garnishes in them.
Unless you plan on serving mixed drinks as well, you probably won’t need an ice machine, but it can come in handy. There are some who drink wine “on the rocks,” and I’ve even seen people drop ice cubes into perfectly good beer. It was all I could do to keep from crying openly.
Beer and wine refrigeration systems will require periodic maintenance, cleaning, and upkeep, so be sure to make allowances for that. Wipe everything down, inside and out, with a commercial-grade sanitizer or a 10% chlorine bleach and water solution at least once a week. When properly maintained, home refrigeration systems can last a very long time.
One last tip: before purchasing any refrigeration system, find out what kind of warranty and customer service the company offers. Prompt service is essential if anything goes wrong. Otherwise, you risk losing a lot of fine brew-craft. Also, check with your homeowner’s insurance to ensure the refrigeration system is covered by your policy. Be sure you have all the required building permits and that the work is done by authorized contractors.
