Opening a Taproom or Beer Bar, Part 2: Draft System, Branding Kit, Opening Week

Updated September 2026 by Brad Lugar, owner of Steel City Tap Co., Birmingham, AL.

Quick answer: Part 2 is the equipment and the look. Spec the draft system (direct draw if the cooler is right behind the tower, glycol if the run is longer), commit to line cleaning every two weeks, then build the branding kit before opening: tap handles on every faucet, logo glassware, a sign customers can see from the street, coasters, and a menu board. Soft open for friends and family first and fix what breaks.

This is the second half of our two part guide to opening a bar. Part 1 covered concept, licensing, layout, menu, and staff. We are a tap handle and brewery branding shop in Birmingham, AL, so this is the half we know from the inside.

The draft system

Direct draw or glycol

If the walk-in cooler shares a wall with the bar and the tower sits on that wall, a direct draw system (short lines, cold air from the cooler) is simpler and cheaper. If the cooler is more than a few feet away, or in the basement, you need a glycol system that chills the lines the whole way to the faucet. Most bars that regret their draft system chose direct draw for a run that needed glycol, and they pour foam every morning to prove it.

Gas

Straight CO2 for most beers. A nitrogen blend for stouts and nitro beers, and for wine or coffee on tap. Long draw systems often run a blend to keep pressure without overcarbonating. Your installer sets this; your job is to know it exists so you can ask.

Faucets and handles

Standard US faucets take a 3/8-16 threaded handle. Every handle we build ships with that ferrule. Order enough faucets for the tap count you settled on in Part 1, plus one or two for growth.

Line cleaning

Every two weeks, no exceptions. Buy the pump and the chemicals before opening and put it on the calendar. Dirty lines are the number one reason draft beer tastes bad, and the customer blames the brewery, then stops ordering it.

The branding kit

A new bar looks new. The way to look established on day one is to have the same brand on every surface the customer touches.

• Tap handles. If you pour your own beer, every faucet gets your handle. If you pour other people's beer, use their handles and fill the gaps (cocktail tap, cider, cold brew) with a house handle. Stock shapes with your logo start at 12 units; fully custom shapes start at 100 and take 6 to 8 weeks after design approval, so order early.
• Glassware. Three shapes, logo printed. Covered in our glassware guide.
• Signs. One sign visible from the street (an LED sign in the window does the most work at night) and a tin tacker or two inside.
• Coasters and menu board. Cheap, high volume, and the first thing the customer reads.
• Keg collars. Only if you brew. If you do, your kegs need collars before the first one leaves the building.

Send one logo file. We build the handles, our sister shop Classic Printing & Signs prints the glass and signs, and Presto Embroidery does the staff shirts and hats.

Opening week

Soft open for friends, family, and industry first. Pour every tap, run the POS, run the dishwasher at full load, and find out what breaks with people who will forgive you. Then open. Skip the giant grand opening event; a bar that is full on a random Wednesday in month two is the real launch. Spend the promo money on a few weeks of social posts with good photos of the tap wall and the glass, which is the other reason to have the branding kit done before the doors open.

Need the handles, glass, and signs to match? Send us your logo and we will spec the kit.

Frequently asked questions

Direct draw or glycol draft system?

Direct draw when the walk-in shares a wall with the tower and the lines are short. Glycol when the cooler is more than a few feet away or on another floor. Choosing direct draw for a long run is the most common draft system mistake.

What thread do beer faucets use for tap handles?

Standard US beer faucets use a 3/8-16 thread. Every Steel City Tap handle ships with a 3/8-16 ferrule.

What branding does a new bar need before opening?

Tap handles on every faucet, logo glassware, one sign visible from the street, coasters, and a menu board. If you brew, keg collars too. Order handles early; custom shapes take 6 to 8 weeks.

How often do bar beer lines need cleaning?

Every two weeks. Buy the cleaning pump and chemicals before opening and schedule it.

Should a new bar have a grand opening event?

A soft open for friends and industry finds problems first. A big grand opening rarely pays; steady weeknight traffic in month two is the real measure.