DIY: Making Taplist Boards

Crafting a custom taplist board isn’t just about utility; it’s an extension of your brewing identity. My experience shows that a well-designed DIY board, whether digital or analog, elevates the presentation of your homebrew. It’s a project that combines woodworking, basic electronics, and thoughtful design to ensure your tap offerings are always visible, accurate, and professional.

When I first started pouring my own creations directly from a keg, I quickly realized the chalkboard I hung with my illegible handwriting wasn’t cutting it. My friends would squint, ask, and I’d spend more time explaining than enjoying the beer. It was a classic beginner’s mistake: overlooking the presentation. I knew I needed a better way to display my taplist, something that reflected the care I put into my brews. That’s when I dove headfirst into DIY taplist boards, and let me tell you, the journey taught me a lot about making things not just functional, but truly integrated into the brewing experience.

The DIY Taplist Board: More Than Just a List

Creating your own taplist board is a rewarding project that combines craft with technology. It’s about designing a system that accurately and aesthetically communicates your current beer offerings. I’ve experimented with everything from simple wood and chalkboard paint to elaborate digital displays, and what I’ve learned is that the core principles remain the same: clarity, durability, and ease of update.

Manual Calculation Guide: Cost-Benefit & Display Efficiency

Before you even pick up a saw or a soldering iron, the math needs to make sense. Here’s how I break down the financials and practicalities of a DIY digital taplist board compared to commercial options, and how to size your display effectively.

Step-by-Step Execution: Building Your Digital Taplist Board

This guide focuses on a digital e-ink display board, as it provides excellent contrast, low power consumption, and modern aesthetics. It’s what I personally use in my own taproom.

1. Design & Planning (1-2 Hours)

1. Choose Your Display: I typically use a 7.5″ (640x384px) or 10.3″ (960x640px) three-color (black, white, red) e-ink display. The larger displays offer more space for tasting notes.
2. Select Your Controller: A Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W or an ESP32 microcontroller with Wi-Fi is ideal. The Pi offers more processing power for complex layouts, while the ESP32 is extremely power-efficient for simpler displays. I lean towards the Pi for its versatility.
3. Enclosure Design: Sketch your enclosure. Mine is often a simple wooden frame, usually **30mm** deep, with a cutout for the display and a removable back panel for access. Consider mounting options (wall mount, stand).
4. Software Framework: Decide how you’ll update the list. I use a simple web server running a Python script on the Raspberry Pi that pulls data from a Google Sheet or a local JSON file. This allows me to update the list from my phone or laptop, anywhere with an internet connection.

2. Component Sourcing (1-3 Hours)

This is where I gather everything. Don’t skimp on quality; a cheap power supply or unreliable Wi-Fi module will only lead to headaches.

• Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W (or ESP32 dev board)
• E-Ink Display Module (e.g., Waveshare 7.5″ E-Paper HAT for Pi)
• Micro SD Card (minimum **8GB**, Class 10)
• 5V DC Micro USB or USB-C Power Supply (rated for at least **2A**)
• Thin gauge wires (**24-28 AWG**) for connections
• Wood/Acrylic sheets for enclosure (e.g., **5mm** birch plywood or MDF)
• Wood glue, small screws, standoffs, sandpaper
• Optional: Wall mounting hardware, small push buttons (for manual refresh/power cycle)

3. Enclosure Fabrication (2-4 Hours)

This is where your craftsmanship comes in. I always double-check my measurements before cutting.

1. Cut Materials: Based on your design, cut the front panel, side strips, and back panel. For a 7.5″ e-ink display, I make the front panel around **200mm x 120mm**, with a precisely cut aperture for the visible screen area.
2. Route/Cut Display Opening: Carefully cut the opening for your e-ink display on the front panel. Ensure a snug fit; I often use a router with a guide bearing for clean edges.
3. Assemble Frame: Glue and clamp the side strips to the front panel, forming a box. Reinforce with small brad nails or screws. Allow adequate drying time (**1-2 hours** minimum).
4. Finish Enclosure: Sand all surfaces smooth, then apply a finish. I prefer a clear coat or a dark stain to give it a classic pub aesthetic.
5. Prepare Back Panel: Drill holes for ventilation if needed, and pre-drill mounting holes for the controller board and for securing the back panel.

4. Wiring & Assembly (1-2 Hours)

Precision here prevents future frustration. My rule of thumb: solder strong, insulate well.

1. Attach E-Ink HAT: Mount the e-ink display’s driver board (often called a HAT for Raspberry Pi) to your Raspberry Pi’s GPIO pins.
2. Wire Display to HAT: Carefully connect the e-ink display panel to its driver board using the provided flexible flat cable (FFC) or ribbon cable. Ensure correct orientation and secure the latch.
3. Mount Components: Secure the assembled Raspberry Pi + E-Ink HAT inside the enclosure using standoffs and small screws. Position it so the display aligns perfectly with the front panel’s opening.
4. Power & Optional Wiring: Connect the power input for the Raspberry Pi. If you added any buttons or sensors, wire them to the appropriate GPIO pins according to your controller’s pinout.
5. Secure Display: Use small dabs of hot glue or thin double-sided tape around the display’s edges to hold it in place against the front panel, ensuring no light bleed or movement.

5. Software Configuration (1-3 Hours)

This is where the magic happens and your board comes to life. I prefer Python for its simplicity and extensive libraries.

1. Flash OS: Install Raspberry Pi OS Lite (no desktop) onto your Micro SD card. Use a tool like Raspberry Pi Imager.
2. Initial Setup: Insert the SD card, power up the Pi. Access it via SSH. Enable SPI and I2C interfaces (if needed) using sudo raspi-config.
3. Install Libraries: Install the necessary Python libraries for your e-ink display. For Waveshare, it’s usually their specific library: git clone https://github.com/waveshare/e-Paper.git followed by pip install Pillow and navigating to their Python example folder to run setup scripts.
4. Develop/Adapt Script: Write or adapt a Python script to fetch your beer data (from a Google Sheet API, local JSON, or a custom web endpoint), format it, and display it on the e-ink screen. My script often includes:
   • Data fetching from an external source (e.g., requests library for HTTP GET).
   • Text rendering using `Pillow` (PIL).
   • Error handling for network or data issues.
   • Timed refreshes (e.g., every 5 minutes, though e-ink isn’t designed for constant refreshes, it’s fine for a few per hour).
5. Autostart Script: Configure your script to run automatically at boot using a cron job (crontab -e) or a systemd service.

6. Mounting & Testing (0.5 Hour)

The final touch.

1. Secure Back Panel: Attach the back panel to the enclosure.
2. Mount Board: Install the finished taplist board in its desired location, ensuring it’s level and secure.
3. Final Testing: Power it up, verify the display updates correctly, and check readability from various angles and distances. Make sure Wi-Fi is stable.

Troubleshooting: What Can Go Wrong

Even with my two decades of experience, things don’t always go perfectly. Here are common issues I’ve encountered:

• Blank E-Ink Display:
  • Cause: Incorrect wiring between display and HAT/controller.
  • Fix: Double-check all SPI (SCK, MOSI, MISO, CE0/CE1) and power (VCC, GND) connections. Ensure the ribbon cable is inserted correctly and fully latched.
  • Cause: SPI interface not enabled on the Raspberry Pi.
  • Fix: Run sudo raspi-config -> Interface Options -> P4 SPI -> Yes.
  • Cause: Software driver not installed or configured correctly.
  • Fix: Re-run installation commands for your specific e-ink library.
• Wi-Fi Connectivity Issues:
  • Cause: Incorrect Wi-Fi credentials in /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf or weak signal.
  • Fix: Verify SSID and password. Test signal strength near the board.
  • Cause: Raspberry Pi’s Wi-Fi module is disabled or faulty.
  • Fix: Check power to the Pi. Ensure the Wi-Fi firmware is up to date.
• Python Script Not Running/Updating:
  • Cause: Syntax errors in the script, missing libraries, or incorrect file paths.
  • Fix: Run the script manually from the command line (python3 your_script.py) to see error messages. Install any missing libraries (e.g., pip install requests).
  • Cause: Cron job or systemd service not set up correctly.
  • Fix: Verify crontab -l for cron jobs or check systemd service status with sudo systemctl status your_service_name.service.
• Display Ghosting/Persistence:
  • Cause: E-ink panels can sometimes retain a faint image of previous content, especially with partial refreshes or infrequent full refreshes.
  • Fix: Implement a “full refresh” cycle in your script every few updates. Some e-ink displays are better than others; ensure you’re using the correct driver for your specific panel.

Aesthetic & User Experience Analysis

A taplist board isn’t just about showing information; it’s about enhancing the enjoyment of your homebrew. Here’s how I assess the outcome:

• Appearance: My goal is always for a clean, professional look. The wood enclosure should be well-finished, with no visible gaps or uneven cuts. The display should be perfectly centered. I prefer a minimalist design, letting the beer names be the stars.
• Legibility: This is paramount. Can the text be read clearly from **3-5 meters** away in varying light conditions? For digital displays, I choose fonts that are sans-serif and sufficiently large (typically **36pt** for beer names, **24pt** for details like ABV/IBU). E-ink’s high contrast ensures excellent readability without backlighting.
• Ease of Update: A cumbersome update process means you’ll eventually neglect the board. My web-based approach, accessible from any device via BrewMyBeer.online, makes updating the taplist almost effortless. I can swap out a beer, update tasting notes, or adjust a description in seconds.
• Durability: The enclosure should protect the electronics. My wooden frames are sturdy, and I ensure all connections are secure and won’t vibrate loose. It should withstand the occasional bump in a busy home bar.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I update the taplist content after building a digital board?

I typically configure my digital taplist boards to pull data from a simple web endpoint or a cloud-based spreadsheet (like Google Sheets). The Raspberry Pi runs a Python script that fetches this data, parses it, and then renders it onto the e-ink display. To update, I just modify the spreadsheet or the JSON data on my web server, and the board refreshes automatically on its programmed interval (e.g., every 5-10 minutes) or upon a manual trigger via a simple web interface.

What are the advantages of an E-Ink display over an LCD screen for a taplist?

From my brewing perspective, E-Ink offers several distinct advantages for a taplist board: ultra-low power consumption (only draws power during a refresh, not to maintain the image), excellent readability in bright ambient light (like paper), and a very wide viewing angle. LCDs, while more versatile for dynamic content and color, require constant power, can suffer from glare, and often have a narrower optimal viewing cone. E-Ink gives that classic, static display feel without the drawbacks of actual paper or chalk.

Can I make a non-digital taplist board that’s still “DIY” and professional?

Absolutely! My first foray into custom taplists was a handcrafted wooden board with interchangeable magnetic tiles or slate inserts. I’d print or stencil beer names onto the tiles, making them reusable. The key is precise woodworking for the board and consistent labeling for the tiles. This approach is highly durable and cost-effective, though updates are more manual. It still shows the same commitment to presentation as a digital board and is a great option for those who prefer tactile craftsmanship over electronics. For more tips on crafting your home brewery, check out BrewMyBeer.online.