Multi-zone bar servicing for a boutique hotel
QT Perth is a boutique hotel in the heart of the CBD. As a well-known, fashion-forward hotel, QT would have been a little out of sorts without a top-tier bar and a draught beer system.
A quality bar for QT
This was a complex project – a brand new venue opening up in a major hub of the city that required both a café-style ground floor venue, a second-floor restaurant and a rooftop bar.
Facilitating the transfer of draught beer to each of these hotel zones required architectural design and input long before the build began – and it was not feasible for the client to implement keg cool rooms everywhere.
Once the design process was complete, QT contracted Barons for the installation of the beer system (this was part of a supply contract with Lion).
As industry leaders, Barons have set standards in Western Australia since branching out to installations in 2010 – although we are currently the fourth generation of the Baron family to work in draught beer!
The fact we provide a full operation manual, all training required to operate the system and maintenance line cleaning are just some of the reasons QT Perth chose to contract Barons.
A different feel on every floor
The client needed to provide their customers with a different offering in each area of the venue. In the ground floor café they wanted to achieve a casual feel, with three easy-drinking beers to cater to walk-ins coming in off the street.
Upstairs in the restaurant, the client needed two stations with a broader beverage offering in order to pair more beers with foods (as we so often do with wine).
Thirdly, the client needed the rooftop bar to be the biggest draw card in the venue – a stunning place to sit and watch the sunset over the Perth skyline. QT aimed to capture the entire Perth market, and they didn’t want to lose out on potential clients by offering a limited range.
Working down to build a business up
Barons began by allocating an install team and an off-site project manager to the task. We planned to work our way down the building as construction usually tends to finish at the top. However, fit-out usually finishes at the bottom as the ground floor is used as a storage area for all trades. The main challenge during this installation was that the rooftop bar was the last place to finish construction, but also the system that had to be completed first. With only one service elevator for both tools and personnel, long waits had to be mitigated to maintain maximum productivity. Barons resolved this by ensuring we had site-specific tools and equipment on each floor in our own install areas during the span of the project.
Barons also ended up allocating a second install team specifically to help with the beer pythons. These were installed in ducting under a slab at a height of six meters and required the use of scissor lifts (with spotters on the ground to ensure all safety requirements were met!).
Occasionally on a project, we need to make penetrations to avoid structural damage. Often, in this case, the path we’ve selected must be re-worked between the design phase and install phase based on build circumstances. In this instance, the second-floor beer lines needed to come up five meters away from the actual location of the taps. To avoid relocating the beer taps, Barons had the bar framework modified to allow for a void. This void meant our beer lines could run seamlessly around the bar without interfering with other equipment in the area.
Barons also customized the cool room layouts for QT in order to maximize space and initiated a custom finish on beer fonts as selected by the venue in order to match the interior design. These solutions were crucial for a design-led space like QT, and certainly for a hotel with heavy patronage and a broad beverage offering.
Revenue savings from the very beginning
The project was a success and all timelines were met well within reason. Barons completed the rooftop bar system first, as requested by the client – following through with the café style ground floor venue and the second-floor restaurant in quick succession. By opting to work with Barons, QT has been able to save a significant amount of revenue that would otherwise go toward gas. The implementation of a beer pump system means businesses can usually expect to save 80-90% of the cost on a traditional gas bill. A beer pump system also runs shorter lines, which significantly reduces the amount of beer wasted through maintenance during the beer line cleaning process. Barons plan to present a maintenance contract to QT Perth in future to ensure their expert new beer system is well looked after.
