Logan Square To Tap Into The Pour Your Own Beer Bar Trend

The self-serve beer bar craze is coming soon to Logan Square where Navigator Taproom should launch in June, according to the upcoming bar’s co-owner. The bar features a wall of self-serve taps with LCD touch screens. Coupled with tablet computers, they employ an upgraded version of the tech used Coca-Cola’s Freestyle machines.

They’ve got a 2,500-square-foot location at 2211 N. Milwaukee Ave. There’s 50 taps on the self-serve wall—40 for beer and cider and 10 for red and white wines—where patrons will walk up, without the assistance of a waiters, and pour their own drinks. It’s supposed to be a liberating experience.

Partners Erik Swanson and Tim Enarson met in college. Swanson’s a sound engineer who’s toured with national acts. Enarson’s background is in e-commerce sales working with companies, including Groupon. They conceived of the idea more than two years ago.

It’s going to be a duel for which pour-your-own-beer bar opens first. Construction continues on Tapster at 2027 W. North Ave. in Wicker Park. Red Arrow Taproom in suburban Elmhurst unveiled their self-serve beer wall earlier this year.

DNAinfo first reported the news.