If you’re setting up a new bar, taking over a space with an existing system, or trying to work out what a “soda gun install” involves, you’re in the right place. A bar gun dispenser (also called a soda gun or post-mix dispenser) is a handheld unit mounted at the bar. It lets your bartender pour carbonated and non-carbonated drinks at the press of a button. Knowing how the system works makes it much easier to decide what you need before you call a supplier.
This guide covers the mechanics, button configurations, mixer options, and brand context for restaurants and bars on the Front Range and the I-70 corridor.
How a Bar Gun Dispenser Actually Works
A bar gun is a post-mix system, meaning the syrup and water stay separate until the moment of pour. Here’s the basic flow.
Bag-in-box syrup containers sit under the bar or in a back-of-house storage area. Each BIB connects to the gun through its own dedicated line. A separate CO2 gas line supplies the carbonation. Inside the system, CO2 carbonates the water, and the carbonated water and syrup meet at the nozzle at the correct water-to-syrup ratio.
Before the water reaches the gun, it’s chilled. Cooling happens either through a remote chiller mounted away from the bar or through a cold plate built into the ice bin. Either way, the pour stays cold without the bartender doing anything differently.
One detail surprises a lot of operators: there are no electronic components inside the gun itself. The system is fully hydraulic, which is why bar guns hold up in a wet bar environment where electronics would be a liability. The CO2 primary regulator on a soda system should read 95 to 105 PSI during normal operation, and the beverage gas supply for it comes as part of the fountain and bar program.
What Button Counts Mean (and How to Choose Yours)
Button count is one of the most common questions from inbound callers, and it’s worth understanding before you spec out a system.
Bar guns come in configurations from 2 buttons up to 14. Each button maps to one beverage line drawn from its own BIB. A 6 to 8 button setup covers most mid-volume bars and restaurants well. High-volume operations, or menus with a wider mixer range, tend to need 10 to 14 buttons. Here’s how to think about the rest:
- Carbonated vs. non-carbonated buttons: Carbonated products (cola, diet cola, lemon-lime, tonic) run through the CO2 line. Non-carbonated products (still water, lemonade, ginger ale, ginger beer) use the water line only. Both come through the same gun, routed separately, so you don’t need two guns.
- Common non-carbonated additions: Ginger ale, lemonade, and ginger beer come up regularly on accounts with a cocktail focus or a sports bar menu. Craft ginger beer in BIB format is available through the program. These share the gun on dedicated non-carbonated buttons.
- Choosing your button count: The right number depends on your drink menu, not just your volume. Don’t buy more buttons than you’ll use, but think about where your menu might grow. It’s worth having that conversation before the system goes in rather than after.
What a Bar Gun Can Dispense
A single bar gun dispenser can serve up to 14 different products from one handheld unit. Here’s what the system handles:
- Carbonated: Cola and diet cola, lemon-lime soda, orange soda, tonic water, club soda, and seltzer.
- Non-carbonated: Still water, lemonade, ginger ale, ginger beer, juice.
- Energy drinks: Some configurations can dispense them, depending on the setup.
- Spirits: The gun doesn’t dispense alcohol. It’s the mixer side of a cocktail program, so it handles everything in a full bar except the alcohol itself.
- Draft beer: If you also run draft, draft beer system installation and service is a separate program that works alongside the bar gun setup.
If something goes wrong with what the gun is dispensing, such as flat pours, off-ratio mixes, or a dead button, the fountain and bar gun troubleshooting guide covers the most common faults and their fixes.
Bar Gun Brands: Wunderbar and What Else to Know
Wunderbar is the most widely installed commercial bar gun system in the industry, so there’s a reasonable chance a bar you take over already has one. It’s also the system most new operators ask about first.
The Wunderbar line runs from 2 to 14 buttons, from a simple two-beverage setup to a full commercial mixer configuration. It’s fully hydraulic, with no electronic components in the gun itself, which suits a wet bar. The flex hose and bar-mounted holster add a practical touch, keeping the gun within easy reach in a crowded bar setup.
An inherited Wunderbar is worth a closer look. Denver Beverage installs and services Wunderbar systems. If you’re not sure what configuration yours is running, what condition the lines are in, or whether it’s set up for your menu, that’s exactly the kind of situation worth a call.
How a Bar Gun Program Works with Denver Beverage
Here’s how the program works, because these are the questions callers ask most:
- Equipment at no charge for qualified accounts: You don’t have to buy the bar gun system outright, because the equipment comes with the program. Denver Beverage has been a Coca-Cola fountain distribution partner since 1986, and Coca-Cola fountain is a core part of the bar gun program.
- Product purchased through Denver Beverage: That includes the bag-in-box (BIB) syrup for every drink on your gun, and you can see the range on our all beverages page. Your BIB connects to your gun and your CO2 comes through the same account, so you can order everything from one place.
- Installation by our own technicians: Denver Beverage’s own technicians handle installation, not subcontractors. Our team of 13 service technicians is CFESA-trained, with 7-day service coverage on the Front Range and the I-70 corridor.
- Service after install: If something goes wrong, commercial kitchen and beverage equipment repair comes from the same team, with a 24-hour service response and a 90-day labor warranty on repairs.
- Planning time: Installs take planning and are rarely immediate. If you’re opening a new bar, the earlier you call, the more room you’ll have to plan around your opening.
- Who it’s for: The program is built for commercial operators on the Front Range, including bars looking for more responsive service and operators who’ve inherited a system they’d like to understand better. It’s designed for commercial accounts, so it isn’t set up for home use.
Ready to get a bar gun system quoted? Call Denver Beverage at 303-295-3737 or send us a message, and you’ll hear back within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a bar gun dispenser and how does it work?
A bar gun dispenser is a handheld commercial beverage dispenser mounted at the bar. It pulls syrup from bag-in-box containers and combines it with carbonated or still water at the nozzle. The system is fully hydraulic, with no electronic parts in the gun itself, which makes it well suited to a wet bar environment.
How many buttons does a bar gun need for a typical bar?
A 6 to 8 button setup covers most mid-volume bars and restaurants. The right count depends on your drink menu, not just how busy you are. It’s worth planning for menu growth, not just current needs.
What drinks can a bar gun dispense?
A bar gun handles carbonated beverages (cola, diet cola, lemon-lime, tonic, club soda, orange soda) and non-carbonated products (still water, lemonade, ginger ale, ginger beer, juice). A single gun can serve up to 14 different products. It does not dispense spirits, because it’s the mixer side of the bar.
What is the difference between a post-mix and pre-mix bar gun system?
A post-mix system keeps syrup and water separate until the point of pour, then mixes them at the nozzle at the correct water-to-syrup ratio. A pre-mix system dispenses a fully blended beverage that was mixed before it reached the gun. A bar gun is a post-mix system.
Does installation cost anything, and how long does it take?
For qualified accounts, dispensing equipment is provided at no charge. Installs take planning and are rarely immediate. If you’re opening a new location or switching programs, reaching out early gives the team time to set it up properly.
