I’ve been wanting to do app reviews on Imagine That! Studios alongside my bits of social media advice appearing there, but the first app I wanted to review really seemed more appropriate for my personal blog on account of the subject matter: beer. More to the point — living the lifestyle of a beer snob.
Untappd is a social network for those who love beer. It’s not just for beer snobs like me but for lovers of beer on all levels. Whether you are happy and content with your Budwiser or Miller Lite, or if you are an adventurer in sampling unique brews from across the country and around the world, Untappd connects beer lovers, breweries, and ice cold brewskis. At the core of the app are the reviews. When your first round arrives, you search for your beer in the Search bar across the top. Once you tap your beer, you select “Check-In†and are offered a field where you can type in a brief review (140 characters), add a photo of either what you are drinking (or who you are drinking with), rate your brew (and the slider allows for 1/2-star reviews), and add in your location. If you sync up your Twitter and Facebook feed with Untappd, you can send out your review and photos by tapping the Twitter and Facebook icons. On tapping “Confirm Your Brew†your review is shared online. The more reviews you share, the easier you can connect with friends on your respective social media networks.
UPDATE, 20 April, 2013: Untappd also recognizes cider and mead, so if you are more into those libations, you can find them in Untappd, or create your own custom entry.
This app, however, offers more than just “This is what I’m drinking at the moment…†but a full-on hop-tastic experience when it comes to Happy Hour. When you visit a bar in your area, you can automatically access your location to see what people are saying about the featured brews, be they local, international, or new to you. If you are visiting from out of town, you can also use Untappd as a kind of Urbanspoon or OpenTable to find pubs, sports bars, and even breweries. Then there is the option to crowdsource your choice in drinks with Trending Beers. Pulling from the entire Untappd network, you can find out what are the popular beers and use “Find It†to see if it’s at your current location, or somewhere close.
Then you have the badges. Taking a page from various geotagging networks, Untappd has a collection of beer drinking achievements that can be unlocked only after meeting challenges put together by the network’s creators. My particular favorite earned so far has been the “Untappd Groupie†honor, awarded after having at least five beers enjoyed by the Untappd founders. You can find out details on how to unlock these badges, along with managing your profile, keep up on beer news through the Untappd blog, and even become an Untappd supporter all at Untappd.com.
What started off as a slightly dodgy app for me — particularly in the login process —is now an app I enthusiastically fire up when out for a pint. I’ve been tapping into the fun of the Untappd app since March of this year, and it’s a great way to discover new brews and share with friends across your social networks. So if you’re looking for a fun way to bring the pub to your smartphone and connect with other beer snobs, take a look at Untappd. It’s a place to praise your favorite pints, and stretch your horizons for the hops.