App to find specific beers while on holiday

April 23, 2014 3:55 AM

Is there a good app (iOS or Android) that will let me create a list of specific beers I want to try, and let me know where I can find them in the area that I'm in?

I'll be visiting the US in a month or so, visiting San Francisco, Portland and NYC. On my trip there are some specific beers I'd like to try, and would like to find an app to help me find them.

posted by jedro to Food & Drink (8 answers total)

TapHunter serves all those markets, and will let you search local tap lists, although apparently only the Android mobile app lets you save a list of "favorites" to find.
posted by uncleozzy at 4:32 AM on April 23, 2014

TapHunter looks interesting, but is missing a lot of bars near me. Although it is not an app I have had good luck using BeerAdvocates top rated bars in a city as a guide. For example, here is what they have to say about Portland Oregon. Could you list a couple examples of the beers you are interested in? I am trying to get a feel for how difficult they will be to find.
posted by phil at 5:02 AM on April 23, 2014

Best answer: untappd has a find nearby feature, which will show if anyone has checked in the beer recently near your location.
posted by TheAdamist at 5:09 AM on April 23, 2014

Untappd also has a wish list, which would cover your other requirement as well. I've never had it fail to find a bar or restaurant. (I assume it draws locations from foursquare or some such list of check-ins.)
posted by jeffjon at 5:39 AM on April 23, 2014

Untappd draws locations (and beers) from users adding them. I think it would work great for SF, Portland, and NYC.
posted by clavicle at 5:44 AM on April 23, 2014

Just as an aside: make sure you visit Cellarmaker while in SF - they are just starting out, but they make some damn good beer. Howard St btwn 7th & 8th. (And hit me up if you want company)
posted by bashos_frog at 2:16 PM on April 23, 2014

Seconding Untappd-- cross platform and incrementally social; you can link with (and toast) your friends who are also drinking beer. Silly badges for beer-drinking "achievements." And yes, foursquare is exactly what it uses to locate drinking-venues.
posted by Sunburnt at 2:40 PM on April 23, 2014

Response by poster: @phil - still building up the list, but it will be highly rated, predominantly local beers (since I'm coming over from Australia), from bigger craft brewers like Rogue, as well as lesser known.

I've tried Taphunter, and the interface is horrible. I'm already an Untapped user, but hadn't ever used that feature, so that looks to be a good option
posted by jedro at 3:19 PM on April 24, 2014