Smart phone apps

I do most of my beer related-internet stuff from my phone, and more recently my tablet. That said I’ve been meaning to write this post for some time and I figured now is a better time then most since many fellow beer lovers may have gotten a tablet or new smart phone for ChristmaHanaKwanzika. First off though this list isn’t exclusive to smart phones/tablets. All of these apps have related websites, which I still use frequently when I’ve had too many beers to work the tiny keyboard on my phone. Right, so the following are kind of in order of importance (at least importance to me).

Untappd – I would say this is the top smart phone app for Beer-drinkers to get. It allows you to keep track of what beers you’ve had, what you thought of them, and you can share those thoughts with friends! Also you can earn badges to go along with your beer belly and make you feel slightly less bad about drinking a beer a day for a month. This is available as an app on Android and iPhone, everyone else can go to the the mobile website. Smart phone-less folks can just head to the website after a night of drinking and check-in to all the beers they’ve add. I personally am a big fan of this and you all can feel free to add TomA (aka me) as a friend on untappd.

Browser – Aka whatever the stock browser on your device is. Bottom line Google will not lead you astray. Just enter Brewery + beer into Google and the results should be useful, especially those from Ratebeer.com and beeradvocate.com… oh and anything from QueenCityDrinks.com 🙂 They provide really good stuff too 😉

Google Docs – Or whatever online spreadsheet system you digg. Bottom line here is to have some system to record what beers you’ve had and what you thought of them. My spread sheet has brewery, name, style, abv, rating, and thoughts. You can feel free to record whatever you want. You don’t even need a spreadsheet, I’m just nerdy and can be OCD about data. I know Evernote is a good note taking/syncing application and would work just as well for a private collection of thoughts on beers.

BJCP  – Beer Judge Certification Program – iTunes/Android – The  BJCP is THE definitive resource to becoming a Beer Judge. Basically this apps help you look up general style guidelines for the style of beer you’re drinking. Aroma, Flavor, Mouth feel, History, all the main aspects of a beer contained in an app. So if you pick up on some taste that you can’t quite place you’ll likely be able to find out what it is courtesy of the BJCP.

Rate Beer – iTunes/Android – Rate Beer is a website where users share their thoughts on beer. Rate Beer also provides basic stats on beers like Brewery, style, ABV, calories, etc… It’s my go to source for general info about a brew. I, personally, don’t actually contribute to it by way of ratings/thoughts…. that’s what my untappd/spreadsheet/blog is for 🙂

Beer Advocate  – Yeah, so Beer Advocate, the great highly lauded website has yet to produce an actual smart phone app. Many others have tried, and been subjected to cease and desist orders. I’m no longer a fan of the Beer Advocate site and now prefer Ratebeer.com for all such activities  plus they have an app that is decent. Anyway, that’s my two cents on Beer Advocates lack of an app… that said I still like their magazine.