Untappd: Social Media for Beer Lovers

If you love beer but you don’t have Untappd, you may not be tapping into your full potential as a beer drinker. I discovered the app just over two years ago and it has expanded my beer world exponentially. I recently reached an Untappd milestone; 1,000 distinct beers! In honor of my achievement, I decided to do the world a favor by endorsing the app that got me where I am today. I wish I was getting paid to say this, but take it from me; Untappd is the ultimate social media for beer lovers!

For a lot of you, this is old news. But, it would be a mistake to assume that everyone is hip to the popular beer app. I had no idea it existed until someone saw me trying to crudely chronicle all the beer I drink using photos and suggested it. That was a beautiful day! Not only am I able to keep a record of the beer I try, but I can also rate it, make notes, upload a photo, and even get suggestions for other beers to try. Earning badges is a fun bonus that had an unexpected side effect. It got me out of my beer rut!

Before Untappd, I was drinking a lot of the same beer over and over. Even when I tried different brands, I often kept to my favorite styles. I didn’t see any reason to put myself out there. Untappd broke me out of my shell. Once I was aware of my “distinct beers” number, I couldn’t help but want to make it bigger. How many different beers could I try? Well, I wanted to find out! Before I knew it, I was drinking all types of beer in a variety of brands. Even styles I thought I’d grown out of became new again. It’s really expanded my list of favorites. To make it more fun, the app awards badges along the way. The more you mix it up, the more you can earn!

Checking in a beer on Untappd is a ritual I enjoy. I snap a photo for future reference, and I take a moment to assess what I’m drinking. That means I hold it up to the light to see the color and notice the head. I smell it and think about the aroma. I taste it, and let it roll around in my mouth to evaluate flavors and the mouthfeel. I like to let the beer warm up a bit as I drink it to see if the flavor changes before I make my final judgements. Then I rate it and make a few notes in the app so I won’t forget what I thought. When I check into the same beer again later, it’s fun to compare what I thought the previous times I had it. Sometimes I have a different experience which can be interesting.

Assessing and taking notes on beer is a useful exercise, however, your level of input is completely up to you. If you’d rather not rate or comment on the beer you’re drinking, you can keep it simple. This comes in handy when at a bottle share or beer festival where you may be checking into upwards of 20 different beers in one sitting. Refer back to your profile any time you wish to view your beer list, wish list, photos, and badges. If you make a mistake or want to add something later, no worries! You can always go back and edit your check-in.

Besides documenting your own beer journey, you can also share those of others! Add your friends and make new ones to see what others are drinking. If you see something you’re interested in, add it to your wish list! The app allows you to toast and even comment on the beer check-ins of your friends giving you an ultra-interactive experience. The “nearby” tab will allow you to see who is checking in to what in your neck of the woods, and if you want to really reach out, take a look at the “global feed” for second by second updates. There is a whole world out there, people!

We’ve covered some of the basics, but I should also mention that Untappd is a tool, and keeping track of the beer you drink is just one function. Using your location, the app can tell you where to find a beer you’re looking for. It can tell you where to find breweries and bars in your vicinity and what they’re serving. This comes in handy when you’re traveling. You can also learn which beers are currently trending and which are receiving the highest ratings. There’s a whole lot of beer out there that you’ve never even heard of. Stop missing out!

If you’re an Untappd virgin, I hope I’ve convinced you to try it out. Beer adventures await you! Lauren and I will even be your beer friends, if you’ll have us. Just click on the add friend icon and search Hoppy_Jen for me and lrll55 for Lauren. Then brace yourself for all the beer fun you can handle. Soon, you’ll be telling your friends all about Untappd, the perfect social media outlet for beer lovers.