How Important is an Updated Beer Menu Online?

Here's my take on this; is the place itself a destination? That influences whether I care specifically what they have on tap. I travel quite a bit for work, and I'm usually looking on BA for suggestions. If I'm suggested a place that has a solid tap list or many local offerings on tap, I don't really care what they have. I know I'll like something. But if its my local craft spot or I'm choosing where in an area I'd want to go, I'm looking at a place that has a tap list I can see ahead of time that is current.

 

I went with very. My vote borders on must though. I don't always drink when I go to eat somewhere and if the food is good enough I will still patronize, but if I am choosing a place knowing that I want to have some beer, or lookimg for a beer place that offers some food, than you are going to need to tell me what you have.

 

Winking Lizard has some great stuff usually. I usually go there and not look first.

 

Knowledge, data, information, 'personal' connection...are essential for the modern service business. Keeping your brand on people's mind is easier and easier. An updated beer list is an easy way to do that. I'm sure with the inventory software available now, that integration with social media is equally simple. Receive a new shipment, or even push a new sku through sales, and your chosen marketing platform is updated.
If this is in any way revolutionary, I claim it as my idea here and now. Contact me for licensing.

 

Very important for me.

Taphunter is bigger here in AZ than beermenus and I use it all the time. My fiance and I tend to go out to eat during the week and it is easier for me to sell her on a place that has a sour she might like. Another positive we have tried some new and very good places to eat because of it. It is always nice to see what is on tap before we head out for a bite.

When we travel it is immensely helpful and we have found some great local spots that we probably would not have found or stumbled across if it was not for apps like taphunter.

 

Its important but as a store owner near me said "who the fuck updates that shit anymore anyway?".

 

I voted very important. The more craft beer centric a place is, the more often it needs to be updating its online lists. Once a day is usually fine for beer bars. My biggest pet peeve is when a craft centric place has an outdated list online. If your list is a couple weeks or more old, you're a last resort choice for me.

Breweries should also have current tap lists available. If I'm traveling, I don't want to potentially waste my time going to a brewery that makes styles I don't typically drink. Also, while many will list their portfolio, I've found many seasonals on after their stated months of production. Not too mention the one-offs.

 

If an establishment has a beer menu online, great. I like when they do that and it often drives my decision about where to go. But an inaccurate list is worse than no list at all, for reasons already mentioned here.

 

Living in CO, I think most places are hip to it, but it's annoying and snobby when there's no beer list online, or you get the "rotating tap changes [whenever]." Charging $5 or more a beer - put in some effort.

 

What's the purpose of posting a tap list online if it isn't updated "regularly"? Otherwise, why go through the trouble to begin with if the list isn't kept up to date. (?) How many Facebook people miss posting a fart? => You're either on(line) board or you're not.

(***Disclaimer*** - I don't do Facebook. But, the point remains the same.)

 

I love a list online. Should be updated every day at the minimum.

My biggest pet peave is when i'm in a craft beer centric bar or restaurant and they give me a physical dining menu with the craft taps listed inside, when you know at least 50% of it can't be updated.

I go to this one restaurant every other month or so and they always have the same list of beers "on tap" listed inside their menu yet I know it's completely inaccurate. The worst part is when I ask the server for a tap list they refer me to the one inside the menu...

 

Here's how you do it. Tap cam.

http://www.bellsbeer.com/ftp/tapshot.big.jpg?r=1054011

I constantly shit on Upland for not providing a tap list. They have an enormous board with the 10 things on tap. How hard is it to take a picture and post it on Facebook? Then take another picture when it changes.

 

Very important to me. Granted most of the 2-4 bars on my rotation are above average to excellent selections generally speaking. However, I won't consume anything and drive so given I'll use Uber for $10 each way..knowing what a place has is the difference between me going to A, B or C.

 

I Like beer and i like food, awhen choosing to go out to the 10 or so places i like that have great selection of both , moat times my $$$ go to the place that updates the beer list.

 

BTW beermenus new update still sucks.
I don't understand why they would screw up their site like that.

 

I think it depends. If it's a brewery, keep your shit updated. If it's an eatery, keep your shit updated. It takes less time to update a website than it does to change out a keg.

 

The existence of an updated beer menu is more or less a deal breaker for me. It is generally a deal breaker in that I know I have an abundance of very good beer covering a wide range of styles just sitting in my basement. Unless there is something compelling on tap, particularly something not bottled, I have no reason to visit a bar. I don't care for the crowds, the loud music, or really anything you'd find at most bars save for the beer itself. And so in the absence of clear reason to go, I'd rather just stay home and open up something I've already bought. I added the "more or less disclaimer" only because I care about the information, not so much how I get it. If the bar is generally derelict in updating their menu, but they have something special announced on their Facebook, then I'll go for that event, but otherwise ignore the bar. Similarly, if Untappd tips me off to something, I'll pay the bar a visit. But in general, if a bar can't be bothered to keep an updated list, I can't be bothered to check their website/facebook/twitter, and so can't justify patronizing them.

 

I check Beer Menus regularly and I find it really annoying when it's not updated.

 

I agree. I emailed them actually to let them know that I found the previous format more useful and point out some of the bugs in the current version.

 

Good, keep it up. I've had a few conversations with them but they seem adamant about staying with the new changes. I just cannot figure out what advantage there is to the non chronological sort order. I just don't want to use it anymore, I hope an alternative site can step in.