Gift cards are great. They show you that the giver took enough time at the checkout line to think of a place that you’d like and lock you into spending a certain amount of money at that establishment. The only problem with the gift card idea is the transmission of funds. You have to carry around another de facto credit card. Don’t get me wrong, I love having a gift card in my wallet if I ever need to open a door, but I already have a Ralph’s card for that.
All you iPhoners out there already have the ability to load up your phone with Starbucks Starbucks giftcards, but recently, the iPhone’s ugly cousin, Blackberry, got the power as well. When someone gives you a gift card, you just enter it into the app and chuck the card in the recycle bin. Next time you order your French Press (seriously, it’s off menu, but go to a store and try it today) all you have to do is quit Facebooking long enough to open the Starbucks app. The barista on register will scan the barcode on your phone and you’re good to go. Technology, FTW! Continue Reading »
Well, we’ve already witnessed what beer loving roboticists like to do in their free time, but what happens when the beer loving Yelp engineers get extra time on their hands? They engage in “hackathons” and invent the Kegmate, an iPad-powered “Kegbot”.
And for those of you who are geeky enough … errr brilliantly intelligent enough to understand the cryptic language known as “computer engineering”, the kids over at Yelp have been kind enough to detail the entire project on their blog for anyone brave enough to recreate it on their own. Here is an excerpt from the blog:
Theory of Operation (An Overview): Sensors attached to the keg feed data into an Arduino microcontroller, which in turn communicates directly with the iPad via a serial connection. The iPad processes that data and displays it in a snazzy manner along with a description of the current brew. An RFID reader attached to the system allows users to ‘swipe in’ to KegMate and keep track of how much beer they’ve had, as well as assign a star rating for the beer currently in the keg (this is Yelp, after all). Continue Reading »
I went to my friends’ wedding a few short weeks ago. Something that I have always loved about weddings, picnics, business retreats, and other like events isn’t just the community, but the community filled with far more alcohol than we could shake a stick at.
In the course of time we have all had means and methods for transporting our various beverages to the site of choice. Flasks, jockey boxes, wine gourds, coolers being amongst some of my favorites. Duane Woytonik of Brewpub4u seems to have delivered to us the mastery beer transport machine. Continue Reading »
Do you find yourself missing out on all the action at parties because you are too busy slaving away mixing cocktails? The creative minds at Vincor Canada are aiming to solve this problem through the introduction of Vextini, its new line of premixed vodka martinis. Continue Reading »
Just when I thought that being a Mutineer was the coolest job in the world, I discovered Willow Garage, a team of robot design experts. They actually get paid to develop hardware and open source software for personal robotics applications. Which begs the question: whose job is cooler? I sense an epic battle of wits and strength coming on… or maybe just a duel. The Mutineers vs. The Roboticists — Coming to a theatre near you.
But, I digress. Continue Reading »
Some industries have been a little slower than others at acknowledging the importance of social media and the influence of blogs. Finally, it seems like the craft beer industry has started to catch on.
Although barely two years old, Buckbean Brewing Company, has been actively reaching out to beer bloggers, engaging the community and sending free samples all across the US. They have even publicly stated that they believe “the online beer community is the most underrated and, at times, unappreciated group of beer enthusiasts and experts out there” — which is quite a bold (yet, reasonable) statement.
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While San Francisco has been busy banning products from vending machines, Pennsylvania (of all places) has been trying to find ways to increase their vending machine offerings.
Pennsylvania’s Liquor Control Board recently introduced “wine kiosks” in two Harrisburg grocery stores. In order to purchase wine from the machines, customers must swipe their ID, blow into a breathalyzer, and then look into the security camera. A state employee in Harrisburg then remotely verifies that the buyer isn’t drunk and matches the photo ID. If everything checks out, the customer is approved to buy wine. Continue Reading »
Fine Beverage + Social Media = FTW!
In an effort to engage its fans as well as provide a platform where mixologists of all levels can showcase their skills, Patrón Tequila has created a Facebook application that challenges people to re-imagine classic drink recipes and develop their own, unique cocktails.
Each cocktail submitted to “Patrón Cocktail Lab” will be up for public voting. Professional mixologists will also be available on the site to provide expert advice, commentary and tips. The Patrón Cocktail Lab will kick off with the “Patrón Margarita, Deconstructed,” where visitors will be asked to reinterpret the classic margarita recipe. The winning recipe will become an official Patrón cocktail. Continue Reading »
