As the number of breweries in America has exploded to 6,655, going to a brewery is different than it used to be. Simply grabbing a beer where it’s made is no longer a novel experience: The taproom scene is extremely competitive, and savvy craft beer lovers are judging everything from the brews to the ambiance to any other amenities.
The app PintPass understands this sea change, and the company wants users to rate their brewery experience so they can then monetize this marketing data. Of course, if PintPass is making money, the app understands that drinkers probably wouldn’t mind a piece of that pie, so the company is offering $2 towards a beer as an incentive to get people to use the app.
“We are paying you to go to a brewery in exchange for your feedback,” PintPass founder and president Ryan Rickert explained in a very straightforward way to Thrillist. “The feedback being things like, What beer did you have? Why did you choose this brewery over another? It’s like five buttons that ask things about atmosphere, beers, location, would you refer a friend, how was your service. You complete that, boom, we drip two real American dollars into your PintPass account that you can accrue or use or text to a friend to gift them a beer.”
As for how you can spend that money, PintPass’s FAQ pages explains, “Your PintPass account will generate a debit card that can be used at any bar that accepts credit cards. Just show it to your bartender or server and they will punch in the number manually.”
$2 for your thoughts is certainly better than a penny for your thoughts. But might some users, already skeptical of the way apps like Facebook mine their data, be extra wary about how their data is being used when they’re getting paid? Rickert suggests that, with PintPass, the opposite is true. “We’re being transparent and saying, we’re using this data to give to breweries and the Brewer’s Association, but it’s not your name, it’s not your phone number, it’s not your email,” he continued. “It’s for the purposes of bettering your craft beer experiences.”
The app does come with some limitations. First, right now it’s only available via a private beta test that can be signed up for on PintPass’s website. It’s not slated for a wide release until October 15. Additionally, for brewery regulars who are seeing dollar signs in their eyes, users can only review up to four breweries per calendar month—or $8 worth of beer. Still, if you think about all the time you give your opinions for free—be it Yelp or Google Maps or whatever—getting anything at all sounds like a good deal—especially if it comes in beer form.
This App Offers Free Beer Just for Rating Breweries [Food & Wine]