BYORFID: New York approves ‘Beer Wall’
The “Beer Wall” is coming to New York.
The New York State Liquor Authority recently gave a positive ruling to PourMyBeer.com, a Maryland-based company that creates a wall of beer taps in a bar and lets customers serve themselves thanks to an RFID wristband.
“With the dramatic rise in craft beer demand in the past number of years customers are looking for more choice,” said Declan Duggan, the company’s co-owner. “They also want to try more beers in a single bar visit but not get caught with a 16oz glass of a beer they don’t like.”
When a guest opts to use the beer wall, their driver’s license is swiped and their information is added to an RFID chipped wristband.
They walk up to a tap, touch their wristband off the RFID reader by that tap and that opens the line and they can pour what they want, a full glass or a small sample. Either way whatever they pour is recorded to their ‘account’ and they pay for what they have used.
So people do not over-serve themselves, customers are limited to 32 ounces at a time. If they want more, they must re-up their RFID tab with the bartender. That security aspect was a key in the SLA’s decision to approve the company.
“They see that this will help retail owners manage their businesses more efficiently and give customers the ability to control their own drink size and flavor,” Duggan said. “We had quite a bit of potential business in NY that can now be realized as a result of this decision. It’s a win-win and we are excited to be doing business with our most popular unit in New York now.”
