By Leslie Albrecht
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER WEST SIDE — Beer lovers can now make a bee line to their favorite brew, thanks to a new iPhone app designed by an Upper West Sider.
Bari Simon, a graphic designer by trade who moonlights as a bartender at Broadway Dive on Broadway and West 101st Street, created What's On Tap?, which tells users exactly where — and when — their favorite craft beer is flowing in the city.
Users can search by location, beer or bar to find real-time information about their favorite brewskis. The free app also has a feature called Beer O'Clock, which lists special bar events such as tastings.
What's On Tap also lists detailed descriptions of beers and links to brewery websites. Simon has collected 1,800 beers in her database so far.
Simon says there are plenty of beer apps already out there, but What's On Tap? goes a step beyond by providing current information about where to find a specific beer at a moment in time.
She's working with bar owners and managers to keep the information fresh, and hopes to partner with beer distributors in the future.
Simon's beer hunter app, first reported by neighborhood blog My Upper West, is aimed at beer buffs who seek out obscure brews served at bars that specialize in craft beers.
"What makes craft beer bars exciting is that you never know what's on tap when you walk in," Simon said. "This is a way of following your favorite beer. It's like a scavenger hunt."
