Ask any pub owner, and they’ll tell you one of the biggest challenges of running a bar is inventory management. Between friendly pours, foaming and flat beer, approximately 20% of each keg is wasted.
So wouldn’t it be great if bar managers could track where all those lost suds are going? That’s exactly what BruVue, a startup with an IoT tracking system for beer, wants to help them do. BruVue’s beer tracking platform, which includes a sensor system installed at each tap, allows bar managers to track keg levels, foaming, and actual vs. paid pours. The system also enables bars to move to digital beer menus instead of printing them on paper.
You can watch the BruVue system in action below:
The company, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, announced a $1 million seed funding this week, which they plan on using to scale distribution of their product. And while BruVue’s technology is primarily targeted at the pro market, they also announced they won the Heineken Innovator’s Brewhouse Challenge, a competition by Heineken to find innovations that enhance the home draft experience. BruVue walked away with first prize by applying their beer tracking technology to Heineken’s home pour system, the SUB.
BruVue isn’t the only startup applying IoT technology to beer. Pubbino, a startup from Istanbul, says its Taptronics automated system’s “smart foam” algorithm can create a perfect pour. Unlike the BruVue system which allows bar owners to use existing taps, the Taptronics system requires the bar to install their smart taps.
Once signed up, BruVue customers pay a monthly subscription fee for each tap sensor, which gives them access to the company’s analytics dashboard and app. Pricing ranges from $10-$20 per tap per month depending on the length of the contract.
