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SteadyServ Helps Keep the Draft Beer Flowing (Video)
"With iKeg's Technology We Guarantee You Will Never Run Out of Beer," boasts the SteadyServ website. As you listen to interviewee Mike Flockenhaus, though, you'll realize almost immediately that SteadyServ isn't making equipment for home use, but for bars and taverns that serve draft beer. Here's another good line from their site: "With the new iKeg® system, we aim to ensure that you get your beer, in the right place, at the right time. We also want to simplify the lives of all the hard-working people in the beer industry. After all, wanting and having your beer are not the same thing." Even better, it looks like they're hiring. Wouldn't it be wonderful to help keep America from running out of draft beer? (Alternate Video Link)
Then I saw it was a roblimo video, and I realized that was a redudant statement.
Seriously guy, can you stop with videos loaded with effusive praise for uninteresting products?
One 5-gallon batch at a time. And so far, I too have never run out.
Oh disable advertising checkbox! I trusted you! You were the chosen one!
It's not even free, as in beer.
"National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
Makes me wonder what the editors are drinking...
Why, they're drinking only the finest: Endless Fresh Beer, from the revolutionary iKeg® by SteadyServ®!
It's a nice idea for a product, but there's the usual marketing fluff covering what it really is: Bathroom scales hooked up to the internet to weigh kegs.
I'm not entirely sure what the point is. If you buy a keg, it's in your inventory (hopefully) and you know how many pints are in it. Surely you set up your system so that once you've sold X pints of Y beer, the POS system says "Hey buddy, we're about to run out!" and can either order a new keg for you or indicate that you should get a new one. You replace the keg and hit a button that says 'new keg', enter the capacity and you start again. All of this data can be logged to an internal database.
For a start a POS system is cheaper, it can be done offline and the data is quite literally down to the second because you can log when someone buys it. You don't need to record how heavy the keg is at 5 minute intervals when you have ~500ml precision down to the second.
Now if you're a brewery then point is that this updates to the cloud and you can see when your beer is being sold - cool - but why can't this be done with a simple 'smart POS' system? And again, you'd have exact sales figures down to the minute or daily (really, do you care about figures that fine grained? on the time scale of brewing that's nothing). The big bummer I see here is that you're relying on the establishment to do the leg work for you. They have to install this system so you get your data.
"Especially with the microbrewer, they need to make checks to measure frequently because they canÃ(TM)t rely on how many millions of units they are shipping.''
Was that sarcasm? Surely you know that you sold X kegs to Y town and they're chomping at the bit for more...
With iKeg's Technology We Guarantee You Will Never Run Out of Beer
The only time I run out of beer, I've likely already had enough. I don't see this as a problem inherent to beer.
you'll realize almost immediately that SteadyServ isn't making equipment for home use, but for bars and taverns that serve draft beer.
If you told me someone was selling draft beer supplies (or whatever this crap is), my first assumption would be that it was for bars and taverns, not for home use. Thanks for taking time to point out the obvious.
With the new iKeg® system, we aim to ensure that you get your beer, in the right place, at the right time.
This sounds like the way I already get my beer. I can't say I ever get a beer in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Can you also make the beer a liquid?
We also want to simplify the lives of all the hard-working people in the beer industry.
Not to trash on bartenders or anything, but grabbing a class, putting it under a tap, and pulling the lever for about 8-10 seconds already sounds quite simple. I actually can't think of too many jobs that pay as well as bartending that are much simpler. Yes, it's hectic on a Friday night, but you're still just pouring beer.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to help keep America from running out of draft beer?
I already addressed this, but it is clear that you're not getting it. There is plenty of draft beer available. If you live in a place where there are only three available choices on tap, I feel for you, but I can already go across the street and order a pint from a selection of about 15 local beers, along with the standard selection of decent beers available at any proper bar. I have yet to go to the bar and have them tell me, "Sorry, we don't have any beer today."
From the summary, I get the impression that the marketing drone that wrote this doesn't actually have an idea of what beer is.
Someone flopped a steamer in the gene pool.
With the new iKeg system, ...
Seriously not to be confused with the iKegel system.
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
I'm a brewer. I go to lots of bars, speak to lots of bar managers and owners, and poke around lots of beer fridges.
First, high volume bars, if they want metrics, install flow meters on draft lines. The sophisticated ones communicate with the PoS and report when the beer is flowing and how much. If the server's pouring freebies, the system will know and rat on the bartender. The system also knows if a brewer is shorting their kegs or is making foamy (over-carbonated) kegs that lead to spillage. Managers love that. Second, the meters are integrated into the lines so there's no ****ing around with flying saucers; you will always get the right data for your taps. Always. Third, most beer fridges are wet, dank pits. No one likes spending time in them. Telling bar staff to pick up a keg that weighs upwards of 150lbs and place it on a disk is ... hopeful. Telling bar staff to perform the same maneuver on a disk stuck in a keg fridge? That's borderline stupid. Those saucers are going to get punished.
Also, it's not rocket science to keep a few extra kegs around if you're managing 30 taps; you, by definition, have lots of storage. And if 4 or 5 lines blow without replacement? That is not a big deal. In fact, some bars won't replace blown kegs after dark because it makes them look busier (no, seriously, I've seen this in action) and helps to push people to less popular brands.
Seriously? Has this guy worked in a brewery ... or a bar ... recently?
This is a product that solves a problem that isn't there. When you are drafting, you will imediatly notice when the keg is almost empty. You then either have a second keg already available or just switch the keg.
This is done even in high-volume places like music festivals all over Europe.
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.