Beer And Wine App Scans Label, Tells You What You’ll Like [Video]

A new beer and wine app that scans product labels, called Next Glass, let users know if their taste matches the drink.

After installing the app and setting up an account, Next Glass helps you set up a “taste profile” that will be used when determining future results. If you enter a few beers and wines you enjoy, the app will provide more reliable matches. The more details given, the more accurate it will be.

After setting up your profile, all you have to do is take out your smartphone’s camera before purchasing a drink, and scan the label. The app searches their database for similar characteristics to tell if your taste preference matches the drink on the shelf. And if for some reason the label cannot be read, the app allows users to switch to keyboard mode and type in the drink name manually.

Forbes describe the new app as a “match-maker” between the drink’s DNA and a consumer’s DNA. Next glass was created in Wilmington, North Carolina by a staff with a PhD in chemistry and several reality specialists. Applying science, technology, and booze is new, making this app a one-of-a-kind.

As of now, the beer and wine app works best with well-known brands, though there are a few smaller ones that work great. Alan Henry from LifeHacker tested the app and said it failed to work on several bottles at home. “and sometimes, when it found the right winery, it didn’t have the right varietal.” Henry says that this could be because Next Glass was geared to the broadest set of palates at launch.

Smaller wineries and breweries may not be in the database, but they can change that. If the seller sends their beers and wines to Next Glass, it will simply be analyzed and entered into the database. Sending in products could help these smaller business generate more profit and get their brand out there.

If you use this beer and wine app, you should go back and rate the drinks you purchased. The taste profile and matches becomes more reliable each time a drink is rated.

Next Glass is now available for free on Android and iOS devices. Check out the video to see how it works.