At least ideas to better track and prevent loss.
I’ve always felt that bars are something like a classroom, minus the grumpy teacher. I learn something – a joke, some trivia and something about beer – practically every time I stop for a drink. A recent stop at a local bar got me to thinking about beer and kegs; specifically, how to identify the beer in the keg.
I went to The Grey Lodge Pub to meet some friends. The tap list included the “MicroStar Mystery Keg”. My initial reaction was to Google the brewery. Then I remembered the last newsletter, The Log, mentioned the “mystery” keg. This keg was at a local wholesaler but the label was gone. All kegs look similar making the type of beer and the brewery unknown. At $4 a pint, taking a chance on this beer was a no-brainer. I bought “several” pints and was quite happy with my choice; but now I have a dilemma. How do you find a beer without knowing the brewery or name? Well, I’ll tell you. I don’t know, but I have some ideas. The inspiration was my EZ Pass transponder.
A transponder works by receiving a signal and returning a unique code. This is something that has been used on airplanes and is currently incorporated in some car keys. I believe the Toyota Prius uses that technology to unlock the door was you walk up to the car. Another option is a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag system. An RFID system has three parts: 1) a scanning antenna, 2) a transceiver with a decoder and 3) the RFID tag. The antenna puts out a radio-frequency signals that provide the RFID tag with the energy to send a response. Since the tags don’t need batteries, they can, in theory, be usable for years. The transponder is probably easier to use but the RFID system is probably easier to incorporate. Both methods have their pros and cons; having used both in a previous life (I have a logistics background) my personal preference is the RFID tag. It can be incorporated into the inside of the keg collar providing some protection from abuse; it’s relatively cheap and can be incorporated into a Point of Sale system.
Having this simple technology could allow for a keg to be tracked through its lifecycle much like a dollar bill on wheresgeorge.com. It could allow for “lost” kegs to be tracked back to the last owner. It could, in theory even be used to track kegs back to the retailer. This might be useful for police confiscating kegs at underage drinking parties or secondary wholesaler sales. With the recent Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) activity, this may be a good way for them to be able to check if a beer is “legally” registered with them. Imagine a squad of PLCB agents armed with scanners. They would walk in, scan the tags and be able to immediately see an image of the label. Wouldn’t that make things much easier? At least, it might keep the beer from being confiscated. I wonder if some of the bottles in my basement may be considered unregistered? Could my 5 bottles of Perkuno’s Hammer be in danger of confiscation? I’m going to drink them to avoid a visit.