The app is part of a larger joint initiative by the NYSBA and NYSBWA to promote industry awareness of the importance of clean tap lines for showcasing the quality and taste of draft beer.

BOCA RATON, FLA—Boca-Raton-based software developer Daruma Tech has been tapped to create an app to help New York State’s certified line cleaners maintain draft beer tap lines in the state’s bars and restaurants. The app is part of a larger joint initiative by the New York State Brewers Association (NYSBA) and New York State Beer Wholesale Association (NYSBWA) to promote industry awareness of the importance of clean tap lines for showcasing the quality and taste of draft beer.

“As brewers continue to work hard at perfecting their craft, it becomes even more important that the beer they create in their breweries is delivered to the consumer tasting exactly the way it was meant to taste when it left the brewery, especially on draft,” said Paul Leone, executive director of the New York State Brewers Association. “A dirty draft line can destroy a great beer and sadly, the consumer will blame the brewery and not the bar or restaurant that served the beer, so this is why we felt it was so important to create a clean draft line certification program in New York State.”

“When discussing our vision for the supporting software, Daruma Tech understood what we wanted and took that vision to the next level,” added Leone, who consistently offered his support and recommendations on behalf of the NYSBA to Daruma Tech.

The mobile app, intended for use by certified line cleaners, allows cleaners to record the dates when they replace or clean tap lines.  It also lets them see historical data on how frequently the tap lines at different establishments have been cleaned or replaced. This will let users better monitor current maintenance practices and better plan future maintenance.

Data entered into the app will also be uploaded to a companion consumer-facing site created by Daruma Tech, CleanLinesNY.com, that identifies bars and restaurants with clean tap lines so New York beer lovers will know where to go for the best-tasting brews. The site is mobile-first so consumers can easily look up nearby spots on their phones while on the go.

“Our goal is to raise consumer awareness of the correlation between beer quality and clean tap lines,” explained Robert Mitchell, vice president of retail execution for Manhattan Beer Distributors. “The app and website are intended to point consumers to where they can have a great draft beer experience while reminding retail establishments that cleaning their lines is good for business.”

“The Clean Lines program is one of the best things to happen to craft beer in New York State,” explains Carmine DeCrescente, vice president of DeCrescente Distributing Company. “The NYSBA and NYSBWA have been working closely with bar owners and restaurants to ensure they are serving the highest quality draft beer possible, tasting exactly as the brewer intended.”

The Clean Lines app is the second created for NYSBA by Daruma Tech. The first was the New York State Craft Beer app, a consumer-facing app available for free download for Apple and Android devices. With the New York State Craft Beer app, beer aficionados can see a complete list and map of New York State’s craft State breweries, see events and brews on tap at individual breweries, and design their own regional brewery tours. The app also offers beer suggestions based on user input and connects seamlessly with social media platforms.

For both NYSBWA and NYSBA, Daruma Tech was a natural choice for their latest initiative.

“Our familiarity with the culture and needs of NYSBA, along with our understanding of the technical tools needed to help them attain their goals, made us a natural fit for the clean lines project,” Erickson said. “And the NYSBWA understands this relationship and the benefits of our expertise. We welcome the opportunity to help them protect the quality of their products.”

“The software products that Daruma Tech built are a great fit to help the program,” DeCrescente said. “They (Daruma Tech) were easy to work with.”

“Rick, Susan, and the entire team were absolutely wonderful to work with, very responsive,” Mitchell added.  “I would recommend them to anyone—we had a great experience.”

Daruma Tech is a privately held software design firm based in the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University® in Boca Raton, Florida. Its mission is to serve businesses across a range of industries with innovative software applications incorporating both cutting-edge technology and designs focused on the unique logistical and human needs of each client.

For more information, contact Rick Griswold at 561-990-1625