As a host of startups attempt to innovate the craft beer industry by emulating the likes of Keurig or Nespresso, a beer delivery service out of Albany, California decided the best form of imitation was to go directly to the innovators themselves. Unveiled this week by the Bay Area-affiliated brand Hopsy, the HomeTap is a countertop beer device that not only acts like a kegerator version of a Nespresso device, but also comes from the the same manufacturing company: KRUPS. The downside? It’s only currently available to people living in San Francisco, Alameda, Oakland, and Berkeley.
Though not an exact alcohol-specific replica of its inspiration, the HomeTap allows owners to order a selection of craft beer from any local brewery that Hopsy already serves. Once ordered, Hopsy’s delivery arm transports the beer via two-liter bottles to the owner’s home to be plugged directly into the HomeTap machine itself. With a bottle inserted, owners can then pour beers directly from the HomeTap, just as a drink slinger would at a bar. Moreover, the device is said to keep each bottle fresh and chilled for up to two weeks.
Hopsy’s launch of such a device, in an industry seemingly flooded with alternatives, comes down to the company’s pre-existing delivery service. Before HomeTap, subscribers to Hopsy’s service were granted the ability to order 32 oz. growlettes from local Bay Area breweries to be delivered to their front door. Sort of a Postmates for local beer, Hopsy simply expanded on this delivery framework in order to gain the capacity to offer quality service for users of the HomeTap.
Interested buyers in San Francisco, Oakland, Alameda, or Berkeley have the option of purchasing a HomeTap for the discounted price of $150 ($50 off the typical $200 retail price), and two-liter bottles of beer start at $20 each. Additionally, those interested in a rental program can pay just $60 every four weeks to get the machine, two bottles of beer, and a Hopsy tasting glass. The machine is now available for purchase, though Hopsy says it won’t start deliveries until July 28.
