Brew Swap Website

[markpeace]

Inspired by the great christmas Secret Santa swap, I'm putting together a website which will organise exchange and feedback on brews. The basic process is ...

1. Brew a beer and fill one PET bottle
2. Log your share on the site
3. The site matches you with someone else, and sends you postage details
4. Send beer, receive beer from someone else
5. Offer a review and feedback

Once I've got the basics up and running, I plan to add the following features...
- earn points for participating, and for reviews
- the site learns what kind of styles you tend to like, and biases matches towards this
- option to request particular styles
- ability to generate one off events (e.g. The homebrewforum christmas swap, the big pale ale swap).
- events can be competitions which generate a winner.

I'm already clunking away at some code, but I thought id throw it open to the community in terms of two questions...

1. I need a name for the site, which has a domain available. Any suggestions?

2. Any feature requests/modifications?

 

[PD]

have you looked into the implications of the health/safety aspects, of total strangers sending a beverage to others, what ingredients should be listed, who is responsible for the pillock including " nasties " in the brew, unintentionally or intentionally.
A swap amongst a small community like ourselves is open to abuse but we have to take certain things on trust in life and the risks seemed minimal, however total strangers???

Just a thought

 

[bunkerbrewer]

Not just untrusted beverages, but you need to be very careful with how you store, share and transmit personal information.

Not saying it's a bad idea, but you might want to look into alternative platforms for this, rather than reinventing the wheel. E.g. Twitter, Facebook, Google+ etc etc, or even propose a members only "beer swap" category right here on THBF.

 

[alanywiseman.]

Not just untrusted beverages, but you need to be very careful with how you store, share and transmit personal information.

This was my first thought but I think it is a great idea.

even propose a members only "beer swap" category right here on THBF.

I had thought of suggesting this but could not really see how it could work. Maybe someone more imaginative could come up with better ideas then me.

 

[markpeace]

Good thinking fellas. Maybe I'll set it up on an invitation only basis, whereby new members are only allowed to join on the recommendation of an existing one, or through a forum thread by which we can evaluate their contributions...

In terms of frameworks, I'm happy writing it from scratch - I like to have a little programming project on the go. I reckon it'll be ready in first draft in early march. Keep going with any problems, though - I'd rather anticipate them at this point!

M.

 

[Vossy1]

Mark and fellow THBF members I have to say I'm a bit disappointed firstly.
We've run a bottle swap 3 or 4 times on THBF IIRC, possibly starting before you were a member Mark. To take the idea away from the forum seems a bit 'off' to me, certainly without first consulting us, a bit of politeness wouldn't go amiss.
Naturally we don't have any form of copywrite, so I wish you every success with your idea of the webby :thumb:

 

[markpeace]

Well, its not my intent to take anything away from the forum. In fact, I was trying to add to it: the feedback on the Christmas swap so that it was too difficult to administer, so this was meant to act as a spine to help with that. If its an idea that's workable within the forum, I'm happy to mothball the project (it's only a little thing) to make space for it here. Equally, I'm happy to write something that is a *part* of the forum in a more formal sense. Also, this is kind of an attempt to consult and discuss...

 

[alawlor66430]

Once all the little problems and potential problems are ironed out it would be a great idea and perhaps better if it was run through the forum, but all great things start with and idea so just as long lots and lots of thought and precaution are administered when creating it I can't see why it won't be a great thing, I'd love to send you guys some of my beers for review and feedback and likewise I'd love to review your beers and give feed back.

 

[Vossy1]

Well, its not my intent to take anything away from the forum. In fact, I was trying to add to it: the feedback on the Christmas swap so that it was too difficult to administer, so this was meant to act as a spine to help with that. If its an idea that's workable within the forum, I'm happy to mothball the project (it's only a little thing) to make space for it here. Equally, I'm happy to write something that is a *part* of the forum in a more formal sense. Also, this is kind of an attempt to consult and discuss...

Thanks for the very generous offer Mark, it's much appreciated. I'll have a chat with Martin and see what he thinks as he's the technical boff, I'm just the monkey :lol: :thumb:

 

[EskiBrew]

PM send Mark :thumb:

 

[Barley Bottom]

Im not wanting to put a downer on your website but have you considered the legal aspect and beer duty with regards to giving away a bottle of homebrew for somebody to taste?

From the HMCE website:

4.1 Do producers and their premises have to be registered?

You must be registered if you produce beer unless you are exempted under paragraph 4.4

You can only be exempt from registration (section 4.4) if you are brewing:
-solely for your own domestic consumption or
- only for research or experimental purposes;

17.1 Do I have to register for experimental brewing?

If you brew solely for the purposes of research or experiments in the production of
beer, you do not need to register for beer duty purposes nor pay duty on the beer.
However, you must still notify us, see paragraph 17.3.
However, if you intend to sell or give away any of the beer you produce you must
apply for registration and pay duty on such beer.


Regards Paul

 

[EskiBrew]

Im not wanting to put a downer on your website but have you considered the legal aspect and beer duty with regards to giving away a bottle of homebrew for somebody to taste?

From the HMCE website:

4.1 Do producers and their premises have to be registered?

You must be registered if you produce beer unless you are exempted under paragraph 4.4

You can only be exempt from registration (section 4.4) if you are brewing:
-solely for your own domestic consumption or
- only for research or experimental purposes;

17.1 Do I have to register for experimental brewing?

If you brew solely for the purposes of research or experiments in the production of
beer, you do not need to register for beer duty purposes nor pay duty on the beer.
However, you must still notify us, see paragraph 17.3.
However, if you intend to sell or give away any of the beer you produce you must
apply for registration and pay duty on such beer.

Regards Paul

Thanks Paul :hmm:
I must admit, we've never really considered that with the bottle swaps that have happened in the past

 

[Barley Bottom]

When your read that, are your beer competitions run legitimately?


Paul

 

[pronger1]

With regard to not being sure whats in it, doesnt seem like anything you buy these days you can be sure of!!
Horse anyone?

Life is a gamble enjoy the ride! :

 

[TRXnMe]

If you're still looking for a name, brewreview has a ring to it. It's taken in .com and .co.uk format, but .biz and .mobi are available according to whois.

I did think hombrewreview would be more available, but all domains except .net are taken for that.

As to the duty issues, if it really bothers anyone then give HMRC a ring and ask them, they used to be really helpful and down to earth.

 

[Darcey]

I would get in contact with HMRC. If you make it 'offical' then it depends who the liablity falls on and the volume considered.

I realy do like the idea and I am up for some keg swaps locally which would be great. Guest beers in the kegerator!

Good luck! :thumb:

D

 

[calumscott]

HMCE website is wrong.

Law says "domestic use" not "domestic consumption".

Use and consumption are entirely different things. Swapping beers with like minded individuals is easily squared away as a "use" in the domestic sense.

 

[ScottM]

HMCE website is wrong.

Law says "domestic use" not "domestic consumption".

Use and consumption are entirely different things. Swapping beers with like minded individuals is easily squared away as a "use" in the domestic sense.

It's also for research and could easily be seen as experimental...

- only for research or experimental purposes;

 

[Darcey]

It still may be worth a quick incognito phonecall.

I could clame I am using it to test against other users final gravity...

Or indeed using the yeast for my next brew...

As you have a variance of £50 on duty returns a month I doubt it'll be noticed or really cared about. The HSE could be more difficult. A good T&C's should sort that out however.

As long as your only using beef in your Lasagne and not sharing it with anyone you'll be safe at the moment!

D

 

[markpeace]

Thanks Darcey. Maybe I'll do the incognito phone-call thing just to be sure.

Ultimately, I think this is one of those 'the law's an ****' moments - and nobody is likely to enforce it. As noted above, it would make any home-brew competition illegal, and clearly it doesn't put them off. Ultimately, I also think that the letter of the law wouldn't put the swap itself on dodgy ground. In effect, its a dating site that matches people up, its the individuals involved who do the swapping - and I can't see HMRC chasing down a load of individual bottle swaps. But I think, for piece of mind, a sense of this from someone official is a good idea.

I think the trust amongst swappers thing is a more of a niggle, and I'll keep mulling on that. A sense of auditing who gets involved is important in this, I think, rather than a free for all of strangers. We're having a think about whether it can all be formally bound up with the forum, which I think is a nice direction to head in...