In this episode of West Virginia Beer Roads, Charles and Erin take a quick, fun look and review of some interesting points gleaned from crowd-sourced opinions on the WV local beer market in 2023.



We took a close look at crowd-sourced data from the Untappd website to uncover:




* which West Virginia breweries the Untappd users thought did the best with their new beer releases in 2023;



* which West Virginia breweries the Untappd crowd ranks in the overall Top 10.




Listen to the Podcast



28 minutes • WVBR’s podcasts are also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many other sites



Looking at crowd sourced data



While we may not always agree with the crowd, it’s interesting to see where the big numbers of craft beer drinkers rate different beers and different brewers. Untappd’s strength lies in that, over time, it attracts thousands of different craft beer drinkers to record their opinions on beers available in the West Virginia market.



For craft beer industry observers, that aggregation of opinions, over time, does hold some valuable data about brewers, beers, and beer styles. But it’s not the only thing we recommend you consider when thinking about local beer. In reality, nothing tops your own personal taste when it comes to choosing the beer you drink. If you like it, buy it.



We have to admit, however, it’s fun to compare our personal opinions on specific beers and breweries with that of the Untappd crowd. Do you agree or disagree?



We like that Untappd’s brewery ratings, watched over time, provide some indicators of how breweries may be trending up, down, or remaining steady in comparison to the ratings of other West Virginia brewers. This crowd-sourced data is one indicator of what is moving in the local market and of what the local craft beer market thinks about a beer.



Find lots more information on individual beers and breweries on the Untappd website.



Untappd shows a tight grouping of WV brewers at the end of 2023