Perhaps surprisingly, he wasn’t all that into beer when he started working on the app. Foursquare for BeerĪvola created Untappd with Tim Mather in 2010. Beer’s relationship with Untappd might be complicated, but Untappd’s role has proven undeniably significant. Some, however, feel that Untappd has fueled “ticker culture,” and that its rating system is a breeding ground for biased, baseless ratings that only favor hype beers and often hurt breweries. It’s helped users find beers they otherwise wouldn’t, and, therefore, has helped breweries reach new customers. In the 11 years since it launched, Untappd has facilitated a wider-reaching community in beer. As when software developer Next Glass purchased Untappd in 2016, and then joined it with newer purchase Beer Advocate in 2020, this update is stirring up conversation and reflection on Untappd’s impact on beer culture. This, Avola writes, is driven by a lifestyle change, and he will remain at Untappd’s parent company, Next Glass, as executive advisor. 20, Gregory Avola announced he was stepping down as chief creative officer of Untappd, the online beer platform he helped found and then actively ran for a decade.

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