4 essential mobile apps for Cinco de Mayo beer drinkers

Friday May 3, 2013 12:58 PM By Luke Hammill

Photo credit: Fotolia | If drinking's on the Cinco de Mayo agenda, download a few apps to help insure a safe good time.

Got plans to push back an endless stream of Coronas to celebrate Cinco de Mayo? There are seemingly endless smartphone apps available to enhance the beer drinking experience. Here are the four best apps to both get the party going and keep you safe. All of them are compatible with iPhones and Android phones.

1. Beer Counter

Touch the screen while using this extremely simple app and the number displayed will increase by one, helping you count the number of beers you consume. It may sound silly, but this could be useful -- we all tend to either underestimate ("I'm fine! I've only had X beers!") or overestimate ("I totally had like 17 beers last night!") the extent of our alcohol intake. Tap the screen every time you pony up to the bar, and this app will keep you on track.

Price: Free

2. Taxi Magic

If you've been drinking, you shouldn't be driving, and you also shouldn't let a drunken friend drive you. Use this app to easily and conveniently call a taxi. You input your location and can even pay ahead of time, and the cab comes to you. Yes, taxis can be expensive. But if you're reluctant to shell out the money, consider that a DWI conviction costs thousands of dollars in fines and legal fees.

Price: Free

3. Bartab

Use this app to send credits for food and drinks to your friends, no matter where they are. You select which product to purchase -- a round of ale, or some sliders, perhaps -- and the credits appear on participating venues' tablets for your friends to redeem.

Price: Free

4. BeerCloud

If you're sick of the same old run-of-the-mill beers, you can use this app to find something new. Experts at GreatBrewers.com used cloud-computing technology to build a vast database dedicated to beer. You can even scan a beer's barcode to access a description of its taste, texture, and more.

Price: Free