Thinfilm has announced a partnership with Hopsy, a US-based craft beer marketplace and beer delivery service. The two companies will collaborate to integrate Thinfilm’s NFC OpenSense™ technology into a variety of locally produced craft beers across the United States. The wireless NFC tags will enable microbreweries to engage with consumers, educate customers, and differentiate their respective brands.

Hopsy was created as an alternative distribution system through which customers can order fresh draft beer directly from local breweries and have it delivered right to their door. The beer is packaged in 32-ounce containers called “growlettes,” and each container will feature an NFC OpenSense tag as part of its label. Hopsy currently offers over twenty different beers from twelve San Francisco Bay Area breweries, with plans to access more beers and breweries soon.

“Craft beer is not just about beer, it’s also about authenticity and craftsmanship. The two most important people in craft beer are the beer makers and the beer lovers. Our customers truly care about where their beer comes from and who made it. And we, at Hopsy, create a direct connection between the two, bringing the freshest beer to the home, just as the brewer intended it,” said Hopsy’s co-founder and CEO, Sebastien Tron. “We decided to go one step further and bring the tasting experience into the living room. We believe Thinfilm’s technology gives our partner breweries a powerful tool to connect with their customers beyond the brewery.”

NFC OpenSense tags are thin, flexible labels that integrate with a product’s packaging or label and can be read with the tap of an NFC-enabled smartphone. Each tag is uniquely identifiable and can detect a product’s “factory sealed” and “opened” states. Once tapped, the tag wirelessly communicates with the cloud, instantly delivering relevant, contextual content based on the product’s state. Hopsy will work with its partner breweries to deliver a range of rich content through the NFC tags, including brewery information, product details, videos, and more.

“Niche businesses and novel brands often find it very difficult to compete with larger, more established companies. They need solutions that differentiate their products and help them connect with customers,” says Davor Sutija, CEO of Thinfilm. “Hopsy has developed a compelling service that’s resonating in the craft beer markets, and we’re excited about the role our technology can play in growing its business and the businesses of its clients.”

Thinfilm and Hopsy are demonstrating the technology at the Craft Beverage Expo, May 18-19 at the Oakland Convention Center in Oakland, CA, USA. Here’s a video highlighting Hopsy’s service and the smart bottles.