Friday Beer Blogging: Internet Carding Edition

In the process of doing Friday Beer Blogging over the last three years, I've had occasion to hit many, many beer company web sites. I've never been compelled to go to these sites except to do the high quality research (i.e. stealing quality beer pictures) that you have all come to expect.

The dumbest thing about these beer company sites the the lame electronic bouncer at the door. Almost every such site has a gateway page requiring you to enter a birth date.

They want to make sure you are of legal drinking age before you look at beer. Or something.

Some, like those here in the U.S., state that you must be 21 to look at their digital beer.

Others simply ask for your birth date so you can demonstrate you are old enough in the country in which you live.

Entering a birth date that makes you too you results in denial of entry.


The Guinness folks ask for this information and then explains why.

Yes, this "ensures" you are the age you say you are. There, of course, is absolutely nothing to prevent anyone from entering any date they want, making the verification process totally worthless. I don't get why they do it. What's the harm in looking at beer even if you are underage? We are such silly people.

Have a great weekend! And no peeking at beer pictures if you're underage.