How To: My Secret to Always Finding Good Beers, Wines, & Spirits

If you struggle with deciding which wine you should buy for an intimate dinner, or the type of beer with the highest alcohol content that doesn't taste like tree bark, then check out some of these great alcohol-friendly apps to make better booze decisions.

There are a lot of mobile apps dedicated to helping average drinkers like myself find good beer, wine, and spirits, and with the ones listed below, I've managed to turn my smartphone into my own personal booze concierge—and you can, too.

#1. Vivino for Wine (Android, iOS, Windows)

Vivino is a free app that connects friends and wine drinkers alike. With it, you can walk into a store, snap a picture of a wine bottle, and receive detailed information about it, including reviews, pricing, blend details, and even other store locations that carry it.

The scanning feature may just save you from shelling out $30 on a bottle when you could've enjoyed a $10 wine even more. You can also learn a lot about it before making any purchase. Just fit the label in the designated camera area and snap. Tap "Use" if you're satisfied with the picture and Vivino will bring up all the vital information about your bottle. And remember that cheap wines can taste a lot better than you think.

• Vivino for Android (free)
• Vivino for Android (pro, $4.99)
• Vivino for iOS (free)
• Vivino for iOS (pro, $4.99)
• Vivino for Windows Phone (free, pro $4.99 version as in-app purchase)

#2. Delectable for Wine (iOS)

Very similar to Vivino, Delectable provides reviews from users and professionals for the wine bottles you scan through the app.

You can follow professionals to see what types and brands of wine they suggest. Plus, if you see a wine that you like, you can order it right from the app, although not all states are eligible for alcohol shipping. Simply add a payment method and a shipping address and you're set—hooray for wine deliveries.

• Delectable for iOS (free)

#3. Distilld for Whiskey (Android, iOS)

If you are a fan of whiskey, then you know sipping on the shitty stuff is just not a pleasant experience. Whether you like bourbon, scotch, rye, or other variants, Distilld is the app for you.

With Distilld, you can browse through an enormous selection of whiskey and distilleries. You can also search for a particular type of whiskey to learn a little more about it.

Distilld doesn't have a scanning feature like the wine apps mentioned above, but for an app all about whiskey, it does more than enough.

• Distilld for Android (free)
• Distilld for iOS (free)

#4. RateBeer for Beer (Android, iOS)

I am a big fan of beer. I know... that's a pretty original statement, but there is almost nothing better than a perfectly poured, ice-cold beer. However, when it comes to knowing the real nitty-gritty about my beers, I am not the most knowledgeable person. With RateBeer, people like me can really get to know their favorite beers while discovering even more kinds to try.

You can research beer styles, check out the best ranked beers by country, and much more. Plus, you can use the barcode scanner to scan bottles to see ratings and availability.

Place the barcode within the viewfinder and RateBeer will reveal the beer's rating. Once scanned, you can view details and also check out the ratings from other RateBeer users. And don't forget to check out the main page for more beer awesomeness, like the Top 50 ranked beers or nearby places that offer a good beer selection.

• RateBeer for Android (free; premium service available)
• RateBeer for iOS ($3.99, a scanner app is also $3.99)

#5. Liqstr for All Alcohol (iOS)

If you consider yourself a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to the consumption of alcohol, then consider Liqstr as your app of choice. Unlike the apps I've already covered, Liqstr is all about booze, no matter the type.

With this app, you can search for various types of liquor and see prices, as well as the stores nearest you that carry them. You can also do a product search by scanning the barcode on an item, so if you're looking to find a particular brand or type of liquor, or simply want the best price, this is the app for you.

• Liqstr for iOS (free, $0.99 in-app purchase to remove ads)

More Alcohol-Friendly Tips...

Need more ways to get the most from your booze choices? Try the Cocktail Flow app (for Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and Windows 8), which turns your device into a mobile mixologist. Want to prevent hangovers from happening? Then try out Hang Over for Android, which will tell you which drinks you should be drinking for a headache-free morning.

For some non-app learning, check out the right way to chill a cocktail, how to make bad vodka taste better, and how to make crappy wine taste good without any special tools.