Beer Vault (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is operated by Priya Labs. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who processes it for us, and the choices you have when you use the Beer Vault website at beervault.site and the Beer Vault apps for iPhone and Android (together, the “Service”).
Information We Collect
Account information. Your email address, your password (stored only as a one-way hash), your display name and handle, and any profile details you choose to add, such as a profile photo, date of birth, ZIP code or time zone. If you answer our one-time “how did you hear about us” question, we keep your answer. We also record how you found us: the campaign, QR code or website that brought you to sign up (such as a link on Instagram) or the app store you installed from, along with any ad campaign and ad click ID passed with the link or the Google Play install.
Content you create. Journal entries, ratings, tasting notes, your fridge inventory and wishlist, and the posts, comments, messages and other community activity you share.
Photos. When you choose to add a photo, you can take it with your camera or pick it from your photo library; the app only receives the photos you pick. Before any photo is stored, our servers re-encode it and remove its metadata, including any location where it was taken. The iPhone app also removes that metadata on your device before the photo is uploaded.
Location. The apps do not access your device's location. On the website you can choose to share your browser's location, or enter a ZIP code, to find beer gardens near you; a shared location is used only for that search and is not saved to your account.
Notifications. If you allow push notifications, we store a token that identifies your device to Google Firebase Cloud Messaging (which, on iPhone, delivers through Apple Push Notification service), so we can send the notifications you have turned on. If you allow notifications in your web browser, we store your browser's push subscription for the same purpose. You can turn notifications off in Settings or in your device settings at any time.
Device and security checks. When you create an account or sign in from an app, the app asks Google Play Integrity (Android) or Apple DeviceCheck (iPhone) to confirm that the request comes from the genuine app on a real device. On the website, Google reCAPTCHA performs a similar check. We use these results only to prevent fraud and abuse. Our servers also record your IP address and basic request details, which we use for security, rate limiting and troubleshooting.
Usage analytics. Our website and apps use PostHog to understand how the Service is used. PostHog receives the pages and screens you view, the features you use (for example, adding a journal entry), the links and buttons you tap, your device, operating system and browser type, and, on the website and in the Android apps, session recordings of how you move through the website or app, which can include text you type (password fields are never recorded). When you are signed in, this is linked to your account ID, your email address and an age range worked out from your date of birth.
Error reports. If the website or an app hits an error or crashes, it sends a report to our own servers with the error message, a technical stack trace, the page or request involved and the app version. We store it with your account ID if you are signed in, your browser or device's user-agent string and your IP address. We do not use a third-party crash-reporting service.
Purchases. If you buy a subscription or another paid feature on our website, Stripe processes the payment; in an Android app, Google Play does. We receive a record of the purchase and its status (such as the plan and renewal date), never your full card number. The iPhone app does not offer in-app purchases at this time.
How We Use Your Information
- To provide the Service: your journal, fridge, recommendations, community feed, competitions and the Vault Passport XP system.
- To personalise beer recommendations from your ratings and journal history.
- To send account emails (verification, password reset, security notices), the notifications you have turned on, and replies to your support requests.
- To check eligibility (age and residency) and contact winners for competitions you enter.
- To keep the Service secure, prevent fraud and abuse, and fix problems.
- To understand how the Service is used and improve it, including aggregated, anonymised statistics such as trending beers.
Service Providers
We share information only with the providers that run parts of the Service for us, and only what each one needs:
- Microsoft Azure — hosting, our database and photo storage.
- Google — Firebase Cloud Messaging (push notifications), Google Play (Android app distribution, purchases and Play Integrity), reCAPTCHA on our website, and Google Workspace, which sends and receives our email.
- Apple — App Store distribution, Apple Push Notification service and DeviceCheck for the iPhone app.
- PostHog — usage analytics for our website and apps, and session recordings for our website and Android apps.
- Stripe — payments made on our website.
Data Sharing
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information, and we do not share it with advertisers. Content you make public, such as public journal entries, reviews, posts and your public profile, can be seen by other members and visitors to our website; you control this in Settings. Aggregated, anonymised data may be used for community features such as trending beers and discovery rankings. We may disclose information when the law requires it.
Data Storage and Security
Your data is stored on secure servers with encryption in transit and at rest. We use industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information. Access to user data is restricted to authorised personnel only.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
On the website we use cookies and browser storage to keep you signed in, remember your preferences and, through PostHog, measure usage. You can control cookies in your browser, though blocking them may stop parts of the site from working. The apps do not use browser cookies; they keep your sign-in on your device.
Keeping and Deleting Your Information
We keep your information while your account is open. You can delete your account at any time in Settings → Account, in the apps or on the website. This permanently deletes your account and the content linked to it from our database; copies in our encrypted database backups are overwritten within 35 days. To have analytics data held by PostHog deleted, contact us.
Your Rights
You can see and update your personal information in Account Settings. You can contact us to request a copy of your data or to ask questions about our privacy practices. Depending on where you live (for example, in the EEA, the UK or California), you may have further rights under data protection law, such as the right to access, correct, delete or port your data.
Age Requirement and Children's Privacy
Beer Vault is only for adults of legal drinking age where they live (21 in the United States). We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone younger. If we learn that we have, we will delete it promptly.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify registered users of material changes. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us
Beer Vault is operated by Priya Labs. If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, or want to use any of the rights above, email us at support@cigarvault.site.