99 Bottles Of Beer On The Touch Screen: The Spread Of Self-Serve Taps

"Walters Sports Bar is a gleaming new pub just blocks from the largest stadium in Washington, D.C. The decor is industrial chic — exposed ducts and poured concrete floors — and it's spacious enough to accommodate the enormous throngs of elated fans who crowded in after the Washington Nationals' recent World Series win."

"On a recent night, the bar was quieter. Still, customer after customer strode up to a stainless steel wall lined with beer taps to insert a card, touch a screen and pour a glass of self-serve beer."

"No waitstaff. No waiting."

"'This is my first time doing a beer wall!' says one patron, Chris Porcaro, over a yeasty IPA. 'I've been to many sports bars, but never a beer-wall sports bar.'"

"The shiny beer wall allows customers to choose from 23 different varieties of beer — or "24 if you count Bud Light," says owner Jeremy Gifford. Pour-your-own beer isn't just a novelty, Gifford says; the idea is to cut down on waiting for alcohol (which means selling more of it) and freeing up bartenders to make cocktails."