Site Update Mobile Matters

Posted on August 26, 2012

In which we release two announcements regarding site maintenance and upgrades.  One small, one big(gish).

One: The custom Google map of establishments across Vermont where you can find Heady Topper that was broken, is now fixed:

Heady Topper Retail Map

TL;DR this demonstrates a lesson we all have to learn again and again.  If you want something done right…….do it yourself!  The original version had been an all-Google affair:  Google Docs spreadsheet linked by Google to a custom Google map.  The problem turned out to be though that the custom map was not recognizing changes to the underlying data within the spreadsheet.  Broken and inaccurate map is bad.  So with some simple Javascript and the Google Maps API we now can display a map that will be always up-to-date with, bonus, even less effort.  Thanks for your patience while this was sorted!

Two: Mobile computing (a.k.a. your phone) is now a factor in our site traffic we cannot ignore, and are excited to announce is being auto-magically served with a custom mobile experience.

Over the past two years mobile traffic has grown from almost zero to something approaching 20% of our visitors.  So for these wonderful folks we have crafted a mobile only ‘site’ designed to work best on the handheld screen.  All the information we hope is helpful that you find on the main site is viewable, front and center, for mobile visitors as well:  Cannery info, Heady Topper retailers, tweets, blog posts and more.

It’s the ‘and more’ we’re really excited about.  There are two new mobile-only features we’re introducing: a Vermont Beer Trail mini-app and a local shopping mini-app.  The Beer Trail will help you, while you’re out in your car about Vermont exploring the amazing craft breweries around this state, pin-point each brewery location from your phone.  And should you be visiting Waterbury, we’re delighted to serve up a similar service for local shopping and dining establishments.  Neighbors helping neighbors is what makes this place great, and we want to make a modest contribution.