Tap List Display Ideas for Bars and Breweries
August 15, 2026 · Captain
A tap list display is a screen behind the bar that shows what is pouring right now: the beer, the style, the ABV and the price. A split-flap version flips each line into place with the classic click-clack, and you update it from your phone the moment a keg blows. You can run one on a TV you already own from €19.99/month. Here are the ideas worth stealing.
Why a printed tap list always lets you down
Every bar has lived this. The chalkboard says you have the hazy IPA. You blew the keg an hour ago. The customer orders it anyway, and now someone is apologizing. A tap list that changes as fast as your taps do fixes the whole problem:
- Blow a keg, flip the line. Change it from your phone before you even change the barrel.
- Show the ABV and price. The two things people actually ask, answered on the wall.
- Happy hour on a timer. The prices change themselves at 4pm and change back at 6.
This is what bars and breweries using Split-Flap TV run every night.
Idea 1: the classic four-column tap list
The workhorse. One line per tap, four columns: name, style, ABV, price. Keep the beer name short and let the numbers right-align so the ABVs and prices form clean columns. Twelve taps read at a glance from across the room.
HAZY IPA NEIPA 6.2% 6.50
STOUT IMPERIAL 8.0% 7.00
PILSNER LAGER 4.8% 5.50
SESSION PALE 3.8% 5.00
Idea 2: the “what’s new” board
A second smaller board that shows only the latest arrival, flipping between the beer name and a one-line tasting note. New kegs get a moment in the spotlight, which sells the pour before anyone asks.
Idea 3: the countdown to tap takeover
Running a takeover or a bottle release on Friday? A countdown board flipping down the days builds anticipation all week, then swaps to the tap list on the day. It is the kind of thing regulars notice and talk about.
Idea 4: happy hour that runs itself
Set the board to switch to happy-hour prices at 4pm and back at 6pm, every day, automatically. No one has to remember. This is scheduling and dayparting, and it is the feature bar owners end up using most.
Idea 5: one account, every screen
Most taprooms end up with more than one screen: the main tap list, a food board, a board in the window pulling people in off the street. One Split-Flap TV account runs all of them, each with its own content, so you are not juggling logins. Add screens as you grow.
What you need to set one up
- A TV or monitor you already own, landscape or portrait.
- A cheap streaming stick: Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV or Chromecast.
- The Split-Flap TV app and your phone.
From there you write your first tap list in a couple of minutes. The full getting started guide walks through it.
What it costs
A digital tap list runs from €19.99/month per screen, free 7-day trial, no card. Compared with a printed board you reprint every week, or a mechanical board you buy for thousands and can never change, the maths is not close. For the hardware comparison, see how much a split-flap display costs.
FAQ
What is a digital tap list? It is a screen that shows the beers currently on tap, with style, ABV and price, updated in real time. A split-flap tap list flips each line into place with the classic sound, and you change it from your phone.
How do I update it when a keg blows? You open the app on your phone, change the line, and the board flips to the new beer in seconds. No chalk, no reprint.
Can it show happy-hour prices automatically? Yes. You schedule the price change once and the board switches to happy-hour pricing and back on its own, every day.
Do I need a special screen for a taproom? No. It runs on any TV you already own plus a cheap streaming stick. Many taprooms run several screens from one account.
How much does a digital tap list cost? From €19.99/month per screen, with a free trial and no card. See pricing.
Put your taps on the wall the way they deserve. Start a free trial or see how bars and breweries use Split-Flap TV.