I’m not in the business of buying my friends beer. First off, I have a limited amount of funds and a personal need for beer. A lot of people like to pay people back by buying them a beer. No way – once they drink the beer (and a few more) they forget you payed them back with a beer. Plus, my friends would probably just bitch and moan about the beer I bought them anyway.

Actually, that’s just the image I like to put out there. Otherwise, people would abuse my beer generosity. In reality, I love buying my pals a pint. But what about my friend that lives across the country? If I want to buy him a beer I have to either schedule an expensive trip or wait until he comes around. Not very practical.

One startup app hopes to give you another option for doling out beers. Tweet-a-Beer lets you send your buddy a beer via Twitter. And it’s launching this week at SXSW.

Here’s how it works, from the Tweet-a-Beer site:

Tweet-a-Beer was brewed and bottled by tenfour and Waggener Edstrom, longtime drinking buddies in Portland, Oregon. Tweet-a-Beer connects your Twitter and PayPal accounts together to ensure that distance, agoraphobia, and gang rivalries no longer prevent you from sharing a pint.

Your Twitter and Paypal accounts are linked via “T-commerce” startup Chirpify, a platform that lets users transfer funds via @ mentioning.

Once you enter your lucky friend’s Twitter handle, you can add a reason and a location if you so choose. Of course, you won’t be sending an actual beer via Twitter – I don’t think the technology is there yet. You’ll be sending $5, which should cover most beers (except your high-ABV, or some craft beers).

The app’s already getting some use on Twitter, as people are adding their own reason for spotting their friends a pint:

It’s Friday. I’m thirsty. My Twitter handle is @joshgwolf. Just sayin’.

[h/t Mashable]