Privacy Policy

The Brew Explorer (accessible at thebrewexplorer.com) is a small, independent digital guide about traditional drinks from around the world. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you use our website and purchase our guide, Exotic Brews Made Simple, and what we do with it. We keep things simple: we collect only what we need to give you access to your guide, and we never sell your data.

1. Information We Collect

When you use our website, we collect:

• Account information — the username and email address you provide when creating an account, and your password (stored only as a secure cryptographic hash; we can never see or recover your actual password).
• Google sign-in information — if you choose to sign in with Google, Google shares your name, email address, and profile picture with us. Nothing else from your Google account is accessed.
• Purchase information — payments are processed entirely by Paddle, our merchant of record. Paddle collects your billing address and payment details (card, PayPal, iDEAL, etc.). We never see or store your full card number. We only receive a confirmation that you paid, your purchase email, and the amount.
• Usage information — which recipe pages your account opens and when you last logged in. We use this solely to operate our conditional refund policy (described in our Refund Policy) and to understand which drinks members enjoy most.
• Messages you send us — suggestions, reviews, and support emails you choose to send.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To give you access to the guide you purchased and keep your account working.
• To verify refund eligibility under our Refund Policy.
• To respond to your support requests.
• To display reviews you submit (only after moderation, and only with the name on your account).
• To keep the website secure and prevent abuse.

3. Legal Bases (GDPR)

If you are in the European Economic Area, we process your data on the following bases: performance of a contract (providing the guide you bought), our legitimate interests (keeping the service secure and enforcing the refund policy), and your consent (for optional features such as Google sign-in and public reviews). You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting us.

4. Who We Share Your Information With

We share data only with the services needed to run the website:

• Paddle — our payment processor and merchant of record, which handles checkout, taxes, and refunds. Paddle's own privacy policy applies to the payment data it processes.
• Google — only if you choose to sign in with your Google account.
• Our hosting provider — which stores the website and its database securely on our behalf.

5. Cookies

We use only essential cookies that keep you signed in to your account. We do not use advertising, analytics, or tracking cookies, and we do not run Google Analytics or similar tools.

6. Data Retention

We keep your account information for as long as your account exists so you can access your guide, which is yours forever. If you ask us to delete your account, we remove your personal information within 30 days, except where we must keep minimal purchase records for legal or tax reasons.

7. Your Rights

Depending on where you live (including under the GDPR), you have the right to access, correct, export, or delete your personal information, and to object to or restrict certain processing. To exercise any of these rights, email us at brewexplorer.support@proton.me and we will respond within 30 days.

8. Security

We protect your data with encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed passwords, and signed, verified payment webhooks. No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, but we take reasonable measures appropriate for a small digital product.

9. International Transfers

Our processors (such as Paddle and Google) may process data outside your country, including outside the EEA. Where they do, they rely on appropriate safeguards such as standard contractual clauses under their own privacy frameworks.

10. Age Requirement

Our website is intended for users aged 18 and over (or with parental/guardian permission). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

11. Changes to This Policy

If we update this Privacy Policy, we will post the new version on this page with an updated date. Material changes will be highlighted on the website.

12. Contact Us

Questions about this policy or your data? Email us anytime at brewexplorer.support@proton.me. The Brew Explorer is operated from the Netherlands.