World of Beer has arrived in Central Florida — with the openings of three franchise stores in Lake Mary, near UCF and in the Dr. Phillips area. And after stopping by the Lake Mary and UCF bars, I’m still not sure what I think of WOB.

WOB is bringing craft beers to the masses, which I applaud. But it’s the cookie-cutter, assembly-line approach that leaves a bad taste in my mouth, something I don’t normally equate with craft-beer bars (like locals Redlight Redlight or Abbey).

That said, I’m glad World of Beer is doing what it’s doing, introducing quality beer to folks. Others must, too, because both locations were packed each time I stopped by, and no one had a Bud or a Miller Lite in hand. Even though the decor is virtually the same at both locations, with oversized bar stools (which I loved) and flat-screen TVs over the bar in almost the same spots, the crowd and service were very different.

From the time I walked into the Lake Mary spot, the staff was on it with a greeting and a menu and stools pulled up to sit. It brought to mind the scene from “Annie” when the title character first steps into “Daddy” Warbucks’s house. I was waiting for the staff to start singing “we know you’re gonna like it here.”

And for the most part I did.

The crowd’s age ranged from 30 on up. Even though it was a full house, I was quite comfortable sitting on my stool in the back. The beer menu is impressive with more than 500 beers and roughly 40 on tap. But the prices got me. I ordered a Magic Hat #9 on tap for $5, which seemed high because it is a pretty pedestrian beer. The bottle price for the same beer was $4. I’m puzzled why WOB charges more for drafts. From what I’ve gathered in my travels, drafts are usually less expensive than bottles because they are sold to the bar by keg and the unit price is cheaper. Plus bars try to push drafts because they reduce waste.

The prices at UCF are identical, the beer selection pretty much the same, the experience not so much. I was not greeted at the door and had to wait at least 15 minutes for someone to take my order — after I hunted down the server. Once found, she was very knowledgeable and suggested a Southern Tier Imperial Oatmeal Stout based on my preferences. She was right on the money — I loved it. And $6 didn’t break the bank, although most Southern Tier bottles went for $4.

The crowd is younger (it is near a university), mostly early 20s.

Other than fabulous beer choices and a good place to catch the game, I don’t see any reason to stick around after the first or second beer. Adding dartboards or pool tables might help. WOB is nonsmoking but there is ample outdoor seating at both locations.

World of Beer may not be what I’m used to in a craft-beer bar, but as long as it keeps folks drinking good beers, I can’t complain too much.