Picobrew announces 3 new machines to brew larger batches of beer

Picobrew was co-founded by former Microsoft employee Bill Mitchell. He was tired of the long process of home brewing and the difficulty of repeating a beer recipe once you found one you liked.

In October of 2013 Mitchell put his PicoBreew Zymatic up on Kickstarter. Within a day he was able to meet his $150,000 funding goal.

The PicoBrew Z series

The company is now introducing a PicoBrew Z series of four modular brewing machines that are capable of producing from one to ten gallons of beer or kombucha. Kombucha is fermented black or green tea that is claimed by some to have considerable health benefits.

The new products are designed to aid home brewers or restaurant owners launch larger-scale home brewing productions. The machines cost between $1,499 and $3,999. Devices can be preordered now with shipping beginning in June. The company is offering large discounts on preorders:.. it comes with a pro-grade price tag: the 2.5 gallon unit will cost you $2,500, the 5 gallon model is $4,000, 7.5-gallon capacity is $6,000 and the 10-gallon behemoth will set you back a whopping $8,500. The good news is the company is offering some huge discounts during the pre-order period that reduce cost by half on the 7.5- and 10-gallon options. The limited-time price cut takes $1,000 off the 2.5-gallon model and $4,500 off the 10-gallon stack. And if you splurged for the $1,999 Zymatic, PicoBrew will offer a trade-in program so you can get a break on the latest model.

PicoPaks

The machines can brew from loose grains and hops but also can use the company's proprietary PicoPaks. The company makes these in partnership with breweries. The PicoPaks are basically pods like the Keurig pods for coffee.

Smart technology in PicoBrew brewers

All Z series brewers connect over Wi-Fi allowing users to control the temperature, fluid flow and timing of the brewing. They can also run through recipes.

All of the PicoBrew devices can be monitored from your computer, phone, or tablet. The internet connection also enables you to connect to an extensive library of recipes.

The process

The machine does much of the work. There are clear drawers that hold all of the grain and hops. You simply add the ingredients, select the recipe and hit the start button. The machine has a connected brew keg that acts as both a brew kettle and and a fermentation vessel.

The brewing process is simple. If you input your recipe correctly the machine heats the water, steeps the grains, boils the wort and add the hops for you at the correct time. You simply need to wait a few hours for the process. You then add yeast and the fermentation begins.

The Z series can also use the PIcoPacks if you wish. You simply place them in the drawer. The machine automatically detects them puts in the recipe and does the work.

CNET describes the new series as professional grade models. The discounts are available until March 15. The new series targets serious home brewers, craft breweries and other businesses who will appreciate the ability of the series to produce larger batches than other PicoBrew machines.

Previously published in Digital Journal