From what I can tell, this thing takes over the mash and boil, leaving the user to cool and ferment. Not for me, but would this be worth it for anyone?
http://picobrew.com/Technology is cool. And that thing seems pretty cool. But it seems to remove the skill of the brewer from the process. It would seem that if a person undertook the hobby of brewing that they would not want to remove parts of the hobby that they embarked upon. Now if they came up with a machine that did all the cleaning, scrubbing and sanitizing of my gear both before and after brewing, thatās a machine I would definitely buy!
Iām not sure I agree with this statement. Many breweries are automated, but just because Mitch Steele can push a button and clean his whole system with caustic doesnāt make him any less talented. There was a big ādiscussionā on this thing on the forum awhile back, but my position is as follows:
As much as I enjoy brewdays, what I really like is designing beer and tasting/evaluating it (and enjoying it with friends). I personally do not see myself buying this thing, but if someone has the means and wants it, there is nothing in the homebrewing commandments saying you have to leave a mash in a plastic cooler for an hour, leeching PCBās and other junk off it, or that you have to use a homemade copper manifold to lauter. :mrgreen:
OK. Iām good with that. But I still want a machine that cleans and sanitizes all my gear. At the end of a brewday I have SERIOUS dish pan hands.
As much as I enjoy brewdays, what I really like is designing beer and tasting/evaluating it (and enjoying it with friends). :mrgreen: [/quote]
I agree with this. This is why I have been contemplating a purchase of the Zymatic. I love drinking homebrew and trying different beers, but Iāve just run out of time to brew. Work and family is a little too demanding these days. My biggest concern with the Zymatic is what happens when a year from now one of the major parts fail, and PicoBrew happens to no longer exist as a company. Now I have another item to add to the curb for the annual clean-up day.
The batch size of the PicoBrew also appeals to me as I canāt drink 10 gallons before it starts to change characteristics.
I emailed them today and got a response already, so bonus points for customer service.
As much as I enjoy brewdays, what I really like is designing beer and tasting/evaluating it (and enjoying it with friends). :mrgreen: [/quote]
I agree with this. This is why I have been contemplating a purchase of the Zymatic. I love drinking homebrew and trying different beers, but Iāve just run out of time to brew. Work and family is a little too demanding these days. My biggest concern with the Zymatic is what happens when a year from now one of the major parts fail, and PicoBrew happens to no longer exist as a company. Now I have another item to add to the curb for the annual clean-up day.
The batch size of the PicoBrew also appeals to me as I canāt drink 10 gallons before it starts to change characteristics.[/quote]
Brew. In. A. Bag.
and partial chill. 3.5-4 hours max, and you can do it while straightening up the house or helping out with the fam. set it and forget it with a temp controller, and you have beer in 3 weeks. Also, your components are minimal, and can be replaced easily.
At least this is what I am telling myself with our first child on the way in August :cheers:
I had my first child, a son, last September and it is remarkable at how little time I have to do anything, let alone brew.
It is worth every lost minute though. Congrats on your upcoming miracle.!
Hey All!
Iām new here and just posted my first thread about my curiosity on what peoples thoughts were on the PicoBrew Z and if it could be a good system for a newb like myself. I wanted to connect on this thread as well and the existing conversation about this product and see what others might think. Can anyone give me their thoughts on the PicoBrew Z, if itās worth the price tag, and if it would work for a newbie brewer? Iām really excited about the PicoPak adapter as Iād really like to create my own in the future granted that Iām able to hone my skills into something worthwhile to drink. They were supposed to make the adapter for the Zymatic (which I was highly considering getting), but I found out they shelved that idea once they announced the Z. Thanks in advance for your input! Really appreciated!
Hereās a link to the PicoBrew Z for reference - https://www.picobrew.com/Store/Products/Z
The price puts me off. Mostly because have pretty decent facilities for 5 gallon extract and partial mash brewing.
Iām also scared of electronics failing. Like with a computer it will only fail while in use.
Iām not much help.
Hey All!
So I just pulled the trigger & bought the new PicoBrew Z as I went down the rabbit hole doing research I just couldnāt stop myself. Plus itās fully refundable until it ships in July so I figured it was a no brainer to get the discount which expires on March 15th and then do more research. Also anyone with a Zymatic can exchange their current model for a $600 credit towards any of the Z models
I got to take advantage of the discount going on and used a coupon code from a forum member to get an extra $50 off. If anyone moves forward I would love for you to use my coupon code KYZ5R ā¦youāll save $50 and Iāll save some money too. I love the community element of saving money on this item!
Even though I pulled the trigger and just bought one I would love to still discuss the merits of this machine as I have till July to cancel if I want. Happy Brewing! So excited!
Donāt have a comment on the validity of the machine.
I do know that AB-InBev owns a portion of PicoBrew. Altough I respect what they do in regards to beer consistency, Iāll refrain from buying their product.
DISCLAIMER: Iām marginally associated with Picobrew. Iāve used a Zymatic for the last few years and I love it. Itās especially great for experiments since it makes totally repeatable batches. Iām also awaiting delivery of a Z4. I still use my coolers and Grainfather, but there are many situations where the Zyamtic is the perfect answer for me. Some say itās not brewing becasue of the automation, but I kinda feel like thatās ridiculous. Try telling Sierra Nevada or Rogue or any big brewery that theyāre not brewing becasue of their automated systems. The Zymatic simply removes the drudgery part of homebrewing.
I see your point. Commercial breweries need consistency. And I guess itās important in home brewing to some extent. Then again I crush my own beans and use a French press when I could just get a kerig. To each their own I guess.
The Zymatic is nothing like a Kuerig, though. Itās more like a super snazzy espresso machine.
I suppose but why do you need a machine to make espresso.
Personal preference. Why do you need a stove when you can just build a fire in the yard? 
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Why a plane when you can walk?
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Paradigms all over! Or was it 4 nickels? Sneezles61
It smokes up the house when making BBQ
