G'day All,
there's been an update on the specifics of the Brewie system and it goes to answer a lot of the questions that I and others have had.
In a nutshell; the Brewie is a BIAB wort machine.
It makes the whole process as easy to use as a dish/clotheswasher (I'd have said microwave oven, but those things are all too often designed by fecking nutters... who the fook wants a sandwhich thawing cycle?)
It does everything up to the point of fermentation... and then it cleans itself.
Coupled with the supplied 5L kegs and/or a cornelious rig and you're drinking easy.
I'll copy & paste so as to save ya a clickin' finger any undue stress...
The Brewing Process and Fermentation
How long does it take to finish a brew?
It depends on the type of the beer, but it generally takes between five and six hours to brew. That’s followed by five to 14 days of fermentation, during which the sugar becomes alcohol and CO2 before it’s ready to drink.
Can I add more than just two hops to a brew?
Sure! Two hops can be added automatically, while you can add further hops manually in any quantity. Brewie can alert you for manual additions as often as you’d like. Later you will be able to add four automatically!
How does Brewie get its water supply?
You can either connect your Brewie to your water pipes or fill it up manually before each brew.
Does Brewie add yeast to my brew?
No, you need to add the yeast yourself, after your brew is transfered to the fermentation tank.
How much beer can I brew with Brewie during each brewing process?
The batch size can be between 5 liters and 20 liters depending on your recipe, the parameters you set and your preferences.
How do you get the beer out?
Brewie has an outlet on the back to which you can connect the outlet tube that is shipped with your Brewie Package. There is a tactile switch on the side of the machine that you simply need to press once brewing is ready. Brewie will pump the brew out automatically.
How does carbon dioxide get into my beer?
You can either wait for the natural carbonation process developing under pressure inside the kegs we provide, or you can use an external CO2 tank.
What is Brewie’s average mashing efficiency?
The mashing efficiency is valued at approximately 70%. The exact value depends on the settings for mashing time and mashing temperature.
How does Brewie cool the wort down to pitching temperature?
Brewie comes with two water-to-air heat exchangers and powerful ventilators. This means that you do not need to cool the wort using tap water. On average this will save you around 100 liters of water every brew! Additionally, this ensures that the wort will be only 5°C over your room temperature after merely 30 minutes!
How can I make 10, 15 or 20 gallon batches?
Right now we don't have machines capable of doing larger batches, but the technology is scalable. Alternatively, you can buy more than one Brewie.
Can you dry hop?
Yes, dry hopping happens after the primary fermentation. There’s a dry-hopping program in the Brewie system that helps you boil and cool your hop-extract.
Is it possible to oxygenate the wort before fermentation?
During the cooling, the wort circulates and falls back to the tank, which makes it oxygenate itself on a relatively large surface. However, if we want to brew a higher gravity beer, we use one larger fermentation tank and we pour the wort from a height of approximately 60 centimeters. This makes it nice and foamy - just as if we oxygenated it by hand!
Does Brewie brew using extract?
No, its all-grain!
Can you add adjunct fermentables?
Of course!
Do you have to clean out all the hops manually?
No, the hops are also placed inside a bag, so it’s easy to clean
What temperature does my wort need to have for fermentation?
If you brew an ale, room temperature (18-25°C) works well for fermentation. However, if you’d like to brew lager you need to cool the brew to 8-15°C. Therefore, you may need a separate cooler. We are currently developing an efficient cooling unit that can keep the four included Brewie kegs at a stable temperature during the fermentation process.
Ingredients, recipes and the Brewie Pad
Do I have to order the ingredients directly from you or can I use my own?
You can use the ingredients you typically buy at your local brew-shop. You can use them inside the reusable brewing bags provided with every Brewie. They are equipped with zippers to make it easy to refill them and to wash them in the washing machine.
P.S. I don't have anything to do with Brewie other than being a keen customer of their startup.
If all goes to plan, I will post a review once I've got the thing and made some brew... about October 2015.
If you apreciate crowd funding, bargains, and homebrew, then check out the Brewie... get in now for an early deal (with elements of risk) or wait for full retail in late 2015.
As someone that designs and builds things, the crowd funding movement (KickStarter & IndieGoGo etc.) is somewhat a major revolution... it allows designers/builders/creators to become fully fledged producers on a scale suited to the popularity of their concept, or fail trying with much less personal risk. It also lets early adopters/customers own the product in a much more personal context.
Cheers,
AzzA
(That's enough from me; I'm aready 3 stubbies into the evening.
)
Edit: I cant copy & paste for shite...
