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Post by murarrie25 on Jan 3, 2018 10:18:23 GMT 10
Any one use one of these or know someone who has purchased one seems to be very over priced and with Harvey Norman and website as the only place to purchase not going to be a big seller but if there are enough sold could be good market in selling fresh wort.
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Post by Grott on Jan 5, 2018 9:44:19 GMT 10
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Post by Grott on Mar 2, 2019 8:18:11 GMT 10
Well after a lot of research, thinking and justifying I have taken the plunge and purchases the BrewArt Beerdroid fermentation unit. Now before I start, although I enjoy Coopers brewing products, I have no affiliation with them nor BrewArt and these posts are about my purchase and experience in the brew room. I purchased the unit for basically 4 reasons 1) it was the next step for specialising in craft brewing without going all grain. 2) could do true lagers as can ferment at lager temps (eg 12 degrees) and cold crash to 3 degrees 3) it allowed for the temp control brewing of any wort, either made up from their ingredients, purchased wort, brew in a bag wort, kit worts or own experimental or recipe established wort. 4) purchase special from BrewArt direct at $799 with 10% discount and free delivery. (plus they now have a recieved now pay later option which made it possible for me). The unit arrived from Qld   and was easy to set up via wifi (can be done on the unit) which means control and observations can be done from the lounge room or “your place” via the phone, ipad etc app. As my first brew I am brewing a Coopers Session Ale purchased from BrewArt BrewPrints selections as I wanted to compare with previous Coopers bottle purchased and kit Session Ale. Out of interest, costs- Dans Coopers Session Ale slab (24x375ml) $64.99 = $2.70/stubbie BrewArt pack $28 (26x375ml) = $1.08/stubbie using half of Coopers kit - Pale Ale, hops malt clone = $0.51/stubbie All I had to do was add 10l of water to the unit, ingredients (yeast first, no stirring) and select one of three programs Ale, Custom or lager. For first brew let’s go with Ale. The unit for Ale will run a 12 hour cycle for yeast “propagation” at 21degrees (cool cycle to 20 off and when 22 on again). When complete you get an SMS telling you that and that fermentation will start. Fermentation is set at 17 degrees (16 to 18 cycle) and is where I’m at now. When complete will get message that it is finished and will go into keg mode 18 degrees for 2 days (can be altered) then store mode 3 degrees. (The custom program is self explanatory and the lager ferments at 12 degrees. Now, there is a heat wave in Adelaide and the ambient temp in the brew room has been over 30 including the night! The unit has controlled the temp admirably without overload, must be well insulated. I love the fact that I can view what’s going on by the phone or iPad. Some pics and will continue to update. (so far really impressed, sours mr MTB?      
Also has a viewing light
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frodaddy
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Post by frodaddy on Mar 2, 2019 8:36:38 GMT 10
I assume time was the main reason for choosing this over a robo/guten/bm/gf?
Interested to see how it turns out.
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Post by Grott on Mar 2, 2019 8:47:17 GMT 10
I assume time was the main reason for choosing this over a robo/guten/bm/gf? Interested to see how it turns out. Yes as for a whole lot of reasons I do not want to venture down the all grain path, very conscious decision however a few 10l manageable biab sorts are not out or the question. |
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Post by Grott on Mar 2, 2019 8:51:51 GMT 10
Currently  viewed from the comfort of the air conditioned lounge! Ha ha |
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Post by rogerh on Mar 2, 2019 8:59:31 GMT 10
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Post by Grott on Mar 2, 2019 9:47:07 GMT 10
The Choice article was done in 2017 and some of the info is not correct such as “but you're officially restricted to the ingredients and accessories provided by Coopers.” You can use any wort, purchased, 1/2 kit wort, biab wort, own recipe wort ect. You can also add hops. Only thing it isn’t, is use for all grain ie adding cracked grain. |
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Post by Grott on Mar 2, 2019 10:10:20 GMT 10
From photos at last beer swap/ brew up weekend I’d have to disagree.  |
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Post by Nullnvoid on Mar 2, 2019 11:03:33 GMT 10
So it's just a fancy fermentation vessel?
Sorry I tried to read your post but am also a bit busy.
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Post by Grott on Mar 2, 2019 11:17:45 GMT 10
So it's just a fancy fermentation vessel? Sorry I tried to read your post but am also a bit busy. No it is a lot more than that. In any event I can now do lagers at proper lager temps, can cold crash after fermentation and experiment easily at a 10l level. You do need to read the post before assuming it is a fancy fermentation vessel, that could be said of a lot of brewing equipment/rigs ect. You are forgiven  It is fancy. |
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Post by Nullnvoid on Mar 2, 2019 11:20:50 GMT 10
So it's just a fancy fermentation vessel? Sorry I tried to read your post but am also a bit busy. No it is a lot more than that. In any event I can now do lagers at proper lager temps, can cold crash after fermentation and experiment easily at a 10l level. You do need to read the post before assuming it is a fancy fermentation vessel, that could be said of a lot of brewing equipment/rigs ect. You are forgiven It is fancy. Oh please don't get me wrong I wasn't having a go! Even if it was just a fancy fermentation vessel that's ok too  and I wasn't assuming. I guess I shouldn't be so lazy and look into it further. |
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Post by Grott on Mar 2, 2019 16:36:03 GMT 10
Latest, doing a fermentation test. Does this ever 24 hours.   |
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guzzler
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Post by guzzler on Mar 2, 2019 19:33:56 GMT 10
My Dad and brother both run this setup and love it. I think they are great little machines if you have the money, its the easiest way to get temp controlled fermentation that you can monitor from your phone. There is a great facebook group that I'm a member of, they are all very helpful and come up with recipes using the brewart individual ingredients. I've seen people put half a fresh wort kit in them too for good results. Watch out when you do a stout the krausen will leak out the left hand side and down onto your bench, there are some hacks in the facebook group to deal with this.
Also their after sales service is second to none, they will sort out any problem quick smart.
I've got to stop here as I'm sounding like an advertisement. I'm not affiliated and I'll never be buying one as I've got my full AG kit all set up and am happy with it. I've just been watching them closely as Dad and Bro have one each so I joined FB the group to keep up with what they are doing.
Cheers
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Post by Grott on Mar 2, 2019 19:42:13 GMT 10
My Dad and brother both run this setup and love it. I think they are great little machines if you have the money, its the easiest way to get temp controlled fermentation that you can monitor from your phone. There is a great facebook group that I'm a member of, they are all very helpful and come up with recipes using the brewart individual ingredients. I've seen people put half a fresh wort kit in them too for good results. Watch out when you do a stout the krausen will leak out the left hand side and down onto your bench, there are some hacks in the facebook group to deal with this. Also their after sales service is second to none, they will sort out any problem quick smart. I've got to stop here as I'm sounding like an advertisement. I'm not affiliated and I'll never be buying one as I've got my full AG kit all set up and am happy with it. I've just been watching them closely as Dad and Bro have one each so I joined FB the group to keep up with what they are doing. Cheers Thanks guzzler. Unfortunately I’m not a Facebook member and really don’t want to be one. Any particular reason for a Facebook group rather than using the BrewArt Community forum? |
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guzzler
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Post by guzzler on Mar 2, 2019 20:14:47 GMT 10
Thanks guzzler. Unfortunately I’m not a Facebook member and really don’t want to be one. Any particular reason for a Facebook group rather than using the BrewArt Community forum? Don't think so Grott, didn't even know there was a community forum But it doesn't surprise me. There would be much the same topics I'd imagine. There was a spread sheet posted a long time ago on FB that had all the recipe packs broken down into individual ingredients as it was at the time cheaper but more work to order it all separate. |
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Post by ealingdrop on Mar 2, 2019 20:31:35 GMT 10
was ignoring this thread until i found out Grott had gotten one!?😂
On a serious note, I know Dave (ikegger) uses it and said the convenience made life so much easier while he was running the business. Obviously I still looked at him like a traitor!
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Post by Grott on Mar 3, 2019 7:06:19 GMT 10
Out of interest just found out that as the unit is registered via internet to BrewArt if you have a problem their technical support can log into your unit to ascertain the possible problem.
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Post by Jack-of-all-biers on Mar 3, 2019 8:03:11 GMT 10
Good on you Grott . Keep us informed as to how it performs. Mrs Grott let you buy it?  You lucky b*****d  |
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Post by Grott on Mar 3, 2019 8:19:00 GMT 10
Good on you Grott . Keep us informed as to how it performs. Mrs Grott let you buy it? You lucky b*****d Well funny you should mention Mrs Grott. She had actually said (as I’d paid it off) I could get an improved espresso coffee machine. Unbeknown to her the one I have is of a very good quality and still performs well. So not to let an opportunity pass I further researched (as looked before) auto brew machines as I wanted to take a further step into the world of craft beer. Beerdroid was looking good. As if the heavens had opened up an email arrived offering 10% discount and free delivery by BrewArt which included the Beerdroid. As they have a get now pay later option away I went. |
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Post by Grott on Mar 3, 2019 9:15:47 GMT 10
Ambient temperature 31 degrees, cool cycle 18 down to 16 degrees = 20 mins. Return back up to 18 degrees= 2 hrs 40mins.
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Post by Grott on Mar 3, 2019 10:02:04 GMT 10
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Post by bbqzookeeper on Mar 3, 2019 16:33:43 GMT 10
Unfortunately I’m not a Facebook member and really don’t want to be one. Same here. Apparently most local groups organise themselves on there, which is a shame (but understandable). I looked into the Brewie Automated System (brewing BIAB, not fermentation), but am currently designing a set-up in house. Will post a thread as the build begins. |
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Post by maltjunkie on Mar 3, 2019 17:20:55 GMT 10
There are some purists out there that would knock this kit. From where I sit as a self confessed absolute brew geek, I like the tech. Yep I'd like it bigger, yep I'd like it more shiny, the big thing I'd like is tighter temp control, and the ability to pressure ferment.
Of course if your liking the WiFi and set and forget you could go down the path of brewPI and even it's older iterations with some decent fermentation kit (like a brewtech UNI) to achieve similar results. However this would require some electronics and IT skills/confidence( Tech level 7/10).
I brew @ a 40L brew length so not a great piece of kit for that size brew, but if your just brewing for yourself, I think a few of these might go down ok.
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Post by MTB on Mar 3, 2019 20:23:04 GMT 10
Matte black, Grott? Why is this not shiny?
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Post by Grott on Mar 3, 2019 20:33:15 GMT 10
Matte black, Grott? Why is this not shiny? There is the “dark side” you know  VS  |
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Post by Grott on Mar 4, 2019 8:17:06 GMT 10
Thanks guzzler. Unfortunately I’m not a Facebook member and really don’t want to be one. Any particular reason for a Facebook group rather than using the BrewArt Community forum? Don't think so Grott, didn't even know there was a community forum But it doesn't surprise me. There would be much the same topics I'd imagine. There was a spread sheet posted a long time ago on FB that had all the recipe packs broken down into individual ingredients as it was at the time cheaper but more work to order it all separate. Found the spread sheets (excellent) in the BrewArt Community forum, there is 3 of them that I’ve saved to excel. They were done in 2017 but will do for the moment. As stated won’t be joining Facebook so I’ll use the forum as required and answer my own issues if I have too. |
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Post by Grott on Mar 4, 2019 17:21:02 GMT 10
There are some purists out there that would knock this kit. From where I sit as a self confessed absolute brew geek, I like the tech. Yep I'd like it bigger, yep I'd like it more shiny, the big thing I'd like is tighter temp control, and the ability to pressure ferment. Of course if your liking the WiFi and set and forget you could go down the path of brewPI and even it's older iterations with some decent fermentation kit (like a brewtech UNI) to achieve similar results. However this would require some electronics and IT skills/confidence( Tech level 7/10). I brew @ a 40L brew length so not a great piece of kit for that size brew, but if your just brewing for yourself, I think a few of these might go down ok. Sorry mj, missed the post. I’m still brewing per normal however wanted the ability to get into “true” lagers particularly of the European style (Bavarian, Deutsch, Belgian, German Weissbier ect) that I can’t do now due to low fermentation temperature control. This units lager program is set for 12C however by using the Custom Program you can select what you want. You can also change the temperature during the fermentation process and go as low as 3C. The 10l capacity gives the chance to try many, experiment, and enhance the brewing hobby and your right it’s brewing mainly just for myself and will suit my 10l and 5 litre kegs. |
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Post by maltjunkie on Mar 4, 2019 20:23:54 GMT 10
Yeah it had always bothered me a little that no one had produced a fermentation product with the off the shelf tools and control that we now have an abundance of for wort production.
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Joined: Dec 28, 2017 10:28:54 GMT 10
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Post by earle on Mar 5, 2019 8:36:26 GMT 10
There are some purists out there that would knock this kit. From where I sit as a self confessed absolute brew geek, I like the tech. Yep I'd like it bigger, yep I'd like it more shiny, the big thing I'd like is tighter temp control, and the ability to pressure ferment. Of course if your liking the WiFi and set and forget you could go down the path of brewPI and even it's older iterations with some decent fermentation kit (like a brewtech UNI) to achieve similar results. However this would require some electronics and IT skills/confidence( Tech level 7/10). I brew @ a 40L brew length so not a great piece of kit for that size brew, but if your just brewing for yourself, I think a few of these might go down ok. Sorry mj, missed the post. I’m still brewing per normal however wanted the ability to get into “true” lagers particularly of the European style (Bavarian, Deutsch, Belgian, German Weissbier ect) that I can’t do now due to low fermentation temperature control. This units lager program is set for 12C however by using the Custom Program you can select what you want. You can also change the temperature during the fermentation process and go as low as 3C. The 10l capacity gives the chance to try many, experiment, and enhance the brewing hobby and your right it’s brewing mainly just for myself and will suit my 10l and 5 litre kegs. The machine is also designed to carbonate and dispense? Will you be transferring to a keg anyway so you can get the next brew going? |
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It is fancy.
and I wasn't assuming. 
