Brewer from the iGulu Beer Machine

[David.i]

Hello everyone, I am a brewer from iGulu.
We are committed to continuously improving our beer machine. I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions.
The design concept of the iGulu beer machine（F1 & S1） is to automate the entire process from wort to being able to pull a tap and enjoy a drink, without the need for complicated additional operations such as bottling or kegging. The machine will automatically and precisely control the temperature and time according to the brewing process requirements, ensuring that the brewing process fully meets the brewmaster’s expectations, thus producing higher quality beer. At the same time, we focus on maintaining the fun of the brewing process.
I look forward to working together to create an even better beer machine.
We are very much looking forward to your attention and hearing your voice.

 

[stamandster]

Your looking for free feedback on a paid product most of us and the world doesn't even use? Interesting... What I'd like to know is if the founders are actual seasoned home brewers or some firm who just wanted to capitalize on the hobby (as many in this segment have, and have come and gone)? Honestly, if you were actual homebrewers you'd already know most of what your asking. In any event, I don't think that the iGulu is a brewing machine, it's a beer making machine. It's the difference between making/baking cake from scratch vs a mixing a few ingredients from a box. It has it's place, but let's be accurate.

 

[Whisky River]

The design concept of the iGulu beer machine（F1 & S1） is to automate the entire process from wort to being able to pull a tap and enjoy a drink, without the need for complicated additional operations such as bottling or kegging.

Hmmmm…Sounds familiar

When you say you’re a “brewer” with iGulu does that mean you push the button, or you designed the button?

 

[David.i]

Your looking for free feedback on a paid product? Interesting... What I'd like to know is if the founders are actual seasoned home brewers or some firm who just wanted to capitalize on the hobby (as many in this segment have, and have come and gone)? Honestly, if you were actual homebrewers you'd already know most of what your asking. In any event, I don't think that the iGulu is a brewing machine, it's a beer making machine. It's the difference between making/baking cake from scratch vs a mixing a few ingredients from a box. It has it's place, but let's be accurate.

First of all, I would like to thank you for your question.
For experienced homebrewers, the design of iGulu is currently regarded as a more compact, intelligent, and user-friendly fermentation tank, which aids them in brewing beer more easily. Similar to the commercial fermentation tanks in use, once the beer is brewed, you can stand next to the fermentation tank and enjoy the freshly brewed beer.
The founders have a background as homebrewers with many years of IT work experience, and they hope to combine their IT expertise with brewing knowledge to make homebrewing more enjoyable. Of course, as a company, profitability is also necessary to ensure sustainability.
Additionally, iGulu provides ingredient kits for those who want to give people without brewing experience the opportunity to enjoy the fun of homebrewing, or for those who simply want to approach brewing as a more relaxed hobby. This approach may have led to misunderstandings for many.

 

[David.i]

Hmmmm…Sounds familiar
View attachment 854954

When you say you’re a “brewer” with iGulu does that mean you push the button, or you designed the button?

Haha, I’m the brewer who designed the button.

 

[David.i]

Hmmmm…Sounds familiar
View attachment 854954

When you say you’re a “brewer” with iGulu does that mean you push the button, or you designed the button?

Haha, the animation is very amusing, but iGulu is a tool that allows you to brew with your own wort. Discovering such a big misunderstanding among everyone.

 

[mac_1103]

So we're talking about seven hundred bucks for a one gallon temperature controlled fermenting/serving vessel. No thanks.

 

[rlrohan]

Is this where we are going with home brew? Does everyone want it to eventually be like my Keurig? Pop in a pod and get a glass of beer? I came to this forum to learn more about brewing, how it works. I love reading bits from the compassionate brewers and I take away a little from each. Thanks everyone. One of my favorite threads now is "Why I love making beer - magical and mysterious ways ". I don't want a machine like yours. Love what I get doing it my way.

 

[Broken Crow]

While I agree with the regulars on here, I imagine your likely customers to be folk who have more money than sense, but....Since most mainstream beer is total crap and even a partial-boil cheap prehopped Coopers kit tastes good, you may end up inspiring a small percentage to actually take an interest in brewing and since they love spending money they'll find their way to this site to learn how it's really done and become supporting members. So....
Tell us more about this product, include pictures and/or diagrams please. You're not the first though and if you'd like to produce a low-ABV 'non-alcoholic' kit, you could make a learning tool for kids by taking the name I offered another company but they passed on: "Billy Bocker's EZ-Brew Pub-Keg."

 

[stamandster]

Basically, a person can transfer their own wort (VERY small batch) via their own mashing/boil method (BIAB, etc) OR a person can add pre-made/pre-hopped wort, then add yeast, set it to ferment based on a schedule.

The unit will automatically adjust the temperature. After fermentation has completed, it will not automatically remove the trub and other particulate that cause off flavors, but it will pressurize the vessel (if you have the co2 tank, or just air?) and allow you to have less than a 10 (12oz) beers all for $700+accessories(ex supplying your own CO2)+$18-20 for the brew kits?

In order to have a decent beer, you'd need to transfer to another fermentation keg $60, and $100 (free for a limited time) for the "master mode" card to allow the person to add their OWN wort and schedules (nice upsell on that, and locking people into an HP printer ink ecosystem). Also, is the intention to oxidize the beer with the "air pump" OR have someone drink 116oz of beer in 24hrs?

Similar to the commercial fermentation tanks in use, once the beer is brewed, you can stand next to the fermentation tank and enjoy the freshly brewed beer.

No you shouldn't! Name a brewer who pours straight off of the fermenter and serves to a customers?

Tell me truthfully, when you say you are "homebrewers" what's your actual experience? Or do you mean only Aobo Sun?

The comments are ... telling --


Also a page on your website is broken - https://igulu.com/pages/commercial-m-series

 

[Kickass]

I love the idea of bringing homebrewing to more people but at that price point and the amount of beer produced, I’d guess your target market is immeasurably small.

I’d love to try one out in exchange for legitimate feedback. PM me if you’re willing to send me one.

 

[David.i]

I agree that not all homebrewers need to use a beer machine, just as not everyone needs a fully automatic coffee machine. You can still choose to brew manually, as there’s joy in manual brewing. Machines have their own advantages; they are a beautiful, intelligent control fermentation system integrated into one machine. It’s certainly not suitable for large-scale brewing, but it’s perfect for exploring new recipes. You still have control over it, and it’s easier to control, just like in a commercial craft brewery.

 

[Aaron_98]

Your looking for free feedback on a paid product most of us and the world doesn't even use? Interesting... What I'd like to know is if the founders are actual seasoned home brewers or some firm who just wanted to capitalize on the hobby (as many in this segment have, and have come and gone)? Honestly, if you were actual homebrewers you'd already know most of what your asking. In any event, I don't think that the iGulu is a brewing machine, it's a beer making machine. It's the difference between making/baking cake from scratch vs a mixing a few ingredients from a box. It has it's place, but let's be accurate.

That makes sense. I mainly bought this machine because I had tried home-brewed beer before. It’s just too delicious. It wasn't until after I started drinking it that I began to really think about how beer is brewed.

 

[Aaron_98]

Is this where we are going with home brew? Does everyone want it to eventually be like my Keurig? Pop in a pod and get a glass of beer? I came to this forum to learn more about brewing, how it works. I love reading bits from the compassionate brewers and I take away a little from each. Thanks everyone. One of my favorite threads now is "Why I love making beer - magical and mysterious ways ". I don't want a machine like yours. Love what I get doing it my way.

Hey bro, I'm a newbie to brewing and wanted to ask if you had any systematic learning when you first started or if you have any book recommendations? I'm currently reading "How to Brew." Enjoying ice-cold beer with iGulu has really sparked my interest in brewing my own. Plus, I'm on vacation right now, so it's the perfect time to dive in.

 

[Aaron_98]

Brewing beer feels complicated, it's nice to learn a lot about it here... I hope iGulu produces some more great beers... and cheaper

 

[Yesfan]

Portly Gentleman does a fair review of the iGulu. If you don't want to watch the whole thing, the honest review starts at 15:51.




That being said, I think paying $700 for a machine that makes beer by the single gallon is, well, way way over priced to me. I think a newbie can spend much less to get into this hobby, especially if he's brewing by the gallon. A great resource here is the "One Gallon Brewers Unite" thread.

 

[Rob2010SS]

[Content removed: Reply to deleted post -Mod]

I have been seeing this thing all over my social media. It has a lot of pitfalls if you ask me, but I haven't done the research to investigate if the manufacturer negated the pitfalls one way or another.

I would never buy one of these things to be honest. I find it interesting that in my day job, at a forging facility, we're starting to go down the path of automation - replace the person with robots, or at least eliminate the option of making decisions. It seems that's what this machine is trying to do also.

 

[rlrohan]

Hey bro, I'm a newbie to brewing and wanted to ask if you had any systematic learning when you first started or if you have any book recommendations? I'm currently reading "How to Brew." Enjoying ice-cold beer with iGulu has really sparked my interest in brewing my own. Plus, I'm on vacation right now, so it's the perfect time to dive in.

Not your “bro”. Just to be clear.

 

[Rish]

Not your “bro”. Just to be clear.

My thought, also.

 

[giraffeman]

Good luck in you business
If you had produced this 10 years ago it may have been more successful; but with the decline in home brewing along with other products out there that brew from grain, produce a better beer, and cost less. Why would anyone want it??
I suspect this will end like many others that have tried and are no longer around.

 

[stamandster]

I've adjusted my viewpoint slightly on this product, whatever get's people into brewing. Would I suggest it? Probably not. However, if someone has enough money and they really want it, that's fine. But, I don't think asking for suggestions on how to improve a product we have no vested interest in isn't appropriate. You already made a product, you've already sent it to homebrewing YT reviewers to get feedback, you already have users to get in-use feedback. That should be enough.

 

[mashdar]

That Portly Gentleman video has some very good feedback, if you're actually looking for some.

Standardizing connectors and adding direct pressure control (and using residual CO2 instead of wasting it) would go a long way.

Also, consider hop pellets in tea bags instead of that goop. (I have never seen hops in big tea bags, but it seems like a slam dunk in my head.)

 

[tateconcepts]

@David.i If you'd like to share or send one of the units for me to demo and try, I would be willing to do so. I am curious though, because even when I used the PicoBrew years ago, I had a keg to ferment in and a keg to carbo and serve from. I would also be curious if it is better than the BeerDroid... PM me directly for info to send and what you'd like for me to do with it.

 

[Kickass]

I think the confirmation bias that was being sot, and not received, will probably prevent any further responses from @David.i and the rest of the igulu team. Or maybe they’re taking some time to reevaluate the feedback.