PicoBrew Pico users

[Lbarouf]

You need a 5 gallon keg to ferment a double batch, and at least 3 gallon to serve it. I ferment them seperatley in the Pico brew keg then combine for serving. Way less cleaning and sanitation. If you really must combine I would just use a better bottle or bucket, cheaper and easier.

Great, thanks for the quick reply. So 3 gal it is I guess. It's the option I prefer as well. Forced carbonation in the serving keg... does it take any longer in 3Gal instead? If so, would a carbing/diffusion stone help reduce the carbonation time significantly at 3Gal ?

 

[Lbarouf]

Firmware version. Out of curiosity, what is everyone's firmware version on a S (or Pro) ?

 

[jrb03]

Hello, this is my first forum post. I received a Pico C two days ago and ordered two packs yesterday, just need to be patient now. I used to brew using extracts over 10 years ago. Sold all that equipment, kegs, refrigerator and all when life got too busy for all that. The Pico is going to be so much more enjoyable for so many reasons and I am really excited to home brew again using something to make it so much easier and more exacting, plus all grain! I've been spending a lot of time reading and searching through here and have learned a lot. Something that I can't find an answer on, though I'm sure it's been talked about a lot, is keeping the mini serving keg of beer fresh and carbed while drinking it. For me it will take a few weeks to drink it all ( I used to drink way more beer, and a 5 gallon keg was great). I see that Picobrew sells a mini regulator that has a fitting that goes into the top of the serving keg, but do you have to keep it there after dispensing a glass? What if you have more then one mini keg full at a time? I read that people are not fans of these, but I think I'd be fine with them if I can just figure this one thing out. Thanks for any advise!

Levin

First of all welcome and congrats on the new Pico, you will enjoy it. Now the bad news, the serving keg blows, especially if you plan on taking weeks to finish a keg. Without the co2 regulator there’s no way to keep the beer fresh more than a couple days once you tap it. You would need a regulator for each mini keg you have going. I have a hard time recommending you spending money on multiple of the regulators they sell, they aren’t really a long term solution. The Pico Pro upgrade kit may be a good starter set, you get a ball lock keg for serving and the mini regulator, and later if you really get into it and get a real regulator, you can keep using the little regulator for travel. Most people just don’t use the serving kegs very long. Either way, give it a shot on your first brew and throw a party, it won’t take long to kill that first keg

 

[jrb03]

Great, thanks for the quick reply. So 3 gal it is I guess. It's the option I prefer as well. Forced carbonation in the serving keg... does it take any longer in 3Gal instead? If so, would a carbing/diffusion stone help reduce the carbonation time significantly at 3Gal ?

I carb at 12 psi serving pressure, and a double batch does take longer than a single. About a week it’s close. Couple more days it’s perfect. Of course you can speed it up with higher pressure if your into that. I tried one of those carb stones that goes in the lid years ago, once. Not a fan. When I’m in a hurry I use the Blichmann quick carb for my Z or larger batches. Works great but not really practical for Pico unless your gonna do a lot of double batches.

Firmware version. Out of curiosity, what is everyone's firmware version on a S (or Pro) ?

0.1.4 is latest firmware. It auto updates when you boot up if there is a new version. It’s really quick, easy to miss if not looking.

 

[Lbarouf]

I carb at 12 psi serving pressure, and a double batch does take longer than a single. About a week it’s close. Couple more days it’s perfect. Of course you can speed it up with higher pressure if your into that. I tried one of those carb stones that goes in the lid years ago, once. Not a fan. When I’m in a hurry I use the Blichmann quick carb for my Z or larger batches. Works great but not really practical for Pico unless your gonna do a lot of double batches.



0.1.4 is latest firmware. It auto updates when you boot up if there is a new version. It’s really quick, easy to miss if not looking.

Thanks again. Ok, I will keep in mind. The carb stone seems appealing to me. Anyone else has any experience with those? If so, what did/do you think?

 

[jjtrinva]

First of all welcome and congrats on the new Pico, you will enjoy it. Now the bad news, the serving keg blows, especially if you plan on taking weeks to finish a keg. Without the co2 regulator there’s no way to keep the beer fresh more than a couple days once you tap it. You would need a regulator for each mini keg you have going. I have a hard time recommending you spending money on multiple of the regulators they sell, they aren’t really a long term solution. The Pico Pro upgrade kit may be a good starter set, you get a ball lock keg for serving and the mini regulator, and later if you really get into it and get a real regulator, you can keep using the little regulator for travel. Most people just don’t use the serving kegs very long. Either way, give it a shot on your first brew and throw a party, it won’t take long to kill that first keg

Agreed with this post. It really comes down to your personal needs and how much $$ and how much spend. I’d say brew a batch with your current system before making any big decisions. But, yes, if you plan on keeping a batch over a few weeks, you’ll want a regulator to keep C02 on it. The serving kegs are meant to be consumed fairly quickly. The mini-regulators Pico builds for the serving keg are one options (but need to be modified to use on ball-locks if you go that way). Party star taps are another option. There are also counter-top servers that work with the serving kegs.

Another option is to create a simply modification to rack from the Pico C keg to a standard Pico Ball-lock keg. Users have already done it and it opens a whole range of accessories and regulators.

If you are on Facebook, find the “Picobrewers” group and join that. It’s a very active and supportive community and lots of new C users are joining with similar questions.

 

[macgyuver]

If you are on Facebook, find the “Picobrewers” group and join that. It’s a very active and supportive community and lots of new C users are joining with similar questions.

Agree completely, between here and the Picobrewers Facebook page there is all the info you could ever need I believe. I have spent a ton of time between the two.

 

[thelevin8r]

Thank you everyone that jumped in on my new Pico C user question. I am going to use the keg first without buying anything yet, just to get a feel for everything. If I need to drink the beer fast, then so be it! Can't wait for a pak to arrive...

 

[Lbarouf]

Agreed with this post. It really comes down to your personal needs and how much $$ and how much spend. I’d say brew a batch with your current system before making any big decisions. But, yes, if you plan on keeping a batch over a few weeks, you’ll want a regulator to keep C02 on it. The serving kegs are meant to be consumed fairly quickly. The mini-regulators Pico builds for the serving keg are one options (but need to be modified to use on ball-locks if you go that way). Party star taps are another option. There are also counter-top servers that work with the serving kegs.

Another option is to create a simply modification to rack from the Pico C keg to a standard Pico Ball-lock keg. Users have already done it and it opens a whole range of accessories and regulators.

If you are on Facebook, find the “Picobrewers” group and join that. It’s a very active and supportive community and lots of new C users are joining with similar questions.

For what it's worth, I went with the Pico Pro approach, before pico pro was offered. I have converted my regulators to: 1. accept co2 cartridges and paintball bottles, and 2. are now used to connect to a ball lock connectors. This allows me to carb the beer, and to serve.

I got myself some ball lock taps. for serving. I also have a picnic tap, but use the taps all the time instead.

This is my new serving setup at home that I can also bring to parties.

When the time will be right and I will get more space, I will add a kegerator with a kegsmart. This current setup would continue to serve me for parties and picnic after. So this can be an expansion plan for you as well, in 2 steps.

Overall, my "pro" upgrade was less than what PicoBrew charges for it. I did have to build it myself and source parts from many places. For simplicity's sake, I would consider their offer now that it exists and I will guess that it ships.

Like others have said, it's really a personal preference. Myself, I won't be using those serving kegs anymore. Either bottling or kegging with real cornelius kegs.

Cheers, and enjoy the beer.

 

[jrb03]

The Pro upgrade is a good deal with everything it includes, especially with the 15% off code I can send. PM me for a code good for anything sold on their website.

 

[macgyuver]

The Pro upgrade is a good deal with everything it includes, especially with the 15% off code I can send. PM me for a code good for anything sold on their website.

This is a very good deal with a discount code. Anyone that wants to upgrade and have an easy way to serve get the pro package. Specially with a discount.

 

[RustyLopez]

*Failure of the brew*

Like I said when it happens to you then you will understand. These aren’t my pictures but I could pull dozens more just like them. It’s almost always a dark beer, and if you pay attention you will see tiny bits of roasted grain all in the step filter, your inline filter, and sometimes bulkhead valve. The roasted grain is making its way out of the pack and clogging things up. If the pack sits in the wort long enough it will eventually split and tear, but the root cause is the roasted grain escaping. Roasted grains tend to crush and shatter like coffee grounds, the dark beers tend to foam more, maybe they float more and are escaping the overflow holes, whatever reason it is more of a chance of a failed brew with a dark beer. Nobody said it’s all the time or a majority of the time, but it’s enough of an issue to pay more attention when brewing one unless you want a huge mess.

Just finished cleaning up after having this happen this evening. I was brewing Dragonstooth for the first time. It’s my 8th Pico brew, the previous 7 were uneventful. This one seemed to hang up in the last 20 minutes, drained the reserve, and the step filter filled with wort. Incredible amount of foaming through the hole in the rubber seal of the keg. At about 25 minutes past the original completion time, I turned the unit off, set the keg aside & started cleaning. The stepfilter was filled to the top & the seam at the top of the grain packet had split.

I’ll pitch the yeast tomorrow but I’m expecting this will be a lost cause.

 

[jrb03]

Just finished cleaning up after having this happen this evening. I was brewing Dragonstooth for the first time. It’s my 8th Pico brew, the previous 7 were uneventful. This one seemed to hang up in the last 20 minutes, drained the reserve, and the step filter filled with wort. Incredible amount of foaming through the hole in the rubber seal of the keg. At about 25 minutes past the original completion time, I turned the unit off, set the keg aside & started cleaning. The stepfilter was filled to the top & the seam at the top of the grain packet had split.

I’ll pitch the yeast tomorrow but I’m expecting this will be a lost cause.

Sorry you had to find out the hard way this is a real issue, and not fake news like some people want you to believe. Make sure you clean the small bulkhead valve on the back of the step filter, it’s going to be full of grain, and your next brew will fail if not cleaned. Make sure and let support know, they will replace the pack.

Watch the dark brews closely guys and gals!

 

[jjtrinva]

Sorry you had to find out the hard way this is a real issue, and not fake news like some people want you to believe. Make sure you clean the small bulkhead valve on the back of the step filter, it’s going to be full of grain, and your next brew will fail if not cleaned. Make sure and let support know, they will replace the pack.

Watch the dark brews closely guys and gals!

Yeah, sorry to hear that. Just another data point that support should know about. One tip, if you push that valve from the inside, it will extend out and give you access to the grain that builds up. I've found a combo of a toothpick and blasts of water from the sink will clear it out.

 

[jjtrinva]

Thank you everyone that jumped in on my new Pico C user question. I am going to use the keg first without buying anything yet, just to get a feel for everything. If I need to drink the beer fast, then so be it! Can't wait for a pak to arrive...

A couple of tips on your first batch that you can get from the FAQ in the Facebook group I recommended. Only pitch 1/2 to 1 TSP of yeast. Don't pitch the full packet. That's meant for five gallons and can create taste issues. Also, ferment for twice as long as instructions say. Most of us go 10-14 days before cold crashing. Time is your friend and will result in better tasting beer. Lastly, some get rid of the 05 yeast that comes with most of the Pacs and get either another dry or even liquid yeast more suitable for the style you are brewing. Again, lots of suggestions out there. Good luck and have fun.

 

[bobbob911]

So I just brewed my first infected batch The confusing thing is, it was infected in the brewing/fermenting keg. My assumption was that the brew cycle is self sanitizing, so I was a bit surprised. I suppose it must have been infected when I aerated the wort and pitched the yeast?

This is also the first brew I fermented with US05 in the chest freezer @ 64 F. Seems unlikely it's related to this though.

Thoughts? I'm also running a deep clean cycle before the next brew but I don't think a dirty machine could cause an infection either.

 

[jrb03]

Why do you assume it’s infected?

 

[bobbob911]

Very strong sweet, sour, funky barnyard notes

it's not a total loss - if I mix it 1:2 ratio with my Saison I get a nice tart Saison!

 

[Denny]

Watch the dark brews closely guys and gals!

Just made 2 batches of BVIP with absolutely no problems. It doesn't get a lot darker than that beer.

 

[Lbarouf]

Sorry you had to find out the hard way this is a real issue, and not fake news like some people want you to believe. Make sure you clean the small bulkhead valve on the back of the step filter, it’s going to be full of grain, and your next brew will fail if not cleaned. Make sure and let support know, they will replace the pack.

Watch the dark brews closely guys and gals!

Funny to read this today, I just brewed the Not-Yet-ie last night. Lucky enough I guess, no issues.

 

[jrb03]

Just made 2 batches of BVIP with absolutely no problems. It doesn't get a lot darker than that beer.

And? I could of said the same thing after brewing 4 porters. Then 2 of the next 3 failed. I’m not telling anyone not to buy your picopack calm down. I don’t wish for anyone to have to clean the mess I did. It’s something to be aware of and watch out for. No reason to deny the facts.

 

[jrb03]

Funny to read this today, I just brewed the Not-Yet-ie last night. Lucky enough I guess, no issues.

Did you get the redesigned pack with the overflow holes on bottom instead of top? That seems to be helping although I’ve seen some still fail. Look at the reviews in marketplace for Yeti and you will see it’s not fun when it fails. Won’t stop me from brewing it though that’s a gem.

 

[Denny]

And? I could of said the same thing after brewing 4 porters. Then 2 of the next 3 failed. I’m not telling anyone not to buy your picopack calm down. I don’t wish for anyone to have to clean the mess I did. It’s something to be aware of and watch out for. No reason to deny the facts.

I think you're misunderstanding what I'm saying, or I'm not saying it clearly. I'm calm and I'm not worried about whether or not anyone buys the kit. I'm just saying that my experience with the dark kits (these are not the only ones I've made) doesn't seem to fit other's experiences.

 

[jrb03]

I think you're misunderstanding what I'm saying, or I'm not saying it clearly. I'm calm and I'm not worried about whether or not anyone buys the kit. I'm just saying that my experience with the dark kits (these are not the only ones I've made) doesn't seem to fit other's experiences.

That’s not what you were saying before but whatever. The fact is these dark beers fail sometimes and make a mess . I have no idea what the failure rate is. For me it’s 25% but overall I know it’s not that bad. If I can save someone the hour of cleaning sticky wort off their floor and out of drawers, not to mention the unhappy wife, simply by making them aware of a potential issue I will do so. That’s the point of this thread. I will continue to brew Yeti, but I will make sure to watch it closely. Maybe I’ll brew your pack even though I think vanilla has no place in beer.

 

[jrb03]

Very strong sweet, sour, funky barnyard notes

it's not a total loss - if I mix it 1:2 ratio with my Saison I get a nice tart Saison!

That sounds gross lol. Sorry for your loss

 

[Denny]

That’s not what you were saying before but whatever. The fact is these dark beers fail sometimes and make a mess . I have no idea what the failure rate is. For me it’s 25% but overall I know it’s not that bad. If I can save someone the hour of cleaning sticky wort off their floor and out of drawers, not to mention the unhappy wife, simply by making them aware of a potential issue I will do so. That’s the point of this thread. I will continue to brew Yeti, but I will make sure to watch it closely. Maybe I’ll brew your pack even though I think vanilla has no place in beer.

can't say I really disagree

 

[jrb03]

can't say I really disagree

I’m interested to see how the vanilla comes through for you. A common complaint about the Bad Jimmy cocoa vanilla porter is no vanilla flavor. That actually got me to try it, it’s great but I didn’t detect vanilla either which was fine by me.

 

[Denny]

I’m interested to see how the vanilla comes through for you. A common complaint about the Bad Jimmy cocoa vanilla porter is no vanilla flavor. That actually got me to try it, it’s great but I didn’t detect vanilla either which was fine by me.

The BVIP should be an integrated flavor with the beer, bourbon and vanilla in balance. That's why I tell people it's a waste to use top shelf bourbon in it. If you can tell what bourbon you used, you used too much.

 

[jjtrinva]

The BVIP should be an integrated flavor with the beer, bourbon and vanilla in balance. That's why I tell people it's a waste to use top shelf bourbon in it. If you can tell what bourbon you used, you used too much.

Thoughts on when it might hit the marketplace? Would be great to have ready for Christmas when family hits town!

 

[tsg32]

So just to throw another monkey wrench into the pac failure discussion. I have had two pacs fail (they came unglued at the "lid"), neither was a darker beer, both were Helles pacs. Neither failed to the point of causing the step filter to fill up, but both caused bits of grain to partially clog the drain.

 

[Denny]

Thoughts on when it might hit the marketplace? Would be great to have ready for Christmas when family hits town!

No idea other than it's gonna be part of their 12 Days of Christmas promotion.

 

[thelevin8r]

A couple of tips on your first batch that you can get from the FAQ in the Facebook group I recommended. Only pitch 1/2 to 1 TSP of yeast. Don't pitch the full packet. That's meant for five gallons and can create taste issues. Also, ferment for twice as long as instructions say. Most of us go 10-14 days before cold crashing. Time is your friend and will result in better tasting beer. Lastly, some get rid of the 05 yeast that comes with most of the Pacs and get either another dry or even liquid yeast more suitable for the style you are brewing. Again, lots of suggestions out there. Good luck and have fun.

Thanks for the tips. I have read about using less yeast and increasing the fermentation time and made notes on that. I have not heard about the yeast substitution much though so I'll watch out for that. Are they just sending yeast that will survive shipping better? Do they ever send liquid? I used to prefer the liquid yeast but that was always refrigerated.

 

[VagueSkunk]

Apparently there was discussion at some point about shipping liquid yeast, but it never materialized. Dry yeast ships better and has a longer shelf life, so I can see why they went with it.
After my first couple negative experiences using the included US05, I just started buying liquid yeast and haven't looked back. Your experiences may differ however.

 

[Ewelady]

firmware version. Out of curiosity, what is everyone's firmware version on a s (or pro) ?

0.01.04

 

[Ewelady]

Overflowing and the stepfilter...

As you all know my machine has been replaced and the one thing I noticed that was changed was the drain in the step filter. The old one had a grate type filter and it was easy for small grains to catch in it. The new step filter has just an "x" so much larger holes and everything so far has been passing through although I still check out of habit.

 

[Ewelady]

Drinking Autumnator Dopplebock, brewed with no problem, but after one messy overflow (with a non dark beer) I never leave the machine unattended and I also have set it up so if it does it ends in a tray under the machine. Since I didn't want to put the machine in a pan I've put it on wire shelving (one of those rolling units) and I made the shelf under it just about 6 inches away with a tray in it. Which will hold I think I measured a gallon overflow. My over flow was caused by the pack separating at the lid and grain getting trapped in the step filter drain.

 

[RustyLopez]

Right, I never leave the machine unattended either. But that’s just me - I won’t even leave the toaster unattended. My family has bad karma with kitchen appliances.

 

[RustyLopez]

Yeah, sorry to hear that. Just another data point that support should know about. One tip, if you push that valve from the inside, it will extend out and give you access to the grain that builds up. I've found a combo of a toothpick and blasts of water from the sink will clear it out.

Thanks - good tip. I’ve apparently got the older version with the grate instead of the X, so I had to whittle the toothpick down a bit to get it in there. Pico support also recommended taking the ball adapters apart and scrubbing them. It’s all good now, but I’ll do another brew this week to be sure everything is OK.

 

[Lbarouf]

Did you get the redesigned pack with the overflow holes on bottom instead of top? That seems to be helping although I’ve seen some still fail. Look at the reviews in marketplace for Yeti and you will see it’s not fun when it fails. Won’t stop me from brewing it though that’s a gem.

Yikes, no, it's an older one. And I see what you mean, I guess I am lucky. It smells so nice too, the aroma it left in the room made me both, thirsty and hungry. lol.

 

[Lbarouf]

Did you get the redesigned pack with the overflow holes on bottom instead of top? That seems to be helping although I’ve seen some still fail. Look at the reviews in marketplace for Yeti and you will see it’s not fun when it fails. Won’t stop me from brewing it though that’s a gem.

What was your OG on this pak? I recalculated mine three times and recalibrate my refractometer, my OG was 1.071 or 17.3 BRIX. I find it quite off from stated OG. How much yeast did you pitch on that one? I'm tempted to drop 5g. or a little less than half.