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Ohhhhh the prototype shows two step filters. Nice. Ok, I really need to make room up for upgrading my hobby. Argh.
 
Lbarouf said:
Ohhhhh the prototype shows two step filters. Nice. Ok, I really need to make room up for upgrading my hobby. Argh.
Click to expand...
2 step filters is 5 gallons. Oh geez what’s it gonna look like with 4 step filters lol.
 
Here’s what I am looking at...
 

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jrb03 said:
2 step filters is 5 gallons. Oh geez what’s it gonna look like with 4 step filters lol.
Click to expand...

There must be more to it. I can’t imagine that it’s sinply stacking current Z’s step filters. Expansion via more step filter modules, that’s just it? Does not sound right to me. Diving your bill of grain in 3 or 4, your hops.... nah.
 
Actually, that kinda looks like they combined the Zymatic and the Pico Pro.
Of course, I am dumb as a cinder block because I can't figure out WHY?
 
Seems to me this is where the “series” comes in. Multiple step filters of multiple sizes. Meaning if you buy the 5-10 gal unit it will not be able to use the step filters from the 1-5 gallon unit. 1-5 gal unit has two step filters for up 10lbs of grain. The 5-10 gal unit uses step filters for up to 20lbs of grain or so. Just my take.
 
macgyuver said:
Seems to me this is where the “series” comes in. Multiple step filters of multiple sizes. Meaning if you buy the 5-10 gal unit it will not be able to use the step filters from the 1-5 gallon unit. 1-5 gal unit has two step filters for up 10lbs of grain. The 5-10 gal unit uses step filters for up to 20lbs of grain or so. Just my take.
Click to expand...
The more I think about it the more I don’t know. I own a Zymatic, and a step filter for 10 gallon batches has to be impossible. I never thought the plastic step filter would be part of this new Z capable of 10 gallons, maybe just the smaller unit. These pictures showing plastic step filters stacked is not what I was expecting. Doing a batch this weekend I realized a step filter twice the size of the current, needed for a 5 galllon batch, would also be very large and hard to manage. I can’t see the step filter getting much bigger than it is now, especially with all the cracking it’s prone to. I don’t know what to expect anymore!
 
Go back and look at that image again. The lower clear plastic bin looks like a Zymatic grain bin and the upper clear plastic bin is smaller. Just like a PicoPak bin.
 
Dilbert Fizzwinkle said:
Go back and look at that image again. The lower clear plastic bin looks like a Zymatic grain bin and the upper clear plastic bin is smaller. Just like a PicoPak bin.
Click to expand...
Nope. The upper bin is definitely a Zymatic step filter. You can see the stainless screen. The lower one may be a bit bigger hard to tell from the angle if it’s just pulled out more etc.
 
So (if those numbers are accurate) $2500-$1000 for a new 2.5 gallon, less $100 launch day offer, and $600 if I wanted to trade in my current Z... = $800 to get the new one. (Less if I can sell it for more than $600 on the open market with 2x step filter setups.)

I just had mine in for it's second HEX air bubble/leak repair in the time I've owned it. They've been incredible about Zymatic hardware support, though I doubt software will be revisited... Not sure it's worth the out of pocket cost for the upgrade. Will lookout for more details tomorrow.
 
2500 - 1000 for launch day
1500 - 600 for trade in
900 - 250 if you got 10 emails signed up....

650 for the 2.5

Not sure what the discounts are for the larger set except 10gal
8500-4500-600-250=3250, I think that is right
 
jrb03 said:
Just revealed. Definitely 4 Zymatic step filters stacked.

https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/12/picobrew-z-series-homebrew-beer/
Click to expand...
Oh god! :eek:
It’s all true.
It does look like a server rack full of Zs stacked on top of each other. I bet each with their own hoses that will connect to 5gal kegs. Can they all brew a different recipe? That would be convinient.

Looks like a beast... if pricing is accurate, it’s not a cheap 10gal system. With the rebate though....
 
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Lbarouf said:
Since you own both, do you see value in a all in one machine? If you want to run 2,3,4 batches in parallel I can see maybe. But 1 or 2?
Click to expand...
There are so many unanswered questions right now. Like electricity needs, at minimum each module is gonna need it’s own circuit if it’s not 240v, that’s not very convenient. It definitely looks like it can do 4 separate recipes on the full tower, which is pretty slick. If price was no concern I would be all over a double stack, double batch would be awesome. Truthfully I do Pico and Z batches simultaneously pretty easy now though.
 
macgyuver said:
O and if you don’t have a Z you need to add the 600 back on. Maybe they will do something for Pico trade ins but who knows.
Click to expand...

No trade-in program for pico S/C owners. I asked the question to info@...

Strangely, the answer included "having a Z and Pico on deck would be a great suite of resources to develop your own PicoPaks and earn royalties." If the Z does the Paks also, then it (the pico S/C) seems redundant to me. Am I missing something?
 
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Well I went for it! I will use the Pico for upstairs brewing of paks when they arrive and the Z I will brew other beers which will then not make me get frustrated with time lags on shipping. Checked the wifi signal in the basement and the Z will be there, which is where I use to brew beer anyway. So glad I never got rid of the 5 gallon kegs! Might have to shift some wiring around to have the outlet where I want it. But that's no big deal.
 
Ewelady said:
Well I went for it! I will use the Pico for upstairs brewing of paks when they arrive and the Z I will brew other beers which will then not make me get frustrated with time lags on shipping. Checked the wifi signal in the basement and the Z will be there, which is where I use to brew beer anyway. So glad I never got rid of the 5 gallon kegs! Might have to shift some wiring around to have the outlet where I want it. But that's no big deal.
Click to expand...

What size did you get?

I'm on the fence but if I can reuse the 1.75 gallon kegs for smaller batches/paks, I'll probably pull the trigger.
 
Oleary said:
What size did you get?

I'm on the fence but if I can reuse the 1.75 gallon kegs for smaller batches/paks, I'll probably pull the trigger.
Click to expand...
I went for the small one, since 2.5 gallons is perfect, 5 was always too much which is why I had quit brewing. I never wanted to drink 5 gallons of the same beer all the time. But the Pico is too small to share beer with family unless I get a lot brewed ahead.
 
macgyuver said:
I am in line for the Z2. Still wanting more answers about the setup. It will come and I can cancel if I don’t like.

I don’t see why we can’t use the 1.75 kegs we already have.
Click to expand...

They confirmed we can use the small kegs. I couldn't think of reason either, but just wanted to be sure.

edit: They also confirmed the 2.5 is upgradable. I was afraid the 110 to 240 might prevent it.
 
Last edited:
Oleary said:
They confirmed we can use the small kegs. I couldn't think of reason either, but just wanted to be sure.

edit: They also confirmed the 2.5 is upgradable. I was afraid the 110 to 240 might prevent it.
Click to expand...

It has been said that each unit is 120, 5g and up, and just taps one side of the 240. This would make sense seeing it is modular and can be upgraded.
 
Here are some things that have been confirmed... by the peeps at PicoBrew...

You can brew different brews at the same time. 4 different 2.5 batches on the Z4

It is expandable, Buy Z1 now and you can add 2, 3, 4 expansion rings later

Rack system is being sourced, there will be racks available later. No mentions of size.

There will still be a sample port on all Z series.

They are working on some type of plate chiller add on

The new app and recipe editor will release with Z1 release.

All new hop filter, and step filter design. Cracks should be a thing of the past.

Z1 will be slightly smaller than OGZ, somewhere around 18” wide or a little less. No mention on depth.
 
How much more work does the Zymatic (and I guess the Z) would require to brew when compared to the Pico Pro? Kegging only. Mainly ingredient prepping?

In terms of pricing, if I don't buy large bags of grains, and go in bulk by weight at my local homebrew, how much grain can the step filter take and roughly how much would it run me in ingredients for say, a run of the mill ale?

Counter space... does the Z take more than double the Pico footprint?
 
Lbarouf said:
How much more work does the Zymatic (and I guess the Z) would require to brew when compared to the Pico Pro? Kegging only. Mainly ingredient prepping?

In terms of pricing, if I don't buy large bags of grains, and go in bulk by weight at my local homebrew, how much grain can the step filter take and roughly how much would it run me in ingredients for say, a run of the mill ale?

Counter space... does the Z take more than double the Pico footprint?
Click to expand...
Yes, at least double the footprint.

Price per batch, $20 or so for run of mill ale buying grain and hops per pound and oz.

There is a decent amount of time needed for not only ingredient prepping but designing and building your recipe. More importantly to me, is the extra equipment needed and where to store it. I got out of brewing due to all the “stuff”, my spare room became a brewery. When we had kids things had to change. Pico was perfect in that regard and got me back in it. When I got a Zymatic last year, I had to do some major overhauling to get back into all grain brewing. If you have the space no problem, just another expense and more toys. I would estimate about 1-1.25 hours hands on for a Zymatic batch compared to about 15-20 mins for a Pico.
 
jrb03 said:
Yes, at least double the footprint.

Price per batch, $20 or so for run of mill ale buying grain and hops per pound and oz.

There is a decent amount of time needed for not only ingredient prepping but designing and building your recipe. More importantly to me, is the extra equipment needed and where to store it. I got out of brewing due to all the “stuff”, my spare room became a brewery. When we had kids things had to change. Pico was perfect in that regard and got me back in it. When I got a Zymatic last year, I had to do some major overhauling to get back into all grain brewing. If you have the space no problem, just another expense and more toys. I would estimate about 1-1.25 hours hands on for a Zymatic batch compared to about 15-20 mins for a Pico.
Click to expand...

I hear you, and I come from the place. Space is my issue now. As for the recipes, I love tweaking, so I won't mind entering the stuff in it, and for the ingredients, I would bag all the stuff in advance from the store with the right amounts. So they would not take that much more space and would be used pretty much immediately. It's more expensive, but I don't want to store 50 pounders for recipes. Just does not make any sense to me anymore.

Ok, still weighing in on all the aspects. I wonder if it even make sense to get the Z1 if really what I want is a Z3.

Imagining a brew day is over in 5hrs with 3 batches all ready and cooling. Bliss.

Do the Z have to be cleaned like a Pico Pro every 3 batches as well? How's the cleaning, easier, same, faster, longer?
 
Lbarouf said:
I hear you, and I come from the place. Space is my issue now. As for the recipes, I love tweaking, so I won't mind entering the stuff in it, and for the ingredients, I would bag all the stuff in advance from the store with the right amounts. So they would not take that much more space and would be used pretty much immediately. It's more expensive, but I don't want to store 50 pounders for recipes. Just does not make any sense to me anymore.

Ok, still weighing in on all the aspects. I wonder if it even make sense to get the Z1 if really what I want is a Z3.

Imagining a brew day is over in 5hrs with 3 batches all ready and cooling. Bliss.

Do the Z have to be cleaned like a Pico Pro every 3 batches as well? How's the cleaning, easier, same, faster, longer?
Click to expand...

Assuming the Z is like the Zymatic, the deep clean cycle is much longer. Like 2 hours. I’ve always thought it could be shortened. I deep clean every 2 brews, I think it’s officially 2-3.
 
macgyuver said:
The deep clean may be shorter since they did away with the arm and now use valves kinda like the Pico. We can hope right?
Click to expand...
Actually that’s why the zymatic SHOULD be shorter. It’s one outlet that stays stationary, as opposed to 6 outlets the Pico has to cycle through. They Zy slowly heats up to like 180 then just circulates as it slowly chills down to 120 it finishes.

I will say my Pico deep cleans are always pretty darn clear. On the Zy after 2 brews I get some gunk.
 
Howdy folks. New member but have been lurking recently. 7 years brewing experience with all grain but took a 10 year break. The Pico is getting me back in the game.

I recently purchased my Pico C from eBay for just $250 NEW! $250? I couldn’t believe it! With a Picopak thrown in. And it was a “buy now” offer that I could not pass up. I’m speculating it was a kickstarter version and the seller just had to get rid of it. I imagined there was a relationship break up and it was a revenge sale. Just speculation but makes for a good story.

I had to do a search for a solution for an “error” alert for my first batch so I found this thread. I was relieved that I was able to power off the unit and turn it back on to continue the mash. I’m so thankful for that function.

Anyway, I brewed my first batch of Imerial Vanilla Bourbon Porter by @Denny. It was in the OG pak but the top split and clogged the step filter. But thanks to you all I managed to make it through the mash without dumping out the whole session. And also how to unclog the step filter while cleaning which triggered the “error.”

Glad to be part of this fun and informative thread. Thanks for having me.

Ps. The new Z is very tantalizing.
 

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