PicoBrew Pico users

[Werew0lf]

That would be awesome. Thanks for the effort!

 

[Sebastian Weetabix]

I disconnected from the net this morning and turned on my Pico Pro and the Model C.

They both refused to boot through to the brewing menu.

I’ll be brewing this weekend while I still can.

 

[Lbarouf]

yeah...better get familiar w/the manual brew process.

Friend of mine captured traffic from beginning to end of a PicoPak brew (Turning on, obtaining DHCP address, etc. to End Brew.) Pico traffic is in the clear (port 80) and provides only a smidge more detail than the raw data log you can get via your Brewhouse portal. There doesn't appear to be any type of auth mechanism, at least not in the traffic itself. Anticipate that the UID is associated with your account on a backend database, which is how YOUR portal shows what you've done w/your machine.

is the dump available somewhere like pastebin github or elsewhere? He can obfuscate the UUIDs, as long as we know the field length. I could work on a fake server locally someone could run and track progress. Thinking of raspberry pi. A zero W, creates a Wi-Fi hotspot and redirects onto itself the picobrew.com traffic

 

[Trevor Mack]

A local raspberrypi setup with DNS for picobrew.com pointing to it is the easiest solution if we can get said raspberrypi talking the protocols for the machine then the machine might not even know it isn't connected to its home base anymore.

I'm wondering if all the pico devices talk over the clear, I bet they do why would there need to be authentication when you have random strings... that hasn't ever bit anyone (*cough* Zoom *cough*).

 

[Knightshade]

I did a little digging last night. They’re hosting in what I believe is a Microsoft environment and their SSL cert expires in September. I’d have to hope that they’re hosting fees are paid up and aligned to expire when the cert does.

We can, and should hope the auction is much ado about nothing or there is some master flip switch to release all the units if the company does indeed go kaput. Figure the more info we collaborate on, the better.

I’ve directed my bud w/the capture to this thread.

 

[Werew0lf]

Thanks for putting the time in Knightshade! I too hope it is just part of restructuring but I'm sure there's a way to make it work if we have to.

 

[Knightshade]

Ask..and ye shall receive.

https://github.com/rfhacker/pico_pcap

 

[chiefwigms]

you guys should just wait until they go under - this stuffs already been done

 

[Lbarouf]

Ask..and ye shall receive.

https://github.com/rfhacker/pico_pcap

Downloaded. Thx, I'll review and give it a try.

And Bill is an ex-Misocroft guy, so M$ Azure ain't a surprise.

 

[Lbarouf]

you guys should just wait until they go under - this stuffs already been done

I'll believe it when I see it. I prefer knowing first hand.... unless you feel like sharing.

 

[Lbarouf]

I'll believe it when I see it. I prefer knowing first hand.... unless you feel like sharing.

and truly hope they don't.

 

[Knightshade]

Well...I know this damn thing won’t move past the error screen after 30 minutes if it doesn’t have an internet connection. Paper weight.

Working on setting up a web server and redirecting traffic destined for picobrew.com to it, to see if that will be enough to just make the damn thing work. It has been too long since I’ve logged into my firewall so I’ve forgotten the credentials. Need to reset it at a time that is convenient for the entire household to not have Internet.

and if the work has already been done, a redirect to the info would be great.

 

[Trevor Mack]

In more recent news we just got word from Annie that she has been let go... So that essentially means they no longer see a need to have a resident brew master. Likely meaning one of a couple things:

1) they got all useful knowledge out of Annie before dropping her (unlikely and ******)
2) they are replacing her smile and knowledge with another individual and didn't really plan or give her notice (very unlikely)
3) closing shop
4) new buyer already has this position filled
5) new business model doesn't require a brew master and can be sustained with just an aspiring home brewer

 

[Knightshade]

Assuming that she had to sign a NDA so she can’t relay the reasons for the separation?

 

[Trevor Mack]

Assuming that she had to sign a NDA so she can’t relay the reasons for the separation?

I'm almost certain of that... given how she has responded to some inquiries from folks like us.

Another individual that has some close relationships with folks at Picobrew (or prior folks there) says that all employees and parties with stock options in the company are bound by NDAs they have signed. Anyways most companies require NDAs to be signed upon employment, these don't go away just because you part ways they are still legally binding.

 

[Werew0lf]

Maybe they needed to offload picopaks due to shelf life? I don't think they stay fresh long. And maybe they decided to discontinue the line altogether while they were at it? Maybe selling off the actual Pico machines and other inventory will offset expenses? Just speculating...

Came across this as well...

https://thespoon.tech/selling-a-company-during-coronavirus-is-time-running-out-for-picobrew/

 

[Mutant]

Maybe they needed to offload picopaks due to shelf life? I don't think they stay fresh long. And maybe they decided to discontinue the line altogether while they were at it? Maybe selling off the actual Pico machines and other inventory will offset expenses? Just speculating...

Came across this as well...

https://thespoon.tech/selling-a-company-during-coronavirus-is-time-running-out-for-picobrew/

This could make it easy for someone to pick up what is left cheaply. If they get it cheap enough, they can keep the minimum components running - web access with annual subscription, and maybe parts?

 

[Lbarouf]

This could make it easy for someone to pick up what is left cheaply. If they get it cheap enough, they can keep the minimum components running - web access with annual subscription, and maybe parts?

Yeah... AbInBev and they will only sell you CoorsLite picoPaks. I can buy these at WalMart... 5 Gallons of distilled water. Same thing.

Well, crossing fingers someone picks up the company but makes minimal changes. If I can only do manual brews is fine, but I prefer keep the option of paks. I did love some of those paks. And frankly, the manual brew process is as time consuming as doing a half barrel on a HERMs.

 

[Brewfreedom]

Yeah... AbInBev and they will only sell you CoorsLite picoPaks. I can buy these at WalMart... 5 Gallons of distilled water. Same thing.

Well, crossing fingers someone picks up the company but makes minimal changes. If I can only do manual brews is fine, but I prefer keep the option of paks. I did love some of those paks. And frankly, the manual brew process is as time consuming as doing a half barrel on a HERMs.

I can count on one hand the number of problem free brew days I had on my old Zymatic. I feel bad for the dude who bought it off me. I did warn him that I thought they were F'd long term. Buddy of mine went full retard on the pico kickstarters and paid for the unlimited brewing thing they were offering. Guessing those aren't shipping anymore?

 

[Sebastian Weetabix]

I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of problems I have had on BOTH of my Picos.
Two. Two problems and Pico immediately sent out a new Pico so I could use the box to pack up the old one and send it back under warranty.

I have brewed nearly forty manual recipes, and probably twenty PicoPaks.

YMMV but I have gotten good mileage out of mine.

 

[Werew0lf]

I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of problems I have had on BOTH of my Picos.
Two. Two problems and Pico immediately sent out a new Pico so I could use the box to pack up the old one and send it back under warranty.

I have brewed nearly forty manual recipes, and probably twenty PicoPaks.

YMMV but I have gotten good mileage out of mine.

That's great that you've been able to get some good use out of your pico. I hope to do the same, but if they go under I don't think I'll be able to send mine in if I have a problem. At that point it would become, as some have said, an expensive paper weight. This is my worry right now, having received mine just before the shipping hold.

 

[Lbarouf]

That's great that you've been able to get some good use out of your pico. I hope to do the same, but if they go under I don't think I'll be able to send mine in if I have a problem. At that point it would become, as some have said, an expensive paper weight. This is my worry right now, having received mine just before the shipping hold.

well, some of the parts can be sourced. But one would have to understand the machine, and be willing to do the repair. I mean, it's possible, but not for everyone. If you had the machine since the kickstarter days, maybe you won't mind. But I get it if someone is pissed because they just got it. If you got a deal on the Pico C, at like $200-$250... can't complain. Even if all it did is manual brewing, you still have a great and precise wort making machine. If you clean it and don't let wort sit in it, it won't clog easily and will work. If the community keeps its machines, we should be able to help each other as well. Who knows, maybe folks like Kevin will also stick around some forums.

time will tell. But I do hope some investors will pick it up and do something good with it.

 

[Lbarouf]

Can a manual brew be adjusted for 1 gal? I'm wondering if there's an easy way for a newbie to use a Pico, post bankruptcy, using manual brew method, with online 1 Gal recipe packs. Would filling the step filter with the adjusted amount of water be sufficient?

 

[Mutant]

It would be nice to know the timeline for the final sale of PicoBrew

 

[Knightshade]

Can a manual brew be adjusted for 1 gal? I'm wondering if there's an easy way for a newbie to use a Pico, post bankruptcy, using manual brew method, with online 1 Gal recipe packs. Would filling the step filter with the adjusted amount of water be sufficient?

I did this just over the past weekend. Had a couple of things that I might try next though. I cinched up the bag pretty tight, because I noticed w/a looser bag, it just ballooned up. That may have created a problem within itself though, because it doesn't appear that 1G of water covers the grains all that well. My SG was low, so I ended up adding almost a half pound of DME.

So I think you either need to cinch up the bag loose, and put all the extra underneath somehow, while keeping the string out of the way, or come up with some type of sparging plate. I have a stainless steel steaming basket that I was thinking of using next time.

Related to this brew, was an intent to capture more traffic. I set up a local access point which routed all traffic through my laptop so I could capture it. I also manipulated my DNS to point to a local web server on my machine for picobrew.com. This didn't work, because the Pico is expecting a connection of some type to actually be established, a full TCP Handshake.

So then my friend set up a listener in AWS, with a specific connection string which got us a little bit further, but the Pico still threw up an error. Finally, the connection string got even more detailed which allowed further progression in the packet capture, but the Pico was still throwing a DNS error.

So 4 different captures, all with progressive steps. Analysis continues.

 

[Filippo]

before beginning i would like to share the hope that picobrew will go on with their business but in the worst case i would like to avoid having a big paperweight so this research it will only in that direction.
@ knightshade:
I'm looking thru the data u uploaded and seems that the base handshake is very similar on what was developed here:
https://github.com/hotzenklotz/picobrew-server/wiki/PicoBrew-API
with the exception that the beginning of the session is a bit different instead of the pull request of recipes of
zymatic:
http://www.picobrew.com/API/SyncUser?user=3ccfxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxa39&machine=5xxxxxxx0000
and answer is the list of the recipes

Pico
we have the request to change the state
http://picobrew.com/API/pico/picoChangeStatepicoUID=b09xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx7&state=6
and the answer seems to be a simple 200 OK

if u have some pcap to share with example server you are setting up plsease share it so i can help if i can.

ps. sorry for the crappy english i'm italian.

 

[Werew0lf]

I am also planning a 1 gallon brew in the next day or two. I'm following a recipe from brewer's friend and there is a hop addition at flame out. Since I am letting the wort cool overnight and not using a chiller, as with other methods, should I still add the hops as soon as I turn off the heat or should I wait a bit til it cools to 170-180F, like I have seen suggested? Should I leave the hops in overnight until it cools to pitch temp? If not, how long should I leave them in, (I have seen anywhere between 5-20 minutes suggested)?

 

[Filippo]

i've done similar thing yesterday and added the hops during the circulation phase for 15 min... don't know the result i can tell u in 7 days...

 

[Sebastian Weetabix]

I fell into the trap. Us Pico owners has been pissing and moaning about how long will our Picos work.

Here is the definitive answer. From ONE YEAR after the last sold unit.

As long as PicoBrew sold ANY Pico unit without CLEARLY STATING as is where is NO WARRANTY, we are covered.

I am no longer going to worry about it because I know a guy that bought a Pico C just a couple of weeks ago.

I is gonna make me some beer!

 

[Mutant]

It would be nice to know when the final sale will be complete.