Picobrew Z

[macgyuver]

So the Zs are shipping, several Z2s in the wild and now they announce BYO for the Pico S/Pro/C. Interesting turn of events there. I knew it was coming but I figured it would be announced after the Zs were finished shipping.

 

[cheesemonster]

For cooling I do the following:
Exchillerator maxx counterflow chiller that I somehow got for 40% off on store closing: https://www.exchilerator.com/product/maxx-counterflow-wort-chiller/

And corny plug adapter with a gas valve on it (the ones with notches): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064OMY28/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So before the machine is done, about 10-15 minutes left I hook it up so it sanitizes with boil temp wort. The machine output tube is hooked to the chiller in via the corny post, and on the output there is silicone tubing with another gas connector on it that hooks up to the zymatic keg.

When the machine is done, I crank on the water, put a wand on the output connector from the chiller and straight into a fermentor. The exchillerator at the flow rate the Z puts out cools ales to pitch temperature on the fly so no recirc needed.

With the Z2 I make it so the brews are staggered like 10-15 minutes so I don't have to deal with both at the same time. I have no idea how someone would operate a z3-z4!

 

[doublea]

When the machine is done, I crank on the water, put a wand on the output connector from the chiller and straight into a ferementor. The exchillerator at the flow rate the Z puts out cools ales to pitch temperature on the fly so no recirc needed./

That's a nice setup.. how do you think about fermenting containers though? It's a pain to clean kegs so I've been bouncing back and forth between fermenting in the brew pot corney keg and transferring to a dedicated fermentor (right now I have an SS brew bucket mini for small batches and a spidel for larger).

 

[cheesemonster]

That's a nice setup.. how do you think about fermenting containers though? It's a pain to clean kegs so I've been bouncing back and forth between fermenting in the brew pot corney keg and transferring to a dedicated fermentor (right now I have an SS brew bucket mini for small batches and a spidel for larger).

I think if I were just brewing 2.5 gallons it is good to keep in the keg for ferment for the reasons you stated. I like putting it in another vessel for 5 gallons because then I can do a single pitch of yeast and put it in a temperature controlled fridge. It does take longer to chill the keg if fermenting in that because the metal also carries heat. Putting the keg in water helps. If I go from chiller straight to another fermentation vessel I don't have to cool down the keg at all.

When I do a lager I do the same set up but I also gang up a immersion chiller and have the wort go through the interior of that in an ice bucket to cool the ale temp wort to lager temp. During the winter the tap water is often cold enough to do it directly without a second chiller. The Exchillerator can cool wort to the tap water temperature.

 

[cheesemonster]

Here's a picture with the top lid off if anyone is interested. Now the rinse cycle is able to rinse the output tube nicely as it can route water straight to it without going through the step filter. The arm is gone, replaced by a motor controlled valve. Everything very accessible. Fan in here cranks because the holes on the left (front of the machine) make a air curtain to keep steam from getting on the main board just above. It is still heated with a heat exchanger but it appears to circulate pressurized water instead.

 

[macgyuver]

Here's a picture with the top lid off if anyone is interested. Now the rinse cycle is able to rinse the output tube nicely as it can route water straight to it without going through the step filter. The arm is gone, replaced by a motor controlled valve. Everything very accessible. Fan in here cranks because the holes on the left (front of the machine) make a air curtain to keep steam from getting on the main board just above. It is still heated with a heat exchanger but it appears to circulate pressurized water instead.

Just an FYI I reposted the Pic on the Picobrew facebook page, gave you credit.

 

[Mike Howard]

Looks like they used those same SeaFlo pumps, the same HEX and the same TopFlo glycol pump. The RIMS tube and the Spider Valve are new but that looks like the weak point to me. Interested to see what happens in the next 6 months or 50 brews. Nice that it is that accessible though, I'll give them credit there.

 

[rangercup84]

I've been lurking for a while. Time to start posting a bit. I ordered a Z2 on 3/3/18 expecting it to arrive late summer / early fall. Pretty funny in hindsight. My ship date keeps getting delayed - initially 3/25/19 once they started sending updates. Most recently my target ship date was 5/18, but unfortunately that got delayed again supposedly due to an issues with US Customs and a screen filter. I emailed PicoBrew expressing my frustration. They told me that I was #230 in line and that they expected to be shipping past my order sometime this week. I haven't heard anything since. Hopefully we all start getting the device and hopefully it performs as advertised. I'm looking forward to cranking out batch after batch.

 

[losman26]

I've been lurking for a while. Time to start posting a bit. I ordered a Z2 on 3/3/18 expecting it to arrive late summer / early fall. Pretty funny in hindsight. My ship date keeps getting delayed - initially 3/25/19 once they started sending updates. Most recently my target ship date was 5/18, but unfortunately that got delayed again supposedly due to an issues with US Customs and a screen filter. I emailed PicoBrew expressing my frustration. They told me that I was #230 in line and that they expected to be shipping past my order sometime this week. I haven't heard anything since. Hopefully we all start getting the device and hopefully it performs as advertised. I'm looking forward to cranking out batch after batch.

You will probably get a notification on Friday. I got my notification last Friday, and it’s arriving Monday. I was 82 in line. So, sit tight, you will be getting it soon.

I will say that I would have never ordered it, knowing that I would have to wait 15 1/2 months. In the end it will be worth it. However, I sold my grainfather months ago hoping to have this sooner.

 

[simchippy]

I was in the same boat and even forgot about it for a while.. Received my Z2 ~2 weeks ago and have two brews through it. All went smoothly. I'm pretty happy with the product based on first experience and i'm glad I didn't cancel. But yeah if I knew how long it was going to take I would have grabbed a brewboss.

 

[losman26]

Originally I was going to buy Brewie, then I saw the pre-sale of the Z2. I thought maybe we would get them by December at the latest. Had I known about the delays, I would have gone with Brewie. In the end, I’m glad I waited.

 

[rangercup84]

Still no shipment despite promise from last week. I emailed again and was told it may ship today, Monday, or Tuesday. I'll believe when I see it. At this rate I won't be surprised id they drag me along till fall.

 

[Mutant]

Still no shipment despite promise from last week. I emailed again and was told it may ship today, Monday, or Tuesday. I'll believe when I see it. At this rate I won't be surprised id they drag me along till fall.

Think of those waiting for a Z3 or Z4

 

[losman26]

I’d guess it will ship out by Tuesday. They gave me a similar message a couple of weeks ago. Mine will be here Monday.

 

[banjo-guy]

I’m still waiting for my buy back money for my Zymatic. Why the long wait to receive the payment?

 

[doublea]

I’m still waiting for my buy back money for my Zymatic. Why the long wait to receive the payment?

Did you even ship back your zymatic?

 

[Trevor Mack]

This weekend confirmed a new feature in the Z firmware called "group brewing" where you can use one head unit to start brews on the other Z1s you might have linked via your PB account.

This isn't the "single head to control them all" concept, but definitely makes the need to rotary dial in brews on each unit less.

 

[Mutant]

Just wondering how long before the final part of the orders are sent - remember all the other stuff they promised? Or, when they'll be taking back the Zymatics

 

[losman26]

Well, the day is finally arriving for me tomorrow- 15 1/2 months later. Finally. I would have had it Friday, but the holiday delayed it one day. Can’t wait!

 

[banjo-guy]

Did you even ship back your zymatic?

I haven’t shipped my Zymatic back yet. I received my Z in February.
It makes me nervous that Pico isn’t completing the deal we had for rebates and ordering perks.

 

[losman26]

I was supposed to get a PicoPak and some sort of coffee Pak, and T shirt which didn’t come with my shipment.

 

[doublea]

I was supposed to get a PicoPak and some sort of coffee Pak, and T shirt which didn’t come with my shipment.

On May 15th when I last asked then, they said: "We're waiting on a couple items to arrive and then will be getting perks shipped out to those that have already received their Zs."

 

[Mutant]

Always keep in mind that if they go out of business, then your cloud based product will no longer work.

 

[Mike Howard]

I haven’t shipped my Zymatic back yet. I received my Z in February.
It makes me nervous that Pico isn’t completing the deal we had for rebates and ordering perks.

I'm sure you can sell your Zymatic for $600 to most anyone and avoid the hassle of sending it back to Picobrew. Plus, you get your money now.

 

[Goblism]

Keg cozy perk is being abandoned I see, frustrating to go from a cozy they value at $50 on their website(that we all know is too much) to a $10-15 a hat. I emailed asking for a standard keg cozy, could care less about special edition aspects as I want another cozy as promised!

 

[Thorrak]

Keg cozy perk is being abandoned I see, frustrating to go from a cozy they value at $50 on their website(that we all know is too much) to a $10-15 a hat. I emailed asking for a standard keg cozy, could care less about special edition aspects as I want another cozy as promised!

I did the same. I... kind of wonder if they're going to end up reverting to the keg cozy on this one. I completely understand supply chain issues, but TBQH that's their problem, not mine. I want what I paid for, and it included a second keg cozy.

 

[doublea]

I agree the hat is sort of lame but out of curiosity, what do you guys want to do with the second cozy? I had a Zymatic for years and never needed a second one or had any issues with it.

 

[Thorrak]

I agree the hat is sort of lame but out of curiosity, what do you guys want to do with the second cozy? I had a Zymatic for years and never needed a second one or had any issues with it.

I paid for the cozy. What do I want with the hat?

 

[losman26]

I’d rather have an extra keg seal.

 

[petebrewman]

Finally got my Z2 this week (14 month wait). Ran my first brew yesterday. It went flawlessly. Loved the process, the technology, the software (a little quirky), and being able to get some real work done in my office while brewing in the man-room. Only issue was the gravity came out on the low side. Based on some other zymatic forums it's likely due to me using pre-crushed grains from MoreBeer. Guess I'm buying a crusher.

I'm posting this mainly because I'm tired of reading all the cynical posts on this thread, especially from people that haven't even used a Z. Sure, the Zymatic may have had issues (gen 1 after all), but my out-of-the-box and first brew experience with the Z has been great. I choose to be an optimist.

Call me a fanboy (I am so far) but I'd urge those waiting on the fence to jump in.