Picobrew Z

[NBBC13]

When I ran through a bunch of deep cleans to get mine going, Kevin recommended Cascade powder since its already crushed up

and you have used it and it works well?

 

[chiefwigms]

and you have used it and it works well?

I've only done cleans and one brew, but so far yes

 

[Mike Howard]

Truth be told....I use PBW for my deep cleans. But then again, I don't rely on Picobrew for anything.

 

[NBBC13]

well, just did my first brew today. As it was cooling after boiling, starting leaking everywhere. frustrating

 

[alestateyall]

well, just did my first brew today. As it was cooling after boiling, starting leaking everywhere. frustrating

Ouch. I hope you didn’t loose your beer.

 

[NBBC13]

lost about 1/3 to 1/2 gallon. the taste of the wort was good, but color was definitely off. I scaled my really good NEIPA down, but out of the Z, came out a lot darker. can't see how that connects to the spill over.

[EDIT] think it might be because I had the metal keg lid on instead of the rubber adaptor.

Ouch. I hope you didn’t loose your beer.

 

[cheesemonster]

Contacted PicoBrew Re: Zymatic $600 rebate and the response was that they were still working on it. The rebate was the reason why I went with it. I don't want to sell my Zymatic because it is not very reliable and has all the issues that the Zymatics had. I am concerned with the amount of time they are taking for this, and if they are going to hold up their bargain.

 

[stpauliboy]

Contacted PicoBrew Re: Zymatic $600 rebate and the response was that they were still working on it. The rebate was the reason why I went with it. I don't want to sell my Zymatic because it is not very reliable and has all the issues that the Zymatics had. I am concerned with the amount of time they are taking for this, and if they are going to hold up their bargain.

Thanks for posting this - I have been waiting to hear from them about returning mine as well.

 

[doublea]

The perks email said:

We will send a summary email before shipping your perks, which will also include a tabulation of any referral bonuses for folks with purchases related to their referral code, and complete instructions on how to claim your Zymatic rebate.

Hopefully this means we'll hear something soon.

 

[Mike Howard]

Yikes...I'll stick with my two Zymatics and my BrewBoss....at least I know what they are all about.

 

[wh4tig0t]

Has anyone received a Pico pack adapter yet?

 

[Trevor Mack]

This was posted to the FB group recently by Picobrew

Great News! Our Z PicoPak adapter started shipping late last week with all new orders, is currently being packaged with Perks and for anyone in between they will be receiving a digital coupon.

 

[alestateyall]

Batch 3 in the Z1 now: Extra Pale Ale w/ Mosaic. Today I will use my Jaded Corny Pillar for the first time.

Edit:

1. Corny Pillar worked well.

2. Huge gravity miss. Picobrew recipe crafter predicted 1055. Actual 1048.

 

[Virginia_Ranger]

With the gravity misses is it due to the machine or recipe crafter? I am wondering if it would be better to decide on amounts in brewers friend and ignore the pico crafter outside of setting up steps? I am asking from a place ignorance. Still haven't unpack my Z1 yet.

 

[alestateyall]

With the gravity misses is it due to the machine or recipe crafter? I am wondering if it would be better to decide on amounts in brewers friend and ignore the pico crafter outside of setting up steps? I am asking from a place ignorance. Still haven't unpack my Z1 yet.

Yes. Using another recipe tool is advisable IMHO.

I think the Beta Recipe Crafter is the issue. There is no telling what expected yield different malts and or and what mash efficiency they assume. My resulting batch size is also usually 2.8 gallons when telling the Beta Crafter 2.5. That extra 0.3 gallons also makes a difference on the OG.

With BeerSmith I am able to predict the gravity pretty well by correcting the above issues. My Z1 has gotten 63 & 65% efficiency using the HEMS mash two times and 62% using the single infusion with mash out.

The variability is likely due to not knowing the exact expected yield for the various malts I used.

 

[bingggo]

My neighbour just got his Z2 and we are planning the first brew. Here are some silly questions:
- to brew 20L of the same recipe, you set up 10L recipe in one, and it becomes head unit to control the other one?
- do you end up with two kegs with 10L in each? Can the picobrew then pump one into the other?
- any tips on “no chilling” in keg?
- any tips on fermenting in keg? I have done that myself but would only put 15L beer into a 20L keg due to headspace.
- I can’t work out how to access the picobrew recipe tool. I have created an account but only see a very limited freestyle PicoPak recipe builder tool.
- any tips on using beersmith - what do you use for grain absorption, “boil-off”, other water,volume losses?

Thanks so much!
B

 

[alestateyall]

My neighbour just got his Z2 and we are planning the first brew. Here are some silly questions:
- to brew 20L of the same recipe, you set up 10L recipe in one, and it becomes head unit to control the other one?
- do you end up with two kegs with 10L in each? Can the picobrew then pump one into the other?
- any tips on “no chilling” in keg?
- any tips on fermenting in keg? I have done that myself but would only put 15L beer into a 20L keg due to headspace.
- I can’t work out how to access the picobrew recipe tool. I have created an account but only see a very limited freestyle PicoPak recipe builder tool.
- any tips on using beersmith - what do you use for grain absorption, “boil-off”, other water,volume losses?

Thanks so much!
B

You have to register your Z before the recipe crafter becomes available.

I attached screenshots of my Z1 profiles. As far as I can tell there is no boil off. I know that sounds crazy but the gravity doesn’t seem to change from pre to post boil.

For grain absorption I use the BeerSmith default for BIAB.

It’s not perfect. But, it’s a start.

View attachment 638955View attachment 638956View attachment 638957View attachment 638958

 

[bingggo]

Thanks, for some reason I don’t have permission to view those, even though signed in.

 

[alestateyall]

Thanks, for some reason I don’t have permission to view those, even though signed in.

Strangely neither to I?!

Trying again.

 

[brewbama]

Strangely neither to I?!

Trying again.

I’ve had this issue ^^ when attaching a photo within Tapatalk on the iPad and iPhone. I’ve reported it but it doesn’t seem to get much traction. I’ve found that if I want to attach a photo I have to use the ‘web view’ within the ‘...’ menu. It works well when I do that.

Cheers!

 

[Virginia_Ranger]

Batch 3 in the Z1 now: Extra Pale Ale w/ Mosaic. Today I will use my Jaded Corny Pillar for the first time.

Edit:

1. Corny Pillar worked well.

2. Huge gravity miss. Picobrew recipe crafter predicted 1055. Actual 1048.

Strangely neither to I?!

Trying again.

View attachment 638979View attachment 638980View attachment 638981View attachment 638982

Are the screenshots your using from Pico or from Beersmith (Brewer's Friend user over here)? So your starting volume of water is 5 gal then assuming 3.5 gal roughly for the boil to yield 2.8ish gal in the end. Am I reading that correctly?

 

[alestateyall]

Are the screenshots your using from Pico or from Beersmith (Brewer's Friend user over here)? So your starting volume of water is 5 gal then assuming 3.5 gal roughly for the boil to yield 2.8ish gal in the end. Am I reading that correctly?

The screen shots are from BeerSmith. The 5 gal is the mash tun volume. That is a default and meaningless.

I set the following which may or may not help in Brewers Friend

Batch size: 2.75G
Fermenter loss (trub): 0.25G
Bottled volume: 2.5G

Boil off: 0
Lauter Deadspace (loss in mash tun): 0.11G
Grain absorption: 0.586 fl oz/oz

This equates to starting with about 3.35G of water for a middle of the roas size (1050 OG) batch.

The key for predicting OG is just to have the right batch size. IBU’s are harder. You have to have the right preboil and post boil gravity. Right now I assume no boil off. I know that is crazy. BeerSmith has a setting for hop utilization and I have set that at 75%.

Bottom line BeerSmith gives me a pretty good gravity and IBU estimate. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Virginia_Ranger]

Thanks that’s helpful, brewers friend does hop utilizations % manually if you want as well but it also adjusts for time boiled. Are you doing 75% for all additions (even 10, 5, and 0 min)? Also I am assuming no sparge?

 

[alestateyall]

Thanks that’s helpful, brewers friend does hop utilizations % manually if you want as well but it also adjusts for time boiled. Are you doing 75% for all additions (even 10, 5, and 0 min)? Also I am assuming no sparge?

The 75% hop utilization is across the board. I think the way it works is to calculate the IBU based on time in the boil and then multiply by 0.75. So, time is still accounted for.

Yes my configuration is no sparge.

 

[HossTheGreat]

I'm going to start off with my standard NEIPA just to see how it does. If it works, want to follow up with a blonde that I can use to top off our 12g sour barrel. Do y'all order the washer packs from Pico or do you have any easy substitute?

I too have noticed the finished wort coming out much darker than expected. Have followed all instructions, doing the initial pre-rinse before the first brew followed by the hot water rinse post brew after each batch. Each of the beers I have done have only consisted of 2 Row/Pilsener, wheat, and oats with the calculated SRM of each beer not being over 3. The first beer came out as expected, but noticed on the 2nd beer the final wort was darker than anticipated. Then when I did my 3rd beer, the wort came out what I consider extremely dark,considering the calculated SRM was only supposed to be 3. Below is a link to the picture of the transferred wort. I double checked the malt bill and everything was accurate. I purchase my malt in 50lb sacks and have used the same sacks previously on my full 10gal system without issue. I have begun doing deep cleans between each batch, but the still getting the dark color.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8nS1bxsvqY4VDg1YVV6LWN1RDZQcERFTjFNUlVaekx2dG1r/view?usp=sharing

 

[alestateyall]

I too have noticed the finished wort coming out much darker than expected. Have followed all instructions, doing the initial pre-rinse before the first brew followed by the hot water rinse post brew after each batch. Each of the beers I have done have only consisted of 2 Row/Pilsener, wheat, and oats with the calculated SRM of each beer not being over 3. The first beer came out as expected, but noticed on the 2nd beer the final wort was darker than anticipated. Then when I did my 3rd beer, the wort came out what I consider extremely dark,considering the calculated SRM was only supposed to be 3. Below is a link to the picture of the transferred wort. I double checked the malt bill and everything was accurate. I purchase my malt in 50lb sacks and have used the same sacks previously on my full 10gal system without issue. I have begun doing deep cleans between each batch, but the still getting the dark color.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8nS1bxsvqY4VDg1YVV6LWN1RDZQcERFTjFNUlVaekx2dG1r/view?usp=sharing

Honestly, that doesn’t look very dark for a carboy full beer.

I haven’t done a light colored beer yet. Both my first batches have been in the 6 SRM range (BeerSmith). The Picobrew recipe crafter estimated 5 SRM for both. When I compare the finished beer, after fermentation and a few weeks to clear in the keg, to a color card I think they are about right.

 

[bingggo]

Batch size: 2.75G

I notice your batch size is higher than picobrew’s advertising of 2.5g batches? Can you set the recipe batch size higher than 2.5?

You don’t use a single infusion mash?

I was helping my neighbour with his first recipe. He used a preset recipe from the site. It said batch size 2.5g and 3.3g of water for 5.5lb grain. So guess it calculated .8g lost to grain absorption, and what’s left in machine after draining. To get accuracy on my neighbours profile will require a few test runs ton dial in grain absorption according to his crush perhaps.

 

[alestateyall]

I notice your batch size is higher than picobrew’s advertising of 2.5g batches? Can you set the recipe batch size higher than 2.5?

You don’t use a single infusion mash?

I was helping my neighbour with his first recipe. He used a preset recipe from the site. It said batch size 2.5g and 3.3g of water for 5.5lb grain. So guess it calculated .8g lost to grain absorption, and what’s left in machine after draining. To get accuracy on my neighbours profile will require a few test runs ton dial in grain absorption according to his crush perhaps.

I set the BeerSmith batch size to 2.75 gallons. I have done 3 batches and put 2.5 gallons in the beta crafter. 2.75-2.8 gallons is what I have ended up with each time. I set my BeerSmith profile to match what is actually happening.

You can brew larger batches. The practical limit is set by how much water you add to the keg before brewing and how much grain the step filter can hold. I think I could safely brew a 3.5 gallon batch.

 

[doublea]

The recipe crafter will tell you the limits, which I think are 4.25gal of water or ~9lbs of grain. Within these limits you can brew whatever you want. I typically brew a ~3-3.25 gallon batch.

 

[alestateyall]

The recipe crafter will tell you the limits, which I think are 4.25gal of water or ~9lbs of grain. Within these limits you can brew whatever you want. I typically brew a ~3-3.25 gallon batch.

I just tried it. The Beer Crafter says “Batch size must be less than 3.5 gallons.”

The grain bill limit appears to be 9.01 lbs.