Picobrew Z

[TallDan]

If they truly were going under and wanted to support the community they would release the ability to self host a server locally to continue use. What makes me feel like they have hope to sell or are still looking to be a company is right now thats still proprietary and something they can market or have sold rights to. Otherwise if they really were going under and wanted to do us justice (not that they will), just allow for a local host.

Seems like it's out of their hands. If they were going to do that, they would have had to do it before now.

 

[Virginia_Ranger]

Seems like it's out of their hands. If they were going to do that, they would have had to do it before now.

True, seems odd to add the manual brew option though if their hands were tied though. Still feel like that one may have been in works for a while though and someone just decided it was time to flip the switch.

 

[Trevor Mack]

Adding manual brew makes offline brewing possible, but then makes the "automation" aspect the "upgrade SaaS" option. Right now it is a "free upgrade" / "bundled". A potential business plan might be to start charging for that similarly to how they charged a yearly fee to be a "PB partnership network" (PBN) brewery which gave access to creating recipes for sale with commission/royalties. I wouldn't put it past PB or their new owners to enact this model to stay afloat. In the past I'd say that they should honor the "bundled" access to the automation to existing/prior customer by legacy (this is what we were sold after all) and then decrease the cost of entry and add subscription fees to newly sold units. This way buying a unit still has long term impact to the bottom line for a primary subscription based company.

 

[Sebastian Weetabix]

I would love to know just how much R&D money was wasted on the Pico U and the Pico MultiBrew.
The Pico Pro and the Pico C both appear to have been brew platforms for the Pico U, while the Pico Z
technology was being adapted for the Pico MultiBrew.

Where would Pico be now without all of this emphasis on COFFEE?

Just sayin’.

 

[TallDan]

Where would Pico be now without all of this emphasis on COFFEE?

Just sayin’.

Seems to me the coffee emphasis was really just a desperate marketing push to make it look like they have a product that's attractive to a market larger than homebrewers.

So, i'd say the exact same place.

 

[Trevor Mack]

To me the cost in R&D of Picostill, Pico U, MultiBrew and Castforge are all distractions. These other populations are interesting long term, but first figure out the business strategy and plan that is sustainable to branch out so widely.

https://thespoon.tech/the-picobrew-caskforge-is-a-time-machine-for-whiskey/

 

[Mutant]

Make sure you are:
1) getting your machine updated with the current download
2) offloading your recipes with details on 'brewing steps' and 'machine steps' <- this will help in manual mode
3) export the XML

Anybody know when receivership is finalized?

 

[Sebastian Weetabix]

Well, I just checked and the Picos are not updated for off line brewing yet.

Hope springs eternal!

 

[macgyuver]

My Zs are updated, they both have an offline mode now. The firmware is out there.

 

[alestateyall]

I decided to make as large a batch as the Picobrew Z1 could handle. The Z1 can mash up 9 pounds of grain. I ended up with the following.

4.5 gallons at 1049 SG
8 lbs. Root Shoots Odyssey Pilsner
1 lbs. Flake Corn
35 IBU Saaz (FWH, 60, 15, 5)
Diamond Lager Slurry/Starter

The batch was 3.73 gallons after brewing. I topped up with water and the starter to get to 4.5 gallons.

 

[Virginia_Ranger]

CC2CA398-AF0E-426A-B310-D227880C2E93

• Virginia_Ranger
• Apr 23, 2020

Grain bill attached - just did a batch and was 10 points under my expected gravity. I have ALWAYS hit my estimated O.G. From brewers friend at a 62% efficiency- this one came out at 52%. I’m really not sure what happened. Any ideas? I don’t mill my own FYI but used the same homebrew shop as usual never had this issue.

 

[alestateyall]

I think it is pretty normal for efficiency to drop with large grain bills. Have you done 8 pound grain bill before with 62% efficiency?

 

[Mike Howard]

Not sure about the Z but my Zymatic has never liked flaked adjuncts in large grain bills. They stick together and don't allow good flow and with no way to stir them your efficiency is gonna be low. If you can get away with a bunch of Rice Hulls I would suggest that. I have also mixed my grains and added them to the step filter and then placed my flaked adjuncts on top, that seemed to help a little bit.

 

[alestateyall]

I have done flaked corn in my Z1 twice. Once at 25% and the second time at 11%. I thought the Z1 did great. On the 25% batch my efficiency was way up. I figure that might have been due to the flaked corn. Not sure.

I mix the flaked corn into the crushed grain so it is evenly distributed throughout the step filter.

 

[Virginia_Ranger]

So this is a pretty typical grain bill for me, only difference is when I do a grain bills like this I do a 2.5 gallons batch instead of a 3.5. The expected O.G. on the 2.5s are
mid 1.060s instead of mid 1.050s I was hoping for here.

Edit: have done up to 9 lbs and hit O.G. at 62%.

 

[alestateyall]

Maybe the mill gap was changed.

 

[Virginia_Ranger]

That’s what I’m wondering I may hit up my LHBS and see.

 

[macgyuver]

Well we knew it was coming....

https://thespoon.tech/rest-in-peace...lkgFAWuvqwN_AUzzz7CXUoyHmr_EZcNoyJO4DJtZwH1gc

 

[Sebastian Weetabix]

The PicoBrew Z has off-line brewing capabilities, the Pico S/Pro and the C do not at this time.

 

[Mutant]

Don't try using the Recipe Builder - it fails to do anything productive. Can't clone; can't modify; can't .... - just get errors.

PicoBrew automation is dead.

 

[Taylor Jackson]

Don't try using the Recipe Builder - it fails to do anything productive. Can't clone; can't modify; can't .... - just get errors.

PicoBrew automation is dead.

I'm not seeing any issues with the recipe builder at all. Create, clone and modify are all fine. Hope it's just a blip for you, and it stays around for all of us!

 

[Mutant]

I'm not seeing any issues with the recipe builder at all. Create, clone and modify are all fine. Hope it's just a blip for you, and it stays around for all of us!

I sent a note but doubt we will get any response, as there is nobody working there. The new owner isn't reaching out to give any updates on where this is going.

 

[Mutant]

I'm not seeing any issues with the recipe builder at all. Create, clone and modify are all fine. Hope it's just a blip for you, and it stays around for all of us!

Did you verify that when you clone that all it is identical. I was missing lots of hops, ingredients and timing details. I tried several different recipes - all are failing.

 

[Trevor Mack]

Did you verify that when you clone that all it is identical. I was missing lots of hops, ingredients and timing details. I tried several different recipes - all are failing.

Did you try exporting and importing via BeerXML? If that doesn't work and you need to brew try BrewCrafter.com (been my primary crafter since early Z days before a proper integrated crafter was shipped).

 

[Mutant]

Did you try exporting and importing via BeerXML? If that doesn't work and you need to brew try BrewCrafter.com (been my primary crafter since early Z days before a proper integrated crafter was shipped).

Thanks. That worked.

 

[Trevor Mack]

It goes without saying, but I'll post for those unaware. This export to BeerXML is also what I'd recommend to save off your favorite recipes (yours and public). Not sure of a way to export picopak recipes if there isn't also a public all grain recipe that matches.

You can take that beerXML to popular beer recipe crafters like Brewer's Friend, Beersmith, etc.

 

[Taylor Jackson]

It goes without saying, but I'll post for those unaware. This export to BeerXML is also what I'd recommend to save off your favorite recipes (yours and public). Not sure of a way to export picopak recipes if there isn't also a public all grain recipe that matches.

You can take that beerXML to popular beer recipe crafters like Brewer's Friend, Beersmith, etc.

That's a great reminder, I did that for all my recipes, too. The other I'll share for those unaware is you can go into your Data Log for a session, click the Raw Log button and download the data as a csv. It doesn't include your notes in the export, but you use it to recreate your brew session charts.

 

[Bigdaddyale]

nevermind

 

[Mutant]

It goes without saying, but I'll post for those unaware. This export to BeerXML is also what I'd recommend to save off your favorite recipes (yours and public). Not sure of a way to export picopak recipes if there isn't also a public all grain recipe that matches.

You can take that beerXML to popular beer recipe crafters like Brewer's Friend, Beersmith, etc.

I've been trying to use the export and import capabilities, as the Clone doesn't work. What I'm seeing with the import is that it is seriously corrupting the recipe. It loses notes/comments, it changes quantity to 2.5 gallons no matter what, it drops all the hops at times, it drops some of the fermentables, --- basically the software appears to have been sabotaged.

 

[Trevor Mack]

To make it easier for folks to export all of their data I've created a CLI tool. I only have a Z series so export might not work completely for other devices (still, c/s/pro, Fern, Kegsmarts, etc).

Give it a try and let me know via GitHub Issues if you run into issues.

https://github.com/tmack8001/picobrew