Most Frequently Asked
Is the Brewie body bulletproof?
At this point in time we are not entirely sure. Stay tuned for the test!
Can I make soup with Brewie?
Theoretically you can, but we really don’t recommend it. Although in desperate times Brewie could serve as a cooking pot.
How can I order a Brewie?
At this point of development you can only receive a Brewie by backing us here on Indiegogo.
How do I calculate the price of a glass of beer made with Brewie?
You add the prices of the ingredients and your utility costs, such as water and power, and divide your total yield by the size of a glass. If you’d like to know more about the price benefits of Brewie, check out the section ‘Why Brewie?’ above.
What types of beer can I brew with Brewie?
You can literally brew any beer you want! You can manually set up your favorite brewing duration and temperature, use your favorite ingredients and choose from many other customizations. Because Brewie includes all three steps of the lautering process, you can even use it to brew wheat beer and oat beer!
Is it possible to deduct the cost of a Brewie from my company’s income?
Yes, we can provide an invoice after the campaign has ended if you send us your address.
What do I do if I have further questions?
Feel free to contact us via Facebook, Twitter, our website or via e-mail.
The Brewing Process and Fermentation
How long does it take to finish a brew?
It depends on the type of the beer, but it generally takes between five and six hours to brew. That’s followed by 5 to 21 days of fermentation, during which the sugar becomes alcohol and CO2 before it’s ready to drink.
Can I add hops at more than just four times during the brewing process ?
Sure! Four hops can be added automatically, while you can add further hops manually in any quantity. Brewie can alert you for manual additions as often as you’d like!
How does Brewie get its water supply?
You can either connect your Brewie to your water pipes or fill it up manually before each brew.
Does Brewie add yeast to my brew?
No, you need to add the yeast yourself, after your brew is transfered to the fermentation tank.
How much beer can I brew with Brewie during each brewing process?
The batch size can be between 7 liters and 20 liters depending on your recipe, the parameters you set and your preferences.
How do you get the beer out?
Brewie has an outlet on the back to which you can connect the outlet tube that is shipped with your Brewie Package. There is a tactile switch on the side of the machine that you simply need to press once brewing is ready. Brewie will pump the brew out automatically.
How does carbon dioxide get into my beer?
You can either wait for the natural carbonation process developing under pressure inside the kegs we provide, or you can use an external CO2 tank.
What is Brewie’s average mashing efficiency?
The mashing efficiency is valued at approximately 70%. The exact value depends on the settings for mashing time and mashing temperature.
How does Brewie cool the wort down to pitching temperature?
Brewie comes with a water-to-water heat exchanger that cools your wort down to room temperature within 20 minutes!
How can I make 10, 15 or 20 gallon batches?
Right now we don't have machines capable of doing larger batches, but the technology is scalable. Alternatively, you can buy more than one Brewie. :)
Can you dry hop?
Yes, dry hopping happens after the primary fermentation. There’s a dry-hopping program in the Brewie system that helps you boil and cool your hop-extract.
Is it possible to oxygenate the wort before fermentation?
During the cooling, the wort circulates and falls back to the tank, which makes it oxygenate itself on a relatively large surface. However, if we want to brew a higher gravity beer, we use one larger fermentation tank and we pour the wort from a height of approximately 60 centimeters. This makes it nice and foamy - just as if we oxygenated it by hand!
Does Brewie brew using extract?
No, its all-grain!
Can you add adjunct fermentables?
Of course!
Do you have to clean out all the hops manually?
No, the hops are also placed inside a bag, so it’s easy to clean
What temperature does my wort need to have for fermentation?
If you brew an ale, room temperature (18-25°C) works well for fermentation. However, if you’d like to brew lager you need to cool the brew to 8-15°C. Therefore, you may need a separate cooler. We are currently developing an efficient cooling unit that can keep a stable temperature during the fermentation process.
Ingredients, recipes and the Brewie Pad
Do I have to order the ingredients directly from you or can I use my own?
You can use the ingredients you typically buy at your local brew-shop. You can use them inside the brewing bags provided with every Brewie.
When using my ingredients, do I need to put them in a bag?
In order to use Brewie with your own ingredients, you need to use mashing and hopping bags such as the ones provided with every Brewie Pad. You need to place the ingredients inside these bags in order to clean the machine easily.
Can I only use recipes from the RFID cards?
No, the RFID cards are a simple alternative for a more convenient introduction into home brewing. Alternatively, you can choose one of the 200 pre-programmed recipes, make your own one or download one from the internet.
How many recipes can be stored on the machine? Can notes be added to the recipes?
The size of one recipe is only a few kilobytes because Brewie uses our new, very efficient database format. The machine comes with around 3GB of unused flash memory built in, so you can store a lot of recipes and brewing logs. Additionally, notes can be added to the recipe - the length of one note is practically unlimited.
Hardware and Software
What voltage can Brewie handle?
Brewie is designed to work with 240V or with 110V.
What types of power outlets does Brewie work with?
The type you have in your home. When ordering, you can fill in this information and you’ll get the standardized plug for your home country — anywhere in the world!
How many times can I use my Brewie?
We’ve done our best to make Brewie the highest-quality home-brewing system with the most durable components. Therefore, you should be able to make as many brews as you like, back to back. The valves and pumps may need to be replaced after about 3,000 brews — but good luck reaching that amount!
Which operating systems does the smartphone application support?
Brewie’s application currently works on PC and
Android, but we plan to extend it to iOS and Windows Phone as well. Our goal is
to make it possible for you to control your Brewie from any device, anywhere.
How do I get software updates?
We think it's important to improve Brewie’s user experience continuously. Therefore, we made it so Brewie updates its software and your recipes by itself when you turn it on. Of course, this only works when WiFi is available and you can also turn this function off if you like.
Kegging
What about kegging?
You are welcome to use your own kegs if you have some already. Brewie is compatible with every currently existing kegging system. If you do not have any kegs yet, you can find them at your local brewing store or order them directly from us very soon!
Production
What if something breaks inside Brewie?
Brewie was built and designed with the utmost care so that you can enjoy its great service for many years. It has a modular design to make it easy to replace parts if maintenance is needed. It has several sensors to detect errors and notifies the user if something needs to be replaced or checked. The development of our service and warranty system is still ongoing, but for now we provide a standard one-year warranty.
Shipping
Why is shipping not included in the price?
Shipping costs vary depending on where you are in the world. Therefore, we believe that it is fair if everyone pays for their own shipping.
When will you ship my Brewie?
The estimated time of arrival for the first Brewies ordered through InDemand is March 2016.