BrewArt is an automated brewing system that's like the Nespresso of beer
If you've always wanted to brew your own beer, today is a good day.
BrewArt is an Australian personal brewing system that aims to get first-timers making their own brewery quality beer, as Nespresso does with coffee.
It's a project by Adelaide-based Coopers Brewery and the brainchild of company employees Scott Harris and Paul Burge. The idea began eight years ago, as the popularity of artisan food and drink increased amongst average consumers, especially craft beer.
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"You have people [at home] making their own cheeses, curing their own ham, doing that sort of stuff. At the same time in the beer world you have the explosion of craft breweries," Harris told Mashable Australia.
The guys wanted to create a lifestyle product that would allow people to make beer at home, in the easiest way possible.
"We were seeing that people were drinking less, but better. We did some research and thought, okay, there are lots of people who like to drink beer, we think there would be people who would have fun making it as well, so why aren't they doing it?" Harris said.
The BrewArt hardware consists of two units, a BeerDroid that brews 10 litres (338 oz) of beer, and a 5 litre (169 oz) temperature controlled beer dispenser called the BrewFlo.
The BeerDroid has Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing one to adjust and monitor the brewing process with a smartphone app while you're away from home. It'll notify you when the beer is ready to keg or enter storage mode if you've left it sitting for a while, chilling the beer until you're ready.
BrewArt is also selling the ingredients you'll need to make a beer (malts, enhancers, hops and yeast), as well as BrewPrints packages for those who want to make a brew similar to popular beers around the world.
"Most people in the world want to make a beer that they're used to the first time, like say a Coopers Pale Ale or a Heineken, that's what they know they drink," Harris said. "We've got a BrewAssist section [on the website] that will allow people to find the beer they like and we'll suggest a style."
For those who are keen to experiment, BrewArt's app also allows for modifications to your beer. You might want a Hefeweizen, but you can use the app to make the brew a touch more bitter or darker to your liking, for example. The ability to experiment will eventually lead some people to create their own beer from scratch, Harris said.
"What we wanted that's different to things like Nespresso, is we wanted to give users the ability to just push a button -- but if they want to play with it, they can," he said.
BrewArt will initially launch in Australia from mid-July, costing a hefty A$799 for the BeerDroid and A$699 for the BrewFlo. That's an expensive craft beer.
Shortly after its launch Down Under, it will hit the U.S. market, where BrewArt will be in competition with similar personal automatic brewing machines making their way to market, such as the iGulu, the Brewie and the larger Brewbot from the UK.
Harris believes one of the things that sets the BrewArt apart is its looks. "We've really gone out of way to try to make it look like something you'd be proud to have next to your $2000 coffee machine," he said. Now all they need is George Clooney.
Beer, anyone?
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