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It seems like an awesome idea, Pico, but would this be marketed for people who are just starting brewing vs someone who has an established setup and method for brewing?
Can you make your own Pico Packs or, rather, can you add ingredients to the packs? Obviously some recipes you guys won't have.
Is it possible to make meade, cider, or wine with your machine? I am very aware the process to make these is not the same, but given the ingredients, can your machine produce them?
TLDR: Great for beginner or someone wanting a set-and-forget 5L brew process, especially at this price. If you're actually a brewer, you're likely to be disappointed - you probably want to save up, drop the extra cash, and get Zymatic, or wait for the Pico Z this summer.
FWIW, I have spoken to a number of more experienced brewers who have had different experiences from what you shared. Many of them were brewing fairly regularly as you mentioned you were doing before, but then maybe had kids or just didn't have the same time and flexibility as before. For them, the Pico was a great alternative because even though it wasn't as robust or flexible of a system as what they were used to, it was still a way to brew with much less equipment and time demands (many also mentioned not having open pots of boiling mash with kids running around!). So for them, this was a nice way to still brew in spite of a more hectic schedule.
In my mind, both experiences are totally valid. I think it just depends on the user's brewing experience and what level of flexibility they need/want. Thanks again for sharing!
- Can't add ingredients to the paks since they are pre-packaged and sealed up, but you can digitally produce your own recipes with our online recipe crafter. You're welcome to check it out in advance: https://picobrew.com/BrewCrafter/index.cshtml (not sure if you'll need to create an account first or not, but it's pretty straightforward if so)
- No meade, cider, or wine capabilities as of yet, but as mentioned, kombucha picopaks exist, and we've also got our very exciting PicoStill launching this year (https://picobrew.com/Store/products/picostill.cshtml). With PicoStill, you can use beer, wine, or other washes to produce craft spirits! We always say that you'll need to check the required licenses and permits for your area since distilling is regulated, but this is a great way to get more craft beverages from your Pico. PicoStill requires a Pico machine to work (yes, it will work with the Pico Classic featured here on MassDrop), and the good news is we're still in pre-order phase with the PicoStill so it's being offered at $100 off.
- Finally, I do think it's worth mentioning that while we don't have every ingredient under the sun, we do have a great many recipes to choose from. Currently we have over 120 PicoPaks available on our site, and the cool thing is that these are not generic craft beer recipes, but rather actual craft beers from breweries around the world. You can poke around and maybe find some you already know you enjoy! https://picobrew.com/BrewMarketplace/Index.cshtml
Let us know any other questions you have, and thanks!
I might take a closer look at the distiller product you're offering. If it does require the Pico base, I might invest in one for a friend or colleague who doesn't have the same resources that I do, then bum off of theirs for distilling (I smell some strong schnapps in the possible future).
Thanks for this!
Edit: I'd also like to add that the PicoPak maker is available without signing in, and it is a very user-friendly tool with a fairly nice selection of grains, hops, yeasts, and additions. If I did have one of these machines, I would have no qualms about creating and purchasing packs using this option. Nailed it on this, for sure.
Appreciate the feedback on the recipe crafter! Glad we're hitting the mark there.