5 replies to this topic

[jimdkc]

So, I was browsing Ebay, and I see a PicoBrew S for sale with an asking price of about $100 plus $44 shipping. Was marked down from $113.

 

Description says that they don't know anything about it. They say it powers up, looks for WiFi, and updates it's firmware. I figure without a PicoPak, that's about all it's going to do. (PicoPaks have an embedded RFID tag that allows the device to download the brewing instructions.)

 

On a whim, I submitted an offer of $46.

 

And they accepted...

 

$90 shipped...

 

I'll get it on Monday...

[djinkc]

Can you manually program it?  Sounds like quite a deal

[jimdkc]

Can you manually program it?  Sounds like quite a deal

 

 

That's the gotcha... You really can't. I was wondering if I could disconnect their controller and control the various components externally...

 

For under $100 I can afford to play with it.

[jimdkc]

There has been some experimentation on the HBT forum about re-filling and re-using PicoPaks. They say the RFID works for anywhere from 2 to 7 days then shuts off.

[HVB]

For what you paid seems like a good deal and project.

[jimdkc]

The PicoBrew S originally sold for $800, I believe. When the less expensive PicoBrew C came out, they renamed the PicoBrew S as the PicoBrew Pro and it now sells for $600. 

 

If it works, it's a really good deal. And if not, maybe I can fix it...

 

One of my original complaints about these things was the price of PicoPaks. Pretty expensive for 5L of beer. But, I compared buying a 6-pack of Rogue Dead Guy Ale to the Rogue Dead Guy Ale PicoPak:

 

Last time I looked (been a while!) Dead Guy was $10.99 a six-pack. This is about $1.83 a bottle.

 

A Dead Guy PicoPak sells for about $23 and makes 5L. This is about 13 bottles for about $1.85 a bottle.

 

Of course I could also get the Rogue Dead Guy Ale Kit from Austin Homebrew for $44.95. 5 gallons... a bit less than $1 per bottle!