Igulu Interesting capability

[brew-in]

Good Morning,

If the current schedule holds, the first Igulu automated Brewing machines will be in users hands by June. I have been studying the various offerings (or soon to be offerings) in the emergent 5L automated breweries.

Of all of them (pico Brew, MiniBrew, etc.), IMHO, if it comes to fruition the Igulu seems the most capability for the cost. It can be had at a preorder price of $549. Things I like about it:

1) Uses inexpensive Kegs ($50) so you can have several and ferment while brewing.
2) It is fully programmable. The user can easily program all the steps, temps, boil time, hop addition, steps in ferm temp, etc. .
3) You do not have to buy supplies from Igulu
4) It controls ferm temp (can go as low as 5 degrees C)
5) For about $650 you can preorder one with 4 kegs.
6) Seems to have a well thought out user interface .

Understanding all the limitations of the 5L size and many folks aversion to paying $600 to brew a 12 pack. So not looking to go down that road with this thread.

Interested in others thoughts on the comparison of Igulu to other automated brewers.

In the Class of Home Automation, Igulu won the 2017 Innovation Award at CES. Minibrew and Picobrew were both at CES so apparently Igulu beat them out for the award. Of course one could argue, "What does CES know about brewing beer?"

Looking forward to your thoughts.

 

[JLeuck64]

iGulu - Smart, Automated Craft Beer Home Brewery

Linked ( ;

 

[Goblism]

I have been interested in a unit for quite some time but limited information has been available. Yes the 5L is a severe limitation but depending on cycle times a person could brew 2 batches of certain beers.
I see the real benefit of being able to experiment easily. Want to try a 5 gallon batch of xxxxxxxx beer? Run a small test batch! If you like it brew on a larger setup, if not you are only out 5l of beer.

Once more if known I will put more interest in a unit but until then I am going watch from a distance.
Mike

 

[brew-in]

As a backer of the Igulu campaign, I have access to the updates. I retired as the Chief Engineer of a large Aircraft Modification and prototype organization. So I understand a bit about the prototype and manufacture process. Reading through the project updates, I am very impressed. They are taking a very methodical approach to design, component sourcing, prototyping, and test. I am sure there will be issues, however the Igulu folks so far have done things correct.

Although they, like all these type of projects are way behind schedule.

I keep posting to the kickstarter encouraging them to take their time, thoroughly test the unit, carefully produce it and deliver a good product from day one. If they can do that, the delays will quickly be forgotten.

 

[brew-in]

Also scroll down to the bottom of the crowd funding page and read the short resume of the folks involved in Igulu.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/igulu-smart-automated-craft-beer-home-brewery--4/x/16249986#/

Those resumes explain the methodical approach they appear to be taking.... Who knows if they really are directly involved in the project...although you can see some of them working in the lab or on the production floor in the picts....

 

[brew-in]

...already have the Igulu app up in googles app store...

 

[brew-in]

Reading back thru my posts I sound like a plant extolling the virtues of igulu.... Sorry if I came off that way..... Just a backer hoping they pull it off....

 

[brew-in]

just heard from igulu...their internal cooling brings wort from boiling to pitching temp in 47 minutes...not too bad for electronic cooling.....

 

[Island_Dan]

This is my first time even looking at the crowd funding page for this. They seem to be way off from their original delivery dates.

 

[bleme]

This seems to be marketed more toward people who have no idea how to make beer and don't wish to put out any effort to learn. I'm sure it will sell like crazy, just like breadmaker machines, if they can ever get it to market.

 

[brew-in]

This seems to be marketed more toward people who have no idea how to make beer and don't wish to put out any effort to learn. I'm sure it will sell like crazy, just like breadmaker machines, if they can ever get it to market.

Humm...I have brewed all grain for 25 years.....built and brewed with three separate systems...everything from a remote controlled pump based picnic cooler system to my recent electric brew setup with temp controlled conical (both cooling and heating) ....would not put myself in the category of " don't how to make beer and don't wish to learn how"

I took a very a careful look at the Igulu system and the app that can be used to control it. I find it interesting because it allows control of virtually ALL the brewing parameters (temps, step mash, mash out, ferm temp. wort chill down, boil length, hop addition times, etc.)..you can program them ALL via the app. Neat setup how you can program the steps of the brewing procedure. Yes the casual user can chose a beer and have the system do it all for them. However, the beauty of this system is the exact opposite of your uninformed comment. It allow full control of virtually ALL the parameters of the brewing system.

not sure where your comment comes from. I suspect a position of ignorance...

 

[FatDragon]

just heard from igulu...their internal cooling brings wort from boiling to pitching temp in 47 minutes...not too bad for electronic cooling.....

Seems like a long time to get just five liters of wort down to pitching temps. It would probably get most of the way if you just let it sit for that long without doing anything.

This seems to be marketed more toward people who have no idea how to make beer and don't wish to put out any effort to learn. I'm sure it will sell like crazy, just like breadmaker machines, if they can ever get it to market.

Breadmakers start at what, $40? This is what, $600? This isn't the first plug-and-play small-batch beer machine on the market. I doubt any of them sells all that well at the price point they occupy, since it's both more work and more expensive than just buying beer at the store.

 

[brew-in]

As along time brewer (more than 25) years.,this machine really fills a niche for me. We travel in our RV for months at a time. I sure do miss brewing and taking a large home brew setup in a small RV is not possible..

So I was waiting for a small beer machine that
1) I could use my own ingredients
2)allowed me control of the entire brewing and fermentation process
3) had temp control during fermentation..

This was the only one I could find that met my unique requirements. Minibrew was also in the running however thier very high price of additional kegs was a concern. t

 

[FatDragon]

As along time brewer (more than 25) years.,this machine really fills a niche for me. We travel in our RV for months at a time. I sure do miss brewing and taking a large home brew setup in a small RV is not possible..

So I was waiting for a small beer machine that
1) I could use my own ingredients
2)allowed me control of the entire brewing and fermentation process
3) had temp control during fermentation..

This was the only one I could find that met my unique requirements. Minibrew was also in the running however thier very high price of additional kegs was a concern. t

A guy was asking about brewing on his retirement boat not long ago and I thought of a way one could brew relatively simple beers with a single vessel. Get a keg and an extract kit (or make your own). Mix the kit in the keg with boiling water using no-chill hop calculations for bitterness estimates. Let it chill, pitch, and ferment with a spunding valve so you can carbonate in the fermenter. After a couple weeks, chill to serving temps and slap on a picnic tap with a mini CO2 cartridge connected to a regulator to maintain serving pressure. Get two or more kegs going so you don't run out and you'll be party central at all the KOAs. Chilling and maintaining fermentation temps will be your biggest issue (a rope and the ocean were my solutions for those with the boat idea, but you could make things easier on yourself with a saison yeast or Omega Hothead for less-finicky fermentation temps).

Not to say you shouldn't get the Igulu - it sounds like a better system than the other mini brew systems already on the market - but it might be fun to knock up a true single-vessel setup like the extract keg just for giggles anyway.

 

[brew-in]

FatDragon....great concept...I like being "party central" !

 

[SavageSam]

I'm loving this system! In for 2! One at my place and one at my buddies. We did it "manually" years ago. I'm looking for something a little easier.

 

[kh54s10]

It looks like it is now $999.99 for 1.3 gallons. Less than 14 bottles of beer per session. I don't get it??? This or any of the other way overpriced small systems. If it was in the range of $200 - maybe.....

 

[SavageSam]

It looks like it is now $999.99 for 1.3 gallons. Less than 14 bottles of beer per session. I don't get it??? This or any of the other way overpriced small systems. If it was in the range of $200 - maybe.....

I get that. ...just different people, with different needs. ...I'm retiring in less than 6 months. I'll be golfing...disc golfing. Fishing. ..snowboarding....traveling. As I get older, I just want to simplify things... I just bought 2 for $1089!....so I'm twice the fool!

 

[brew-in]

It looks like it is now $999.99 for 1.3 gallons. Less than 14 bottles of beer per session. I don't get it??? This or any of the other way overpriced small systems. If it was in the range of $200 - maybe.....

I am still seeing $549 on Indiegogo site. Surprised they are still keeping this low price so close to production...Only $50 more the the Kickstarter of a year ago. They just posted 1st deliveries expected in late May....

The kegs are really neat also. Lid screws off like the new picobrew ones. Except the Igulu kegs have two ball lock connectors and can be used for carbonating ans serving...

 

[brew-in]

I get that. ...just different people, with different needs. ...I'm retiring in less than 6 months. I'll be golfing...disc golfing. Fishing. ..snowboarding....traveling. As I get older, I just want to simplify things... I just bought 2 for $1089!....so I'm twice the fool!

Interesting. You can buy two of these for $1089. Have the capability for complete control of the mash, hop addition, boil, etc and brew 2.5 gallons just like a Zymatic....plus get electronic cooling (they report cooling boiling wort to ale pitch temp on 47 minutes)...plus temp control of the fermentation....IMHO not too bad....

 

[kh54s10]

I am still seeing $549 on Indiegogo site. Surprised they are still keeping this low price so close to production...Only $50 more the the Kickstarter of a year ago. They just posted 1st deliveries expected in late May....

The kegs are really neat also. Lid screws off like the new picobrew ones. Except the Igulu kegs have two ball lock connectors and can be used for carbonating ans serving...

I found their website so I guess the going price is going to be $999. So a decent deal if you get in on the pre-production pricing. Not so good if you don't.

 

[pocketmon]

iGulu is so far the only machine that includes fermentation temperature control and even the function of serving beer. It might be the only real ALL-in-one machine if it delivers.

IMO, around 500 is a reasonable price, considering the components and the integration of those components. Anything lower than that should make money by other ways, like forcing you to buy the "pack".

I am a early bird supporter at kickstarter, and 489 seems a no brainer price. However, after the long waiting, I begin to swing between selling it or keeping it. It seems to be a good system for trial batch, but I am not sure if I need it.

 

[BrunDog]

I don't see any way a company can deliver these at $500 per - no way to make a profit doing that. The price will need to be nearly 3 times that at least initially. I would be worried they sell lots of machines at a loss and fail to persist.

 

[SavageSam]

I don't see any way a company can deliver these at $500 per - no way to make a profit doing that. The price will need to be nearly 3 times that at least initially. I would be worried they sell lots of machines at a loss and fail to persist.

They may not...but something inside me told me to take chance...worse case senario...they become expensive anchors.

 

[brew-in]

I don't see any way a company can deliver these at $500 per - no way to make a profit doing that. The price will need to be nearly 3 times that at least initially. I would be worried they sell lots of machines at a loss and fail to persist.

Once in production they intend to sell for $999.

 

[BrunDog]

I guarantee brewie is not profitable and their ASP is much higher.

Hey, I am not knocking. I love automated brewing, but there are business realities and the crowdfunding mechanism plays with these somewhat unnaturally. I hope they make it and the market proves willing to pay the pricing needed for entities like this to survive. PicoBrew must have learned something coming out with a smaller, simpler machine at a lower price point (razors/razorblades?)

 

[brew-in]

Brundog, checking out your setup, pretty clear you like automation...as a retired chief engineer for an aircraft prototype organization, I am very impressed with your design and workmanship. Really, Really Nice...You should be proud.

Following Igulu's updates and asking them questions, I have been mildly impressed with how Igulu has approached the design and testing. They seem to have done more testing than many other similar approaches and articulated a sound engineering approach to solving problems.

I also find it a plus that the whole team (engineers, testing, etc.) is Chinese and working in china. I think this affords them an advantage working with China's manufacturing. Their design and testing folks are right there in the same country as the production. Not half a world away.

The other teams (minibrew, picobrew, etc.)seem to be operating outside China and reaching into China for manufacturing. It adds a layer of difficulty in getting the prototype correct and transitioning to production.

 

[brew-in]

Igulu has issued an update. Progress is being made. Maybe a Sept Delivery. I suspect more like December (which is Okay). Hoping they take their time and do it right.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/igulu-smart-automated-craft-beer-home-brewery--4/x/16249986#/updates

 

[bleme]

I'm not saying it is happening here, but how many of these crowd funded things fold and leave everyone empty-handed. I know it happened with Plastc and Solar Roads. Any others?

 

[brew-in]

I'm not saying it is happening here, but how many of these crowd funded things fold and leave everyone empty-handed. I know it happened with Plastc and Solar Roads. Any others?

Yeah I give this a 50/50 shot. I am a backer. Many backers do not seem to understand you are funding a development. You are nott buying a product from Amazon. If the development is successful, you can receive the perk. If not, your money is lost.

Nothing more than a risky investment that may or may not pay off. So one needs to analyze the investment amount, potential reward, and risk. Then decide if you want to take the risk.