PicoBrew is like a Keurig for freshly brewed beers

How simple was it when you brewed your first cup of coffee in your Keurig for the first time? Ever wish you could get a home-brewed beer the same way?

You can.

When PicoBrew Inc. released its pricey at-home brewing machine called Zymatic, it was targeting a beer brewing professionals kind of audience. Now the company aims to reach the everyday beer lover with the PicoBrew.

After years of R&D related to heating, fluid distribution and ingredient packaging, the PicoBrew team managed to reduce the cost and complexity of the original processes used in Zymatic, and designed it into a compact package.

The Pico allows someone with no brewing experience to easily brew five (5) liters of fresh, top-quality craft beer in the comfort of their own kitchen.

The PicoPaks that are used in the Pico contain pre-packaged ingredients made available from brewers and breweries around the world. PicoPaks ensure that new brewers achieve great brewing results right from the start.

Customers can customize and personalize their batches by adjusting bitterness and alcohol levels.

Brewing on Pico is similar to using your Keurig to make a cup of coffee. Users fill a keg with water, load the hop and grain modules into the machine and hit the “Brew” button. After brewing, the beer is fermented by adding yeast from the PicoPak, and then transferred to 5-liter serving kegs and carbonated. Some PicoPaks even come with a dry-hopping step which includes a hops package for more flavor and aroma.

The company provided automatic steam-cleaning and compostable pulp packaging for grains and hops to make clean-up easy.

“Although the craft beer market is expanding at a record pace, small craft breweries face increasing challenges getting distribution for their beers. At the same time, craft beer lovers around the world are eager to discover and experience unique fresh craft brews,” said Dr. Bill Mitchell, CEO of PicoBrew. “We’re excited to help both craft breweries squeezed by this increasing beer market consolidation, and craft beer lovers who can’t get the beer selection and quality they crave.”.

PicoBrew has also opened up a BrewMarketplace,like  a giant “AppStore for beer” where brewers can publish their beers and receive royalties on every sale. Customers explore and purchase beer based on in-depth knowledge about the beer and brewer, community ratings, trends and peer feedback.

“Our hope is that with the Pico acting as essentially a ‘3D printer for beer’, and the BrewMarketplace connecting craft brewers and customers, we can fundamentally improve the quality of beer consumed by the world today,” added Mitchell.

The Pico is currently on Kickstarter raising production funds. If you’re interested, you can pre-order one for $499. Once Spring comes, the Pico will retail for $1,000.