MiniBrew Smart Beer Machine? Anyone has experience with it?

Omega · Sep 20, 2023

I am still toying with the idea of buying MiniBrew CRAFT GEN 3 - I like how small it is, but does it make good beer and ale? I tried Pinter before, the results were great when it worked, but it was messy when it did not not (though the experience led me into brewing)
Since I struggle giving away my ales and wine, I feel making only 10 pints at a time, easy cleaning and relatively low involvement will work for me.
However, how well does it brew? Anyone experienced it? I don't want to pay for the app and wonder if I can brew my own recipes without using the app, but still automating the process
Thanks

borischarlton · Sep 20, 2023

Hi,

There is quite an active FB group. loads of info there. You may like to speak with James on our team, he has brewed a few beers on one.

Omega · Sep 20, 2023

borischarlton said:
Hi,

There is quite an active FB group. loads of info there. You may like to speak with James on our team, he has brewed a few beers on one.

I approached FB group, they didn’t approve me yet…

LeeH · Sep 20, 2023

Hope they don’t go bust like others. .

Omega · Sep 20, 2023

LeeH said:
Hope they don’t go bust like others. .

Maybe - they seem not to sell many items. However, they are going this way for several years, so maybe they adapted

Hatsiebatsie · Jan 19, 2024

Omega said:
Maybe - they seem not to sell many items. However, they are going this way for several years, so maybe they adapted

They don't deliver the minibrew, waiting for my order since August 2022.

MashBag · Jan 19, 2024

LeeH said:
Hope they don’t go bust like others. .

That would be my concern

Omega · Feb 8, 2024

Hatsiebatsie said:
They don't deliver the minibrew, waiting for my order since August 2022.

They recently sent me email with a discount code saying the shipment for Gen 3 will start from March 2024.
However, unable to fulfil the orders for more than 1 year... I will give them a miss

ianh. · Aug 28, 2024

Omega said:
They recently sent me email with a discount code saying the shipment for Gen 3 will start from March 2024.
However, unable to fulfil the orders for more than 1 year... I will give them a miss

I finally received mine after a 2 year wait and it can clean itself no problem. The app makes it seem so easy, but it just doesn't work. Two packs wasted and a whole load of time wasted too. The support folk are very nice, but it's busted IMO. Going back to Pinter that produced some of the best homebrew I've ever had. Great shame as Minibrew seemed so perfect.
@Omega

Chippy_Tea · Aug 28, 2024

ianh. said:
Going back to Pinter that produced some of the best homebrew I've ever had. Great shame as Minibrew seemed so perfect.

Have you ever made your own?

ianh. · Aug 28, 2024

Omega said:
I am still toying with the idea of buying MiniBrew CRAFT GEN 3 - I like how small it is, but does it make good beer and ale? I tried Pinter before, the results were great when it worked, but it was messy when it did not not (though the experience led me into brewing)
Since I struggle giving away my ales and wine, I feel making only 10 pints at a time, easy cleaning and relatively low involvement will work for me.
However, how well does it brew? Anyone experienced it? I don't want to pay for the app and wonder if I can brew my own recipes without using the app, but still automating the process
Thanks
View attachment 90067

I ordered mine a very long time ago and it did eventually turn up recently (much more than a year wait). I also ordered more smart kegs and brew packs, at the same time, which turned up very quickly, which was highly annoying! First two brews have failed, from which I learnt two things 1) it needs a really solid Wi-Fi internet connection, garage/shed//basement brewers be warned. 2) I used my phone to run the app initially and the phone tries to save power (as I want it to) but during the two fails it seemed to be a lost connection issue when the phone's screen had blanked. Both failures were well into the mash phase, so I've had to bin some really nice looking wort. I've switched to a tablet and am currently 80% into the mash, which is further than I've made it so far. The final irritation (noted elsewhere) is the lack of hop bags in the kit. It claims to be for novices, but does anyone who's not into homebrewing have 6 small muslin/nylon bags just 'handy'? For the price it seems mad not to have included them.

LeeH · Aug 28, 2024

Sounds an insane concept to me when you can make great beer with a pot and a bag in a stove.

Leon103 · Aug 28, 2024

LeeH said:
Sounds an insane concept to me when you can make great beer with a pot and a bag in a stove.

Exactly. I just wouldn't bother making beer if I had to buy one of these. You can buy a lot of quality beer with 1000e

brewsby · Aug 28, 2024

These machines aren't attractive to the budget minded or experienced brewing hobbyists*. They're for people who highly value convenience or those who have spare cash and urge to make beer but either don't want to spend the time to learn the processes and make the mistakes or are nervous about doing so. I recall seeing a YT video by someone using a minibrew and it illustrated a chunk of the target market quite well -- completely clueless about brewing but enthusiastic about the idea of it and money to play with. They had a "brewshed" that looked like it had been professionally decorated and, IIRC, happily dropped £10-15 on liquid yeast to ferment a 5L batch.

The issue I have with most of these things isn't the concept (convenient small batch kitchen-top brewery) or up-front price (although rich for my blood), it's that they all come tied to subscriptions and/or proprietary consumables. If an open solution to sidestepping the app is created at some point then these units could become something interesting to play with if they hit the used market. That said it sounds like sales are so low you'd rarely see them.

*The exception being people who also have large and even more expensive brewery setups and use these kinds of things for experimental small batches.

ianh. · Aug 28, 2024

Chippy_Tea said:
Have you ever made your own?

Apologies Chippy, only just seen this. Sort of, did some homebrew wine from scratch years ago, then spotted the Pinter recently, which I used while the Minibrew was 'delayed'. So impressed with the Pinter output was really pleased when the Minibrew finally turned up. I was hoping to achieve 'all grain' brewing without turning the garage into a micro-brewery. I really appreciate all the comments from you guys, thank you.

MashBag · Aug 28, 2024

I know I like to have my machine make it, while I am not there, but I too agree

MashBag · Aug 28, 2024

ianh. said:
I was hoping to achieve 'all grain' brewing without turning the garage into a micro-brewery.

You can

Tanglefoot · Aug 28, 2024

Call me a luddite but I avoid anything controlled by an app.

LeeH · Aug 31, 2024

Tanglefoot said:
Call me a luddite but I avoid anything controlled by an app.

Luddite

MashBag · Aug 31, 2024

Welcome fellow luddite

MiniBrew Smart Beer Machine? Anyone has experience with it?

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