Beerdroid - Product review

In this article I have reviewed the Coopers Beerdroid home brewing system. The system was released in Australia in July 2016 and is sold exclusively through the Brewart website as well as Harvey Norman department stores. A Kickstarter campaign has just commenced for sale in the US and there are rumours that an expansion into the UK may also be on the cards. The Beerdroid is marketed as the world’s first fully automated brewing system and while there are products on the market with similarities we will have a look at its key features. An accompanying product called the Brewflow is also available which chills and dispenses beer from the specialised Brewart kegs however this article does not review that system.

SPECS:
Capacity: 10L (2.6 gal)
Weight: 14.4Kg (31.7lbs) empty
Dimensions: 520W x 480D x 500H (mm) or 20.5”W x 18.9”D x 19.7”H (inch)
Voltage: 220-240V AC
Cooling Power: 120W
Heating Power: 43W

FEATURES:

Solid moulded plastic design - The benefit here is twofold: Firstly for the interior it ensures a consistently smooth surface without joins which means there are less nooks and corners for bacteria to hide and as any brewer will tell you bacteria can sabotage a brew. Secondly for the outside it means it's an easily manageable all-in-one unit with no disconnecting pieces. This design ensures clean-up is an absolute breeze.

Easy lock lid with rubber seal - The design ensures no crossed thread when screwing on while remaining a strong seal and can be opened with one hand. The handle on top should not be used to lift the unit however.

Viewing window – A simple design inclusion that is great for satisfying the curious brewer. The press of a button illuminates the inside of the beerdroid allowing you to see your brew in action. This removes the need to open the lid which could introduce a host of contaminants.

Wi-Fi integration – This feature really brings home brewing into the 21st century with a simple setup allowing you to sync up your smart phone and your beerdroid via wi-fi. This allows the droid to send you notifications as your brew progresses and also allows you to check on it at any point.

LCD display – An impressive multi-functional display on the front of the droid allows you to perform a variety of functions such as starting off a brew or checking the temperature.

Temperature control – This is undoubtedly the greatest feature of the Beerdroid and while it may not sound the most exciting it is perhaps your greatest aid in producing a great beer. Whether you have selected Ale, Lager or created your own custom temperature profile the droid continually monitors the internal temperature and will heat or cool to ensure that the ideal temperature is maintained.

PROS:
Ease of control – There is nothing complex about the operation of the droid and little to no previous brewing experience is required. Both the mobile app and website also feature slick and user friendly designs meaning your never more than a click away from what you’re after.

Brewprints and customisation - With approximately 40 Brewprints ready to go it is easy to order a pack for the style you are after and be confident in the end product. The option to purchase individual ingredients also gives you the freedom to experiment and customise your brew to your preferred taste.

Community - Despite still being relatively new, a strong community of Beerdroid owners has already emerged on social media and forums. While this doesn't directly relate to the product it does improve the enjoyment having others to share your experiences with and bounce ideas off.

Customer service - The customer service department cannot be faulted. Far from simply replying to faults and complaints, these guys take on board enhancement ideas, work with users to create new brewprints and genuinely want people to enjoy their product.

CONS:
Up front cost - $799 (accurate at time of posting) is a significant investment to make, especially if you are new to homebrewing and are unsure if it's something you will pursue in the long term. This cost does not include any brewprints or ingredients and is only for the unit.

Ingredients - Whilst the grouping and naming of ingredient packs (e.g. H1, E3, X5 etc.) simplifies things for the new brewer it does tie you to the system somewhat as you have no idea which hops, yeast and malts are used and makes it near impossible to duplicate with other (cheaper) ingredients.

Drum capacity - This is quite minor and is no doubt restricted by how much liquid the system can heat and cool effectively but it may feel like a low capacity for homebrewers who are used to the 20 litre brewing drums. It does mean that you get less product from the efforts you put in with cleaning, setup, waiting and bottling/kegging.

CONCLUSION
Despite a significant price tag the Beerdroid has all the features to help you produce a great quality beer. An experienced brewer will likely feel restricted by the ingredient range and would undoubtedly prefer to perform the full process including the boil. Any beginner or intermediate brewer will love this unit as it removes variables whilst still allowing you some control over the final product.
If you are looking to produce beer at the lowest possible price then this also may not be the ideal option for you however it is still significantly cheaper than buying beer as 10 litres (a slab and a half) will set you back somewhere around $34 depending on what you are brewing.
In my opinion the Beerdroid gets a thumbs up with the greatest reason being that Coopers have been able to balance features that support quality while also allowing a reasonable level of freedom in your brewing options.

*image is the property of Brewart