Technology has done wonderful things for brewed beverages: the best coffee makers produce cups that for me at least border on a religious experience. But so far I haven't seen quite the same advances for another kind of brewing: beer. That's changing with smart brewing devices such as the iGuli F1, a fully automated countertop home brewer that's flexible enough to handle kombucha as well as craft beer.
The iGulu can produce beer, cider, kombucha and even wine, with stout coming soon, and it can keep your newly brewed beer fresh for up to 30 days. It's all controlled via an app, which can tell you how well your brew is doing and when it'll be party time.
This isn't the first smart beer maker – the PicoBrew beat it to market by a few years, but the firm went bust partly because because they tried to make too many products and partly because their machines were too complex for the average home buyer. iGulu is much simpler to use and the firm seems much more focused.
How does a smart beer brewer work?
The iGulu F1 delivers a simplified brewing process that's as close to one-button control as you can get. It controls the temperature of your liquid's fermentation, and it has an automatic pressure management system to ensure that correct pressure is maintained at all times, letting some of the air out via its automated pressure management system. If like me your parents had a go at home brewing in the 80s you'll probably remember the sound and smell of exploding demijohns; this is designed to ensure that never happens.
The iGulu F1 is compatible with existing three to five-litre beer kegs such as Heineken's, and it's designed to be easy to clean as well as easy to use. You simply buy the brew kit for the drink you want to make, scan it or select it in the app, and the machine does all the rest. Current kits include pale ale, amber lager and Bavarian wheat beer; the kombucha ones must be coming soon as I don't currently see them in the online shop.
The iGulu F1 is on sale now for £555 / $699 and brew kits start at $17.99, which is roughly £15.
