brewbot: a smartphone controlled brewing system by cargo

brewbot: a smartphone controlled brewing system by cargo
all images courtesy cargo

cargo, a multidisciplinary team of designers and developers based in belfast, northern ireland have created a smart brewing appliance that can be controlled and monitored with a smartphone. entitled ‘brewbot’, the automated system frees up brewers to focus on their recipes, guiding the process from beginning to end. beer craftsmen can add and tweak their unique concoctions through an integrated application via iPhone, connecting through bluetooth and controlled through arduino.

‘the whole process is pretty simple,’ comments cargo. ‘buy your ingredients from a local brew-shop or online, setup your recipe in the app and connect your iPhone to brewbot. all you have to do is choose a recipe to begin brewing, tap ‘start brew’, and the unit automatically adds the exact amount of water to be heated. once heated the valve in the container releases and the water runs into the mashtun, where the grain lies,’ they add.

brewbot: the smart brewing appliance

the system uses temperature sensors, load sensors, and flow meters to ensure users understand what is happening from start to finish. these sensors assist with the automation. the ‘brewbot’ communicates with iPhones via bluetooth, supplying all the required feedback needed – from adding the grain on brew day, to how long you have to wait for the brew to ferment. in terms of production numbers, the appliance can brew up to 20 litres (or just over 5 gallons) of beer per batch.