Why Electric Brewing?
Electric brewing has come along way from the days of using bucket heaters or repurposed electric water heater elements drilled into the sides of old kegs.
Over the past six years, innovation in the homebrewing market has exploded. What was once the domain of the tinkerer and amateur electrician has blossomed into a whole subset of brewing technology that begets quality beer at a fraction of the expertise previously required.
At the time of our launch, the highest technology and most user-friendly device available is the Grainfather - Connect System. Not only is it electric, but it has a built-in pump that allows for RIMS brewing (Recirculating Infusion Mash) that keeps a consistent temperature during the mashing process while recirculating the water. It is the most compact unit available and has an integrated chilling system. It is one neat piece of kit.
When I started brewing, the pinnacle of the brewing kit was the high-powered propane burner on a three-tier system. These burners allowed for fast, vigorous boils and the ability to get out of the kitchen. However, they required propane bottles and yet, still demand a deft touch to hit
temperature numbers and prevent boilovers.
As time progresses, so does technology. A Craigslist search will result in a myriad of discarded starter kits, rusty banjo burners, and poorly welded brew 'sculptures' of past hobbyists. Many of these products are still capable of brewing perfectly tasty beer; provided, you understand their idiosyncrasies, have the muscle to move them, and space to store them. You can start brewing with any of these economical equipment. I did. However, it is a bit like wanting a supercar but starting with a rusty VW.
All our brewers need is a grounded outlet, and they are off to the races. We have our craft beer recipes pre-loaded in the cloud. Our brewers only need to download the free smartphone app to access the recipe. Everything loads automatically once connected to the Bluetooth controller on the brewing system. These systems are not inexpensive, but they are exceedingly easy in their operation. As such, we rent them rather than sell them, keeping the rental rates low, so each batch you brew is well less than you would spend, even cobbling together all the requisite gear off Marketplace or Craigslist.
As is often the case, a picture tells the story better. How would you prefer to brew?