FAQs

After cleaning all residue from your BeerDroid, Tap and Drain Plug, allow all parts to air dry then place the tap and drain plug inside the unit and fit the lid. This allows the unit to breathe and not become stale. Don’t forget to sanitise before the next use.

Twist and pull apart the tap, clean all residue from the inside of the tap and allow to air dry. Don’t forget to sanitise before next use.

Using your mobile phone near the BeerDroid check that you have a WiFi signal of at least one bar displaying on your mobile phone screen.

The BeerDroid cannot be configured to a new WiFi network whilst it is brewing. Don’t worry though, the BeerDroid will complete your current brew without WiFi. Once the brew has completed, you can configure your BeerDroid to you new WiFi network in one of two ways:

a) Use the WPS method if your new WiFi modem supports it. This is the easiest way because your BeerDroid is already linked/registered to your BrewArt Account, see Appendix A – Option 2 of the Operating Manual, or
b) Use the BrewArt App and navigate to ‘My BeerDroid’, select your BeerDroid and select ‘Reconfigure this BeerDroid’ and then follow the instructions.

Check that the liquid inside the unit is at the 10L mark. If it is not check for leaks (Never operate the unit with less than 10L of liquid). If the liquid level is correct, reset the error at the control panel by pressing the ‘tick’ to continue. If the error occurs again contact Technical Support for further instructions.

Yes. Simply lubricate the outer barrel of the tap with clean water before inserting into the BeerDroid.

To assist with draining the BeerDroid more thoroughly, it’s okay to tilt the BeerDroid slightly by wedging something underneath at the back, such as a tea-towel. Make sure to take the wedge out before refilling the BeerDroid.

When using the BeerDroid, try to minimise splashing onto the outer surface. The odd drop may be wiped off with a clean cloth.

This is normal and most likely to occur when the BeerDroid is in Storage mode in humid climates. You can simply wipe it dry with a soft cloth or paper towel, however this is not necessary.

This is perfectly normal once the keg filling tube or bottling valve have been connected a few times.

The brightness of the window light is constant, the effectiveness of the light depends on the colour of the brew; darker brews absorb more light so less light reflects out of the window reducing visibility.

This is perfectly normal.  The BeerDroid displays the temperature rounded to the nearest whole number and it is not until the temperature drifts by more than 1 degree Celsius that temperature control will activate. For example, if the brew temperature is 18.5C the BeerDroid will round it up to 19C for display.

Never use an abrasive or chemical cleaning agent. Fill your BeerDroid with warm water and let it soak overnight, the residue will soften and it should then be easy to remove with a soft damp cloth.

Make sure to insert the lid seal so that the ridged section of the seal is inserted into the slot, and the raised part of the seal is towards the centre of the lid. The lid seal tends to stretch as it is inserted; it is best to insert each end first and then work the seal back.

The BrewArt technical team are constantly looking for ways to improve your brewing experience. Upgrading your firmware when updates become available ensures your BeerDroid will be functioning at its best, taking advantage of any new features/fixes.

If you don’t plan to brew using BrewPrints or BrewArt Ingredients straight away, store the yeast in the fridge to keep fresh and all other ingredients in a dark dry place e.g. a cupboard/pantry.

Yes. After filling your BeerDroid to the 10L indicator you should first add the yeast directly to the water, then add other dry ingredients, this allows the yeast to rehydrate before working on available sugars. Hops and Primer are not added until brewing is complete. Do not stir or mix the ingredients.

Yes. Each BrewPrint contains the exact amount of ingredients required to make that particular brew.  Add all of the yeast (added first) then Elements and Enhancers to water in your BeerDroid as per instructions in the 101 video “BeerDroid: Making a BrewPrint”. Hops and Primer are not added until brewing is complete. Do not stir or mix the ingredients.

Some BrewPrints require a more delicate hop aroma than what can be achieved with a Hop sachet for each keg, so we recommend using just one for a full 10L brew. If your BrewPrint requires only 1 Hop sachet, this will be detailed in “Inside the Box”. To make the Hop addition you will need to infuse the single Hop sachet directly into the BeerDroid, following notification that fermentation is complete (as you would if bottling). Please watch BeerDroid: Bottling in the How-To-Videos.

Although not ideal, you can gently fold the yeast into the water, using a properly sanitised spoon.

If you have just started an incorrect program you can immediately end program and start the correct program, providing you stop the brew whilst in the PROPAGATE zone.

No. Every time you open the lid of your BeerDroid you increase the risk of spoilage. If you want to see what your brew is doing you can turn on the light.

Normally fermentation activity will start within a few days of starting your brew program. If you are using the BrewArt App, you will be notified if the BeerDroid has not detected any fermentation activity by the fourth day. Causes could be: (1) Yeast was not added to the brew, (2) Poor yeast viability (health) due to exposure to extreme temperatures, (3) Yeast added to hot water in the BeerDroid, or (4) Yeast has expired.  Contact brewing support for assistance with diagnosis.

In most cases you do no need to do anything, when the power is restored the BeerDroid will pick up where it left off.  Power failures of less than 24 hours will usually have little impact as your BeerDroid is well insulated.  If your brew’s temperature has drifted by a significant amount for an extended period then your brew’s flavour may not be at its best. Simply perform a smell/taste test as recommended before kegging/bottling and decide whether to keg/bottle it. 

(1) Your BeerDroid may have trouble connecting to the BrewArt server if you WiFi signal is weak or near interference. Ensure that you have good signal strength and located away from interference sources such as microwave ovens and cordless telephones.  (2) There may be an issue with your internet connection, check that your other devices can connect to the internet over your home WiFi.  (3) There may be a temporary issue with the BrewArt server.

Check that the liquid inside the unit is at the 10L mark. If it is not, check for leaks (never operate the unit with less than 10L of liquid). If the liquid level is correct, reset the error at the control panel by pressing the ‘tick’ to continue. If the error occurs again contact customer support for further instructions.

Ensure the BeerDroid program is not in STORE zone. Measure and record the Specific Gravity (SG) of the brew then repeat the measurement 24 hours later. If the measurement is the same then the brew is no longer fermenting and the brew is at EOF.

SG is the relative density of your brew compared to that of water. You measure SG by floating a hydrometer in a sample of your brew. Do not put the sample back in your BeerDroid.

Not normally. The BeerDroid has sophisticated algorithms for determining when your brew has finished fermenting and will normally detect this without the need for you to measure SG.

If you are not kegging straight away then yes. You can rinse the tap and spout by squirting clean water into it using a syringe.

This can happen with plastics and is of no real concern. However, before next use, make sure to give the BeerDroid a good clean and sanitise.

A strongly foaming brew, although messy, is a good sign of a robust and healthy fermentation. If the foam has escaped it is a good idea to clean the side of the BeerDroid with a soft damp cloth. Once you have kegged or bottled your brew, take extra care in cleaning the lid as some of the foam may be trapped under the seal. Remove the seal and thoroughly clean both the seal and slot before storing.

Although we advise not to remove the lid until BREWING COMPLETE, you can make additions at any stage during the brew. Be aware that this action increases the risk of spoilage. Additions such as hops or infusions may be made once the BeerDroid is in KEG or STORE mode.

This means that the BeerDroid is performing a Fermentation Test. During this time we do not display the temperature but rest assured that the temperature is within acceptable limits of the target temperature. The duration of a Fermentation Test can typically take between 1-3 hours and generally occurs once every 24 hours while the BeerDroid is in the Ferment Zone.

Two dashes ‘- -‘ indicates the temperature of your brew is more than 34 degrees Celsius (or 93 degrees Fahrenheit) outside the operating temperature of the BeerDroid. If you get a ‘- -‘ message, your brew will be compromised so it is best to dispose of it, being extremely careful as the contents will be hot.

If you have purchased a BrewPrint from a retailer or been given one as a gift, you will need to add it to your shelf before you can start its program. Instructions on how to do this can be found in the ‘BeerDroid: Starting a Brew with the App’ video.

Yes, each BrewPrint program displays as ‘CUSTOM’ when started from the App. If you wish to start a BrewPrint from the BeerDroid panel please refer to the recommended program displayed within Beer Characteristics (this can be found on that BrewPrint’s page within the online store).

When brewing a Lager (or beer at 16°C or lower) the BeerDroid will detect when fermentation is slowing down and will automatically raise the temperature over a 3 day period to 18°C. This ensures the yeast remains active until the end of fermentation and improves the beer quality and flavour.

After drawing a sample from the tap to either test the specific gravity or to taste your brew (and you are not immediately going to keg/bottle your brew), it is good practice to squirt clean water up into the tap nozzle to rinse away the brew residue. There is no need to sanitise.

This is the optimum temperature for secondary fermentation/conditioning.  This means that the secondary fermentation process will get underway sooner and reduce the risk of spoilage by exposure to oxygen. (Note that the oxygen in the keg/bottle is consumed by the secondary fermentation process).  We have also found that this temperature results in minimal foaming of the brew when kegging/bottling.

Storage temperature reduces the activity of spoilage mechanisms and keeps your brew fresh, it’s just like putting food in your refrigerator.

Leaving your brew in storage mode for up to six weeks will not have any detrimental effect, providing the lid is not removed at all.

The bag should be screwed in firmly to the cap, taking care that the bag does not cross thread in the cap.

The collar should be screwed down firmly, taking care not to cross thread the collar.

Yes, you can add Primer and Hops to the keg after filling. After adding the Primer and Hops, tighten the Keg Cap then slowly invert the keg a couple of times to mix through the liquid.

When you bottle or keg your beer it contains very little carbonation. The residual yeast in the beer acts on the primer to naturally condition (carbonate) your beer in the bottle or keg. This is also called secondary fermentation. This process consumes any oxygen in the bottle or keg so that your beer will last longer. The conditioning process takes between 2-4 weeks depending on ambient temperature.

When your brew is stored at 18C, secondary fermentation takes approximately two weeks.

After filling your BeerDroid with 10L of water and ingredients, the total volume is actually higher than 10L. This means when you are kegging, the liquid may not make it down to the triangle marker, which indicates 5L. This is normal and you will have a small amount of liquid left in the BeerDroid after filling both kegs.

This could be because the keg has been overfilled or there is a pressure lock in the system. With the tap off, slightly loosen the connector from the tap spout to allow air into the system. The beer should then drain from the tube into the keg. If this does not work then it means that your keg is overfilled, with the tube removed from the tap, drain the excess into a bucket or other vessel.

This is normal and is nothing to worry about. The curvature of the kegging tube magnifies this and makes it look bigger than it really is. Any yeast will settle at the bottom of the keg and will not have any effect on the quality of your brew.

We fill our kegs at the brewery upside down so it just seemed natural to us. We do this to minimise foaming and ensure consistent and faster filling of the Keg Liner.

We provide you with an extra set of Keg Liners and Beer Lines so that you can keg two brews using the Complete Kegging Pack. After using these you can purchase further Keg Liners and Beer Lines for future brews from the Supplies section of the online store.

Before you keg or bottle it is important that you sample your brew.
Discard the brew if it smells/tastes bad for example, like vinegar, sour milk, medicinal, almond essence, meaty, mouldy, vomit.
It’s okay to proceed with kegging/bottling your brew if it smells/tastes like; apples, cider, butterscotch, eggy, nail varnish (high alcohol brew), fruity, bitter, clove or peppery (due to the specific yeast strain used).
If you are still unsure, please call Brewing Support for further guidance.

You may wish to bottle from the BeerDroid if you do not have a BrewFlo. To get started with bottling it is best to use the Complete PET Bottling Pack.  Although beer from your BeerDroid is best enjoyed through the BrewFlo, the world’s first temperature controlled beer dispenser, which doesn’t require CO2. BrewFlo delivers great tasting, fully carbonated beer with a rich frothy head, every pour. Click here to discover the BrewFlo.

Yes. With the tap nozzle inserted into the bottle at a gentle angle, fill the bottles slowly, using the tap to control the flow.

Before you keg or bottle it is important that you sample your brew.
Discard the brew if it smells/tastes bad, for example, like vinegar, sour milk, medicinal, almond essence, meaty, mouldy, vomit.
It’s okay to proceed with kegging/bottling your brew if it smells/tastes like; apples, cider, butterscotch, eggy, nail varnish (high alcohol brew), fruity, bitter, clove or peppery (due to the specific yeast strain used).
If you are still unsure, please call Brewing Support for further guidance.

If the bottles and kegs have been properly conditioned and are sealed correctly, they should last for at least 1 year when stored at room temperature.

If the seal has not been compromised during use and it is stored at room temperature, there is no reason why it would not last as long as an unused keg.

The Keg Liner may have reinflated slightly while still in the BrewFlo. To avoid this, make sure to drain the bag completely of beer before disconnecting the keg.  Remove the air line but leave the right angled air connector in the keg air valve to allow air pressure to escape from around the bag. To avoid an increase in pressure, undo the keg collar and remove the bag before removing the cap assembly. If you have already removed the cap assembly, remove the bag with a slight twisting action.

Only wash out the Keg when beer or other contaminants have entered it.  Make sure the inside of the keg is completely dry before inserting a new bag.

No, the air path never makes contact with your beer so this is not necessary under normal conditions. If your keg leaks and beer enters the air valve then cleaning to remove any residue is advised.

You can depressurise the Keg with the BrewArt Multitool by fitting the end with the internal barb over the Air Valve pushing down. If you do not have a BrewArt Multitool you can depress the poppet in the valve with a screwdriver.

Check is the Air Line is pushed all the way into the bulkhead pushfitting in the BrewFlo. The Air Line should push in about 15mm for it to seal properly.

The Air Line needs to be pushed in about 15 mm for it to seal properly.

The Beer Valve and FloCon are cleaned by using a Clean In Place process (CIP) that cleans all internals of the valves and FloCon which reduces the requirement to disassemble and reassemble.

How you wash your glasses could affect your brew. For detailed information on washing of glassware watch ‘The Perfect Pour’ how-to video.

Yes, chilling your glasses to the same temperature as the beer in the BrewFlo will result in the best pour. A glass at room temperature will increase the beer temperature typically by 7C.

Typically, a standard 285ml beer glass should take about 20 seconds, about 30 seconds for 425ml and 40 seconds for a 560ml. You can adjust the speed of the pour by turning the FloCon up or down.

The first glass will be heady as this is the foam trapped at the top of the keg. If this continues check the beer line for obstructions and proper insertion into the valve. If all seems ok, you can reduce the head on your beer by adjusting your FloCon down to slow the speed of pour.

If you reduce the pressure and poured a couple pints for the pressure to release, you need to wait for the CO2 to diffuse from your beer. This can take up to 48 hours. In the meantime you can use the FloCon to slow the flow of your pour until it’s pouring properly.

Once the pressure is turned down, you need to pour a couple of pints for it to take effect.

Hold the glass 7 to 10 cm/3 to 4 inches below the tap, then pull the font fully forward for 2 or 3 quick short shots.

The Beer Line can be reused from keg to keg within a seven-day period if it is kept cool or for four days if it is not kept cool. After that we recommend using a new beer line. If the beer develops an unusual taste or smell then replace the beer line.

This is because a small amount of beer in the tip of the Beer Line has spoiled.  If this is the case, make a point of pouring about 100ml of beer away to flush this out, before filling the first glass.

If you notice that the keg gauge display is not showing the correct levels, it may be necessary to reset the load monitor. Watch the ‘Resetting the Keg Scale’ how-to video for instructions on how to reset the scale.

A keg at room temperature will take between 12 to 18 hours to chill in the BrewFlo.

Yes, you can use a pre-chilled keg in your BrewFlo if you want to dispense and enjoy your beer immediately.

If you are having difficulty pushing the FloCon on to the Beer Valve, twist the FloCon anticlockwise to the +. This will make it easier to engage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can use your App in any corner of the globe provided you have internet access either via your carrier or are connected to an internet WiFi service. However, you must be on the same WiFi network as your BeerDroid during its configuration for Wi-Fi operation.

This is a security precaution to stop others linking your BeerDroid to their BrewArt Account. By requiring this we know you have physical possession of your BeerDroid.

Using WPS or Manual WiFi configuration simply gets your BeerDroid onto your home WiFi network. You now need to link the BeerDroid to your BrewArt Account via brewart.com/register or Link BeerDroid to Your Account button on the BrewArt App. Note that using the BrewArt App to configure the BeerDroid also links it to your BrewArt Account.

On the BrewArt App go to the My BeerDroid page, select the BeerDroid and then press Reconfigure This BeerDroid.

No. Even though you can edit the Serial Number you must enter it exactly as it appears on the back of the BeerDroid unit.

The BrewArt App displays the temperature to one decimal point whereas the BeerDroid rounds it to the nearest whole degree. For example, if your brew is at 18.5C the BrewArt App will display 18.5C where as on the BeerDroid it will display as 19C.

We have tried to pick the best compromise between update rate and data usage. In most cases all major status changes such as zone changes will be picked up in less than a minute but temperature updates may lag by up to five minutes.

This means that the BeerDroid is performing a Fermentation Test and the temperature display has been temporarily suspended during this period.

The BeerDroid will generally take approximately 4 hours to transition from Storage to Kegging temperature.

From the Brew Status page, move your brew to Storage.

In most cases you should not do this. This feature is for advanced brewers.

Simply go to your shelf, press the Kegs Tab, select a Keg and then swipe up/down over the Due timer to adjust the secondary fermentation time in days.

Your BeerDroid is functioning normally. The compressor is very powerful so at low temperatures the control algorithm edges towards the target temperature in small bursts to prevent your brew from icing up around the inner wall. The precise characteristics of these bursts are determined by a number of environmental factors and so they can vary.

Yes, simply swipe left/right to move between brews on the Brew Status page.

Yes, do this via the My BeerDroid page, select the BeerDroid you want to rename and edit its name.

The purpose of putting Kegs on your shelf is to manage the secondary fermentation time for you. The secondary fermentation time is the same whether you have bottled or kegged your brew.

Simply go to your shelf, press the Kegs Tab, press edit at the top right of the screen and then touch each Keg you want to delete. You will be prompted for confirmation. Press Done at the top right of the screen when you’re finished.

Once your BrewPrints have been delivered you can move them from ‘On Order’ to ‘In Stock’ by clicking the BrewPrint image and selecting the ‘Move To In Stock’ option.  Alternatively you can also click ‘Start Brew’ and this will get the BeerDroid ready to brew that BrewPrint.

Yes, do this through your Brew Journal, find the brew in the timeline and touch the notes icon at the bottom left of the brew.

No, all data between the BrewArt App/Server and Server/BeerDroid is encrypted.

You must allow the BrewArt App to send you notifications – you can do this via your device settings.

The BrewArt technical team are constantly looking for ways to improve your brewing experience. Upgrading your BrewArt App when updates become available ensures you’re taking advantage of any new features/fixes on the App platform.

Your question may already be answered on the Delivery & Orders page. If not please contact Online Store Support at store@brewart.com or phone 1300 853 152.