For those of you who attended the conference, was there any new equipment being shown off that’s worth discussing?
I really like the SS Brew Bucket
And the Clear Draught is a cool concept if you travel to parties or events with a keg.
http://www.clearbeerdraughtsystem.com/home.html
The rest was cool, but these caught my eye
I thought the Clear Draught system was the best new invention that I saw.
Seemed to me there was a whole lot of automation products. Voice alerts telling you when to do/add something from a tablet. Wireless monitoring products. I would say nothing that the homebrew community didn’t already have, just better packaged - more finished.
Clear Draught was probably the only new idea. Basically a stainless bobber holding a flexible tube. Beer is drawn from the top level of beer instead of from the bottom as with a dip tube.
There was a small 1 gallon counter top draft system, called SYNEK, that used like 1 gallon mylar bags to keep the beer in. They are starting a Kickstarter in the next couple days.
Another new item was a smaller Brewhemoth that was unveiled. It was basically the same as the normal one except more in the 14 gallon range.
The SS Brew Tech stuff has been around for quite some time (though I admit I like their small conical).
The Clear Draught System has been around for awhile as well.
National Chemicals had a new cleaner that came in tabs and was meant to be dropped into a 1/2 to 1 gallon growler and left to sit to clean it. I got a sample but have not tried it out.
Not really new but I never saw it before O’Connors Homebrew Supply has a large pitch of a ‘West Michigan Ale Yeast’. I picked up a vial to give it a whirl.
There were these ‘TurboPots’ that had finned bottoms and were suppose more efficiently use the heat from your burner and heat quicker. Looked pretty interesting. http://www.turbopot.com/
The product I will try first is Irish Stout Malt. I chewed on some at the BSG booth, and I was impressed by the intense ‘malty’ flavors for a base malt. A SMaSH is on the horizon.
MoreBeer was showing off BrewBucket with tri-clamp fittings. Threads were my main reason for passing right over this product in the past.
White Labs previewed their Pure Pitch packaging for homebrewers. They have been using it for commercial product for awhile. If you heard about it, the reduction in water, plastic, etc. is ridiculous. Amazing work.
Lots and Lots of $100 mousetraps.
That was great stuff. Also the Patagonia Perla Negra was great too. Since they were pouring Pliny and Hill Farmstead on a regular basis, I spent a lot of time there. They also gave my friend a $150 wine kit ( thankfully he drove so he didn’t need to check it at the airport).
BrewCraft is introducing 4 “Denny Conn Signature Series” brew kits in both partial mash and all grain. Other kits from “famous” homebrewers will follow.
I’m curious how the all grain kit would work. Everything in it but the base malt? Seems like it would be kind of bulky otherwise. I’m thinking shipping issues/costs.
No idea…I haven’t seen it yet. That’s just what they told me. I brewed the partial mash kits for them to serve at NHC, though, and they were remarkably close to the AG versions.
Not to hijack the thread, but what are the beer styles for your recipes?
The turbo pot does look interesting. Seems like one of those ideas that looks obvious after someone else comes up with it. :
I wonder if making each fin a “swirl” to the edge of the of the pot would be ever more efficient? Of course the manufacturing cost might out weigh the benefit.
Very cool!
Paul
I said “why wasn’t this done before for pots”. Finned heat exchangers are in wide use. Those fins looked like they were machined in with a CNC machine. Spiral might be only marginally more.
Blichmann always has a new gadget in their lineup at NHC. Not sure if the mashheater/hoprocket gadget is brand new but did get to hear the details on that one. The disposable beer bag (growler) system seemed interesting. I always enjoy walking around and seeing new and interesting inventions at the expo.
Rye IPA (surprised?), Noti Brown ale (Am. brown), BVIP, and Westcoastmalle tripel.
Do you happen to know if they will be sold in different sizes? It looks like they have several different size pouches on the website, but I’m not sure if that’s the commercial version or not.
Blichmann is offering 120V 20A boil coils for their smaller kettles. I am not crazy about the proprietary connector that they designed, but the ultra low watt density coil itself is a step up from a re-purposed heater element.
The other sizes are the commercial pitches. It’s going to be the same size culture just in a pouch instead of those horrible vials that explode all over you.
They had a prototype hoprocket/heater in Philly, so it is pretty new. Are they selling it yet?
I’m excited that Blichmann is finally getting their Thrumometer in 1/2" sizing! ;D
Other than that, I wish I wouldn’t have went by Sabco and looked at the new, improved Brew Magic. Dang it!