IP Library Granted Patent US 9,688,949
Granted Patent B2
US 9,688,949 · App. 14/485,655 · Granted Jun 27, 2017

Automated beer brewing system with vessel for brewing and fermenting

Inventors: William H. Mitchell (Medina, WA); James B. Mitchell (Seattle, WA); Avi R. Geiger (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: PicoBrew, Inc.
C12C11/006C12C1/02C12C7/06C12C7/205
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,688,949
App. No.
14/485,655
Granted
Jun 27, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A beer making system may use a detachable vessel to contain liquid during the mashing and boiling steps, and may also be used during the fermentation steps of beer making. The beer making system may recirculate liquid through the vessel, then select between several flow paths during the beer making process. A removable reservoir system having a grain reservoir and several hops or adjunct reservoirs may be selected as a flow path, as well as a bypass flow path. A programmable controller may cause liquid to recirculate through a heater and one of the various flow paths, the sequence, timing, and temperature profile of which are defined in a recipe for a particular beer.

Claims (29)

1. A brewing device comprising:

an input connection to a liquid sump;

an output connection to a liquid sump;

a heat source;

a first recirculating pump;

a first steeping reservoir;

a bypass flow path;

a reservoir selecting mechanism connected to said first steeping reservoir and having a programmable changing mechanism to switch liquid flow between said first steeping reservoir and said bypass flow path;

a piping system connecting said input connection, said first recirculating pump, said heat source, and said reservoir selecting mechanism, and said output connection to form a recirculating flow path;

a programmable controller having a processor, said programmable controller connected to said heat source, said first recirculating pump, and said reservoir selecting mechanism.

2. The brewing device of claim 1 , said programmable controller adapted to:

receive a brewing sequence;

execute a water heating sequence; and

execute a mashing sequence using the first steeping reservoir, said first steeping reservoir being a grain mashing reservoir.

3. The brewing device of claim 2 , said water heating sequence comprising recirculating water from said liquid sump, through said heat source, and through said bypass flow path.

4. The brewing device of claim 3 , said mashing sequence comprising recirculating water from said liquid sump through said grain mashing reservoir.

5. The brewing device of claim 1 , said programmable controller adapted to:

receive a brewing sequence;

execute a mashing sequence using said first steeping reservoir, said first steeping reservoir being a grain mashing reservoir; and

execute a boiling sequence using said bypass flow path.

6. The brewing device of claim 5 , said mashing sequence comprising recirculating water from said liquid sump through said grain mashing reservoir.

7. The brewing device of claim 6 further comprising:

a fermentation closure attachable to said liquid sump, said fermentation closure comprising an air lock.

8. The brewing device of claim 1 further comprising:

a second recirculating pump;

said piping system further connecting said second recirculating pump within said recirculating flow path.

9. The brewing device of claim 8 , said second recirculating pump connected to an outflow of said first steeping reservoir.

10. The brewing device of claim 1 , said heat source being a direct heat source.

11. The brewing device of claim 1 , said heat source being an indirect heat source comprising a heat exchanger.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2024
From: PB FUNDING GROUP, LLC
To: PBAG, LLC
Reel/Frame 069657/0922 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME FROM PB FUNDING, LLC TO PB FUNDING GROUP, LLC PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053568 FRAME 0982. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE PB FUNDING, LLC. Recorded Oct 7, 2020
From: PICOBREW, INC
To: PB FUNDING GROUP, LLC
Reel/Frame 054290/0782 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2020
From: PICOBREW, INC
To: PB FUNDING, LLC
Reel/Frame 053568/0982 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 6, 2014
From: MITCHELL, WILLIAM H.; MITCHELL, JAMES B.; GEIGER, AVI R.
To: PICOBREW, INC.
Reel/Frame 033892/0497 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 13323537 · Dec 12, 2011
Provisional Application 61449023 · Mar 3, 2011
Related Publication 20150000530A1 · Jan 1, 2015