PicoBrew Zymatic User manual

Zymatic® User Manual

Important Safety Information
!Read all instructions before operating the machine.
!Exercise common sense while operating the Zymatic.
!Always use the keg cozy to shield the hot metal of the keg.
!Close supervision is needed when used around children.
!Allow machine to fully cool before removing or replacing parts.
!Do not operate with a frayed or broken plug.
!Test the GFCI circuit breaker on the plug before every brew.
!Do not remove step filter from the Zymatic unless in pause mode or brewing is completed.
!The step filter and contents may be hot when removing from the machine.
!Do not immerse or soak the machine.
!Make sure all hoses are connected before starting a recipe, rinse or cleaning cycle.
!There are no user serviceable parts inside. To avoid risk of electric shock hazard do not disassemble the Zymatic.
!Various surfaces can get extremely hot during the brewing cycle, use caution when handling the keg, hoses and components.
!Do not remove the hose clamps, hot liquid spray may result.
!Do not remove the keg attachments while brewing.

A. Zymatic®
B. 1 6’ Power Cord
C. 1 USB Cable
D. 1 25’ Ethernet Cable
E. Diptube Cleaning Brush
F. 1 In Hose (gray ball lock)
G. 1 Out Hose (black ball lock)
H. 1 Party Tap
I. 1 Transfer Tube
Unpack the Zymatic®
J. 1 Step Filter Lid
K. 1 Adjunct Compartment
L. 4 Hop Cages and Lids
M. 1 Adjunct Screen
N. 1 Step Filter
O. 2 Mash Screens
P. 1 Foam Trap
Q. 2 Needle-less Syringes
R. 1 Package of PBW
S. 1 Dishwasher Tablet
T. 1 Bottle of Antifoam
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B
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K
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Unpack the Zymatic®
A. Zymatic®
B. 1 6’ Power Cord
C. 1 USB Cable
D. 1 25’ Ethernet Cable
E. Diptube Cleaning Brush
F. 1 In Hose (gray ball lock)
G. 1 Out Hose (black ball lock)
H. 1 Party Tap
I. 1 Transfer Tube
J. 1 Step Filter Lid
K. 1 Adjunct Compartment
L. 4 Hop Cages and Lids
M. 1 Adjunct Screen
N. 1 Step Filter
O. 2 Mash Screens (different sizes)
P. 1 Foam Trap
Q. 1 Needle-less Syringe
R. 1 Package of PBW
S. 1 Dishwasher Tablet
Included, not pictured:
1 plastic hose wrench
4 small white nylon washers
4 silicone bands
1 Keg Seal
1 airlock
1 Party Porter ingredient kit
T. 1 Bottle of Antifoam
U. 2 Cleaning Tubes
V. 1 Keg Cozy

Gather Materials
Before You Brew
Zymatic (A)
(assembled with Power Cord (B), In Hose (F), Out Hose (G), plastic
hose wrench and 2 white cone seat seals)
Step Filter Lid (J)
Step Filter (N)
Mash Bottom Screen (O)
Adjunct Screen (M)
Corny Keg
Keg Seal
1 gallon of water
During Your Brew
Zymatic
Step Filter Lid (J)
Adjunct Compartment (K)
Cages (L)
Step Filter (N)
Adjunct Screen (M)
Mash Top and Bottom Screen (O)
Foam Trap (P)
Anti-Foam (T)
Keg Cozy (T)
5-gallon Corny Keg
Keg Seal
Water (amount varies by recipe)
Recipe kit (grains, hops, yeast)
Post-Brew
5-gallon Corny Keg (with wort)
Ice
5-gallon bucket
Yeast
Airlock
Sanitized water or alcohol
Rinse
Zymatic
Step Filter (N)
2 large containers for water
1 gallon of water
2 Cleaning Tubes (U)
Deep Clean
Zymatic
Step Filter (N)
Dishwasher Tablet (S)
1 gallon of water
2 large containers for water
2 Cleaning Tubes (U)
Miscellaneous
Sampling from the Sampling Port
Needleless Syringes (Q)
Keg Cleaning
Diptube Cleaning Brush (E)
Pro Brewers Wash (R)
Racking/Transferring
Transfer Tube (I)
Sampling from Keg/Serving
Party Tap (H)
Non-WiFi Internet Connection
Ethernet Cord (D)
Firmware Updates
USB Cable (C)

How the Zymatic®Works
Mash
Heat
Grains go in the mash compartment,
where wort is filtered through the
mesh false bottom and recirculated
through the keg and Zymatic, which
controls the temperature.
1
2
3
4
Hops are boiled in cages in the Adjunct Compartment. Each
cage corresponds to a timed addition to the boil. The
cascading motion caused by the Adjunct Compartment mimics
manually adding hops to a boil pot. When a new hop addition
is added, the cascade motion continues to boil the previous
addition, while keeping the others dry until they are added.
To heat the water or wort up to either mash or
boil temperature, the Zymatic will bypass the
grain and hops in an area of the Step Filter
called the Pass Through. The Pass Through is
the narrow area between the Mash
Compartment and the Adjunct Compartment.
When water or wort is heating up, it passes
through directly to the bottom of the step filter,
where it circulates through the drain and back
into the keg. The Zymatic has been calibrated to
keep the water level in the bottom of the step
filter below the grain and hops, so they are only
incorporated when the recipe calls for it.
Boil

Operating the Zymatic®
On/Off Switch
OLED Display
Selector Knob
twist to scroll
press to select
Inline Filter
IN Hose
connects to IN post of keg
controls flow into keg
OUT Hose
connects to OUT post of keg
controls flow into Step Filter
Step Filter
Drip Tray

Display
Main Menu
Brew a Recipe
Select to see the list of recipes synced to your Zymatic, then
select one to brew.
Clean/Rinse
Clean: Use this program for a deep clean every 5 brews with a
dishwasher tablet.
Rinse: Use this program after initial set-up and after every brew
to rinse out your machine.
Machine Set-Up
Ethernet: Use to check your Ethernet connection. You must
have an Ethernet cable connected.
WiFi: Use to check your WiFi connection.
Account Sync: Use to sync recipes to your account if it didn’t
automatically sync.
Help
Drain: Will drain the machine for 5 minutes or until you
manually press stop.
Circulate: Will run the keg and drain pump while displaying the
current temperatures. Do not select this option if you do not
have a Step Filter inserted and a keg or tubes connected to your
ball locks.
System Diagnostics: This option will lead through a
diagnostics test that will allow PicoBrew to help you figure out
the cause of any issues you may run into with your Zymatic®.
Help from PicoBrew: Select if you are seeing any issues with
your machine and your Zymatic® will send an error log and
contact customer support at PicoBrew.
Continue from Last Brew: If for some reason your Zymatic®
ran into a power fault or any other errors and stopped your brew
and it is now safe to continue your brew, you can select this
option to continue where you left off.
About Zymatic
Information on account information, serial numbers, and
firmware version.

Display
Brew Menu
(Pressing the selector knob during a brew will bring up a menu, while the brew continues normally.)
Continue
Leaves the menu and continues the brew normally. The time and temperature regulation continues while you are in the menu, although
it will not move to a new step until you leave the menu.
Next Step
Will skip immediately to the next programmed step in the brew. It does not recognized programmed drains, however, so use caution if
you are skipping through during mash, as it will not automatically drain.
Drain
Flow from the keg will stop, and the Zymatic®will drain the step filter until you press Continue.
Exit Brew
Exits brew immediately and goes to the main menu. Use caution as this will also skip all programmed drains and will not continue
where you left off.

Set Up the Zymatic®
1) Set the Zymatic®on a sturdy, level surface, such as a
kitchen counter. Peel off any remaining white protective
film from all surfaces.
2) Attach the hoses to the machine (Parts F and G) using
the included black plastic wrench.
a. Place one white nylon washer inside of the flare
nut fitting on the end of each hose before attaching the hose to the
Zymatic®. This prevents the hose from pumping air or leaking.
b. Make sure the OUT hose (with the filter) is the closer of the hoses toward
the back of the Zymatic®.
c. Hand tighten first by screwing the flare nut onto the Zymatic® and then
use the black plastic wrench to tighten it further.
d. Keep the black plastic wrench and extra nylon washers with this manual
in case they are needed for any repairs.
Front
Back
IN hose
OUT hose

3) Plug the power cord into the back of the machine and into an outlet. The
Zymatic® requires at least a 15 amp outlet (standard in most houses.) Do not
overload an outlet with appliances that will use more than 15 amps.
4) If using Ethernet, plug in an Ethernet cord into the back of the machine. If you
are using WiFi, skip this step. WiFi set up will be completed upon the initial
startup of the Zymatic® with on-screen instructions.

Rinse
Before you start your brew, you will need to do a quick rinse of the machine.
1) Set up your step filter in the following manner:
a. Place the smaller of the mash screens into the mash compartment, resting on the
bottom ledge. This is the false bottom that the grain will sit on.
b. Place the adjunct screen on the other side of the step filter, also resting on the bottom
ledge.
c. Place the lid on top of the step filter, ensuring that the holes are aligned correctly.
2) Slide your step filter into Zymatic®. There should be a little resistance as the drain slides into
place and the step filter presses against the back of the Zymatic®. The step filter will stick out of
the machine by about an inch to allow for easy removal.
3) Turn on the Zymatic®. The knob to the right of the screen allows you to scroll and click through
menus. Follow the on screen instructions if you are using WiFi.
4) To begin your rinse, you will need to fill your keg with approximately 1 gallon of clean, cold
water.
5) Once you have filled your keg, place it next to the machine. The keg may either sit on the floor
or up on a counter. The keg will become very hot during the brew, so make sure to keep it out of
reach of small children, keep the keg cozy on the keg during all brew sessions, and handle with
care.

6) Connect the keg to your Zymatic®using the ball locks attached to the hoses. The black
ball lock connects to the OUT post of the keg, while the grey ball lock connects to the
IN post.
Lift the ledge of the ball lock, press it down on the appropriate keg post, let go of the
ledge and press down firmly. The ball lock will make a clicking sound when it fits into
place.
7) On the Zymatic®screen, you should be greeted with the welcome screen. Press the
selector knob once to get to the menu. Select “Clean/Rinse.” There will be a few
preloaded options. Select “Rinse” and the Zymatic®will begin the initial rinse cycle.
8) Once you have finished the rinse cycle, the Zymatic®will return to the main menu.
Remove your step filter and dump out any remaining water. Give it a quick dry with a
towel and it is ready for loading ingredients.
9) Disconnect the keg from the machine. To disconnect the ball locks, pull up on the
ledge of the ball lock, and it should pop off easily. Dump out the water used in the rinse cycle.

Prepare Ingredients
1) Fill your keg with the amount of water listed on
your recipe. Use a gallon jug and measuring cup or
a scale (8.3 lbs water = 1 gallon of water) to
measure your water.
2) Place the black Keg Seal on the keg.
3) Assemble the foam trap by dropping a few drops of
antifoam on the disk and placing the foam washer
between the spindle and trap. Slide the foam trap
into the hole in the black lid.
4) Measure out (and grind, if necessary) your grain.
Set up your step filter by placing the screens into
the step filter according to steps 1a and 1b in the
Rinse step. Pour into the mash compartment of
your step filter on top of the false bottom.

5) Smooth your grain into a flat surface and place the
false top on the top ledge over the grain.
6) Measure out your hops and place into the
appropriate cages. Put lids on each cage and make
sure they are on tight
7) Place each cage into the adjunct compartment,
with the longest boiling hop going into the first
compartment with the notch taken out.
8) Put the lid on the step filter, ensuring the holes are
aligned correctly.
9) Slide the step filter into the Zymatic®until it is
pushed up against the back wall. The step filter will protrude slightly over the drip tray.
10) Hook up your keg to the Zymatic®by connecting the black ball lock to the OUT keg post
and the gray ball lock to the IN keg post.
11) Select your recipe and brew!

Brew
Your brew will require little to no work on your behalf for the next few hours. Make sure to read through the recipe
notes to see if you need to add sugar, clarifying agents, or any other special ingredients to the keg during the brew.
While your Zymatic®brews, you can watch its process online. A chart with the current temperature of the wort and
the heater should appear on your account page while brewing.

Chill
After your brew finishes, you will need to chill your wort and then pitch your yeast. Chilling your
wort beforehand is vital, as high temperatures will kill your yeast, resulting in no fermentation.
1) After your brew is completed, the Zymatic®will pause and beep to alert you to prepare
your chilling set up. Pressing once will silence the alarm. A second press will begin the
chill process.
2) While the Zymatic®is paused, carefully pull off the keg cozy.
Caution: The keg will be extremely hot!
3) Fill a 5 gallon bucket or large container with some cold water and ice. Carefully place the
keg into the ice bath.
4) Select “Continue” and the Zymatic®will resume with the chill cycle.
5) Monitor the ice bath, as the keg will quickly melt the ice as it chills.
6) The temperature will continue to be monitored by the Zymatic®as it chills to the pitching
temperature selected by the recipe.
7) When the temperature reaches pitching temperature, the wort will continue to circulate for
10 minutes to ensure all the wort is at the same temperature in the keg.
8) After the chill cycle is complete, the Zymatic®will drain the remainder of the wort in the
step filter into the keg.
9) When the brew is complete, it will return to the menu. Disconnect the ball locks from the
keg.
There are many methods that could be used to chill your wort –a copper coil chiller, sticking the
keg in a freezer, leaving overnight, or stirring the wort while in an ice bath. We encourage you to
find the method that best suits you.

Pitch Yeast
There are two different kinds of yeast that are sold: dry and liquid.
Either type of yeast can be used to ferment your wort. If you are using
liquid yeast, make sure to take it out of refrigeration when you start
your brew to give the yeast time to warm up. Dry yeast does not
require any preparation, although some brewers prefer to proof their
yeast.
1) After your wort is sufficiently chilled, remove the foam trap
from the Keg Seal, remove the Keg Seal, and pour in your
yeast. Your keg may have a large head of foam from the chill
cycle. This is normal; just make sure to give your keg a few
swirls to incorporate the yeast fully into the wort. Replace the
Keg Seal after pouring in the yeast.
2) Sanitize your airlock and fill with sterile water (or liquor) to the fill line. The airlock keeps the keg
properly sealed against any wild yeast or bacteria, while still allowing it to release CO2as the
yeast ferments the wort.
3) Place the airlock into the hole in the Keg Seal until it feels snug. Carefully place your keg in a
temperature controlled area, such as a garage or closet or fermentation chamber, for
fermentation. Fermentation can take anywhere from a week to several weeks depending on the
brew. Make sure to read your recipe for fermentation specifics.

Clean
1) Pull your step filter out of the Zymatic®.
Remove the lid, the false top, the adjunct
compartment and the adjunct false bottom.
2) Carefully dispose of spent grains, taking care
not to accidentally toss the false bottom. Rinse
out the step filter so that it is free of debris.
3) Place the empty step filter in the Zymatic®.
4) Connect a cleaning tube to both ball locks by
snapping the ball lock onto the black end of
the tube the same way you would attach the
ball lock to the keg post. Place the black
(OUT) ball lock’s cleaning tube into a container of approximately 1 gallon clean water. Place
the gray (IN) ball lock’s cleaning tube into an empty container for the dirty water.
5) On the Zymatic®, chose the Rinse cycle. This will cycle the clean water through the hoses in
the machine, through the step filter, and into the empty container.
6) After the Rinse cycle, remove the step filter from the Zymatic®. All pieces, including the step
filter and all pieces of the foam trap, can be washed in the dishwasher.

Fermentation
For best results, ensure your keg stays in a temperature controlled area where
it can stay undisturbed for a few weeks. The exact temperature range depends
on what yeast you’ve selected.
While your keg ferments, you will likely see the water in your airlock bubbling
for the first few days. This is a good sign of active fermentation. As your yeast
ferments the beer, it releases CO2and the CO2is released through the airlock.
The bubbling will slow down or completely stop when fermentation is nearing
completion.
Use a hydrometer to take a gravity reading after the recommended
fermentation time is over to make sure the beer has fermented completely. If
your beer did not ferment to the desired gravity (“stuck fermentation”), you may
have fermented in too cold of an area or pitched with weak yeast. Try either
moving the keg to a warmer area or pitching more yeast.
After you are satisfied with your fermentation, you may either rack your beer right away or keep it in cold condition (refrigerator
temperature) for a few days to drop the yeast out of suspension and give your beer a bit more clarity.

Rack
Racking your beer is the process of transferring your beer out of the fermenter and into another
vessel, typically a serving keg. This is an important step because it removes the beer off of the
yeast cake sitting in the bottom of the keg. If beer is left on the yeast cake for too long after it
finishes fermenting, it will cause off flavors.
To rack your beer via the transfer tube included with your Zymatic®, you will need a CO2tank and
regulator to pressurize your keg, as well as either a 2.5-gallon keg or a separate 5-gallon keg.
Your regulator will allow you to control the amount of CO2coming out of the tank. Attach a gray
(IN) ball lock to the hose on your regulator if it does not already have one attached. Ensure that all
parts that may come into contact with your beer are sanitized before starting.
If you do not wish to rack via CO2and a transfer tube, you can use a siphon –just be sure to avoid
any trub or yeast that has settled at the bottom of your keg.
1) Try not to move your fermenter keg as it will stir up any yeast and trub sitting at the bottom
of the keg.
2) Remove the airlock and Keg Seal from the keg your fermented beer is in. Replace the Keg
Seal with the metal lid that came with your keg.
3) Ensure that the keg you will be racking into is sanitized. Leave the lid off of this keg.
4) Hook up the transfer tube between the two kegs by connecting the ball locks to the OUT
posts of both kegs.