Designed in Seattle, the Pico U is a countertop-size appliance that makes a perfect pour-over and craft beer.
Some people like the process of crafting their own beer in the garage, or standing over a coffee pot, slowly drizzling water over their perfectly bloomed coffee grounds.
For the rest of us — who like to consume craft drinks without putting in quite that much effort — there’s the PicoBrew Pico U.
Launched on Kickstarter on Wednesday, and already at almost $250,000 in pledges, the machine is the Wallingford-based company’s latest step in bringing home brewing to the masses. But, unlike their past products, which focused solely on brewing beer, this one can make almost any brewed beverage you can dream up, from coffee and tea to kombucha, horchata and dry sodas.
The base is about the size of a coffee maker, making it a reasonable countertop appliance. And the coffee it produces is outstanding. In a recent demo at Pico’s office, I watched the machine create a perfect pour-over based on the ideal temperatures and soaking time. The result was strong coffee with no bitterness — essentially a Keurig that makes the coffee you actually want to drink.
The machine replicates beers from breweries all over the world via PicoPaks, which have all of the ingredients pre-measured and packed into a compostable container. With the Pico U, you will be able to buy PicoPak Minis for other drinks — think vanilla beans and cocoa for coffee — with the ability to design your own custom flavors.
The Pico U is estimated to launch in January 2019 for $249 for the Basic version for brewed drinks excluding beer. A Deluxe version, for $299, includes the accessories for beer, kombucha and cold-brew coffee (so you’ll want that one).
Kickstarter contributors can get the Basic version for $169–$179 or the Deluxe for $189–$199. The campaign is expected to last through mid-June.
Check it out in action: