SEATTLE — PicoBrew announced today that their PicoStill, a small-batch distilling device to produce hop oil, herbs, spices, grains, water, essential oils and a range of spirits, is now shipping. Users can use the PicoStill to easily and safety develop their own unique flavors and aromas to infuse in craft beer and food. PicoStill was initially offered as an add-on incentive in PicoBrew’s hugely successful Pico Model C Kickstarter campaign, which raised $1.927M USD becoming the most successful Food Kickstarter campaigns of all time.
“We wanted to develop a product that would help homebrewers and professional distillers take it up a notch,” said Dr. Bill Mitchell, CEO, PicoBrew. “We’re excited to get the PicoStill in the hands of our backers and see how creative they get while experimenting and developing their own unique flavors and aromas.”
PicoStill is an attachment topped with a sleek copper distilling coil that fits over the Pico C Keg that is compatible with the company’s Pico countertop brewing appliances, Zymatic® and Z Series professional grade appliance. This first-of-its-kind, patent-pending device not only empowers small batch brewers to distill more easily than ever before, but at an unprecedented level of precision and safety in distilling. A modern-day vacuum still, it offers precise temperature control and integrated safeguards, such as heating that shuts off automatically if the vacuum seal is broken and automatic separation of the methanol from the heads.
Hop oils are typically used by commercial breweries to quickly infuse beers with distinct hops aromas and flavors, but the process is often achieved by “dry hopping,” which can take up to a week and smaller quantities of hop oils were unavailable for producers who brew small batches of beer. Now with the PicoStill, it is possible for any brewer to create approximately 2 oz. of their own essential hop oils in about 2 hours.
In addition to hop oil, water and essential oils, anyone with proper licenses and permits, can use the PicoStill to distill a wide range of alcohols, including vodka, whiskey, bourbon, moonshine, gin, brandies, schnapps and more. For those in the culinary field, the PicoStill can be used to explore new flavors and aromas by infusing food and baked goods with hop, herb or spice oils, rosewater and more.
While Kickstarter units are being fulfilled, PicoStill may be ordered for a limited time at the special discounted price of only $249 USD from PicoBrew.com. After shipment of all pre-orders, PicoStill will be available for purchase at www.picobrew.com for $349 USD.
PicoStill operators must act in compliance with their local, state and national laws. As with beer production on PicoBrew devices, compliance with regulation and national and international law is the responsibility of the PicoStill owner.
About PicoBrew
PicoBrew was founded in Seattle in 2010 by brothers Bill and Jim Mitchell, a former Microsoft executive and food scientist, along with engineer Avi Geiger. Combining their food science and technology expertise with their passion for homebrewing, they set out to improve the craft beer brewing process for small producers and homebrewers. PicoBrew introduced its flagship product, the award-winning Zymatic® automatic beer-brewing appliance for beer brewing professionals and homebrewers, in 2013. The Pico™, designed for consumer craft beer enthusiasts, followed in 2016. Both machines are designed to improve the precision, repeatability and overall quality of the brewing process to create consistently delicious craft beer. For more information, visit www.picobrew.com or follow PicoBrew on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.