CES 2019: LG is launching a Nespresso-like beer machine for your home
LG is launching a beer home-brewing machine. Photo: Getty
LG has unveiled a Nespresso-like home-brewing machine that can make beer using capsules.
But here’s the catch: If you think you’ll get instant beer just like coffee then you’re in for a bitter surprise – it will still take two weeks for your beer to brew.
The New Daily was given an exclusive look at the company’s HomeBrew system on Wednesday at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
With a set of single-use capsules, which contain malt, yeast, hop oil and flavouring, users place them into the machine and press the button to start the brewing process.
At the end, you get five litres of beer, or about 10 pints.
The electronics giant partnered with Britain’s Muntons, a global malt manufacturer, to develop the capsules.
The flavours include hoppy American IPA, golden American pale ale, full-bodied English stout, zesty Belgian-style witbier and dry Czech pilsner.
LG’s HomeBrew on display at CES in Las Vegas. Photo: The New Daily
An optimised fermentation algorithm controls the fermenting process with precise temperature and pressure control for guaranteed brewing success.
The capsule system also removes all the cleaning-related frustrations associated with traditional home-brewing methods.
It automatically sanitises using nothing more than hot water, ensuring everything is hygienically clean for the next batch.
Like most smart home products being unveiled at CES, it’s connected to an app where users can check their home brew status at any time.
But here’s the downfall: The machine would need to be powered on consistently as it needs to chill the beer, so this will be a slight sting to your power bills.
The machine uses capsules to produce home-brewed beer. Photo: The New Daily
Also the machine is quite large, so you would need decent bench space to accommodate it.
Another issue is that once you’re done brewing, you need to replace the capsules and wait another two weeks.
This means that if you wanted to streamline the process, and have a brew on the go at all times, you might need to buy a second machine – a costly exercise.
Unfortunately, at this stage there is no taste testing available as the machine is still a prototype. An exact release date or price is still unclear.
It’s also unclear if the product will even in land Australia, so it remains to be seen if Aussie beer lovers will actually ditch their schooners at the pub and embrace this new invention.
— LG Electronics (@LGUS) 7 January 2019
