The Beer Machine Model 2000
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List Price: Our Price: $99.95 You Save: $12.05 (11%) Availability: Usually ships in 6-10 business days Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of The Beer Machine Model 2000
Customer Review: I like my beer machine
Summary: 4 Stars
I've read all the posts here and I'm puzzled by those who call it junk. I've been brewing in my machine for several years and I'm considering a 2nd machine so that I don't have to wait for my batch to finish to enjoy good beer economically.
To be certain, one must get the process down to an art. By now I don't much have to think about what I'm doing, I just do it and complete my work in about 40 minutes. Learning curve issues are these: you must do the pressure test. My first batch I thought I'd save some time by skipping that. Not good. I ruined the batch because the seal wasn't good. The seal is the most important thing to get right. Do it carefully and triple check your work. My first few batches I had some difficulty getting the seal right, but now I virtually never have a seal issue because I've got the process down. An important tip to getting the seal right is to make sure the seal is dry before you try to apply it to the seating. I've never gotten a good seal when trying to apply it with even a drop of water anywhere on the seal. Just make sure it is completely dry and you'll be a much more successful and happier brewer.
Once you've done your pressure test it gets pretty easy. Do your sanitizing, (I use a bit of bleach with a 1/3 keg of water and rinse it well) and then add the room temp water about 1/3 full the add the mix and then complete the fill of room temp water. I have found that if I use water that is a smidgen warmer than room temp that I'll get a quicker fermentation process. I've got that part down to where it will be bubbling in about 8 hours after mixing. I imagine that if you use water that is too warm you can create problems. Generally in three days the fermentation subsides, but it can be as long as 5 days. Each batch depends on what you do temp wise. Then I chill it for at least 3 days, but you'll get much better clarity in 5 days. I just can't wait that long.
Equipment issues: I had to replace a seal once in several years. I think that is pretty reasonable. The co2 unit, on the other hand, I replace about everty 15-20 batches because the unit seems to let the cartridge bleed itself empty after it gets old. Perhaps there is a solution to that, but I haven't found one.
Beer quality: I'm a beer snob. This is good tasting beer, it really is, and I think I've tried all the mixes. There is a down side however. The beer tends to be flatter than I would like it to be. I called the manufacturer to see if perhaps I was doing something wrong and his response was that it is supposed to be that way. I disagree with his assesment that beer is supposed to be that way, but whatever. I tolerate the low carbonation because the taste is good enough to overlook that aspect.
Oh, I recommend a spare bathtub to put your batch in while brewing, just in case you have a seal issue. Also you can control the temp better there. I use a space heater and pull the shower curtain closed to keep the temp around 75F. The bathroom smells like fresh bread, mmmm. Using the spare bathtub doesn't thrill my other half, but we have an understanding.
To those who have harsh words for this machine I can only surmise that they didn't have the patience to get it right. Yes I had a couple of frustrating mishaps in my first few batches, but it is clear sailing now. To call this junk is a complete misrepresentation IMHO.
After several years of using the Beer Machine I would not hesitate to recommend it to the patient learner.
Customer Review: Please be patient when you assemble it
Summary: 4 Stars
I hesitated to buy it after I reviewed all the comments here. However because there are only a few choices for homebrew and this one is the best I decided to buy one on my local store instead of online in case I need to return.
After assembling a few times I still saw the slow leak and I almost gave up. In the end I wanted to give it another try before I returned it. I fill the beer machine with water to the mark level on the machine. Injected CO2 to add pressure inside the beer machine. Then I grabbed a bigger storage box and filled water. I put the beer machine inside the storage box full of water. I finally found that the gas leak came from the pre-installed gauge. I just used wrench to tighten the gauge and tested it again in the water and monitored it for a while. This time there was no bubble coming out at all. After that I put the beer mix and sealed the machine. After 12hr I saw the pressure reached 10 PSI and next day the pressure reached its limit 15 PSI. Later the pressure kept 15 PSI and I could smell because the machine valve release gas in order to keep it under 15 PSI.
In the 5th day the pressure was down to 12 PSI and I knew the fermentation was almost done. I tapped a little bit and it tasted flat beer. I put it in the refrigerator and from second day I started to drink my draft beer. It is very good taste and all my hard work paid off.
Yesterday I started my second batch and now the pressure reached 12 PSI. In less than one week I can drink my second draft beer. Cheers!
This beer machine won't work without putting your own effort. It is important to test it before you use it.
Solution:Put the beer machine inside water and find/fix any leak. After that you can enjoy your draft beer.
The review here helped me a lot and I want to share my experience too.
Customer Review: Your product is not good enough to have service this bad!
Summary: 1 Stars
Much has been written about the mediocrity of this product. So instead, let me share with you my first, and only, beer kit order story.
I went to the official Beer Machine web site and ordered the international variety 3-pack.
Within minutes, I got an e-mail notification that the order had been received and my credit card had been charged. So far so good.
Ten days later, wondering why I had no beer kit or, at the very least, shipping information, I e-mailed asking for an explanation.
I received an e-mail explaining that two of the beers from that pack were back ordered (strange I had to contact them to find that out). They should be in in a few days or I could change my order and it would ship immediately. I decided to wait. Silly me.
Six days later I e-mailed again, asking what their definition of a few days was, as it clearly differed from mine.
That day I got a phone call from a lady who worked with me on some substitutions on my order so it could "ship the next day". Fine.
Today it has been 27 days since I first placed this order.
Called once. The computers are down. We will have to call you back.
Called twice, hours later. The computers are going through some maintenance. Can you call back in fifteen minutes?
Called three times. How are those computers doing?
I have no information for you. I am waiting to hear back from the warehouse.
It has been 27 days. You can't tell me anything? Not even if it has shipped?
No.
How about some compensation for my time and trouble?
We can't do that.
Can you cancel my order?
(cheerily) Yes we can.
Good luck staying in business lady. Click.
Customer Review: Bought 3 of these. ALL broke, leaked, had major problems.
Summary: 1 Stars
There is only one good thing about this product. It introduces a lot of people to the joy of homebrewing. However, after purchasing 3 of these (thinking I would give them away as gifts), and then using all of them due to the ongoing array of problems I had, I decided NOT to pass this poor product on to people I care about. I have lost lots of beer because the gasket leaked; or because the pressure release valve failed, or because the carbonation valve stuck, etc. I have replaced each of these only to have them go out again, in mere weeks. Shipping for these very small items is $10 each time. Ridiculous.
The beer isn't bad. The concept is great. The product really sucks. Get a normal brewing kit. You'll make much better beer, enjoy the fact that everything works, and save yourself a lot of time and headaches. I wish I had paid attention to those who wrote negatively here. I would be hundreds of dollars ahead. I love brewing beer at home. But my miserable experience with three beer machines need not be your own. Get a Coopers or a kit from any homebrewing store. You WILL thank me. If only I had listened...
Customer Review: Don't buy this product
Summary: 1 Stars
Got this as a gift and it's been a pain ever since, don't waste your time or money on it. This is an extremely poorly designed product. It comes in two pieces and no matter how well I was able to get the seal to fit, it still leaked. It took me four attempts and at least one failed batch to get the seal to the point that it would last the 10 days required to brew a batch. I would have been willing to put up with the leaking if the beer was any good but it isn't. The beer was bland and flat, despite me adding a significant amount of CO2 as the instructions said too. Anyone who is a fan of craft beer will not be happy with the results of this brew kit. If you're interested in brewing your own beer I suggest getting a worthwhile brew kit which actually allows you to actually brew beer, not just add water and wait. I should have returned this right away but wanted to give it a chance since it was a gift.