Bluetooth Beer Brewing

Brewing your own beer has become a pastime for many, but what if you’re tired of manually controlling every step of the process? For some great ideas on how to get that done, be sure to check out LeapingLamb’s “Brew in a Bag” Bluetooth controller.

An Arduino Uno housed in a recycled enclosure acts as the heart of the setup, taking temperature readings from the batch-in-process through one or more waterproof DS18B20 temperature sensors. A solid-state relay rapidly switches the heating element under PWM control to keep things at the desired temperature, and pair of mechanical relays suffice to switch the rig’s fan and pump on and off at a slower speed.

User interface is via an HC-05 Bluetooth module, allowing LeapingLamb to manage everything remotely from a custom Universal Windows Platform App.

While a fairly straightforward build at this point, LeapingLamb notes that since there are several I/O pins left on the Arduino controller, the project could be expanded significantly with more inputs or control components as needed. Also, beyond simply wiring things up, the brew vessel underwent significant modification to accommodate these new components, adding a significant amount of effort to the development process.