KegSmarts is a Wi-Fi keg monitoring system

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Meet the world’s smartest kegerator.

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Previously seen on Bits & Pieces, PicoBrew is a Seattle-based startup with some lofty aspirations of starting an Internet of Beer revolution. As the IoT continues to infiltrate just about every facet of our daily lives, who’s to say it shouldn’t make its way into the man cave and pub scene as well, right?

You’re not alone. In fact, a Kickstarter campaign for the company’s first product garnered well over $600,000. The Zymatic enables you to craft fresh beer right from the comfort of your home. To use, simply pour your desired amount of malted barley, hops and water, then push a couple buttons to set a recipe. Three or so hours later, that water is turned into beer. Add in a week of fermentation, and you have yourself three gallons of some good ol’ ale. What’s more, the metal oven-like system is driven by an ATmega1284P MCU.

However, why stop there? Not long after, the team returned to Kickstarter with their latest innovation, KegSmarts. Billed as the world’s first smart craft beer kegerator, it can work as either a standalone on any three-inch diameter tap tower or paired with the Zymatic to provide an all-encompassing brew ’n serve solution. The microcontroller-driven gadget provides real-time information such as beer name, style, data, servings remaining, temperature and more on an OLED display, which can all be monitored from a mobile device via Wi-Fi.

PicoBrew features a full-out network that will let you discover new breweries in your area, while easily adding recipes and information to its growing online library as well. This also allows you to track how many servings are remaining and know what type of beer is being dispensed, among many other things. Meanwhile, built-in sensors help maintain an optimal serving temperature.

Most recently, the startup unveiled a number of a new social community component that automatically tweets and posts on Facebook whenever beer is poured, when new beer kegs are tapped, when kegs are low or empty, and to warn of error conditions. Beyond that, a dynamic brew map with reviews and ratings is integrated with a personal “brewhouse” web-portal, enabling you to view and share your beer experience with your pals.

“Buying craft beer from the brewery in growlers, cans or bottles is OK, but nothing beats fresh draft beer on tap. If you buy your craft beer in kegs and use your own kegerator, you know your beer’s fresh and you have a reasonable supply. You can also feel better about your cost-per-pint and environmental impact. Kegerators are great, but they have a few flaws,” its creators note. “Among them include an inability to tell what kind of beer is on tap, to inform the drinker of what they’re consuming and to offer precise temperature control — each of which KegSmarts is looking to solve.”

If you’re constantly concerned about your homemade brew or the kegs at your house parties, this smart device could be just the thing for you. Pricing for the KegSmarts head unit starts at $199 and $799 for those requiring the entire setup. Head over to its official site to learn more.