“With the Keg Master I can track quantities, set, monitor, and maintain CO2 pressure, as well as control the flow of beverages from kegs.
Using the AzureSphere, I have created the KegMaster to secure the homebrew beer in my Keg Freezer (Keezer). The system allows me to track quantities, to set, monitor, and maintain CO2 pressure in multiple kegs, convey information about the available beverages to users via the KegMaster app, as well as control and measure flow of beverages from each keg.
Story/Background:
When tasked with a project that suggested that I “Secure Everything” I had to consider what was most important to me. I considered many different aspects of my life that might benefit from some additional security. Ultimately, I decided that as a homebrewer, I needed a way to best secure and manage my beer supply. I have been using a very basic Keg Freezer (Keezer) for about a year, but I have encountered a few problems I aimed to address with this project.
First, I never knew how much of each beer remained in the kegs. I could estimate, of course, but it always left something to be desired. Second, I had a single CO2 tank to move from keg to keg, and trying to maintain perfect, constant pressure in all of my kegs was nearly impossible. Third, when I have visitors, I often find myself standing watch over my Keezer to tell them about each kind of beer that was available to them, and which keg contained which beer. Fourth, when friends or groups came over, I had no way to monitor their access to the various beverages. When they brought their kids or teens with them, I had no way to control their access to my free-flowing beer.
This project aims to address each of these problems in a holistic, streamlined way. Through the development of the KegMaster, I have enabled myself to monitor the number of pints remaining in each keg. I can even set the number of pints to “reserve” for myself (or for the future), ensuring I always know when my beer supply is running low. Additionally, I am able to set a date in the future when the keg will become accessible - allowing me to age beers without fear of giving my guests access to sub-optimal beverages.
Also, I am able to set a desired CO2 pressure and enable the Azure Sphere to turn the CO2 off and on as needed to maintain that desired level of pressure in each keg.
With the completion of Keg Master version 1.0, guests will now be able to access data about each tap and what it contains. This allows them to see the name, style, description, ABV, IBU, etc… all the information they might need to make an educated decision about their beverage selection.
Finally, the ability to turn taps on and off will allow me better control over who is accessing what taps. Ultimately, the KegMaster will have user profiles to enable minors to pour non-alcoholic beverages like soda and kombucha without giving them access to beer or hard cider. But for now, I still have the ability to control each tap remotely.
When combined, these features provide me with peace of mind, knowing that each of my guests will have an optimal beverage experience, that my beer supply is safe from unauthorized access, and that I have “Secured Everything” within the Keg Master.”