# US 10,479,966 B2 · Fermentation monitoring and management

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- Number: US 10,479,966 B2
- Document ID: US10479966B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/895,757
- Filed: 2018-02-13
- Published: 2018-06-21
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-07-31
- Assignees: PicoBrew, Inc.
- Applicants: PicoBrew, LLC
- Inventors: William H. Mitchell; James B. Mitchell
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479966B2

## CPC

- C12C 11/00: Fermentation processes for beer (preparation of wine C12G1/00)
- C12C 11/003: {Fermentation of beerwort}
- C12C 13/10: Home brew equipment
- C12C: BEER; PREPARATION OF BEER BY FERMENTATION (ageing or ripening by storing C12H1/22; methods for reducing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H3/00; methods for increasing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H6/00; venting devices for casks, barrels or the like C12L9/00); PREPARATION OF MALT FOR MAKING BEER; PREPARATION OF HOPS FOR MAKING BEER

## Abstract

A fermentation monitoring system may measure the weight of a fermenting product to determine the progress of fermentation. The weight of a fermenting batch may decrease as carbon dioxide is given off, and a continuous or periodic weight measurement may be used as a control input to a fermentation system, which may adjust temperature to control fermentation or detect that fermentation is not progressing as expected. Such a system may be to use a weight scale attached to a fermentation vessel and have a control system capable of adjusting the temperature of the fermenting contents. One implementation may have a scale mounted inside a temperature controlled fermentation cabinet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method performed by a computer processor for generating a calculated anticipated weight change for a fermentation control system, said method comprising:
receiving a recipe description for a recipe, said recipe comprising a mashing stage and a fermenting stage;
determine an ingredients list for said recipe, said ingredients comprising malted grains from which sugars are extracted in said mashing stage;
calculate an estimated sugar content based on said ingredients list, said estimated sugar being calculated at least in part from said malted grains;
calculate said calculated anticipated weight change at least in part based on said estimated sugar content; and
transmit said calculated anticipated weight change to said fermentation control system.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining a fermentation function for said recipe, said fermentation function being an expression of said calculated anticipated weight change, said fermentation function being transmitted to said fermentation control system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, said ingredients list comprising a grain bill.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, said ingredients list comprising a yeast identification.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 further comprising:
retrieving a yeast performance curve based on said yeast identification; and
determining said anticipated weight change at least in part based on said yeast performance curve.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 further comprising:
receiving a data point comprising a specific gravity measurement;
determining that said specific gravity measurement was taken from a fermentation process using a yeast with said yeast identification;
storing said data point in a database; and
using said data point to generate said yeast performance curve.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 said yeast performance curve being determined from a plurality of said data points.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, said yeast performance curve being determined in least in part by curve fitting.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a set of data from said fermentation control system, said set of data comprising temperature measurements, weight measurements, and time measurements;
generating a fermentation performance function based at least in part from said set of data.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 further comprising:
receiving a yeast identifier for said recipe;
generating a yeast performance curve based at least in part from said set of data.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 further comprising:
receiving a system type identifier; and
generating at least one performance characteristic for said system type identifier based at least in part from said set of data.