Our journey that became Brewbrain with its digital hydrometers, started in 2017, in the evenings after work. We wanted to combine our love for measuring and creating sensors with brewing beer. I personally love how nature and technology can contrast with each other and at the same time work together in harmony. Brewing is a creative process and, just like making music, you must feel the result you are creating. With that in mind, we set out to improve the brewing process by making products that give more control and insight into what you are doing.
The first Float
We had worked out quite a few measuring principles for tracking the specific gravity of a brew. Do you remember the beerbug? Or PLAATO’s Airlock? We also had this idea back in the day, but it didn’t feel like the best path to take. We were working on a principle that calculated the density from flotation angle and then stumbled upon the iSpindel where this was already done. We assembled a few and quickly thought “brewers want to spend time brewing, not DIY-ing brewing equipment”. Not only was soldering messy, calibration was difficult and often inaccurate and on top of it all you needed to set up your own logging environment. And that is why we created Float: a digital hydrometer that works out of the box with no hassle for the user.
Running a startup
We believed that the Float would make a difference in the brewing scene and took a leap of faith and became a startup. Back then there were four of us, each with a love for engineering and of course: beer. It has been an amazing journey and boy did we learn a lot. Sadly, we have had to part ways with Steve and Bart, but Thijs and I are dedicated to showing the world what our designs have to offer. We have grown a lot and are committed to creating durable products that last. We care for the environment and are grateful for our customers, which is why we do our best to make sure a device keeps working and repair it when possible. We value transparency and will back up the claims we make, so that you can trust the product that you are using.
The step towards Float Pro
The Float digital hydrometer was released in 2020 and we have learnt a lot from our brewers. And so the time was right to create a new version that performs even better and is usable by the pros. Being the nerds that we are, we poured our heart and soul into the design. We wanted to pack wireless charging in there and make the design as smooth as a good beer going down your throat. We felt that when using a digital device with no screen, you need more feedback on what’s going on, so we included a neat multi-color lid that lets the Float tell you if everything is going like it should. We had developed a custom simulation that models at which angle the device Floats, so that we could optimize the weight and center of gravity to get more accurate readings. The housing is sealed by a seamless ring that stays in place due to its unique design. No hassle when (un)tightening the lid and you can trust the seal to do its job when fermenting under pressure.
Interested in our Float Pro, the best digital hydrometer?
So, what’s next?
There’s so much more I would like to tell you about the development of this digital hydrometer, so I will, in the upcoming blog posts. Follow our blog for deep dives into all the aspects of the design. We will also be telling you how to get the most out of your Float Pro and we will announce all the updates that we will be giving for the device and our online platform my.brewbrain.nl.
We love to stay in contact with our brewers so feel free to comment on this blog. Or reach out to us via support@brewbrain.nl. We’re there for support and are always welcoming your ideas on what to improve next.
Last but not least: The best wishes for 2026🎉. Make this an awesome year and your beers even better!🍻
Cheers🍻
Eric Stricker
(Co-owner)
