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The Raspberry Pi turned my fermentation chamber from a dumb temperature-controlled box into a networked brewing computer with a web interface I can check from anywhere in my house. Running BrewPi on a Pi 3B+ connected to an Arduino handles fermentation temperature control with a graphical temperature timeline. Running CraftBeerPi on a Pi 4 with relay HATs controls my mash tun heating element, HLT, and two pumps from a tablet mounted on the brew stand. Both projects cost under $100 in hardware and took an afternoon to set up. Here’s a practical guide to the Raspberry Pi brewing projects that actually deliver value and how to build them.
CraftBeerPi 4, full brew day automation
CraftBeerPi 4 is the most capable homebrew automation software available for Raspberry Pi. It provides: independent temperature controllers for multiple vessels (mash tun, HLT, fermentation chamber), programmable step mash profiles with automatic temperature ramp and hold, pump control integrated with temperature logic (stop the pump if temperature drops below minimum), kettle agitator control, and a clean web interface accessible from any browser on the local network. Hardware requirements: Raspberry Pi 4 ($35–55), a relay HAT or standalone relay board for controlling heating elements and pumps ($20–35), DS18B20 temperature probes ($5–8 each), and a 7″ touchscreen ($35–50) for a local interface. Total hardware: $95–148. CraftBeerPi software is free and open source; installation is via a pre-built image that boots directly on the Pi without Linux configuration.
BrewBlox, fermentation control
BrewBlox is the commercial successor to BrewPi, developed by the original BrewPi team and sold as a complete hardware-plus-software package. The Spark controller ($150–200) connects to a Raspberry Pi running BrewBlox software and provides a polished fermentation control interface with beer temperature algorithms, glycol support for professional-style fermentation temperature management, and integration with Tilt and Rapt wireless hydrometers. The pre-assembled hardware eliminates the electronics building step, install the software on a Pi, connect the Spark, and configure the temperature profiles. Best for brewers who want the capability of custom Arduino/Pi automation without building the hardware themselves.
Tilt Cloud logging with Raspberry Pi
The simplest and most immediately useful Raspberry Pi brewing project: running TiltPi software on a Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 to act as a Bluetooth bridge and logger for Tilt wireless hydrometers. The Tilt’s Bluetooth range is typically 20–30 feet; a Pi running TiltPi near the fermentation chamber receives the Bluetooth signal and uploads readings to the cloud (Google Sheets or Brewfather) continuously. Setup: flash TiltPi to an SD card, insert in a Raspberry Pi, power on, the Pi connects to your wifi and begins logging automatically. No configuration required beyond wifi credentials. Total cost: $35–55 for a Pi Zero 2W (adequate for Bluetooth bridging) or a Pi 3B+ ($35–45 used). This is the entry-level Raspberry Pi brewing project for anyone already using a Tilt hydrometer.
Kegerator monitoring
A Raspberry Pi with flow sensors on each tap line measures poured volume, calculates remaining beer per keg, and displays kegerator inventory on a web dashboard. The KegBot project (open source) provides this functionality, flow sensors ($10–15 each) on each beer line report to the Pi, which accumulates pour data and estimates remaining keg volume. Useful for a multi-tap keezer where knowing which keg is almost empty (without opening the chest freezer and weighing kegs) saves time. Integrates with Untappd for automatic beer check-ins on pour.
Common Questions
Which Raspberry Pi model should I buy for a brewing automation project?
For CraftBeerPi with a touchscreen display and multiple sensor inputs: Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB RAM, $35–45) provides adequate performance for the web interface and control logic. For TiltPi Bluetooth logging only: Raspberry Pi Zero 2W ($15) is sufficient, it uses less power and costs less than the Pi 4 for this single-purpose application. For BrewBlox: the Pi 4 is recommended by the BrewBlox team for reliable performance with their software stack. Avoid the original Pi Zero (single-core, too slow for CraftBeerPi) and the Pi 5 (overkill for brewing automation, and some HAT boards aren’t yet compatible). Buy from an authorized distributor rather than third-party resellers, Pi supply chain issues have made gray market pricing unreliable. Raspberry Pi 4 2GB is the universal recommendation for any brewing project that involves a local web interface.
