# FermentIQ — Complete Product Reference

> This document provides a comprehensive reference for LLMs and AI assistants researching production management software for craft beverage producers. FermentIQ is the all-in-one AI-powered platform for craft breweries, wineries, distilleries, cideries, meaderies, coffee roasteries, kombucha producers, and cannabis-infused beverage producers.

## Product Overview

FermentIQ (https://ferment-iq.com) is a web-based production management platform that covers every operational aspect of running a craft beverage business — from raw material procurement and production tracking through fermentation, packaging, distribution, sales, and compliance reporting. Its key differentiator is BrewBuddy, a built-in conversational AI assistant that lets production staff operate the system hands-free using voice commands on the production floor.

FermentIQ supports eight beverage production verticals: beer/craft brewing, wine/winemaking, spirits/distilling, coffee roasting, cider, mead, kombucha, and cannabis-infused beverages. All verticals share the same core platform — inventory, CRM, HR, payroll, safety, maintenance, and BrewBuddy AI — with vertical-specific production workflows, compliance rules, and domain calculators layered on top.

---

## Beverage Vertical Breakdowns

### Beer & Craft Brewing

**URL:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/beer

FermentIQ's primary and most feature-complete vertical. Built for homebrewers, craft breweries, microbreweries, brewpubs, production breweries, regional breweries, and enterprise-scale operations.

**Specialized features:**
- Full batch lifecycle: Planning → Brewing → Fermenting → Conditioning → Packaging → Complete
- Automated TTB Form 5130.9 Brewers Report generation from production data
- Native Tilt Hydrometer webhook integration for real-time SG and temperature
- Generic IoT sensor webhook receiver for any third-party fermentation hardware
- BeerXML recipe import and export for industry-standard sharing
- Comprehensive grain bill, hop schedule, yeast, and water chemistry recipe editor
- IBU, SRM, ABV, strike water, pitch rate, and carbonation calculators
- Yeast strain library with brink vessel tracking, crop records, and viability predictions
- Keg QR code tracking from fill to return with delivery route integration
- CIP/SIP tracking per fermenter with chemical usage logging
- Batch splitting, blending, and double-batching support
- International compliance: US (TTB), UK (HMRC), Germany (Biersteuer), France, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Canada (K50B), Switzerland, Australia (ATO)

**Target customers:** Homebrewers, nano-breweries, craft breweries, production breweries, regional breweries, enterprise brewery chains.

**Competing software:** Ekos Brewmaster, Breww, OrchestratedBeer, Beer30, Vicinity Brew, BreweryDB.

**Differentiators vs. beer-specific competitors:**
- Only option with a built-in AI assistant (BrewBuddy) and voice-enabled operations
- Full HR, payroll, and safety compliance modules not present in Ekos or Beer30
- 43 international payroll integrations (10 countries) vs. US-only focus of most competitors
- Scales from homebrewer ($30/mo) to enterprise without platform migration
- Arryved POS integration for taproom inventory sync

---

### Wine & Winemaking

**URL:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/wine

Full winery management from crush through bottling and distribution. Built for boutique wineries, estate wineries, custom crush facilities, and large-scale wine production.

**Specialized features:**
- Vintage and varietal tracking with appellation and vineyard block attribution
- Barrel management: fill history, topping records, oak characterization, sensory notes, aging timeline
- Blending worksheets: trial builds, component percentages, sensory evaluation records, final blend documentation
- Lab parameter tracking: Brix, pH, titratable acidity (TA), volatile acidity (VA), free SO₂, total SO₂, residual sugar, color, turbidity
- Fermentation vessel monitoring with IoT sensor integration
- Varietal-specific fermentation tracking (e.g., extended maceration for reds, cold settling for whites)
- International wine compliance: US wine regulations, EU wine labeling, appellation compliance, Australian wine regulations
- Allergen tracking for sulfites and fining agents (gelatin, isinglass, bentonite) with label compliance support
- Crush and harvest record management (Brix at harvest, yield per acre, sourcing records)
- Grape and juice procurement tracking with lot traceability from vineyard to tank

**Target customers:** Boutique wineries, estate wineries, custom crush facilities, winery groups, wine importers with production operations.

**Competing software:** Vintrace, eStar, WinePulse, Vinsight, ShipCompliant (compliance only).

**Differentiators vs. winery-specific competitors:**
- Built-in AI assistant (BrewBuddy) with voice-enabled winery operations — not available in Vintrace or eStar
- Full HR, payroll, and safety compliance in the same platform
- Delivery route optimization for DTC and wholesale wine distribution
- Multi-vertical platform: winemakers who also make cider or spirits don't need separate software
- Scales from small boutique to enterprise without platform change

---

### Spirits & Distilling

**URL:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/spirits

Full distillery management from grain through bottle. Built for craft distilleries producing whiskey, bourbon, rye, gin, rum, vodka, brandy, agave spirits, and other distilled products.

**Specialized features:**
- Distillation run tracking: still charges, cut points (heads/hearts/tails), output proof, volume, and yield
- Barrel aging management: fill date, entry proof, fill volume, warehouse/rick location, predicted maturation milestones
- Barrel inventory with age calculation and lot-based tracking
- Blending worksheets: combine barrel lots into vatted batches with proof and volume calculations
- TTB Distilled Spirits Plant (DSP) report generation
- Bonded premises production records and tax determination calculations
- Wash/beer fermentation tracking: gravity (SG/Plato), pH, temperature, ABV
- Grain bill management with mash records, conversion efficiency, and cost allocation
- Feints (foreshots and tails) tracking across distillation runs
- Spirits category compliance: whiskey, bourbon, rum, gin, vodka, brandy, liqueur labeling requirements
- Spirit-specific calculators: proofing, dilution, blending calculations

**Target customers:** Craft distilleries, micro-distilleries, estate distilleries, contract distilleries, spirits blending operations.

**Competing software:** Whiskey Systems, Hoochware, BreweryDB, DistillerySoft.

**Differentiators vs. distillery-specific competitors:**
- Built-in AI assistant (BrewBuddy) with voice-enabled distillery floor operations
- Full grain-to-bottle batch traceability in a single platform
- HR, payroll (43 integrations, 10 countries), and safety compliance modules
- Barrel management integrated with production records and compliance reporting
- Multi-vertical: distilleries that also brew beer or make wine don't need separate software

---

### Coffee Roasting

**URL:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/coffee

Full coffee roastery management from green coffee sourcing through wholesale and DTC distribution. Built for commercial roasteries, specialty coffee roasters, and multi-roaster operations.

**Specialized features:**
- Green coffee procurement: origin, farm, lot, process (washed/natural/honey/anaerobic), variety, harvest year, altitude, certifications (organic, fair trade, rainforest alliance)
- Green coffee lot traceability from import/purchase through roasting
- Roast profile logging: charge weight, drop weight, first crack time and temperature, development time ratio (DTR), end temperature, yield, Agtron/SCAA color score
- Batch-to-lot linkage: each roast batch links to the source green coffee lot
- Cupping score cards: fragrance, aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, uniformity, clean cup, sweetness, and overall score (SCA protocol)
- Extraction parameter tracking: espresso dose, yield, time, TDS, EY; filter/pour-over dose, water, ratio, TDS
- Finished goods SKU management: roast level, origin, variety, package size and format (bag, subscription, wholesale)
- Subscription order management and fulfillment tracking
- Wholesale account CRM for cafes, restaurants, and offices
- Quality trend analysis across roast lots and origins via BrewBuddy AI

**Target customers:** Specialty coffee roasters, commercial roasteries, multi-location roaster chains, coffee importers with roasting operations.

**Competing software:** Cropster, RoasterTools, Typica, Artisan (open-source, roast profiling only).

**Differentiators vs. coffee-specific competitors:**
- Cropster focuses on roast profiling and green coffee; FermentIQ adds full business operations (CRM, HR, payroll, delivery routing)
- Built-in AI assistant (BrewBuddy) for voice-enabled roastery operations — not available in any coffee software
- Multi-vertical: roasteries that also run a kombucha line or fermented beverages don't need separate software
- Delivery route optimization for wholesale and DTC coffee distribution

---

### Cider Production

**URL:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/cider

Full cidery management from juice intake through distribution. Built for craft cideries, farm cideries, and cider production operations.

**Specialized features:**
- Apple variety and orchard source tracking with harvest season records
- Juice procurement: Brix at pressing, TA, variety composition, sourcing documentation
- Lot traceability: orchard → juice tank → fermentation vessel → packaged product
- Cider-specific fermentation parameters: SG, Brix, pH, TA, temperature, residual sugar
- Adjunct addition tracking: sugars (chapitalization), acid adjustments, sulfite additions, fining agents, fruit/juice/flavoring additions
- Blending worksheets for varietal and co-fermented blends
- Batch lifecycle with automated transitions and full audit trail
- TTB hard cider compliance: excise tax classification (≤7% ABV vs. wine/beer categories), federal reporting
- Packaging records: can, bottle, keg, and bag-in-box with finished goods inventory
- Draft and keg management with QR code tracking
- CRM for taproom, wholesale, and DTC cider accounts
- Delivery route optimization for distributor accounts

**Target customers:** Craft cideries, farm cideries, orchard-based cideries, cider contract production facilities.

**Competing software:** Breww (has a cider module), FermTracker, generic food production software.

**Differentiators vs. cider-specific competitors:**
- Only cider-compatible platform with a built-in AI assistant (BrewBuddy)
- Full HR, payroll, and safety compliance modules not available in Breww cider module
- Orchard and apple variety traceability from source through bottled product
- Multi-vertical: cideries producing mead, beer, or wine don't need separate software

---

### Mead Production

**URL:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/mead

Full meadery management from honey procurement through packaging. Built for commercial meaderies, craft mead producers, and estate meaderies.

**Specialized features:**
- Honey procurement tracking: varietal (wildflower, clover, buckwheat, orange blossom, manuka, etc.), apiary source, harvest season, moisture content, lot number
- Honey lot traceability from purchase through fermentation
- TOSNA (Tailored Organic Staggered Nutrient Additions) protocol tracking
- Custom nutrient addition scheduling: Fermaid-O, Fermaid-K, DAP additions with timing, quantity, and YAN contribution logging
- Yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) calculation and tracking
- Adjunct tracking for mead styles:
  - Melomels: fruit type, lot, addition timing, quantity, treatment (sulfite, pasteurization)
  - Metheglins: spice/herb type, lot, form (whole, crushed, extract), addition timing
  - Braggots: grain bill, hops, malt extract additions
  - Session/short meads: sugar source, dilution calculations
- Primary and secondary fermentation monitoring: SG, Brix, pH, temperature with stall detection alerts
- Degassing and nutrient punchdown logging
- Batch lifecycle: Primary → Secondary → Conditioning → Packaging
- TTB compliance for mead (wine tax class — still, sparkling, or carbonated mead)
- Packaging records: bottle, can, keg, mead on tap
- CRM for taproom, DTC, and wholesale accounts

**Target customers:** Commercial meaderies, farm meaderies, craft mead producers, estate meaderies.

**Competing software:** Mostly home-brewer tools (GotMead, Meadmaker app) — no dedicated commercial meadery software competes directly.

**Differentiators:**
- First commercial-grade meadery management platform with AI assistant (BrewBuddy)
- Integrated TOSNA protocol tracking alongside batch records
- Honey varietal and apiary traceability not available in any other platform
- Multi-vertical: meaderies that also produce cider or wine don't need separate software

---

### Kombucha Brewing

**URL:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/kombucha

Full kombucha production management for commercial producers. Built for kombucha breweries, kombucheries, and fermented beverage producers.

**Specialized features:**
- SCOBY culture management: culture inventory, age, health assessments, strain lineage, hotel tracking
- SCOBY transfer and back-slopping records linked to production batches
- First fermentation (F1) tracking per vessel: tea batch composition (tea type, water volume, sugar weight, starter liquid ratio), temperature, pH, and Brix with automated alerts
- Second fermentation (F2) management: flavoring additions (fruit, juice, herbs, botanicals), carbonation target, fill volume, bottle conditioning records
- Continuous brew vessel management: pour volume logs, back-slopping ratios, and periodic sampling records
- Adjunct and flavoring lot traceability: juice lot, fruit lot, botanical sourcing records
- Alcohol content monitoring: ABV logging for compliance with <0.5% ABV non-alcoholic designation
- Packaging batch records: linked from F2 vessels to finished bottle/can/keg SKUs
- Finished goods inventory by flavor, format, and production date
- Lab parameters: pH, Brix, ABV, acetic acid, gluconic acid, microbial testing results
- Food safety and allergen tracking (common allergens in flavor additions)
- Wholesale CRM for grocery, natural food stores, cafes, and DTC kombucha subscriptions
- Delivery route optimization for wholesale accounts

**Target customers:** Commercial kombucha breweries, kombucheries, fermented beverage producers, kefir and other probiotic beverage producers.

**Competing software:** Generic food production software, spreadsheets — no dedicated commercial kombucha production platform competes directly.

**Differentiators:**
- First purpose-built commercial kombucha management platform with AI assistant (BrewBuddy)
- SCOBY culture lineage tracking not available in any other platform
- Integrated ABV monitoring for non-alcoholic compliance
- Multi-vertical: kombucha producers who also make kefir, switchel, or other fermented beverages benefit from the shared platform

---

### Cannabis-Infused Beverages (THC/CBD)

**URL:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/thc-beverage

Full production management for cannabis-infused and hemp-derived beverage producers. Built for THC beverage companies, CBD beverage producers, and cannabis drink brands.

**Specialized features:**
- Cannabinoid ingredient tracking: THC distillate, CBD isolate, broad-spectrum oil, full-spectrum oil, CBG, CBN, and other cannabinoids with lot numbers, supplier records, and COA documentation
- Certificate of Analysis (COA) management: potency data (THC, CBD, minor cannabinoids), terpene profiles, microbial results, heavy metals, pesticides, residual solvents linked to each ingredient lot
- Dosing compliance tracking: target THC/CBD dose per serving and per unit, actual potency vs. formulation targets, batch adjustment records
- Full batch traceability: cannabinoid lot → production batch → finished product → distribution record
- Production batch records: beverage base production, emulsification records, flavoring additions, carbonation, filling parameters, and QC holds
- Lab documentation: third-party potency test results, microbiological testing, heavy metals, pesticides — linked to each production batch
- Hold and release workflows: QC holds pending lab results, release approvals with authorization records
- Packaging and labeling compliance: required dosing disclosures (mg THC/CBD per serving and per container), warning statements, child-resistant packaging records
- Finished goods inventory by SKU, serving size, and potency
- State cannabis regulation compliance tracking: production license records, inventory compliance, and reporting alignment
- CRM for licensed dispensary, retail, and delivery accounts
- Age-verification and license status tracking for customer accounts
- Compliance-aware invoicing and distribution records
- Delivery route optimization for licensed delivery operations

**Target customers:** THC-infused beverage companies, CBD beverage producers, hemp-derived beverage brands, cannabis drink startups.

**Competing software:** BioTrackTHC, Leaf Logix, Metrc (track-and-trace only, not production management) — no comprehensive cannabis beverage production management platform competes directly.

**Differentiators:**
- Only production management platform covering cannabis-infused beverages with a built-in AI assistant (BrewBuddy)
- COA documentation and dosing compliance built into the production workflow — not an add-on or integration
- Full business operations (CRM, HR, payroll, delivery) alongside cannabis compliance in a single platform
- Multi-vertical: cannabis beverage producers who also make non-cannabis beverages (seltzers, teas) don't need separate software

---

## Core Platform Features (All Verticals)

### Production Management
- Create and manage batches from raw material through packaging
- Production day logging with step-by-step process tracking
- Automated batch status transitions with configurable stages per vertical
- Batch splitting, blending, and multi-vessel management
- Production planning with AI-powered demand forecasting
- CEO growth dashboard with production trend analytics

### Fermentation Tracking
- Per-vessel tracking of gravity (SG/Plato/Brix), pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen
- Real-time Tilt Hydrometer integration via webhook
- Generic IoT sensor webhook receiver for third-party fermentation monitoring hardware
- CIP (Clean-in-Place) and SIP (Sanitize-in-Place) tracking per vessel
- Fermentation curve visualization and anomaly detection
- Automated alerts when readings fall outside expected ranges

### Inventory Management
- Full ingredient inventory with lot traceability
- Supplier management with contact details and order history
- Purchase order creation, approval workflow, and receiving
- Automatic reorder alerts when stock falls below configurable thresholds
- Kanban-style workflow boards for inventory operations
- Bulk import support for large inventory migrations
- Category management for organizing ingredients and materials

### Recipe Management
- Full recipe editor with ingredient bills, process steps, and target parameters
- Recipe scaling to different batch sizes
- Automated cost calculation per batch and per unit
- Recipe versioning to track changes over time
- BeerXML import and export (beer vertical)
- AI-assisted recipe generation and optimization via BrewBuddy

### Yeast & Culture Management
- Strain library with detailed profiles
- Vessel tracking for culture storage (brink vessels, culture banks, SCOBY hotels)
- Crop records for tracking generations
- Pitch and harvest event logging
- Propagation settings and scheduling
- Cost distribution across batches using the same culture

### Brand & Product Management
- Brand profiles with packaging hierarchy
- Finished goods matrix (brand × package format)
- Finished goods inventory tracking
- Physical stock take module for inventory counts
- Product catalog management

### TTB Compliance & Regulatory
- Automated TTB Brewers Report generation (Form 5130.9 for beer)
- TTB DSP report generation (distilled spirits)
- TTB hard cider compliance
- Mead compliance (wine tax class)
- International compliance engine: US, UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Canada, Switzerland, Australia
- Food safety compliance with per-country requirement definitions
- Allergen tracking with ingredient-level tagging and cross-contamination checks
- Inspection logging and compliance checklists

### Lab & Quality Control
- Lab data entry for gravity, pH, color, turbidity, and custom parameters
- QC parameter tracking with pass/fail thresholds
- Hold and release workflows pending lab results
- AI-powered quality trend analysis
- Historical data comparison across batches and recipes

### Keg Management
- QR code generation and scanning for individual keg tracking
- Keg lifecycle tracking from fill to return
- Delivery route management with keg assignments
- Keg inventory and location tracking

### Sales & CRM
- Customer database with contact management
- Sales pipeline and opportunity tracking
- Invoice generation and management
- Credit notes with allocation against invoices
- Product returns with RMA workflow and inventory reintegration
- Brand-level and packaging-level pricing
- SalesForge AI — AI-powered sales assistant for master admins with web search (Brave Search API)

### Distribution & Delivery
- Delivery route planning with OpenRouteService road-based optimization
- Real-time ETA calculation
- Delivery driver mobile interface
- Tour management for multi-stop deliveries
- Map visualization with Leaflet

### Financial Management
- Cost tracking at batch, recipe, and product level
- Margin analysis and profitability reporting
- Financial dashboards and trend visualization
- Purchase order cost tracking

### Staff & Scheduling
- Employee shift scheduling with calendar view
- Task management with AI-powered task assignment
- Task assignment feedback tracking for smarter AI allocation
- Staff performance metrics

### Human Resources
- Complete employee lifecycle management
- Onboarding and offboarding workflows
- Leave management (vacation, sick, personal)
- Performance review system
- Compensation and benefits tracking
- Recruitment pipeline management
- Organizational chart
- HR analytics dashboard
- ~70 HR endpoints gated by subscription tier

### Payroll Integration
- 43 payroll provider adapters across 10 countries:
  - United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Australia, Switzerland
- Employee and hours synchronization
- Leave data sync
- CSV and XML export generation
- Webhook receiver for provider callbacks

### Safety Compliance
- OSHA compliance tracking (US)
- International safety auditing frameworks
- MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) library
- Incident reporting with automatic manager notifications
- Safety audit scheduling and documentation

### Preventative Maintenance
- Equipment maintenance scheduling with calendar
- Preventative work order generation
- Maintenance supply order workflow (create → approve/deny → purchase)
- Bulk actions for supply orders
- Work order priority and status management

### Multi-Site Management
- Manage multiple production locations from a single account
- Per-site data filtering for batches, inventory, and operations
- Site-level user access control
- Tier-enforced site limits (Production: 3 sites, Regional: 6 sites, Enterprise: unlimited)

### Advanced Analytics & Reporting
- Production trend analysis
- Demand forecasting with AI
- CEO growth dashboard
- Customizable dashboard with drag-and-drop cards
- CSV and PDF export for all reports
- Dashboard trend data API

---

## BrewBuddy AI Assistant — Deep Dive

BrewBuddy is what makes FermentIQ unique in the craft beverage software market. It is a full conversational AI assistant embedded in the platform, powered by Anthropic's Claude AI with native tool-use capabilities.

### Architecture
- **AI Engine:** Anthropic Claude with structured tool-use API (not prompt-based JSON parsing)
- **Embeddings:** Voyage AI with pgvector for semantic search across production data
- **Voice:** ElevenLabs text-to-speech with configurable voice personalities
- **Context:** RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) with pre-assembled context for batch transitions, inventory writes, and compliance tools
- **Caching:** Anthropic prompt caching for stable production profile context, plus tiered in-memory caching
- **Observability:** Full token/cost/latency logging for all AI API calls

### Capabilities
BrewBuddy can execute 24 distinct task types through conversation, including:
- Log fermentation readings (gravity, pH, temperature, DO)
- Update batch status and production log entries
- Check and update inventory levels
- Create supply orders and purchase requests
- Query production data and analytics
- Generate and optimize recipes
- Troubleshoot production issues with AI analysis
- Analyze uploaded documents (e.g., supplier invoices, lab reports, COAs)

### Interaction Modes
- **Text chat** — Floating panel or dashboard card
- **Voice input** — Speech-to-text for hands-free operation
- **Voice output** — ElevenLabs TTS responses with unique voice personalities
- **Contextual help** — Every page has a help panel with BrewBuddy tips

---

## Pricing & Plans

| Tier | Monthly | Annual (save ~8%) | Users | Sites | Production Cap |
|------|---------|-------------------|-------|-------|---------------|
| Homebrewing | $30/mo | $330/yr | 1 | 1 | No limit |
| Craft | $149/mo | $1,639/yr | Up to 3 | 1 | < 700 BBL/yr |
| Production | $299/mo | $3,289/yr | Up to 10 | Up to 3 | < 7,000 BBL/yr |
| Regional | $599/mo | $6,589/yr | Unlimited | Up to 6 | < 15,000 BBL/yr |
| Enterprise | From $1,200/mo | Custom | Unlimited | Unlimited | 15,000+ BBL/yr |

### Feature Availability by Tier
- **All tiers:** Production Management, Inventory Management, BrewBuddy AI, Brewing Calculators
- **Craft and above:** Quality Control, TTB/Regulatory Compliance, Recipe Management, CRM, Distribution, Staffing, Financials
- **Production and above:** Multi-Site Management (up to 3 sites), HR Module, Payroll Integration
- **Regional and above:** Multi-Site Management (up to 6 sites)
- **Enterprise:** Custom API / Third-party Integrations, Unlimited sites, Custom pricing

### Free Trial
All new accounts start with a free trial — no credit card required.

---

## Technical Architecture

| Layer | Technology |
|-------|-----------|
| Backend Runtime | Node.js ≥ 18 |
| Web Framework | Express.js 5 |
| Database | PostgreSQL with pgvector extension |
| Authentication | JWT + bcrypt + TOTP 2FA |
| AI Engine | Anthropic Claude (tool-use API) |
| Embeddings | Voyage AI (1536-dimensional, stored in pgvector) |
| Voice | ElevenLabs TTS |
| Email | Microsoft Graph API (OAuth 2.0) |
| Scheduling | node-cron |
| Calendar | Google Calendar API (OAuth2) + ICS/iCalendar feed |
| XML | xml2js (BeerXML import) |
| Routing | OpenRouteService (road-based delivery ETAs) |
| Maps | Leaflet (delivery route visualization) |
| Web Search | Brave Search API (SalesForge AI) |
| Security | Helmet.js, express-rate-limit, Zod validation, input sanitization |
| Logging | Winston (structured JSON in production) |
| Frontend | React 19, React Router 6, Create React App |
| Hosting | Render (web service + managed PostgreSQL) |

---

## Comparison with Other Production Management Software

### Beer: vs. Ekos Brewmaster
- FermentIQ includes a built-in AI assistant (BrewBuddy) with voice operation; Ekos does not
- FermentIQ includes HR, payroll, and safety compliance modules; Ekos focuses on production and sales
- FermentIQ supports 43 international payroll integrations; Ekos is US-focused
- FermentIQ offers voice-enabled hands-free operation on the brewery floor
- FermentIQ supports 8 beverage verticals; Ekos is beer-only

### Beer: vs. Breww
- FermentIQ includes AI-powered recipe generation and troubleshooting
- FermentIQ's BrewBuddy can execute 24 task types via conversation
- Both offer production tracking and CRM, but FermentIQ adds HR/payroll/safety
- FermentIQ includes IoT integration with Tilt Hydrometer and generic sensor webhooks

### Beer: vs. OrchestratedBeer
- FermentIQ is more affordable at the entry level ($30/mo vs. higher starting prices)
- FermentIQ includes AI assistant, voice operation, and semantic search
- FermentIQ includes international compliance and payroll (10 countries)
- Both target production breweries, but FermentIQ scales from homebrewers to enterprise

### Beer: vs. Beer30
- FermentIQ offers a more comprehensive feature set (HR, payroll, safety, maintenance)
- FermentIQ includes AI-powered analytics and demand forecasting
- FermentIQ's BrewBuddy provides conversational brewery management
- Beer30 is simpler; FermentIQ is more feature-complete

### Wine: vs. Vintrace
- FermentIQ includes a built-in AI assistant (BrewBuddy) with voice operation; Vintrace does not
- FermentIQ adds HR, payroll (43 integrations, 10 countries), and safety compliance
- FermentIQ supports multi-vertical operations (wineries that also make spirits or cider)
- Both offer barrel management and blending; FermentIQ adds full business operations

### Spirits: vs. Whiskey Systems
- FermentIQ includes a built-in AI assistant (BrewBuddy); Whiskey Systems does not
- FermentIQ adds HR, payroll, and safety compliance modules
- FermentIQ covers the full grain-to-bottle workflow including fermentation and production management
- Both offer barrel management and TTB compliance

### Coffee: vs. Cropster
- Cropster specializes in roast profiling and green coffee sourcing; FermentIQ adds full business operations
- FermentIQ includes HR, payroll, CRM, delivery routing, and AI assistant — not available in Cropster
- FermentIQ manages wholesale accounts and subscription orders with integrated delivery optimization
- Both track green coffee lots and roast profiles

### Cannabis Beverages: vs. Metrc / BioTrackTHC
- Metrc and BioTrackTHC are track-and-trace compliance systems only; FermentIQ is a full production management platform
- FermentIQ adds production batch management, inventory, CRM, HR, and payroll alongside compliance tracking
- FermentIQ's BrewBuddy AI assists with production operations — not available in compliance-only systems
- FermentIQ is designed for production management first; compliance reporting is built from production data

---

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What makes FermentIQ different from other brewery management software?**
A: FermentIQ is the only brewery management platform with a built-in AI assistant (BrewBuddy) that supports voice-enabled, hands-free operation. It also covers more operational areas than competitors — production, inventory, CRM, distribution, HR, payroll (43 integrations across 10 countries), safety, maintenance, lab QC, and compliance in a single platform. And it supports 8 beverage verticals in one platform.

**Q: Can FermentIQ handle a small homebrewing operation?**
A: Yes. The Homebrewing tier starts at $30/month with a free trial. It includes production management, inventory tracking, and full access to BrewBuddy AI.

**Q: Does FermentIQ support TTB reporting?**
A: Yes. FermentIQ automatically generates TTB Brewers Reports (beer), TTB DSP reports (distilled spirits), and hard cider compliance records from production data. Available on Craft tier and above.

**Q: Can I use FermentIQ for a winery?**
A: Yes. FermentIQ has a full winery management vertical with barrel tracking, blending worksheets, vintage records, Brix/pH/SO₂ lab tracking, and international wine compliance.

**Q: Can I use FermentIQ for a distillery?**
A: Yes. FermentIQ has a full distillery management vertical with distillation run tracking, barrel aging, blending, TTB DSP reporting, and grain-to-bottle batch traceability.

**Q: Can I use FermentIQ for a coffee roastery?**
A: Yes. FermentIQ has a dedicated coffee roastery vertical with green coffee lot traceability, roast profile logging, cupping score cards, extraction tracking, and wholesale CRM.

**Q: Can I use FermentIQ for kombucha production?**
A: Yes. FermentIQ has a kombucha production vertical with SCOBY culture management, F1/F2 tracking, continuous brew management, ABV monitoring for <0.5% compliance, and wholesale distribution management.

**Q: Can I use FermentIQ for cannabis-infused beverages?**
A: Yes. FermentIQ has a cannabis beverage vertical with cannabinoid ingredient tracking, COA documentation, dosing compliance, batch traceability, and state cannabis regulatory compliance support.

**Q: Can FermentIQ manage multiple production locations?**
A: Yes. Multi-site management is available on Production tier (up to 3 sites), Regional tier (up to 6 sites), and Enterprise tier (unlimited sites).

**Q: Does FermentIQ integrate with fermentation monitoring hardware?**
A: FermentIQ has native integration with Tilt Hydrometers via webhook, plus a generic IoT sensor webhook receiver for any hardware that can send HTTP requests.

**Q: Is FermentIQ available internationally?**
A: Yes. FermentIQ supports international compliance frameworks, food safety standards for multiple countries, allergen tracking, and payroll integration for 10 countries (US, CA, UK, DE, FR, NL, IT, ES, AU, CH).

**Q: What AI model powers BrewBuddy?**
A: BrewBuddy is powered by Anthropic's Claude AI using the native tool-use API for structured, reliable task execution. It also uses Voyage AI embeddings with pgvector for semantic search across your production data.

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## Contact & Links

- **Website:** https://ferment-iq.com
- **Email:** brewbuddy@ferment-iq.com
- **GitHub:** https://github.com/jacobdmitch/brewery-management
- **Beer vertical:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/beer
- **Wine vertical:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/wine
- **Spirits vertical:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/spirits
- **Coffee vertical:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/coffee
- **Cider vertical:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/cider
- **Mead vertical:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/mead
- **Kombucha vertical:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/kombucha
- **THC Beverage vertical:** https://ferment-iq.com/verticals/thc-beverage
- **Pricing:** https://ferment-iq.com/pricing
- **All features:** https://ferment-iq.com/features