The ancient tradition of brewing beer doesn't need to be complex, but that doesn't mean we can't make it complex.
The most time-consuming parts of the brewing process are monitoring temperatures and moving liquids. This interesting automated brew system (with a LEGO NXT for its brains) monitors the temperatures and controls the pump mechanisms. Most systems of this type still rely on a human to do these tasks.
You know an engineer is involved because a control box with power supply and relays is mounted on the side of the frame. Not only that, but it is the first thing the guy wants to show off in this YouTube video.