An espresso machine is provided that utilizes a mechanical valve in addition to a flow meter. This results in a low-cost espresso machine while delivering a measured volume of water for the espresso pour. The mechanical valve facilitates a machine with both selectable espresso pour and steam and/or hot water outlets. In this embodiment, the espresso machine utilizes a shared pump and water heater (e.g., a thermoblock, boiler or similar) for multiple functions and/or through different outlets. For example, water from the reservoir may be sent through the flow meter to the pump, then to the water heater, and eventually to either the grouphead or steam wand, or to a pressure release.

A locking brewing device includes a seat body configured to mount a material cup and including a piston chamber with an open end and a closed end, a piston slidably and sealedly arranged in the piston chamber and configured to lock a beverage capsule in the material cup, and a liquid guide piercing tube arranged at a surface of the piston that faces the open end of the piston chamber and being configured to pierce the beverage capsule in the material cup and deliver liquid. The piston and the closed end of the piston chamber form a pressure medium chamber having an opening, and the piston includes a liquid inlet passage in communication with the liquid guide piercing tube.

A milk supply device for supplying milk from a milk supply container to a milk dispensing device is provided. The milk supply device comprises a milk transport line which can be connected to the milk supply container and with which milk which has been taken from the milk supply container can be delivered to the milk dispensing device. The milk supply device further comprises a three-way junction, which can be operated such that optionally milk can be transported from the milk supply container to the milk dispensing device, whilst the milk transport line is sealed off by it, at the same time, relative to the cleaning agent transport line, in a fluid-impermeable manner, or cleaning agent can be conducted from the cleaning agent transport line in the direction towards the milk dispensing device and/or in the direction towards a discharge of the milk supply device.

Provided is an imitated pour-over coffee maker capable of high-temperature control, including: a body having therein a water tank and a coffee-making tank; a human-machine interface module; a first coffee-making module; a second coffee-making module; a first control module; and a second control module for reading a signal of a third temperature sensor to control a second solenoid valve to perform coffee-making commencement or perform water-return commencement for returning water to the coffee-making tank. High-temperature control can be exercised over water dispensed by the delivery head, thereby optimizing the automation of imitated pour-over coffee making.

A system for preparing and dispensing a nitrogen-infused beverage includes a chilled water delivery subsystem, a beverage concentrate subsystem including a beverage concentrate fluidically coupled to a beverage pump, and a nitrogen delivery subsystem. The system includes a nitrogen infuser having a first input fluidically coupled to the nitrogen delivery subsystem and one other input fluidically coupled to the beverage pump. A flavor concentrate subsystem includes a flavor concentrate fluidically coupled to a flavor pump. The system also includes a kegerator tower assembly, and a flavor manifold having a first input fluidically coupled to an output of the nitrogen infuser, one other input to the at least one flavor pump, and an output fluidically coupled to an input of the kegerator tower assembly. A controller controls the beverage pump and the flavor pump. A computer coupled to a camera, and configured for instructing the controller to prepare the beverage.

Embodiments of improved generation of steam and heated liquids in a beverage system via the use of different pathways through liquid processing modules to process liquid to different, desired states are disclosed. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

A method and apparatus for frothing a beverage, e.g., using a beverage preparing device and an ejector is described. Within a housing of the beverage preparing device, an air supply and steam supply may be arranged to deliver air and steam to an ejector outside of the housing. Beverage liquid may be frothed by providing steam and air, then steam alone to achieve frothing and heating. An ejector may supply a mixture of steam and air and a controller may be used to regulate the flow of steam and air through the ejector. The ejector may have a venturi that uses steam flow to create a low pressure region, which draws air into the ejector.

An automated self-cleaning frothing appliance includes: a housing having a base, a tower extending upwardly from the base, and a canopy extending from an upper portion of the tower above the base; a vessel mounted beneath the canopy, the vessel having an outlet at a lower end; a frothing tool extending from the canopy into the vessel; a first fluid pathway in the housing to receive water from a water source and deliver water into the vessel; a valve positioned to selectively open and close the outlet to the vessel; a valve-opening mechanism attached to the housing to selectively open and close the valve; a drain positioned beneath the outlet to receive water draining from the outlet; a second fluid pathway routed from the drain to deliver water to an external receptacle; and a controller operatively connected with the drive unit, the first fluid pathway and the valve-opening mechanism.

A method of brewing hot beverage with an electric hot beverage brewer (20) with a duty cycle modulated DC voltage dispense pump (44) with an inlet (46) connected to a de-aerator (24) and beneath a lower limit and an outlet (48) located above an upper limit the surface a hot water tank (22) is finely controlled by a high frequency pulse-width, modulated, square power input voltage (FIG. 2) with a duty cycle controlled in accordance with predetermined profiles stored within a controller (28) to selectively change the flow rate out of the pump onto a distribution dome (50) during a dispense period of a brew cycle to achieve optimum brewing of different types of beverage ingredients and varieties of the different types and to selectively change the spray pattern of hot water onto the ingredient (53) within the basket assembly (52) between vertical and acute angles including acute angles that pass hot water into a bypass gap (56).

A machine (1) for preparing a beverage (3) comprises: a beverage processing unit (10, 20) delimiting a chamber (21) in which a flavouring ingredient (2) is held and mixed with water (4); one or more electric devices (60, 65, 721); and a connection (76) for powering the electric devices (60, 65, 721). The connection (76) is disconnectably connected to the electric devices (60, 65, 721) and removable therefrom. The connection (76) has a power connector (761) for connection to an external power source. The connection (76) includes an electric converter (762) that is configured to convert the electric power supplied by the external power source into a converted electric power appropriate to power one or more or all of the electric devices (60, 65, 721).