The present invention provides a method for the manufacture of a carbonated beverage, including the steps of: providing oxygen-reduced water; mixing the oxygen-reduced water with a mixing component to obtain a beverage mixture, adding a gas comprising CO.sub.2 to the beverage mixture to obtain a beverage mixture mixed with CO.sub.2, reducing the oxygen content of the beverage mixture mixed with CO.sub.2 in a first container to obtain an oxygen-reduced beverage mixture mixed with CO.sub.2, discharging the oxygen-reduced beverage mixture mixed with CO.sub.2 from the first container, determining the CO.sub.2 content of the oxygen-reduced beverage mixture mixed with CO.sub.2; and adding further CO.sub.2 to the discharged oxygen-reduced beverage mixture mixed with CO.sub.2 on the basis of the determined CO.sub.2 content to obtain a finally carbonated beverage.

A dispenser head for in-line mixing and dispensing of beverages, which may be carbonated or nitrogenated. The dispenser head comprising a pump, a dilution mechanism, an additive mechanism, and outlet nozzle and optionally a regulation system. In use, the pump can pump concentrate liquid for the liquid product from a concentrate source to the dilution mechanism; the dilution mechanism can receive diluent liquid suitable for the liquid product from a diluent source, operable to mix the diluent liquid and the concentrate liquid and provide diluted concentrate liquid; and the additive mechanism can receive additive fluid for the liquid product from an additive source, to combine the diluted concentrate liquid and the additive fluid. The regulation system comprises a pump regulator means for regulating the quantity of concentrate liquid pumped into the dilution mechanism within the dispense period; a diluent quantity regulator means for regulating the flow of diluent liquid into the dilution mechanism; and an additive quantity regulator means for regulating the flow of additive fluid into the additive mechanism. Preferably, the dispenser head is a unitary device, which may be supplied attached to a vessel containing the concentrate.

A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus includes a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid, and a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of additives into the consumable liquid. The dispensing assembly includes multiple apertures structured and arranged to retain vessels containing the additives to be dispensed into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus also includes a level sensor disposed within the container assembly that determines a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly. In certain embodiments, one or more positive displacement pumping mechanisms are configured to pump additive liquid from additive containers into a beverage chamber.

An open-topped drinking cup and a lid comprising a lid cover and a mixing device for holding and mixing a condiment into a beverage held in the dinking cup. The lid cover defines a circular mounting aperture within which the mixing device is displaceably located. The mixing device includes at least two mixing elements which are connected to another so as to be telescopically displaceable relative to one another between a retracted condition and an extended condition wherein the mixing device extends into the beverage. The mixing device includes a condiment chamber which is defined within a mixing element for holding a condiment such as sugar. The mixing device further includes a mixing element which has a number of circumferentially-spaced slots through which the condiment is discharged into the beverage.

A liquid dispensing system comprises a container enclosing a chamber. A flexible bag in the chamber contains a first liquid. First and second conduits are contained in the chamber. The first conduit connects the chamber to an outlet port in the container where the second conduit connects the bag to the first conduit. A supply source introduces a pressurized second liquid into the chamber. The first conduit serves to direct an existing flow of the second liquid from the chamber to the outlet port, with the pressurized second liquid serving to collapse the bag and expel the first liquid contained therein via the second conduit to the first conduit for mixture with the exiting flow of the second liquid. The second conduit lacks flow restrictions, such as metering orifices or the like.

A beverage mixing assembly for mixing a gas into a liquid to thereby form a solution includes a mixer body having a first upstream inlet configured to receive the gas, a second upstream inlet configured to receive the liquid, and a downstream outlet configured to dispense the solution from the mixer body. The first upstream inlet defines a first orifice configured to spray the gas into the mixer body and the second upstream inlet defines a second orifice configured to spray the liquid into the mixer body such that the gas collides into the liquid as the liquid conveys from the second upstream inlet to the downstream outlet to thereby mix into the liquid and form the solution.

A foaming device comprising a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet spaced apart from said fluid inlet and a fluid conduit extending from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet, the fluid conduit defining a cavity characterised in that said fluid conduit comprises first and second plates at least one of which comprises a plurality of baffles projecting into the cavity of the fluid conduit, and wherein at least one plate is movable with respect to the other to vary the distance between said plates.

Apparatuses and methods for liquid control are provided. A liquid control apparatus may be for selectively treating and/or substituting a liquid flow from at least one of a plurality of supply lines. The ultimate liquid flow is for dispensing to a user by way of a liquid supply fixture such as a tap. The apparatus comprises a liquid conditioning module for connection in-line with at least one of the plurality of supply lines. The liquid conditioning module receives a diverted liquid flow of the at least one supply line from an upstream portion of the supply line. It then outputs a selectively treated and/or substituted liquid flow for returning to a downstream portion of the supply line for dispensing to the user. The apparatus has at least one flow sensor, each flow sensor associated with one of the plurality of supply lines. It has a controller, the controller configured to receive information indicative of the liquid flow of at least one of the plurality of supply lines from the at least one flow sensor. The controller, upon the occurrence of a predetermined flow characteristic, is operable to activate the liquid conditioning module to treat and/or substitute the liquid flow from one or more of the liquid conditioning module connected supply lines in order to provide a treated and/or substituted liquid flow at the liquid supply fixture.

A beverage apparatus, the beverage apparatus being hand-holdable by a user of the beverage apparatus to be portable, can include a beverage chamber housing that includes a chamber for storing a consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus can include a dispensing assembly that includes a receptacle. The receptacle can retain a vessel. The vessel can include an electronic tag and can contain an additive. The dispensing assembly can be operatively controllable by a controller to output the additive from the vessel into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus can include one or more sensors, devices, or assemblies that can be used to detect a volume of liquid in the chamber or a liquid level in the chamber. The beverage apparatus can include an apparatus computer processor portion (ACP) and an apparatus database portion. The beverage apparatus can include various additional features.

An open-topped drinking cup 10 and a lid 12 comprising a lid cover 14 and a mixing device 16 for holding a mixing a condiment into a beverage 44 held in the dinking cup. The lid cover defines a circular mounting aperture 22 within which the mixing device is displaceably located. The mixing device 16 includes four tubular mixing elements 32.1, 32.2, 32.3, and 32.4 which are connected to another so as to be telescopically displaceable relative to one another between a retracted condition and an extended condition wherein the mixing device extends into the beverage 44. The mixing device 16 includes a condiment holder comprising a condiment chamber 36 which is defined within the mixing element 32.1, for holding a condiment 38 such as sugar. The mixing element 32.4 has a number of circumferentially-spaced slots 42 through which the condiment 38 is discharged into the beverage 44.