An apparatus for making a beverage includes a housing, a first receptacle, a second receptacle, a cutting assembly, a water source, and at least one water outlet. The first receptacle is positioned in the housing for accepting a first beverage container containing a liquid. The second receptacle is positioned in the housing for accepting a second beverage container containing a liquid. The cutting assembly has a cutting blade that is movable relative to the first and second receptacles for opening the first and second containers substantially simultaneously so that liquid stored therein can be at least in part evacuated. The water source is coupled to the housing The at least one water outlet is associated with one or more of the first and second receptacles for adding water to the liquid from the first and second beverage containers from the water source.

A beverage capsule includes a body defining an interior space having an opening. A filter is disposed in the interior space to define an ingredients chamber for containing and filtering ingredients for preparing a desired beverage product. The filter is formed of a hydrophobic and non-absorbent polymer material having a basis weight of less than 40 gsm, wherein said filter has a tensile strength of less than 100 N/5 cm in the Machine Direction (MD) and 70 N/5 cm or less in the Cross Direction (CD). The ingredients are disposed in the ingredients chamber for preparing the desired beverage product. A cover is disposed on the body to close the opening.

A beverage system for producing a beverage based on the contents of a capsule. A capsule support for accommodating a capsule and a dispensing unit for providing the beverage produced based on the contents of the capsule. The beverage system has a carbonizing source configured to provide a carbonizing gas in the beverage system, at least one liquid container for receiving a liquid, and at least one carbonizer configured to carbonize liquid from the liquid container using carbonizing gas from the carbonizing source. A liquid line is configured to conduct non-carbonized liquid directly from the liquid container to the capsule, and a liquid line is configured to conduct carbonized liquid from the carbonizer to the capsule.

The present application provides a dispensing nozzle for use with a flow of a diluent and a flow of a concentrate. The beverage dispenser may include an annular concentrate path of the flow of the concentrate and an annular diluent path surrounding at least in part the annular concentrate path for the flow of the diluent. The annular diluent path may include a shallow angle leading towards the flow of the concentrate such that the flow of the diluent and the flow of the concentrate mix in or downstream of the dispensing nozzle.

A beverage dispenser inclues a housing and a base liquid nozzle arranged on the housing and configured to dispense a base liquid. The beverage dispenser further includes an additive nozzle arranged on the housing and configured to dispense an additive. The beverage dispenser includes a user interface arranged on the housing, and the user interface is configured to receive a first selection of a base liquid and at least one of a temperature of the base liquid and a carbonation level of the base liquid, and a second selection of an additive. The beverage dispenser is configured to dispense the base liquid from the base liquid nozzle based on the first selection, and wherein the additive nozzle is configured to dispense the additive based on the second selection.

A beverage maker includes a water supply module configured to supply water used by the beverage maker, an ingredient supplier that is connected to the water supply module through a first main channel and that includes a plurality of ingredient holders, a fermentation module connected to the ingredient supplier through a second main channel and configured to receive ingredients from the ingredient supplier and water from the water supply module, a beverage dispenser connected to the second main channel, and a sub channel configured to connect the water supply module to the beverage dispenser.

A beverage-making apparatus includes a container including a container body that includes heat-insulating material and has an opening that provides access to an interior of the container body. The container further includes: a container cover configured to open and close the opening of the container body, and at least three channels connected to the container and that are communicative with the interior of the container body. The at least three channels include at least one first channel and a second channel that are communicative with a beverage ingredient pack mounted in the interior of the container body, the beverage ingredient pack configured to hold first beverage-making ingredients. The container further includes a third channel that is communicative with a space formed in the interior of the container body between a wall of the container body and the beverage ingredient pack mounted in the interior the container body.

A beverage dispenser uses-high ratio concentrates to mix on-demand beverages. The high-ratio concentrate is pre-mixed with an alkaline water to allow for improved blending performance in the final beverage. The beverage recipe may be customized by the user to suit personal tastes. Aspects of the beverage dispenser also may include the ability to dispense room temperature, chilled, heated, sparkling, or highly alkaline beverages. Operation of a user interface to receive a beverage order includes the ability to display and employ user interfaces present on both a display on the beverage dispenser and an application on a mobile device. In some aspects, both user interfaces may be used simultaneously to receive user input. Methods of dispensing a beverage using the beverage dispensing systems are also discussed.

A beverage dispensing apparatus and methods for active pressure control thereof. In one aspect, a method for controlling a beverage dispensing apparatus may include: a) determining whether a first beverage to be prepared at a first temperature or a second beverage to be prepared a second temperature has been selected for preparation, the first temperature being greater than the second temperature; and b) selecting a maximum pressure threshold for a beverage preparation fluid circuit of the beverage dispensing apparatus based on whether the first beverage or the second beverage has been selected in step a), wherein the maximum pressure threshold is set by selecting from at least a first pressure threshold when the first beverage has been determined to have been selected and a second pressure threshold when the second beverage has been determined to have been selected, the first pressure being less than the second pressure.

A capsule or container is provided having optimized recycling attributes. The capsule is provided for use in a machine for preparing a consumable product from capsules. The capsule includes a body that defines an interior space with an opening. A cover is disposed over the opening. A filter is disposed in the interior space to define a chamber between the filter and the cover. The body, filter and cover are preferably formed of the same substantially pure polymer material. Ingredients are disposed in the interior space for preparing a desired product. A hinge is provided to tether the cover to the body. The cover is attached with a peelable seal to the body so that cover may be peeled away from the body while remaining tethered at the hinge.