Systems, methods and cartridges for carbonating or otherwise dissolving gas in a precursor liquid, such as water, to form a beverage. A gas source can be provided in a cartridge which is used to generate gas that is dissolved into the precursor liquid. A beverage medium, such as a powdered drink mix or liquid syrup, may be provided in the same, or a separate cartridge as the gas source and mixed with the precursor liquid to form a beverage. The use of one or more cartridges for the gas source and/or beverage medium may make for an easy to use and mess-free system for making sparkling beverages, e.g., in the consumer's home.

The invention provides containers for pressuring an aqueous liquid FIG. 1 with a gas to increase the concentration of the gas in the aqueous liquid. The container employs one or more moveable sections to reduce the accessible volume of the container, e.g., allowing gases such as H2 to become supersaturated within an aqueous liquid.

A mixing valve is described for a dispensing device for dispensing a cooled beverage mixed with a gas, comprising: a first inlet which can be fluidically connected to a first source of gas and can be supplied with the gas; a second inlet which can be connected to a second source of the beverage without gas and can be supplied with the beverage not mixed with the gas; an outlet which can be connected to a first dispensing mouth for dispensing the beverage mixed with the gas; the dispensing mouth is available in a closed or open configuration to prevent or allow dispensing of the beverage mixed with said gas; a chamber interposed between the first and the second inlet on one side and the outlet on the other side and adapted to allow mixing of the gas and non-mixed beverage, thus forming the beverage mixed with the gas; and regulation means, configured to allow, when the first dispensing mouth is arranged in the open configuration, the passage, respectively, of a first flow value of gas between the first inlet and the outlet and a second flow value of non-mixed beverage between the second inlet and the outlet.

Carbonation duct (1) for blending a gas and a beverage. The carbonation duct (1) includes a tubular structure (12) surrounding a compression structure (13), the compression structure (13) longitudinally positioned inside the tubular structure (12) and setting a pathway (14) for the flowing of the beverage along the carbonation duct (1). The compression structure (13) includes external diameters (P,C,G) sequentially defining a convergence path (8), a mixture path (19) and a slowdown path (20) along the carbonation duct (1), wherein, in the convergence path (8), the carbonation duct (1) includes a gas entry portion (9) for gas injection in the pathway (14), and the tubular structure (12) defines a turbilionating projection (10) establishing a carbonation duct (1) mixture diameter (F).

A gas liquid absorption device (GLAD), featuring a gas inlet manifold, a liquid inlet manifold and a gas/liquid mixing foamer. The gas inlet manifold has a gas inlet configured to receive and provide an inlet gas, and also has a gas foamer cavity formed therein and coupled fluidically to the gas inlet to receive the inlet gas. The liquid inlet manifold has a liquid inlet configured to receive and provide a non-infused liquid, and also has a liquid foamer cavity formed therein and coupled fluidically to the liquid inlet to receive the non-infused liquid. The gas/liquid mixing foamer is configured between the gas inlet manifold and the liquid inlet manifold and arranged in the gas foamer cavity and the liquid foamer cavity. The gas/liquid mixing foamer has a gas foamer wall configured to form a gas receiving foamer chamber that is fluidically coupled to the gas foamer cavity. The gas foamer wall has gas provisioning holes formed therein to provide dispersed inlet gas from the gas receiving foamer chamber. The gas/liquid mixing foamer has a liquid foamer wall configured to form a liquid receiving foamer chamber that is fluidically coupled to the liquid foamer cavity. The liquid foamer wall having liquid provisioning holes formed therein to provide dispersed non-infused liquid from the liquid receiving foamer chamber. The mixing chamber is configured to receive the dispersed inlet gas and the dispersed non-infused liquid, infuse the dispersed inlet gas and the dispersed non-infused liquid, and provide a foamed gas/liquid mixture from the mixing chamber.

A decanter arranged to permit storage of wine or other beverage while isolated from ambient air and employing a variable size beverage storage volume. A valve may control flow past a piston as the piston is moved relative to a container to adjust a size of the beverage storage volume.

A liquid dispensing device and system to dispense, or aerate and dispense a liquid such as wine through a spout. The dispensing device having multiple air ports and aeration chambers to form multiple aerating segments during the pour process. The dispensing device having a handle to increase grasping of a liquid container and preventing accidental separation of the device and a container.

A method of producing a carbonated beverage comprising a blend of water and syrup having a predetermined final carbonation level. The method includes the steps of: introducing CO.sub.2 into a flowing stream of a product blend comprising water, syrup and dissolved oxygen, such that CO.sub.2 is dissolved in the product blend; deaerating the CO.sub.2-containing product blend by introducing the blend into a vented atmospheric vessel, the interior of which is at ambient pressure with a headspace maintained above the surface of the liquid within the vessel, whereby dissolved oxygen is released from the product blend and vented from the vessel; pumping the deaerated product blend from the vessel, wherein the deaerated blend includes dissolved CO.sub.2 at an intermediate carbonation level less than the final carbonation level; and carbonating the deaerated product blend to the final carbonation level downstream of the vented vessel to produce a carbonated beverage for subsequent packaging. A system for performing the method is also provided, as well as a method of producing a beverage using nitrogen deaeration.

A closure for a container neck comprises a shell and a fitment. The fitment comprises a body and engagement means that extend radially outwardly from the body and releasably retain the fitment within the shell. During application of the closure to the container neck, the engagement means is forced from an extended condition into a retracted condition to release the fitment from the shell, and the fitment is inserted into the container neck into an operative position.

A system for preparing and dispensing a nitrogen infused beverage is provided. The system includes a beverage concentrate container in fluid connection, through a first flow controlling point, with a nitrogenated beverage liquid mixing point, a nitrogenated water supply in fluid connection, through a second flow controlling point, to said nitrogenated beverage liquid mixing point, wherein said nitrogenated water supply includes a water supply in fluid connection with a liquid/gas contactor unit having a controlled pressurized supply of a gas includes at least 50% by weight nitrogen supplied thereto, and a nitrogen infused beverage line in fluid connection from the nitrogenated beverage liquid mixing point to a beverage faucet of a faucet tower, wherein the beverage faucet is a faucet such that the infused beverage in the nitrogen infused beverage line remains under pressure during dispense of the beverage from the faucet. The beverage may be any non-carbonated liquid and in one embodiment the beverage is coffee. The dispensed N.sub.2 or N.sub.2/CO.sub.2 gas infused chilled coffee has a unique appearance and enhanced flavor and aroma.