A cooling system for a beverage dispensing system includes a cooling jacket for placement around a beverage container, such as a keg. The cooling jacket includes a main body having a top edge, an opposite bottom edge, an inner surface and an opposing outer surface. The main body is configured for placement around a side of the container. The main body has a first interior space for receiving the container, wherein the main body is formed of a first insulation material. The cooling jacket also includes an openable and closeable upper body that is for placement above and over a top of the container. The upper body is coupled to the main body such that is lies thereabove. The upper body is formed of a second insulation material. The upper body has a means for closing the upper body for completely enclosing the container within the cooling jacket.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method that may include identifying at least one metric for a fluid flowing through a line from a vessel to a dispenser. The method may include identifying a reference value for the at least one metric for the fluid. The method may include performing an analysis of the fluid based on the at least one metric for the fluid. The method may include comparing results of the analysis with the reference value. The method may include performing at least one action based on determining that there has been a change in the at least one metric relative to the reference value.

A beverage dispense system for a countertop having a water inlet including a solenoid valve and a beverage concentrate inlet to which a bag-in-box containing a supply of liquid coffee concentrate is attached. A beverage dispense font is mounted on the countertop. A water conduit connects the water inlet with the dispense font. A separate liquid beverage concentrate conduit connects the beverage concentrate inlet with the beverage dispense font. An electric syrup pump pumps liquid coffee concentrate from the bag-in-box to the end of the dispense font. A control unit controls the separate delivery of water from the mains water inlet and/or liquid coffee concentrate to the end of the beverage dispense font. Where water and liquid coffee concentrate are delivered, they will mix in the beverage receptacle.

A beverage cooling system includes a main assembly having a refrigeration module, a pumping and control module, and a beverage cooling module. The refrigeration module has a refrigeration system cooling a cooling medium. The beverage cooling module has a cooling tank cooled by the refrigeration system. The pumping and control module has a pump to pump a beverage ingredient cooled by the refrigeration system. Each of the refrigeration module, the pumping and control module, and beverage cooling module are independently removable from and connectable to the remainder of the main assembly.

Methods and devices for dispensing a cooled beverage are provided. One embodiment of methods includes the steps of mixing a diluent and a concentrate to make a diluted solution. The diluted solution is carbonated to yield a carbonated solution. The carbonated solution is cooled to below 0? C. to produce the cooled beverage, and the cooled beverage is dispensed through a nozzle. A device for dispensing a cooled beverage, where the cooled beverage comprises a diluent having a freezing point at STP includes an upstream cooler that pre-cools a supply of diluent to a temperature above the freezing point. A mixer mixes the pre-cooled diluent with a concentrate to make a diluted solution. A downstream cooler further cools the diluted solution to below the freezing point. A dispenser dispenses the downstream-cooled solution to atmosphere. The temperature of the cooled beverage is below the freezing point when dispensed.

A fluid material dispensing apparatus includes: a material outlet chamber extended outward from a main body of the fluid material dispensing apparatus; multiple pumps arranged to respectively extract multiple fluid materials stored in multiple material containers, and to operably push corresponding fluid materials forward; a fluid output device positioned on a bottom of the material outlet chamber and comprising multiple fluid outlets, wherein the multiple fluid outlets are respectively coupled with the multiple pumps through multiple material transmission paths; and a cold air tunnel coupled with the material outlet chamber and arranged to operably introduce cold air into the material outlet chamber, so as to maintain an internal temperature of the material outlet chamber to be lower than a predetermined temperature.

A chiller for cooling a beverage includes a reservoir configured to hold a heat exchange fluid and an evaporator coil arranged within the reservoir. The evaporator coil includes a plurality of windings configured to circulate a coolant, and projections extending from an exterior surface of one or more of the plurality of windings. The chiller further includes a chiller coil arranged in the reservoir, wherein the beverage is configured to flow through the chiller coil. When the coolant is circulated through the plurality of windings of the evaporator coil, a bank of frozen heat exchange fluid forms on the windings and on the projections.

A carbonated drink dispensing system includes a carbonation tank, a CO.sub.2 cylinder configured to deliver CO.sub.2 to the carbonation tank at a pressure of between 50 psi and 60 psi, a low-pressure pump configured to pump water into the carbonation tank, and a level sensor configured to determine when the water in the carbonation tank has reached a pre-determined level. The low-pressure pump is configured to stop pumping water when the level sensor determines that the water in the carbonation tank has reached the pre-determined level. The low-pressure pump starts pumping water again after a time delay.

A freezing detection device to be applied to a liquid cooling apparatus including a liquid tank for storing a liquid whose freezing is to be detected and a cooling unit located inside the liquid tank to cool the liquid, the freezing detection device comprises: a temperature detecting unit located at a predetermined distance from the cooling unit; and a determining unit configured to determine whether or not the liquid has frozen around the temperature detecting unit based on an output from the temperature detecting unit, the determining unit determining whether or not the liquid has frozen around the temperature detecting unit based on whether the output from the temperature detecting unit is fluctuating or not.

A fluid material dispensing apparatus includes: a material outlet chamber; multiple pumps arranged to respectively extract multiple fluid materials stored in multiple material containers, and to operably push corresponding fluid materials forward; a fluid output device positioned on a bottom of the material outlet chamber and comprising multiple fluid outlets, wherein the multiple fluid outlets are respectively coupled with the multiple pumps through multiple material transmission paths; a cold air tunnel coupled with the material outlet chamber and arranged to operably introduce cold air into the material outlet chamber, so as to maintain an internal temperature of the material outlet chamber to be lower than a predetermined temperature; a first air extraction device located at an air inlet of the cold air tunnel; and a second air extraction device positioned inside the cold air tunnel.