A system and method for carbonating a beverage is shown. The system includes a saturation tank having a gas head space of CO.sub.2, a carbonation tank, and a beverage supply system to pass the beverage between the saturation tank and the carbonation tank. A beverage supersaturated with CO.sub.2 from the head space is formed in the saturation tank. The supersaturated beverage is passed from the saturation tank to the carbonation tank. Once the amount of CO.sub.2 added to the beverage exceeds saturation, some of the CO.sub.2 escapes from solution from the beverage and the pressure in the carbonation tank increases. Once the pressure within the carbonation tank reaches a pre-defined pressure for the desired volume CO.sub.2/volume beverage, a pump supplying the beverage to the saturation tank is shut-off and the inlet and outlet valves of the carbonation tank are closed.

A chilling reservoir for providing in-line carbonation in a beverage dispenser includes a housing having a first beverage material pathway extending therethrough. The first beverage material pathway may have a flow inlet arrangement and a flow outlet arrangement. The chilling reservoir also includes a heat exchanger arrangement that is positioned and configured to be selectively operated to chill beverage material passing through the first beverage material pathway. The chilling reservoir also includes a carbonation chamber operably positioned in the first beverage material pathway of the housing. The carbonation chamber may be configured to removably receive therein a carbonator.

A beverage dispensing system includes an infusion unit and a dispensing station. The infusion unit is to mix a liquid beverage product and a gas to produce a gas-infused liquid beverage product. The infusion unit includes a first infusion unit inlet to receive the liquid beverage product, a second infusion unit inlet to receive the gas, and a first infusion unit outlet to output the gas-infused liquid beverage product. The dispensing station includes a first valve, coupled to the first outlet of the infusion unit, to receive and dispense the gas-infused liquid beverage product. The dispensing station further includes a second valve to receive and dispense the liquid beverage product.

The invention relates to an installation (1) for preparing a beverage, in particular a wine, for tasting, said installation (1) including a liquid flow pipe (2) equipped with at least one feed inlet (3) for feeding in beverage for preparation, and a with at least one dispensing outlet (4) for dispensing the prepared beverage. Said pipe (2) is provided with Peltier-effect cooling and/or heating means (5) and with aeration means (6) for cooling and/or heating and for aerating the inside of the pipe (2), the two means being disposed along the pipe over different segments of said pipe that are referred to respectively as the cooling and/or heating segment (7) and as the aeration segment (8).

A carbonation machine includes a pneumatic chamber with a movable wall. The wall moves outward to depress a pin of a gas release valve of a gas canister that is held in a canister holder of the machine when air pressure in the chamber is increased. An air release valve is closable to retain air in the chamber. An air pump is operable to pump air from the ambient atmosphere into the chamber so as to increase air pressure in the chamber. A controller is configured to close the air release valve and to operate the air pump to increase the air pressure in the chamber to move the movable wall outward to open the gas release valve of the canister to cause release of gas from the canister to carbonate a liquid, and to open the air release valve to enable the gas release valve to close.

Implementations of fluid modifying and dispensing systems may include a fluid modifying assembly having a fluid modification unit including a gas dosing unit configured to infuse a fluid with a gas, a filter configured to filter the fluid, and a pH regulator configured to modify a pH of the fluid. The fluid modifying assembly may include a temperature regulation system coupled to the fluid modification unit. The fluid modifying assembly may also include a dosing system coupled to the fluid modification unit. The dosing system may be configured to add one or more supplements to the fluid. The fluid modifying and dispensing system may include a fluid dispensing assembly having a faucet coupled to the fluid modifying assembly and a vessel having a lid and a base. The base of the vessel may be configured to couple directly to the faucet to fill the vessel with the fluid.

A system and method to supply nitrogen gas is provided. Ambient air is compressed and stored in a storage receiver and then nitrogen is separated from the compressed air in a nitrogen membrane separation unit. The separated nitrogen is stored in a nitrogen storage tank under pressure and released through a pressure control valve. The system is confined to a small footprint and is useful as a nitrogen source where conventional compressed nitrogen tanks are a safety or space issue. Systems to prepare nitrogen infused beverages are also provided.

Provided is a refrigerator including: a main body; a storage compartment formed in the main body; a door that opens/closes the storage compartment; a general water tank in which general water supplied from an external water supply source is stored; a mixing tank in which general water supplied from the general water tank is mixed with carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) so that carbonated water is made and stored; a dispenser that provides general water supplied from the general water tank to an outside and provides carbonated water supplied from the mixing tank to the outside of the refrigerator; and an ice-making machine that makes general ice by receiving general water from the external water supply source or the general water tank and makes carbonated ice by receiving carbonated water from the mixing tank, thereby providing general water, carbonated water, general ice, and carbonated ice through the dispenser.

A method according to an embodiment may be used to make a carbonated protein beverage composition for large quantity mass production purposes. The method includes flowing a liquid protein concentrate and water, and mixing them to form a beverage composition pre-mix. The temperature of the pre-mix is sensed, and the water temperature of the water prior to mixing with the flowing protein concentrate is controlled to maintain a substantially constant temperature of the beverage composition pre-mix. Carbonation is added to the temperature controlled pre-mix to form the carbonated protein beverage composition, which is then containerized.

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.