A system for preparing portions of a beverage suitable for consumption, comprising an apparatus for preparing the beverage and a closed and form-retaining holder removably received in the holder, which holder is at least filled with a product to be dissolved and/or to be diluted such as a concentrate. The apparatus is provided with a liquid device for dispensing under pressure a fluid comprising a liquid such as water and, optionally, a gas such as steam or air, a receiving space in which the holder is received and at least one probe provided with at least one channel which, on the one side, is in fluid communication with the liquid device and which, on the other side, terminates in at least one outflow opening of the probe. The apparatus is designed for puncturing the wall on a first side and for moving the probe and the holder relative to each other such that the probe, in use, can be inserted through the first side of the holder whereupon the at least one outflow opening reaches into the holder.

A liquid-dispensing device includes: a table, including a body and a plate, the body including three casks containing a liquid, each cask including a shell in which a pouch, made of a flexible material and containing the liquid, is positioned; three draft circuits, extending from each cask to three dispensing taps; a system for cooling the draft circuit; three pressurized draft systems for drawing the liquid from each cask, the draft system including a solenoid valve in each draft circuit, between the cask and the tap; a system for managing the device, the managing system being provided to control dispensing by opening or closing the solenoid valve; and wheels enabling movement of the device. The plate includes: three liquid-dispensing taps; and a unit for interacting with the management system, which is suitable for interfacing with the liquid-dispensing control. The managing system is connected to a database via a connector.

A beverage container has a body having an inlet which is formed so as to penetrate the bottom of a receiving unit. A holder is coupled to the inlet to open and close the inlet upon ascending or descending with a nozzle of a beverage supply device being inserted into the holder. A locking member is coupled to the ascending/descending wall of the holder to allow the holder to close the inlet. The locking member has a plurality of elastic arms for elastically supporting the holder.

The invention provides a system for dispensing a beverage into a container comprising at least one dispenser unit. The dispenser unit comprises at least one fluid port and a moveable seal member which is configured to form a sealing barrier between at least a portion of the container and the dispenser head.

A nozzle for beverage dispensing. The nozzle accepts both hot water lines and cold water lines at the nozzle, where the water may be carbonated or still. Cold carbonated water is received near the top of a double cone-shaped insert within the nozzle interior. The cold carbonated water is depressurized prior to being fully exposed to atmospheric pressure by passing the cold carbonated water down and around the double cone-shape of the insert. The depressurized cold carbonated water is collected via a funnel, and is dispensed from the nozzle after exiting the funnel bottom. Hot water is received in chamber within the nozzle separate from the passageway through which the cold carbonated water flows. Both hot and cold water streams are directed to flow in a tight and narrow downward direction via flow straighteners, and the streams are mixed with flavoring after dispensing from the nozzle.

Portable keg cooling units, systems, and methods are described. In some examples, a portable keg cooling unit comprises a cabinet having a temperature-controlled inner compartment configured to house and cool a keg and its contents, a dispenser for dispensing beverage from the keg, and a chiller unit operable to cool beverage extracted from the keg, to ensure the beverage is at an optimal desired temperature when it reaches the dispenser to minimize undesirable foaming.

Beverage dispensing nozzles and methods are described, including structures and mechanisms for selectively purging desaturated gas from the nozzle before dispensing, for ensuring beverage in the nozzle is maintained and dispensed at an optimal desired temperature, for disinfecting beverage-contacting surfaces, and for electronically activating a pour, among other things.

A nozzle includes a nozzle body and a flow restrictor. The nozzle body has an inlet and an outlet. The flow restrictor includes a housing and a diffusion tube that is sleeved into the housing, the housing is connected to the inlet end of the nozzle body and extends into the nozzle body. The diffusion tube includes at least one communication port. An annular gap is defined between the housing and the diffusion tube.

Disclosed is a beverage dispense system comprising a beverage flow path along which beverage flows in use from a beverage supply to a dispense site and a coolant flow path along which coolant flows from a cooler. The system further comprises a connector at an upstream end of the beverage flow path configured for releasable connection to the beverage supply. The connector comprises a beverage passage along which a portion of the beverage flow path extends and a coolant passage along which a portion of the coolant flow path extends. The system further comprises a sensor comprising two spaced probes arranged so as to be in contact with beverage flowing through the beverage passage in use to measure a parameter of the beverage, and a flexible tube-in-tube conduit extending from the connector. The conduit comprises an inner beverage tube extending within an outer coolant tube. The beverage tube is connected to the beverage passage so as to define a portion of the beverage flow path and the coolant tube is connected to the coolant passage so as to define a portion of the coolant flow path.