The present invention describes methods and devices in which concentrated beverage products, each packaged in a pressurized container, can be combined with liquids and/or other ingredients to produce one or more servings of a beverage. These products provide users with a convenient way to prepare both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (including carbonated beverages) in various serving sizes and quantities by combining the pressurized beverage concentrate with (possibly carbonated) liquids and other ingredients.

An arrangement for brewing and dispensing fermented drinks, primarily beers, by portions using concentrates in a personalized, tailor-made manner that is fit for self-service. The arrangement is fitted with a primary alcohol unit and a secondary alcohol unit, which are suitable for adjusting the alcohol content for each portion and contain an alcohol and water mixture of a fermented liquid, and the controlling part is connected to at least one alcohol adjusting part that is suitable for setting the alcohol content of each portion of beverage. A fermented base concentrate and alcohol originating from the fermented beverage, left in and/or extracted from the base concentrate, is used as raw material, and the alcohol content of the beverage is adjusted by adding further alcohol, and the flavour of each portion of beverage is adjusted as desired.

A beverage dispensing machine for dispensing a mixed beverage has a first inlet configured to receive a concentrate; a second inlet configured to receive a base fluid; a gas inlet configured to receive a gas; a gas injection device configured to pulsate the gas into the concentrate such that the gas agitates the concentrate and is injected into the concentrate to form a gas-injected concentrate; and a dispensing valve configured to dispense the base fluid and the gas-injected concentrate.

An example method comprises receiving a control signal to open a first valve of a compressible liquid container within an airtight pressurized container, retrieving a first dispensing profile, each dispensing profile indicating at least one valve and, for each valve, a predetermined period of time for keeping a particular valve open, each of the valves controlling transport of contents a different compressible liquid container contained within the airtight pressurized container to a dispensing system, for each of the one or more valves identified in the first dispensing profile: opening the particular valve identified in the first dispensing profile for the particular predetermined period of time to transport contents over a first liquid transport conduit that is coupled to a particular releasable coupling and the particular valve, and closing the particular valve after the particular predetermined period of time to dispense an amount of contents of the particular compressible liquid container.

A beverage infusion apparatus includes: beverage infusion apparatus comprising: (a) an infusion module for infusing a nitrogen containing gas into a beverage to form a gas infused beverage, wherein: (i) the infusion module comprises a gas draw venturi device for drawing the nitrogen containing gas into the beverage as a result of flow of the beverage through the gas draw venturi device to form the gas infused beverage; (b) a dispensing valve for dispensing the gas infused beverage and constructed to move between an open position and a closed position, wherein: (i) the open position permits dispensing of the gas infused beverage from the beverage infusion apparatus; (ii) the closed position prevents dispensing of the gas infused beverage from the beverage infusion apparatus; and (iii) the dispensing valve is constructed to move between the open position and the closed position by a user of the beverage infusion apparatus; and (c) a pump constructed to move the beverage, under pressure, from a beverage reservoir, through the dispensing valve to the dispensing valve. A method of forming a gas infused beverage at a location of purchase of the gas infused beverage is provided.

A beverage infusion apparatus includes: (a) a mixer for mixing a beverage concentrate and water to form a diluted concentrate, wherein the water is provided at a water pressure during operation sufficient to flow through the beverage infusion apparatus; (b) an infusion module for infusing a nitrogen containing gas into the diluted concentrate to form a gas infused beverage, wherein: (i) the infusion module comprises a gas draw venturi device for drawing the nitrogen containing gas into the diluted concentrate as a result of flow of the diluted concentrate through the gas draw venturi device to form the gas infused beverage; and (c) a dispensing valve for dispensing the gas infused beverage and constructed to move between an open position and a closed position, wherein: (i) the open position permits dispensing of the gas infused beverage from the beverage infusion apparatus; (ii) the closed position prevents dispensing of the gas infused beverage from the beverage infusion apparatus; and (iii) the dispensing valve is constructed to move between the open position and the closed position by a user of the beverage infusion apparatus. A method of forming a gas infused beverage is provided.

A valve for dispensing a liquid includes a housing, an internal liquid passage extending through the housing, a valve seat, a valve member movable between a closed position engaging the valve seat and an open position disengaging the valve seat, and a control member controlling movement of the valve member, which is movable between a first position in which it engages the valve member in its closed position, a second position in which the valve member is in its open position but still engaging the control member and a third position in which the valve member is in its open position and out of engagement with the control member. At least one air passage connects the outside of the valve with the internal liquid passage. The at least one air passage is closed in the first and second positions of the control member and is opened in the third position.

An additive dispensing system for a refrigerator that includes a reservoir configured to contain an additive and an additive outlet in fluid communication with the reservoir. The additive dispensing system is configured to be connected to a refrigerator and is operable to selectively dispense an amount of additive to water dispensed from the refrigerator. The additive dispensing system may be connected to a water filtration system of the refrigerator such that the additive dispensing system may dispense the amount of additive into filtered water dispensed from the refrigerator.

A beverage infusion apparatus includes: beverage infusion apparatus comprising: (a) an infusion module for infusing a nitrogen containing gas into a beverage to form a gas infused beverage, wherein: (i) the infusion module comprises a gas draw venturi device for drawing the nitrogen containing gas into the beverage as a result of flow of the beverage through the gas draw venturi device to form the gas infused beverage; (b) a dispensing valve for dispensing the gas infused beverage and constructed to move between an open position and a closed position, wherein: (i) the open position permits dispensing of the gas infused beverage from the beverage infusion apparatus; (ii) the closed position prevents dispensing of the gas infused beverage from the beverage infusion apparatus; and (iii) the dispensing valve is constructed to move between the open position and the closed position by a user of the beverage infusion apparatus; and (c) a pump constructed to move the beverage, under pressure, from a beverage reservoir, through the dispensing valve to the dispensing valve. A method of forming a gas infused beverage at a location of purchase of the gas infused beverage is provided.

The present invention describes methods and devices in which concentrated beverage products, each packaged in a pressurized container, can be combined with liquids and/or other ingredients to produce one or more servings of a beverage. These products provide users with a convenient way to prepare both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (including carbonated beverages) in various serving sizes and quantities by combining the pressurized beverage concentrate with (possibly carbonated) liquids and other ingredients.