Abstract
A cocktail smoking chimney for infusing smoke into a beverage includes a sealing base having a center and an outer perimeter. A chimney stack is aligned with the center of the sealing base and projects from a top major surface of the sealing base. A combustion chamber is disposed within the chimney stack. A smoke directing lip is aligned with the center of the sealing base and projects from a bottom major surface of the sealing base. The combustion chamber is aligned with the smoke directing lip. One or more smoke transfer openings are formed in the sealing base, each having an upper end in fluid communication with the combustion chamber and a lower end that is surrounded by the smoke directing lip. The sealing base, the chimney stack, and the smoke directing lip are made of wood. A combustible material may be packed into the combustion chamber.
Claims
1. A cocktail smoking chimney for infusing smoke into a beverage comprising: a sealing base having a top major surface and a bottom major surface; a chimney stack projecting from the top major surface of said sealing base; a combustion chamber disposed within said chimney stack; a smoke directing lip projecting from the bottom major surface of said sealing base, wherein said combustion chamber disposed within said chimney stack is in alignment with said smoke directing lip projecting from the bottom major surface of said sealing base; one or more smoke transfer openings formed in said sealing base, each said smoke transfer opening having an upper end in communication with said combustion chamber and a lower end in communication with an underside of said sealing base.
2. The cocktail smoking chimney as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing base, said chimney stack and said smoke directing lip are formed from a single piece of wood and are integrally connected with one another.
3. The cocktail smoking chimney as claimed in claim 2, wherein said wood used to make said cocktail smoking chimney is selected from the group of wood consisting of apple, hickory, pecan, maple, cherry, oak, barrel-aged wood, and wood infused with mesquite.
4. The cocktail smoking chimney as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing base has a center, and wherein said chimney stack is aligned with the center of said sealing base.
5. The cocktail smoking chimney as claimed in claim 4, wherein said smoke directing lip is aligned with the center of said sealing base.
6. The cocktail smoking chamber as claimed in claim 5, wherein the upper ends of said one or more smoke transfer openings are located inside said chimney stack and the lower ends of said one or more smoke transfer openings are surrounded by said smoke directing lip.
7. The cocktail smoking chimney as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing base has a central region having a first thickness and an outer perimeter having a second thickness that is less than the first thickness, and wherein the top and bottom major surfaces of said sealing base taper toward one another between the central region and the outer perimeter thereof.
8. The cocktail smoking chimney as claimed in claim 7, wherein said sealing base has a disc shape.
9. The cocktail smoking chimney as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a screen disposed within said combustion chamber of said chimney stack.
10. The cocktail smoking chimney as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a combustible material disposed within said combustion chamber of said chimney stack.
11. The cocktail smoking chimney as claimed in claim 10, wherein said combustible material is selected from the group consisting of wood chips, wood powder, and spices.
12. A cocktail smoking chimney for infusing smoke into a beverage comprising: a sealing base having a central region, an outer perimeter, a top major surface that extends between the central region and the outer perimeter, and a bottom major surface that extends between the central region and the outer perimeter; a chimney stack aligned with the central region of said sealing base and projecting above the top major surface of said sealing base; a combustion chamber disposed within said chimney stack; a smoke directing lip aligned with the central region of said sealing base and projecting below the bottom major surface of said sealing base, wherein said combustion chamber disposed within said chimney stack is aligned with said smoke directing lip projecting below the bottom major surface of said sealing base; one or more smoke transfer openings formed in said sealing base, wherein each said smoke transfer opening has an upper end in fluid communication with said combustion chamber and a lower end that is surrounded by said smoke directing lip, and wherein said sealing base, said chimney stack, and said smoke directing lip are made of wood.
13. The cocktail smoking chimney as claimed in claim 12, wherein the central region of said sealing base has a first thickness and the outer perimeter of said sealing base has a second thickness that is less than the first thickness.
14. The cocktail smoking chimney as claimed in claim 13, wherein the top and bottom major surfaces of said sealing base taper inwardly toward one another between the central region of said sealing base and the outer perimeter of said sealing base.
15. The cocktail smoking chamber as claimed in claim 12, wherein said chimney stack has an open, upper end that is spaced away from the top major surface of said sealing base and a lower end that is connected with the top major surface of said sealing base, and wherein said chimney stack has an outer perimeter that tapers inwardly between the open, upper end and the lower end thereof.
16. The cocktail smoking chimney as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a combustible material disposed within said combustion chamber of said chimney stack.
17. A method of infusing smoke into a beverage comprising: pouring a beverage into a drinking glass; placing a cocktail smoking chimney made of wood over a rim at an open upper end of said drinking glass to define a sealed space inside said drinking glass that is located between an underside of said cocktail smoking chimney and a top surface of said beverage; said cocktail smoking chimney including a sealing base having a top major surface that faces away from said drinking glass and a bottom major surface that is in contact with said rim at the open upper end of said drinking glass, a chimney stack projecting from the top major surface of said sealing base, a combustion chamber disposed within said chimney stack, and one or more smoke transfer openings formed in said sealing base that extend from said combustion chamber to an underside of said sealing base; directing a flame into said combustion chamber for burning the wood inside said combustion chamber to generate smoke that passes through said one or more smoke transfer openings and into the sealed space between the bottom major surface of said sealing base and the top major surface of said beverage.
18. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising, prior to the directing a flame step, placing a combustible material inside said combustion chamber.
19. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said smoke directing lip has a ring shape and surrounds the lower ends of said one or more smoke transfer openings formed in said sealing base.
20. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said sealing base has a central region having a first thickness and an outer perimeter having a second thickness that is less than the first thickness, wherein the top and bottom major surfaces of said sealing base taper inwardly toward one another between the central region and the outer perimeter of said sealing base, and wherein said chimney stack and said smoke directing lip are aligned with the central region of said sealing base.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0050] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a top side of a cocktail smoking chimney, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0051] FIG. 1B is a side elevation view of the cocktail smoking chimney shown in FIG. 1A.
[0052] FIG. 1C is a top plan view of the cocktail smoking chimney shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
[0053] FIG. 1D is a bottom view of the cocktail smoking chimney shown in FIGS. 1A-1C.
[0054] FIG. 1E is a perspective view of an underside of the cocktail smoking chimney shown in FIGS. 1A-1D.
[0055] FIG. 2A is a schematic view of a first step of a method of infusing smoke into a cocktail, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0056] FIG. 2B is a schematic view of a second step of a method of infusing smoke into a cocktail, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0057] FIG. 2C is a schematic view of a third step of a method of infusing smoke into a cocktail, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0058] FIG. 2D is a schematic view of a fourth step of a method of infusing smoke into a cocktail, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0059] FIG. 3 is a side view of a cocktail smoking chimney covering an open, upper end of a glass, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0060] FIG. 4 is a side view of a butane torch positioned next to the cocktail smoking chimney and the glass shown in FIG. 3.
[0061] FIG. 5 shows the butane torch of FIG. 4 being used to direct a flame into a combustion chamber of the cocktail smoking chimney of FIG. 4 for generating smoke inside the glass of FIG. 4.
[0062] FIG. 6 shows the cocktail smoking chimney being removed from covering the open, upper end of the glass shown in FIG. 5.
[0063] FIG. 7 shows a cocktail with infused smoke, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0064] FIG. 8A is a schematic view of a first step of a method of infusing a cocktail with smoke, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0065] FIG. 8B is a schematic view of a second step of a method of infusing a cocktail with smoke, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0066] FIG. 8C is a schematic view of a third step of a method of infusing a cocktail with smoke, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0067] FIG. 8D is a schematic view of a fourth step of a method of infusing a cocktail with smoke, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0068] FIG. 8E is a schematic view of a fifth step of a method of infusing a cocktail with smoke, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0069] FIG. 8F is a schematic view of a sixth step of a method of infusing a cocktail with smoke, in accordance with one embodiment of present patent application.
[0070] FIG. 9 shows a cocktail smoking chimney with a glass inverted and covering a chimney stack of the cocktail smoking chimney, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0071] FIG. 10A shows containers that are designed for holding cocktail smoking powder that is burned for generating smoke, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0072] FIG. 10B shows one of the containers of FIG. 10A with a top lid removed for exposing the cocktail smoking powder held therein, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0073] FIG. 11A shows a plurality of cocktail smoking chips that are burned for generating smoke that is infused into a cocktail or beverage, in accordance with one embodiment of the present patent application.
[0074] FIG. 11B shows a butane torch and a flame that is directed at the cocktail smoking chips for igniting the cocktail smoking chips of FIG. 11A to generate smoke.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0075] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, in one embodiment, a cocktail smoking chimney 100 is preferably used for generating smoke that may be infused into a cocktail or beverage. In one embodiment, the cocktail smoking chimney 100 preferably includes a chimney stack 102 having a combustion chamber 104 that may be configured to receive combustible items such as wood chips (e.g., cocktail smoking chips), wood powder (e.g., cocktail smoking powder), and/or spices (e.g., cinnamon).
[0076] In one embodiment, the cocktail smoking chimney 100 is made of a combustible material such as wood. In one embodiment, the cocktail smoking chimney 100 may be made of one or more of the following wood types: apple, hickory, pecan, maple, cherry, and oak. In one embodiment, the wood may include barrel-aged wood or mesquite infused wood.
[0077] In one embodiment, the chimney stack 102 preferably has an upper end 106 and a lower end 108, whereby the chimney stack tapers inwardly between the upper end 106 and the lower end 108. In one embodiment, the upper end 106 of the chimney stack 102 may be open for enabling the wood chips, wood powder and/or spices to be placed (e.g., packed) into the chimney stack 102.
[0078] In one embodiment, the cocktail smoking chimney 100 preferably includes a sealing base 110 having a top major surface 112 that faces toward the upper end 106 of the smoking chimney 102, and a bottom major surface 114 that faces away from the upper end 106 of the smoking chimney 102. In one embodiment, the top major surface 112 preferably defines a top side of the sealing base 110 and the bottom major surface 114 preferably defines a bottom side of the sealing base.
[0079] In one embodiment, the top major surface 112 of the sealing base 110 is tapered and the bottom major surface 114 of the sealing base is tapered so that a central region 111 of the sealing base is thicker than an outer perimeter region 115 of the sealing base.
[0080] In one embodiment, the top major surface 112 of the sealing base 110 is tapered so that an inverted drinking glass will self-center over the sealing base 110 when the inverted drinking glass is placed over the chimney stack 102, whereby a rim at an open, upper end of the drinking glass engages the top major surface 112 of the sealing base 110.
[0081] In one embodiment, the bottom major surface 114 of the sealing base 110 is tapered so that the cocktail smoking chimney 100 and the sealing base 110 will self-center over a rim at an open, upper end of a drinking glass when the sealing base 110 covers the open, upper end of the drinking glass.
[0082] Referring to FIG. 1B, in one embodiment, the cocktail smoking chimney 100 preferably includes a smoke directing lip 116 that projects from the bottom major surface 114 of the sealing base 110 for directing smoke into the open, upper end of a drinking glass (e.g., a cocktail glass), while preventing the smoke from curling up the bottom major surface 114 of the sealing base 110 and flowing toward the outer perimeter region 115 of the sealing base 110.
[0083] In one embodiment, the sealing base 110 preferably has an outer diameter OD.sub.1 that is sufficiently large to cover the opening of a drinking glass when the sealing base is placed over the drinking glass opening. In one embodiment, the outer diameter OD.sub.1 of the sealing base 110 may be about 4-10 inches and more preferably about 5-8 inches.
[0084] In one embodiment, the sealing base 110 preferably has a central region having a first thickness T1 and the outer perimeter 115 has a second thickness T2 that is less than the first thickness T1. In one embodiment, the top and bottom major surfaces 112, 114 of the sealing base 110 taper inwardly toward one another between the central region 111 of the sealing base 110 and the outer perimeter 115 of the sealing base 110.
[0085] In one embodiment, when the cocktail smoking chimney 100 is placed atop a rim at an open, upper end of a drinking glass, the tapered bottom major surface 114 of the sealing base 110 preferably self-centers the cocktail smoking chimney 100 over the opening of the drinking glass to facilitate the formation of an effective seal between the underside of the sealing base 110 and the rim of the drinking glass.
[0086] In another embodiment, when a drinking glass is inverted and placed over the top side of the cocktail smoking chimney 100, the tapered top major surface 112 preferably self-centers the drinking glass over the chimney stack 102 to facilitate the formation of an effective seal between the rim of the inverted drinking glass and the top side of the sealing base 110.
[0087] In one embodiment, the outer surface of the chimney stack 102 may include two annular rings 135A, 135B that extend around the outer perimeter of the chimney stack. In one embodiment, the annular rings 135A, 135B may be grooves that are formed in the outer surface of the chimney stack 102 using wood-working tools. In one embodiment, the annular rings 135A, 135B may be parallel to one another. In one embodiment, a small point chisel may be used to form small annular depressions in the outer surface of the chimney stack, and a wire may be used to burn the annular rings 135A, 135B (e.g., grooves). In one embodiment, the annular rings 135A, 135B are added to the chimney stack for aesthetic reasons to improve the ornamental appearance of the cocktail smoking chimney 100.
[0088] Referring to FIGS. 1A, 1C, and 1D, in one embodiment, the cocktail smoking chimney 100 preferably includes a plurality of smoke transfer openings 118A-118D that are located inside the combustion chamber 104 of the chimney stack 102 and that extend completely through the thickness of the sealing base. In one embodiment, the smoke transfer openings 118A-118D are preferably open between the top major surface 112 of the sealing base 110 to the bottom major surface 114 of the sealing base 110.
[0089] In one embodiment, the chimney stack 102 is preferably located in a center of the sealing base 110. The chimney stack 102 preferably projects above the top major surface 112 of the sealing base 110. The smoke transfer openings 118A-118D desirably provide fluid communication between the combustion chamber 104 located on a top side of the sealing base 110 and the underside of the sealing base so that smoke may pass through the smoke transfer openings from the top side to the bottom side of the sealing base.
[0090] Referring to FIGS. 1B and 1D, in one embodiment, the smoking directing lip 116 projects downwardly from the bottom major surface 114 of the sealing base 110 and desirably surrounds the smoking transfer openings 118A-118D. The smoke directing lip 116 preferably directs smoke that passes through the smoke transfer opening 118A-118D toward a top surface of a liquid (e.g., a cocktail; an alcoholic beverage) that has been poured into a cocktail glass, thereby preventing the smoke from curling up or flowing in an outer direction toward the outer periphery 115 of the sealing base 110.
[0091] Referring to FIG. 1E, in one embodiment, the chimney stack 102 preferably projects upwardly from a top major surface 112 (FIG. 1B) of the sealing base 110. The smoke directing lip 116 preferably projects below the bottom major surface 114 of the sealing base 110. The smoke directing lip 116 preferably surrounds the smoke transfer openings 118A-118D, which extend from the combustion chamber 104 of the chimney stack 102 (FIG. 1A) to the underside of the sealing base 110 for allowing smoke to pass through the sealing base. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1D, in one embodiment, any smoke that is present and/or generated within the combustion chamber 104 of the chimney stack 102 of the cocktail smoking chimney 100 may pass through the smoke transfer openings 118A-118D to reach the underside of the sealing base 110 for being directed into an open, upper end of a drinking glass that is positioned below the bottom major surface 114 of the sealing base 110.
[0092] Referring to FIGS. 1A-1E, in one embodiment, the cocktail smoking chimney 100 is preferably constructed from wood that is cut down to size. In one embodiment, the cocktail smoking chimney 100 may be formed using a lathe. In one embodiment, a wood block may be rotated on a lathe. As the wood block is rotated on the lathe, chisels and wood-working tools may be used for shaping the wood block to form the various elements of the cocktail smoking chimney 100 including the chimney stack 102, the combustion chamber 104, the sealing base 110, and the smoke directing lip 116. A drill, such as a drill press, may be used for forming the smoke transfer openings 118A-118D that extend through the sealing base 110 for providing communication between the combustion chamber 104 and the underside of the sealing base.
[0093] In one embodiment, the chimney stack 102, the combustion chamber 104, the sealing base 110, and the smoke directing lip 116 are formed from a single piece of wood, whereby all of the above-noted elements are integrally connected with one another.
[0094] Although the embodiment of FIGS. 1A-1E shows four (4) smoke transfer openings 118A-118D, other embodiments may have fewer smoke transfer openings (e.g., three) or more smoke transfer openings (e.g., eight). In one embodiment, a cocktail smoking chimney may have 2-25 smoke transfer openings. In one embodiment, instead of drilling holes to form the smoke transfer openings, the sealing base may have a central opening that is disposed between the top and bottom major surfaces of the sealing base 110. A screen may be secured within the central opening for supporting combustible material (e.g., wood powder) within the combustion chamber 104 of the chimney stack 102 of the cocktail smoking chimney 100.
[0095] In one embodiment, a cocktail smoking chimney may be formed from a wood block using a router system or router machine such as a three-axis or five-axis router system sold by Hendrick Manufacturing of Salem, Mass.; https://www.hendrickmanufacturing.com/cnc-routers/.
[0096] Referring to FIG. 2A, in one embodiment, the cocktail smoking chimney 100 shown in FIGS. 1A-1E may be positioned over an open, upper end of a drinking glass 120 (e.g., a cocktail glass), which contains a liquid 122 (e.g., a cocktail; an alcoholic beverage) that has been poured in the drinking glass 120.
[0097] Referring to FIG. 2B, in one embodiment, the sealing base 110 of the cocktail smoking chimney 100 preferably seals the open, upper end of the drinking glass 120. A butane torch 124 is preferably activated for directing a flame 125 into the combustion chamber 104 of the chimney stack 102 to burn a section of the cocktail smoking chimney 100 that is located inside the combustion chamber 104. In one embodiment, the flame 125 may be directed into the combustion chamber 104 for up to 60 seconds and more preferably about 15-30 seconds. In one embodiment, as the woods inside the combustion chamber 14 burns, smoke is generated. The generated smoke preferably flows through the smoke transfer openings 118A-118D (FIGS. 1C-1E) and into a sealed space 128 that is located between the bottom major surface 114 of the sealing base 110 and the beverage 122 that has been poured into the drinking glass 120 for infusing the smoke into the beverage 122.
[0098] Referring to FIG. 2C, in one embodiment, after the smoke 126 has been generated (e.g., by burning a section of the cocktail smoking chimney 100), the smoke preferably passes through the smoke transfer openings 118A-118D (FIG. 1E) at the underside of the sealing base 110 and into the sealed space 128 that is located between the bottom major surface 114 of the sealing base 110 and the top surface of the beverage 122 that has been previously poured into the drinking glass 120. The smoke 126 preferably passes through the smoke transfer openings of the cocktail smoking chimney for infusing the beverage 122 with the smoke. In one embodiment, when smoking, the cocktail smoking chimney may be left atop the drinking glass for up to two minutes and more preferably about 30-60 seconds.
[0099] Referring to FIG. 2D, in one embodiment, after the smoke 126 has been infused into the beverage 122 disposed within the drinking glass 120, the cocktail smoking chimney 100 (FIG. 2C) may be removed so that the smoke-infused beverage may be consumed by an individual.
[0100] Referring to FIG. 3, in one embodiment, the cocktail smoking chimney 100 is placed over an open, upper end of a drinking glass 120 so that the opening of the cocktail glass 120 is covered and sealed by the bottom major surface 114 of the sealing base 110 of the cocktail smoking chimney 100. Although not shown in FIG. 3, in one embodiment, before the cocktail smoking chimney is placed atop the open, upper end of the drinking glass 120, a liquid (e.g., a cocktail; an alcoholic beverage) may be poured into the drinking glass.
[0101] Referring to FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the butane torch 124 is positioned adjacent the cocktail glass 120 and the cocktail smoking chimney 100 that has been positioned atop the open, upper end of the drinking glass 120 for sealing the top of the drinking glass.
[0102] Referring to FIG. 5, in one embodiment, the butane lighter 124 is activated for producing a flame that may be directed into the combustion chamber 104 of the chimney stack 102 of the cocktail smoking chimney 100. The flame (not shown) that is directed into the combustion chamber 104 desirably burns some of the material of the cocktail smoking chimney 100 to generate smoke that passes through the smoke transfer openings 118A-118D (FIG. 1C) and into the sealed space 128 that extends between the bottom major surface 114 of the sealing base 110 and the top surface of the beverage 122 that was previously poured into the drinking glass 120. Burning a section of the material that comprises the cocktail smoking chimney 100 desirably generates smoke that passes through the smoke transfer openings and into the sealed space 128 for infusing the smoke into the beverage 122.
[0103] Referring to FIG. 6, in one embodiment, after the smoke has been forced through the smoking transfer openings of the cocktail smoking chimney 100, the cocktail smoking chimney may be removed from the open, upper end of the drinking glass 120 to provide a smoke-infused cocktail that may be enjoyed by an individual.
[0104] Referring to FIG. 7, in one embodiment, after the smoke 126 has been infused into the beverage 122, the cocktail smoking chimney 100 may be lifted away from the open, upper end of the drinking glass 120, whereupon the smoke 126 that has been infused into the drinking glass 120 and the beverage 122 may waif above the drinking glass 122 for creating an anesthetically pleasing appearance.
[0105] In one embodiment, smoke may be infused into a drinking glass (and a cocktail) by inverting the drinking glass and placing it atop a top major surfaced of a sealing base of a cocktail smoking chimney, whereupon the drinking glass covers a chimney stack of the cocktail smoking chimney.
[0106] Referring to FIG. 8A, in one embodiment, a smoke-infused cocktail may be made by positioning a cocktail smoking chimney 100 atop a surface. In one embodiment, wood chips, wood powder, and/or spices may be placed (e.g., packed) into the combustion chamber 104 of the chimney stack 102. In one embodiment, the wood chips, wood powder and/or spices may be held within a container 130. In one embodiment, the container 130 may have a top lid that may be removed for exposing the wood chips, wood powder and/or spices. In one embodiment, the container 130 may be tilted for dispensing the wood chips, wood powder and/or spices from the container and into the combustion chamber 104 of the chimney stack 102.
[0107] Referring to FIG. 8B, in one embodiment, a butane torch 124 may be utilized for burning the combustible material that has been placed into the combustion chamber 104 of the chimney stack 102 of the cocktail smoking chimney 100. In one embodiment, the butane torch 124 is activated for generating a flame 125 that is directed into the combustion chamber 104 for igniting the combustible material within the combustion chamber 104 of the chimney stack 102.
[0108] Referring to FIG. 8C, in one embodiment, after the combustible material within the combustion chamber 104 has been ignited to generate smoke, a drinking glass 120 (e.g., a cocktail glass) may be inverted for being positioned over the chimney stack 102 of the cocktail smoking chimney 100.
[0109] FIG. 8D illustrates the inverted drinking glass 120 positioned over the chimney stack 102 of the cocktail smoking chimney 100. The smoke 126 generated within the combustion chamber 104 of the chimney stack 102 preferably flows into the inverted drinking glass 120. In one embodiment, the smoke 126 is allowed to fill the inside of the inverted drinking glass 120 for up to two minutes and more preferably about 30-60 seconds.
[0110] Referring to FIG. 8E, in one embodiment, after the smoke 126 (FIG. 8D) has filled the inside of the drinking glass 120, a beverage 122 (e.g., a cocktail) contained in a bottle 132 may be poured into the open, upper end of the drinking glass for at least partially filling the drinking glass with the beverage 122.
[0111] FIG. 8F shows the smoke-infused beverage 122 after it has been poured into the drinking glass 120. The smoke 126 that has been previously directed into the cocktail glass 120 preferably infuses into the beverage 122. The smoke, which is desirably infused into the beverage, may waif above the open, upper end of the drinking glass 120 to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance and a desirably smoky aroma.
[0112] Referring to FIG. 9, in one embodiment, a drinking glass 120 (e.g., a cocktail glass) is inverted and the open, upper end of the drinking glass 120 is placed over a top major surface 112 of a sealing base 110 of a cocktail smoking chimney 100. In one embodiment, the top major surface 112 may be tapered, which facilitates self-centering of the drinking glass 120 over the sealing base 110 of the cocktail smoking chimney 100. Combustible material (e.g., wood chips; wood powder; spices) may be positioned (e.g., packed) within the combustion chamber 104 of the chimney stack 102 of the cocktail smoking chimney 100. The combustible material may be burned for generating smoke that fills the interior 128 of the inverted drinking glass 120. After the interior sealed space 128 of the drinking glass 120 has been filled with the smoke (e.g., after about 30-60 seconds) generated within the combustion chamber 104 of the chimney stack 102, the drinking glass 120 may be lifted away from the cocktail smoking chimney 100, and oriented into upright configuration so that a beverage may be poured into the drinking glass. The smoke that has been generated inside the drinking glass will preferably infuse into the beverage for providing a smoke-infused beverage (e.g., a smoke infused cocktail; a smoke infused alcoholic beverage).
[0113] Referring to FIG. 10A, in one embodiment, a system for infusing smoke into a beverage may include containers 130 that hold combustible material that may be burned inside the combustion chamber of the chimney stack of the cocktail smoking chimney disclosed herein for generating smoke that may be infused into beverages.
[0114] Referring to FIG. 10B, in one embodiment, the container 130 may include a bottom container part 134 that holds wood powder 136 that may be burned. The container 130 may have a top lid 138 that covers the bottom container part 134.
[0115] Referring to FIG. 11A, in one embodiment, wood chips 236 may be utilized for generating smoke that is infused into beverages. The wood chips 236 may be placed inside a combustion chamber of a chimney stack of one of the cocktail smoking chimneys disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the wood chips 236 are larger in size than the wood powder 136 shown and described above in FIG. 10B.
[0116] Referring to FIG. 11B, in one embodiment, a butane torch 124 or other flame generating device may be utilized for generating a flame 125 that is directed at the wood chips 236 for igniting the wood chips to generate smoke that may be infused into a beverage or a drinking glass to generate a smoke-infused beverage (e.g., a smoking cocktail).
[0117] In one embodiment, the wood chips and wood powder may include one or more of the following wood types: apple, hickory, pecan, maple, cherry, and oak. In one embodiment, the wood chips and/or wood powder may include barrel-aged wood or mesquite infused wood.
[0118] In one embodiment, the spices that are burned inside the combustion chamber may include cinnamon, rosemary, and chai.
[0119] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, which is only limited by the scope of the claims that follow. For example, the present invention contemplates that any of the features shown in any of the embodiments described herein, or incorporated by reference herein, may be incorporated with any of the features shown in any of the other embodiments described herein, or incorporated by reference herein, and still fall within the scope of the present invention.
