GB2579218A - Freezing a beverage into small shapes for cooling drinks - Google Patents

Abstract

A beverage, such as beer, is modified prior to freezing in order to prevent the taste from being impaired. A small quantity of the modified beverage is then frozen and may be thawed and frozen repeatedly. A receptacle 1.1 may be filled with the sterilised, frozen beverage 3.1 and preferably sealed with a leak-proof lid 2.2 that can be easily opened by hand. The frozen beverage may be added to a similar beverage in an unfrozen state 5.2 to maintain or prolong a desired cool temperature for the beverage. The size and shape of the receptacle is preferably such that the frozen beverage can be inserted into the desired glass, bottle or can of beverage 5.1.

Description

FREEZING A BEVERAGE INTO SMALL SHAPES FOR COOLING DRINKS DESCRIPTION

This invention is for keeping a beverage cold once opened.

The application is wide, but it is particularly pertinent to the beer industry.

Beer is one of the oldest drinks humans have produced. Its origins can be traced back to 5000BC. There are many various types, strengths and flavours.

In modern times tests prove that certain beer types taste better when served cold. For example, some lagers are recommended to be enjoyed at 4° C or below, other lagers are 7° C or below and some ales are 10° C or below.

Beer may be enjoyed when poured into a glass or consumed directly from the bottle or can it was delivered in. The problem in all cases is that the chilled beer naturally rises in temperature to meet the ambient surrounding temperature. As the temperature rises the beer becomes less & less desirable.

There are numerous ways of keeping the beer cold or chilling a tepid beer, but they tend to focus on insulating or chilling the receptacle, rather than the contents.

An alternative solution is to freeze a small quantity of the same (albeit modified) beer into small, manageable portions and add them to the beer (as you would add ice cubes to a soft drink). In this way the desired drinking temperature can be either maintained or reached without any compromise to the taste. Desired temperatures and surrounding temperatures will vary, but on average it is estimated that adding a single portion of frozen beer could keep the beer colder for up to 15 minutes longer.

Please note that freezing regular beer cannot be done at home. The beer will need to be modified otherwise the taste may be impaired when frozen, altering the molecular structure of the proteins and possibly killing the yeast. Any carbonation may also try to escape, creating a frozen foam-like head on top of the frozen beer.

Instead the modified beer will be designed and created to overcome the issues surrounding the molecular structure of the proteins, the yeast and the carbonation such that the taste is not impaired. As long as it remains sealed in the packaging the modified beer may be able to be frozen and thawed repeatedly.

The design of the receptacle to hold the modified beer can be based on any symmetrical or asymmetrical 3d shape or pattern. The critical dimensions of the receptacle and resulting frozen beverage are restricted by the inner dimensions of the glass, the inner diameter of the bottle neck or the size of the aperture in the top of a can.

Typically a frozen shape fit for a beer glass may be up circular with ca. 80mm diameter. Whereas a standard bottle neck has a typical dimension of up to 20mm diameter and an opened can is up to 25mm at its widest point. The frozen shape will obviously be slightly smaller than the aperture in each case to enable easy insertion.

The actual frozen shape may be influenced by: appropriate serving size, branding, commercial viability, product efficiencies or any other limitation, eg. packaging or filling specifications.

FREEZING A BEVERAGE INTO SMALL SHAPES FOR COOLING DRINKS DESCRIPTION (contd.) Whilst not exclusive a typical shape for a poured glass of beer may be disc-shaped, with surface area of up to 4800mm2 and a potential thickness of up to 50mm.

The typical shape to be inserted into a bottle or a can will be long and thin, for example a circular, triangular or square elongated section of up to 300mm2 and up to 200mm long. In each case the typical overall volume of the frozen shape is up to around 60m1.

The receptacle for holding the modified beer has the possibility of being formed in such a way to be embossed with an emblem, pattern, message or branding which will be manifest in the frozen beer shape. When the frozen beer shape is tipped out of this receptacle, the bottom-side will be uppermost, floating on top of the beverage, with the embossed pattern plainly visible.

Once filled with the liquid beverage the receptacle is closed and sealed with a leak-proof lid. When required this lid is easily opened by hand and does not need any specialist tools or knowledge.

The sealed, individual portions are small, light and highly transportable. They can be added to drinks whilst outdoors or on the go. They could also be used by airlines or train companies where a fixed amount of volume, calories, ingredients, nutritional information or alcohol content needs to be controlled or regulated. The frozen portions could also be used in areas or parts of the world where the safety of standard ice cubes is unknown, avoiding possible illness from contaminated water.

The compact size of the individual portions enables increased storage flexibility and spatial efficiency, whether storing an exact number of unfrozen liquid portions at room temperature or a particular number of portions in a freezer.

As the liquid beverage is sterilised and then sealed in an air-tight receptacle, it will keep longer than water or other beverages that have not been treated before being frozen.

Figure 1 shows the modified beer liquid (1.2) being poured hygienically and safely via machine or otherwise (1.3) into a compliant, food-safe receptacle (1.1). The size, shape and pattern of the receptacle (1.1) may vary according to the type of beer being used.

Figure 2 shows the receptacle (1.1) containing the modified beer liquid (1.2) being sealed via a machine or otherwise (2.1) with a leak-proof lid (2.2).

Figure 3 shows the sealed receptacle (3.1) being placed upright inside a freezer (3.2). The typical temperature of the freezer (3.2) may typically be as low as -20° C or lower.

Figure 4 shows how the lid (2.2) of the receptacle (1.1) can be peeled back by hand to remove the frozen contents (3.1).

Figure 5 shows how the frozen contents (3.1) can be tipped out by hand from the receptacle (1.1) bottom-side up into a glass or other container (5.1) holding the beverage (5.2) to be cooled. Figure 6 shows frozen contents (3.1) floating bottom side up at the top of the beverage (5.2) continuing to cool as the drink is being consumed. Messages, patterns or branding on the frozen contents (3.1) caused by the size, shape and pattern of the receptacle (1.1) are visible.

FREEZING A BEVERAGE INTO SMALL SHAPES FOR COOLING DRINKS DESCRIPTION (contd.) As the frozen contents (3.1) are added to the beverage, it eventually warms up to meet the ambient surrounding temperature and returns to liquid. The enjoyment of the beverage is not compromised or diluted in any way. Keeping a beverage cooler for longer also means it is more likely to be drunk. Overall there will be less left over drink, reducing waste.

Please note that the same invention and process can be applied to alcoholic beer or beverages as it can be to non-alcoholic beer or beverages. Indeed the principle of sealing a liquid drink into a single portion ready for freezing and when frozen placing into a glass, bottle or can of the same beverage can be applied to any other drink, for example (not exclusive list): 1. Freezing soda water or tonic water with an option of including botanicals 2. Freezing any other non-alcoholic or soft drink or even water 3. Freezing wine, gin or other spirits 4. Freezing any other alcoholic drink The action of freezing the liquid drink and adding to the beverage can be used either in addition or as a replacement to using ice cubes made from water. Indeed it is the latter case that will preserve the highest integrity of the original drink, as dilution will be avoided. It should also be noted that using a frozen beverage instead of standard ice cubes will save water, a small but nevertheless when multiplied over millions of users is a helpful step in protecting the environment.

Please note the frozen liquid does not have to be added into the same liquid drink. Indeed the opportunity to freeze and add different flavours to beverages is also possible, for example, freezing soda water and adding to whiskey, or freezing tonic water and adding to gin or freezing orange juice and adding to vodka. Indeed, any beverage that traditionally includes ice cubes made from water can now be supplemented by or replaced by either the same or complimentary frozen consumable liquids.

Claims (10)

1. FREEZING A BEVERAGE INTO SMALL SHAPES FOR COOLING DRINKS CLAIMS1. Modifying the ingredients and process of making the beverage to be frozen will enable it to be used without being detrimental to the quality and taste.
2. 2. Sealing individual portions of a liquid beverage to be frozen enables a precise and controlled quantity to be frozen.
3. 3. Sealing individual portions of a liquid beverage to be frozen enables an efficient spatial flexibility for storage.
4. 4. Individual portions of a frozen beverage sealed with an openable lid enable the product to be delivered in a manageable way without specialist tools or knowledge.
5. 5. Sealing individual portions of a liquid beverage to be frozen controls the additional amount to be consumed, eg. volume, ingredients, calories or amount of alcohol.
6. 6. Sealing individual portions of a liquid beverage for freezing can be more easily transported whether in a liquid or frozen state.
7. 7. Sealing individual portions of a liquid beverage for freezing can be a safe way of cooling and then ingesting a drink without the risk of getting ill from standard ice cubes made from water where the source is unknown.
8. 8. Sealing individual portions of a liquid beverage to be frozen will keep longer than other beverages not treated or sealed before being frozen.
9. 9. Sealing individual portions of a liquid beer beverage for freezing will result in a reduction of left over beer.
10. 10. Sealing individual portions of a liquid beverage to be frozen will reduce the stress currently placed on ice made from water, resulting in saving water and contributing to protecting the environment.