Implement for making a beverage by infusion

Abstract

An implement for making a beverage by infusion is described. The implement has an encapsulated precursor portion and a handle portion and can be used to make beverages with hot or cold solvents. The area of the implement that contains the beverage precursor has a defined size to maximize infusion in five (5) minutes or less.

1 . An implement for making a beverage by infusion comprising: 
 (a) a body; and    (b) an encapsulated beverage precursor,    the body comprising a first portion that is associated with the encapsulated beverage precursor, the first portion being sufficiently removed from a second portion on the body, the second portion acting as a handle on the implement    wherein the encapsulated beverage precursor is encapsulated with a material that is solvent soluble or solvent permeable and the material has a surface area in square centimeters equal to X and the beverage precursor has a weight in grams equal to Y where:            X   =     Y   D             and further where D is an integer from about 20 to about 40.    
   
   
       2 . The implement according to  claim 1  wherein the body comprises plastic, wood or metal.  
   
   
       3 . The implement according to  claim 1  wherein the beverage precursor is liquid, powder, crystal, leaf, agglomerate, ground bean or a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The implement according to  claim 1  wherein the beverage precursor is a precursor for coffee, expresso, tea, fruit juice, hot chocolate, a sauce or a marinade.  
   
   
       5 . The implement according to  claim 1  wherein the beverage precursor is tea leaf for making black, white, green or oolong tea, or a precursor for making herbal tea or lemonade.  
   
   
       6 . The implement according to  claim 1  wherein the beverage precursor is combined with vitamins, supplements, natural or artificial flavor, sweetener, spice, whitener or a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The implement according to  claim 1  wherein the material is a woven or non-woven material or one which is soluble in water and comprising gelatin, vegetable gum, starch, carboxymethyl cellulose, albumin, carrageenan or a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       8 . The implement according to  claim 1  wherein 20 to 80 percent by weight of encapsulated beverage precursor is below a center plane of the implement and 80 to 20 percent by weight of the beverage precursor is above the center plane of the implement.  
   
   
       9 . The implement according to  claim 1  wherein the beverage precursor comprises herbal tea.  
   
   
       10 . A method for making a beverage comprising the steps of: 
 (a) contacting the implement for making a beverage by infusion of  claim 1  with a solvent;    (b) agitating the implement in the solvent; and    (c) recovering the beverage.    
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the solvent is water, fruit juice or broth.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11  wherein the solvent is water and the beverage is tea.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the beverage is tea or herbal tea.  
   
   
       14 . The beverage made according to the method of  claim 10.