Imbrue keg infusion apparatus and system

Abstract

An infusion keg for beer is described having a cylinder closed at both ends, the cylinder formed from a food-grade material, the cylinder being purgeable with purging gas to expel air therefrom and being Tillable with beer; a valve for controlling the entering of the purging gas and the exiting of the beer; and, an infusion port for the insertion of a permeable body having flavorant therewithin. Upon being purged and the permeable body being inserted, the keg is filled with beer that, over a given period of time, absorbs a reproducible volume of flavorant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A keg for beer comprising:
 a closed cylinder having a sidewall portion, a top wall closure portion, and a bottom wall closure portion, the closed cylinder formed from a food-grade material, the closed cylinder being purgeable with purging gas to expel air therefrom and being fillable with beer;   a valve for controlling the entering of the purging gas and the exiting of the beer; and,   an infusion port in the wall of the closed cylinder for the insertion of a permeable body having flavorant therewithin;   whereby upon being purged and the permeable body being inserted, the keg is filled with beer that, over a given period of tune, absorbs a reproducible volume of flavorant.   
     
     
         2 . The keg of  claim 1 , wherein the food-grade material is stainless steel. 
     
     
         3 . The keg of  claim 2 , wherein the stainless steel is selected from a group consisting of 304, 18/8, 316, 18/10 and 430. 
     
     
         4 . The keg of  claim 2 , wherein the infusion port further comprises:
 an aperture in the cylinder medial the ends thereof;   an annular collar for attachment at one edge thereof to the aperture and coextensive therewith, the opposite edge of the annular collar having an outwardly extending rim; and,   a gasketed cap coextensive with the aperture and lockable to the annular collar.   
     
     
         5 . The keg of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a clamp device for encircling the rim of the annular collar and the perimeter of the gasketed cap and for locking the one to the other.   
     
     
         6 . The keg of  claim 5 , wherein the clamp device is a Triclamp® device. 
     
     
         7 . The keg of  claim 4 , wherein the gasketed cap includes a bracket for attaching a permeable body that during infusion of the flavorant is suspended within the cylinder. 
     
     
         8 . The keg of  claim 1 , wherein the device is constructed to operate at pressures up to 60 psi. 
     
     
         9 . An infusion keg for beer comprising:
 a cylinder closed at the top end and the bottom end, the cylinder formed from a food-grade stainless steel, the cylinder being pressure-rated and purgeable with purging gas to expel air therefrom and being fellable with beer in a substantially oxygen-free environment;   a valve disposed at the top end of the cylinder for controlling the entering of the purging gas and the exiting of the beer;   a spear for siphoning beer from the keg, the spear extending from the valve to the bottom end, the spear further comprising:
 an inlet in the spear end adjacent the bottom end of the keg; 
   an infusion port for the insertion of a permeable body having flavorant therewithin;
 whereby upon being purged and the permeable body being inserted, the keg is filled with beer that, over a given period of time, absorbs a substantially reproducible volume of flavorant, the flavored beer being deliverable without losing carbonation. 
   
     
     
         10 . The infusion keg of  claim 9 , wherein the stainless steel is selected from a group consisting of types 304, 18/8, 316, 18/10 and 430 stainless steel. 
     
     
         11 . The infusion keg of  claim 9 , wherein the infusion port further comprises:
 an aperture in the cylinder medial the ends thereof;   an annular collar for attachment at one edge thereof to the aperture and coextensive therewith, the opposite edge of the annular collar having an outwardly extending rim; and,   a gasketed cap coextensive with the outwardly extended rim of the annular collar and lockable to the annular collar.   
     
     
         12 . The infusion keg of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a clamp device for encircling the rim of the annular collar and the perimeter of the gasketed cap and for locking the one to the other.   
     
     
         13 . The infusion keg of  claim 11 , wherein a bracket for attachment of the permeable body is disposed on the gasketed cap. 
     
     
         14 . The infusion keg of  claim 13 , further comprising a permeable body for attachment to the bracket disposed on the gasketed cap. 
     
     
         15 . The infusion keg of  claim 14 , wherein the permeable body is a food-grade cheesecloth bag dimensioned to depend into the keg without interfering with the siphoning function of the spear. 
     
     
         16 . The infusion keg as described in  claim 13 , wherein all weldments attaching stainless steel to stainless steel are free of cracks, crevices, pinholes, scale, projections, staining and splatter to provide sanitizable surfaces and do not compromise the sanitizing process. 
     
     
         17 . The keg of  claim 1 , wherein the device is constructed to operate at pressures up to 60 psi. 
     
     
         18 . A keg modification kit for an infusion beer keg for use with a standard keg having a cylindrical body closed at the top end and the bottom end, the body formed from a food-grade stainless steel, the keg being pressure-rated and purgeable with purging gas to expel air therefrom and being fillable with beer in a substantially oxygen-free environment; a valve disposed at the top end of the body for controlling the entering of the purging gas and the exiting of the beer; and, a spear for siphoning beer from the keg, the spear extending from the valve to the bottom end of the keg, the spear with an inlet in the spear end adjacent the bottom end of the keg, the keg modification kit comprising;
 an annular collar for attachment at one edge thereof to an aperture in the standard keg and coextensive therewith, the opposite edge of the annular collar having an outwardly extending rim;   a gasketed cap coextensive with the outwardly extended rim of the annular collar and lockable to the annular collar;   a clamp device for encircling the rim of the annular collar and the perimeter of the gasketed cap and for locking the one to the other; and,   a bracket for attachment of a permeable body disposed on the gasketed cap.   
     
     
         19 . The keg modification kit of  claim 18 , further comprising a permeable body for attachment to the bracket disposed on the gasketed cap. 
     
     
         20 . The keg modification kit of  claim 18 , wherein the permeable body is a food-grade cheesecloth bag dimensioned to depend into the keg without interfering with the siphoning function of the spear.