Beverage dispensing and sweetening system

Abstract

A beverage making apparatus including at least a beverage producing portion, a controllable by-pass water system, and at least one of a sweetener system or flavoring system in which the sweetener system and/or flavoring system controllably mixes a sweetener ingredient and/or flavoring ingredient with water external to the housing without mixing in a confined structure. A method for producing a beverage is provided including at least the steps of: providing a beverage making apparatus; providing a water dispensing system; providing at least one of a sweetener dispensing system and flavoring system; and controllably dispensing water and at least one of sweetener and flavoring externally of the apparatus for combination with beverage produced by the beverage making apparatus.

1 . A beverage making apparatus including at least a beverage producing portion, a controllable by-pass water system, and at least one of a sweetener system or a flavoring system in which the sweetener system and/or flavoring system mixes an ingredient with water external to the housing without mixing in a confined structure. 
     
     
         2 . A method for producing a beverage including the steps of:
 providing a beverage making apparatus;   providing a water dispensing system;   providing a sweetener dispensing system;   simultaneously controllably dispensing water and sweetener externally of the apparatus for combination with beverage produced by the beverage making apparatus.   
     
     
         3 . A method for producing a flavored beverage substance having a generally consistent mixture of ingredients throughout an entire dispensed volume including the steps of:
 producing a beverage;   dispensing the produced beverage into a dispensing container;   generally simultaneously dispensing at least one or a combination of by-pass water and a flavoring ingredient;   generally dispensing the combination of dilution material and flavoring ingredient simultaneous with the dispensing of beverage substantially over the period of time during which beverage is dispensed.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising directing the flow of at least one mixed ingredient to intersect the flow of beverage from the apparatus prior to dispensing into the dispenser at least for a portion of the beverage making cycle. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising mixing of the dilution ingredient and flavoring ingredient exterior of the apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising the step of directing the combination of dilution ingredient and flavoring ingredient to intersect the stream of beverage dispensed from the apparatus for combining the ingredient with the beverage.