BEER KEURIG
TALK about a beer lover’s dream come true! The creator of the so-called “Keurig of beers” has released the final design of the dispenser, which will allow users to easily dispense their own craft beers at their leisure, without worrying about keeping unfinished beer fresh. The sleek chrome-colored Synek System is a stand-alone countertop appliance that chills and pressurizes reinforced bags of beer that are dispensed through a chamber pressurized using CO2. The bags hold up to eleven 12-ounce beers. The creators say independent tests performed on the Synek system rank it at or above cans, bottles and kegs in pressurization, shelf life, contamination, oxidation, and temperature maintenance. “This is a technology that can benefit everyone in the industry if everyone rallies behind it – brewers can engage more customers, distributors save on reduced shipping costs, retailers fit more product on shelves, and customers can get a wider variety of the freshest beer in the world,” said founder Steve Young.
Synek System was created using funds raised during a 2O14 Kickstarter campaign. Young came up with the idea in 2O13 while working as a stock market analyst. He traveled the country to learn everything he could about the craft brewing industry, and took notice to what he calls a “void in packaging between growlers and bottling.” Young said poor packaging and rigid containers mean beer only stays fresh for a few days, and that’s what he wanted to change.
Teaming up with Young is head engineer Jeff Macler, who says he has filed four times as many patents as Anheuser-Busch InBev. He has experience in packaging designs and testing, which he’s done for brands like Hormel and Sara Lee. According to Synek, more than 17,OOO brands from more than 12OO breweries support the system, which keeps beer fresh for 3O days or longer when used with an adapter. Synek says this is the first-ever pending patent for a flexible container that can hold carbonated beverages. The containers are recyclable, but not reusable. The “Keurig of beer” will launch this spring, but you can pre-order the system for $299.
