Systems and methods for customized fermented beverages

Abstract

A system for making a personalized malt-based beverage may comprise at least one packaged base liquid and at least one separately packaged flavor ingredient. The at least one packaged base liquid may comprise at least about 0.1% wt ethyl alcohol, at least about 3% wt malt extract solids, and a carbon dioxide level between about zero grams per liter and about 1.5 grams per liter. The separately packaged flavor ingredient may comprise a dry ingredient.

1 . A method of decarbonating fermented liquids in-line, the method comprising:
 directing a carbonated cereal-based liquid through a nozzle;   directing the carbonated malt-based liquid from the nozzle into a space; and   maintaining the carbonated cereal-based beverage in the space until substantially all of the carbon dioxide dissolved within the carbonated cereal-based beverage has been removed to provide a non-carbonated liquid characterized in that said space is maintained at a partial vacuum pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cereal-based liquid comprises a malt-based liquid. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing the non-carbonated liquid from the space at substantially the same rate that the carbonated cereal-based liquid is directed into the space. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing the non-carbonated liquid from the space to a filler. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein directing the carbonated cereal-based liquid from the nozzle into the space comprises distributing the carbonated cereal-based liquid over a surface. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein directing the carbonated cereal-based liquid over the surface comprises directing the carbonated cereal-based liquid over a wall of a cylindrical vessel defining the space. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising heating the carbonated cereal-based liquid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein heating the carbonated cereal-based liquid comprises heating the carbonated malt-based beverage to a temperature between about 35° C. and about 38° C. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the space is maintained at an absolute pressure of about 10 kPa. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonated cereal-based liquid comprises an ethyl alcohol content of at least 0.1% wt. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonated cereal-based beverage comprises between about 3% wt malt extract solids and about 5.5% wt malt extract solids. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonated cereal-based beverage comprises less than about 6 International Bitterness Units. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-carbonated liquid removed from the space comprises a carbon dioxide level between about zero grams per liter and about 1.5 grams per liter. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method of decarbonating fermented liquids in-line, the method comprising:
 heating a carbonated malt-based liquid;   directing a carbonated malt-based liquid through a nozzle;   distributing the carbonated malt-based liquid over a surface within a space with the nozzle;   maintaining the space at a partial vacuum pressure;   maintaining the carbonated malt-based beverage in the space until substantially all of the carbon dioxide dissolved within the carbonated malt-based beverage has been removed to provide a non-carbonated liquid; and   removing the non-carbonated liquid from the space to a filler at substantially the same rate that the carbonated malt-based liquid is directed into the space.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein heating the carbonated malt-based liquid comprises heating the carbonated malt-based beverage to a temperature between about 35° C. and about 38° C. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the carbonated malt-based liquid comprises an ethyl alcohol content between about 3% wt and about 12% wt, and comprises between about 3% wt malt extract solids and about 5.5% wt malt extract solids. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the carbonated malt-based beverage comprises less than about 6 International Bitterness Units. 
     
     
         27 .- 141 . (canceled)