Tag: bartender

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Connected Objects Food and Beverage

Eazyshot dispenser keeps the good times simply flowing

Large and sophisticated robot bartenders have been featured on commercials for cruise ships, but simpler and less expensive models are making a pitch to be the next countertop appliance. Many of them seek to make a wide variety of drinks, even employing Keurig-like pods for cocktails.

Eazyshot, though, keeps it simple with a limited range of shots in its egg-like form. Liquors are filled up in its refillable tube-like reservoirs to make variations of “Mexicans” and “Bombers” from the tap of a companion app. The device can even function as a Bluetooth speaker to kep the party tunes accompanying the party. The Eazyshot is expected to retail for about  $495 but early bird rewards have started at about $345. The campaign is seeking $65,000 CAD (about $49,137) by September 24th.

The best part of Eazyshot is its portability, including the ability to run on battery power. Its smaller size means it can’t make the variety of drinks of other bartender bots, but — let’s face it — these are something of a novelty right now anyway.

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Food and Beverage Technology

Somabar intelligent bartender packs mixology into a box

A cocktail is one of those things that is easy to enjoy, but a challenge to create well. Precisely mixing the right ingredients is of utmost importance, but without practice the experience can quickly become a mess or result in less than stellar flavor. For many people, this ultimately relegates the cocktail to a luxury that can only be enjoyed at a bar, and never at home.

Somabar is a Wi-Fi enabled, intelligent bartender capable of creating perfectly mixed cocktails in under five seconds, finally bringing the mixologist home. Dishwasher-safe Soma Pods can be easily connected to it and filled with a user’s favorite ingredients, even boasting the ability to infuse bitters. Somabar thoroughly measures and mixes all ingredients, and the creations that result can be altered to a user’s preference using the companion iOS and Android app. In addition, users can create their favorite cocktails and share them to the Somabar community. The $399 Somabar is slated for a July 2015 delivery provided the campaign reaches its $50,000 goal.

The world of cocktails and mixed drinks can be overwhelming. Products like the Somabar are trying to make delicious beverages much more accessible by offering platforms that pretty much do it for you. Others like the B4RM4N and Connected Ozz also help users make cocktails but do so while teaching how to create them as well. Although Somabar won’t be teaching users anything, it makes up for it with its ease of use and dead simple operation.

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Food and Beverage

Connected Ozz mixer gets lit up before you do

Unless you’re a bartender or, dare we say it, mixologist, making cocktails can be a bit of a mystery. There are so many recipes to try and getting the exact measurements for several ingredients can be tricky. Ozz helps you embody your inner Moe. This product features a lit up drink stand that monitors the ingredients going into your drink with an Android and iOS compatible app. This app features recipes, reviews, your own custom drink list and suggestions for how to fix a drink. It tells you to add a little bit more of this or that so that you have the perfect cocktail. One will cost backers €99 with estimated delivery for April 2015 from the Netherlands. Ozz is hoping to raise €150,000 on Kickstarter.

Ozz is a rather fancy and somewhat pricey way to make drinks. Still, it presents endless possibilities for novice drink-makers and even for bartenders looking to up their game. This product offers fun training with the even more fun reward of a perfect cocktail at the end. Some may ponder the need for such a first-world niche product, however others will certainly be on board with adult drinks made better by smart technology.

Categories
Food and Beverage Technology

Barobot mixes drinks from up to 12 bottles at once, won’t hear your sob story

The Premise. Getting home from a hard day at the office or throwing a party for friends would be better if nobody had to play bartender the whole night. One can always pour their own cocktails, but getting the ratios right can be difficult and what should be refreshing can turn out overpowering.

The Product. The Barobot is a shelf-top device for top-shelf liquor that can hold up to 12 bottles and pour perfect shots into a cup as it moves it back and forth down the alcoholic assembly line. With an open source, open platform design, the Barobot is completely customizable — from the LED lighting displays to the touch-screen interface that makes ordering any drink a snap. New cocktails can be added to the menu easily, and for those that want to have a drink waiting for them, a tablet can be used to place a drink order so that by the time the walk to the Barobot is completed, so is the beverage.

The Pitch. The Barobot pitch is just like its design: colorful, playful, and inviting. The idea alone of a robot that makes drinks for an entire party is something to smile about. The Barobot team is wise not to get too involved in the technical side of things, going so far as to compare assembling the device to playing with LEGO. Barobot is looking to raise £90,000 to handle production of the device.

The Perks. The Barobot is available to supporters for £774, complete with all of the necessary hardware in choice of color, and the app. For those that doubt their construction skills, the fully assembled version is available for £1,479, and those that want a one-of-a-kind personal touch can have their Barobot customized for £3,499. The first batch will ship in August, with more in September of 2014.

The Potential. Between the high-class image that comes with owning a bartending robot, the quality parts, and the open source design, the Barobot is a very tempting item to consider owning. The price point is a little high for a device that moves cups and pours shots, however, no matter how trendy it looks. It’s a shame to be turned off by the price alone when the rest of the machine is extremely likeable, but it will probably prove to be a price point too high for all but the most affluent of home technology show-offs.

Categories
Food and Beverage

Les Glaçons caters to drinkers who like ’em big, square and dense

Les GlaçonsMixologists, or bartenders as they’re commonly known, take their cocktails quite seriously. Achieving the perfect drink doesn’t only have to do with liquid ingredients, but also with good ice. Les Glaçons is an ice making kit from Montreal with separating planes, locks, a liner and insulating sleeve that produces large cubes of ice that are perfectly dense and clear. According to the detailed campaign, this is the best kind of ice for cocktail making. One of these kits costs early birds $160 CAD and birds $200 CAD with an estimated delivery date of October 2014. Glaçons hopes to raise $20,000 CAD on Kickstarter in its 33-day campaign.