Truth be told, we’re not sold on the idea of a single-serve countertop appliance for alcoholic drinks. If you want to use one for beer, it seems like a better idea to just stash a few cans or bottles in the fridge. If you want it for cocktails, you can just mix up a small batch, put it in the fridge, and enjoy a glass whenever you want. A dedicated appliance just feels unnecessary for alcoholic beverages, unlike the case with coffee. Regardless, companies will continue to try and Keurig is making another attempt with the Drinkworks Drinkmaker.
Designed to make beer and cocktail on demand, the appliance lets you make cold alcoholic drinks using single-serve pods, allowing you to enjoy your nightcap with the same convenience as your cups of coffee throughout the day. These are not just random drinks, either, but actual branded beers, specialty cocktails, and signature mixers, effectively giving you proper home bar with a capable bartender in tow.
The Drinkworks Drinkmaker is a countertop beverage-making appliance designed to take single-serve pods that contain both the alcohol and other ingredients required to make the drink. It can immediately identify the kind of pod that’s inserted, then automatically tailor the chilling, carbonation, and mixing it performs to conform to that particular drink’s recipe, whether it be a pint of Beck’s Brauhaus, a glass of cider from Stella Artois, or a strawberry margarita for those nights you want to feel like you’re vacationing in a tropical island.
To use the appliance, simply plug it into an outlet, download the app on your phone, and follow the onscreen instructions. It will lead you through the process step-by-step, from filling the tank with water and inserting the pod to placing your glass under the tap as soon as the drink is ready. Dimensions, by the way, are 13.5 x 13 x 13.5 inches (length x height x depth), so this should fit conveniently in any counter, cabinet, or bar cart at home.
The Drinkworks Drinkmaker maintains a water temperature of 37 degrees Fahrenheit inside the tank (provided you keep it plugged in, of course), which it can then raise or lower, depending on the requirements of the recipe. That means, if you unplug the device after each time you use it, you’ll have to wait far longer for the water to chill to its maintaining temperature before it can even begin processing the pod. According to the outfit, making a drink can take anywhere from 30 to 60 seconds, provided you’re starting with the water at 37 degrees.
All the recipes are fixed, by the way, so the appliance will decide whether you actually end up with a 4-ounce, 6.7-ounce, or some other volume of beverage, with no way to actually dilute or strengthen any of them (other than adding water on your own, which will probably ruin the taste). Because each of the pods actually contain liquor and fresh ingredients, the outfit recommends you refrigerate them once they’re at home, so none of the contents end up going bad, especially if you don’t plan on mixing up a drink frequently.
The Drinkworks Drinkmaker will be available later in the year, priced at $299.