Often times I find myself wondering what the next great beer drinking invention will be. I had figured the Vortex bottle was probably going to be it. You know you are getting near the end of the beer drinking invention list when the Vortex bottle makes it debut. But then I read this story out of Japan.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) has helped invent a method of dispensing draft beer during flights. ANA worked with ice machine and refrigeration specialist Hoshizaki Electric to develop a beer dispenser that uses carbon dioxide gas vaporized from dry ice to power the mini beer kegs. Draft beer typically uses using highly pressurized carbon dioxide gas for dispensing and couldn’t be served before because airlines are prohibited from bringing high-pressure gas cylinders onboard due to safety regulations. Which was why beer drinkers were limited to canned or bottled beer (although I can never remember seeing bottled beer either).
The beer doesn’t come cheap at $11.30 (USD) a glass. I know things typically cost more in Japan, but that’s a pretty steep price for a glass of beer. Of course I’m not sure if that price includes maybe 2 little bags of peanuts and a bag of pretzels.
They are planning on having enough beer for 20 glasses per flight. Except on the Tokyo– Okinawa flight where they will have 40 glasses. Either that’s a real nerve wracking flight, or there are lots of military personnel flying that leg.
You can read more about it here