What is the difference between the BevBoost and the Guinness widgets?

The Guinness widget is intended to capture and release nitrogen into a can of Guinness to replicate how Guinness is served on draft. It has one chamber with two small holes that enables the nitrogen in the beverage to go into the single chamber and be released when the can is opened.  The BevBoost widget has TWO chambers, one that absorbs and stores CO2 or nitrogen (similar to the Guinness widget) and also performs the function of opening the widget when the can is opened.  The second chamber stores and releases the flavor shot at consumption.

What is the difference between the inner and outer chamber of the widget?

The inner chamber is an airtight space where the flavor is added.  The outer chamber stores the carbon dioxide or nitrogen of the beverage.

How does the CO2 or Nitrogen get into the widget?

The CO2 or Nitrogen is transferred from the carbonated beverage into the outer chamber of the widget because of basic physics … gases naturally move from a high-pressure to a low-pressure environment. Once the can is sealed, the CO2 or Nitrogen moves from the high-pressure environment in the beverage into the lower pressure of the outer chamber of the widget through a 3-millimeter hole in the lid.

When the can is opened, how does the widget open inside the can?

When the can is opened, the opposite physics occurs from when the can is originally sealed.  The CO2 or Nitrogen in the outer chamber suddenly wants to move from the outer chamber into the newly created low-pressure environment of the beverage.  This instant change in pressure blows open the top of the widget and releases the CO2 or Nitrogen and flavor into the beverage bringing it back to life in regards to increased freshness 

Can the can still be recycled?

Yes!.  During the recycling process, the aluminum gets shredded and the contaminants (anything that isn’t aluminum) get removed.  From there, it depends on the aluminum recycler if they have the capability to recycle the widget as well.

Do you provide the flavoring or do I supply the flavor?

Both!  We can provide over 40 stock flavors.  Or the beverage company can create their own flavors.

When in the canning process does the widget get put into the can?

The widget is put into the can after the filling process and before the seamer (the machine that puts the lid on).

How does the flavoring get inside the widget?

The flavoring can be injected with a machine right before it is closed and then dropped into a can and seamed OR widgets can be filled by BevBoost and shipped to your beverage manufacturing facility to be dropped into cans using an automated dropper before the lid is seamed onto the can.

What plastic is the widget made of?

The widget is made from food-grade polypropylene.

How does the flavor in the inner chamber stay fresh?

The inner chamber is completely airtight with zero oxygen exposure, which keeps the flavor fresh and intact.  This is a similar concept as to what food companies have been doing for years. When you buy a salad, the croutons are not mixed into the salad, they are packaged separately in a plastic bag.  The inner chamber of the widget protects and provides a fresh ingredient until the time of consumption. 

What flavors can be used in the inner chamber of the widget?

Our favorite question!  The opportunities are endless. The flavor could be a hop extract for an IPA or pale ale (rejuvenating the hop flavor and aroma), fresh mint for a mint julep or mojito, lime for a margarita, THC, CBD, Daisy’s Dare (our energy shot), vitamins, other nootropics, etc.

Does the widget extend the shelf life of the beverage?

Generally speaking, YES!  It does depend on the beverage, but from our testing, most beverages not only can last longer, but also bring the flavor and freshness of an “older” beverage taste and freshness back to the day it was canned.

How does the widget survive a typical pasteurization process?

The widget is unaffected by the pasteurization process. Tunnel pasteurization typically subjects packaged beverages to upper-end temperatures of 60 -75°C, which is well below the temperature at which the widget will begin to experience deformation. In addition, the internal widget pressure is equal to the gauge pressure of the can, so there is no pressure differential generated throughout the temperature swings of pasteurization that could cause the widget to open pre-maturely within the package.