Apparatus and methods for transporting and dispensing carbonated kegged beverages

A combination of:

• a beverage transport/dispenser, comprising:
• a main body comprising a round wall including an outer shell and thermal insulation, the round wall defining an opening on top and an inner compartment sized for one or more beverage keg types;
• a multifunctional lid formed to cover the opening, the multifunctional lid comprising an outer surface and an inner surface and portions defining a first opening and a second opening, the first and the second openings allowing tubes to extend through the multifunctional lid from the outer surface to the inner surface and into the inner compartment when the multifunctional lid is mounted on the main body, the multifunctional lid and the main body comprising a mechanism to attach the multifunctional lid to the main body at the opening on top of the main body, thereby covering the inner compartment and allowing opening and closing the multifunctional lid on the main body;
• a quick-disconnect beverage tube fitting comprising a first beverage tube fitting component and a second beverage tube fitting component;
• and a quick-disconnect gas tube fitting comprising a first gas tube fitting component and a second gas tube fitting component;
• wherein:
• the multifunctional lid comprises a dispensing tower and a tower mount, the tower mount attaching the dispensing tower to the outer surface above the first opening and allowing the dispensing tower to be lowered to lie flat on the multifunctional lid in a first position and to be raised to stand erect on the multifunctional lid in a second position;
• the dispensing tower comprises an upper end and a lower end, the lower end being nearer to the tower mount than the upper end, a faucet at the upper end, and an upper beverage conduit comprising a first end coupled to the faucet and a second end extending through the first opening and attached to the first beverage tube fitting component;
• and the multifunctional lid further comprises a gas canister retainer to hold a canister of compressed carbon dioxide (CO2) on the outer surface, a pressure regulator with a gas input and a gas output, the canister being coupled to the gas input of the pressure regulator, a regulator mount supporting the pressure regulator on the outer surface of the multifunctional lid, and an upper gas conduit comprising a first end coupled to the gas output and a second end extending through the second opening and attached to the first gas tube fitting component;
• a keg containing a beverage;
• a keg coupler comprising a beverage flow port and a gas input port, the keg coupler being coupled to the keg;
• a lower beverage conduit comprising a first end coupled to the beverage flow port and a second end attached to the second beverage tube fitting component;
• and
• a lower gas conduit comprising a first end coupled to the gas input port and a second end attached to the second gas tube fitting component;
• wherein the keg, the keg coupler, the lower beverage conduit, and the lower gas conduit are placed in the inner compartment, the first beverage tube fitting component and the second beverage tube fitting component are coupled together, and the first gas tube fitting component and the second gas tube fitting component are coupled together, so that when the CO2 is allowed to flow from the canister, the beverage may be poured by opening the faucet and
• wherein the main body is rotomolded.