System for making beverages

A system for making beverages comprising a brewing unit (2) and a capsule (4) containing a powdered food substance (5), the capsule (4) comprising an outer casing (6), in which an infeed wall (9) and an outfeed wall (10) are identifiable, and a recognition element (11) placed inside the outer casing (6), wherein the brewing unit (2) comprises a first part (19) and a second part (20), which are switchable between a home configuration, in which they are at a distance from each other, and a brewing configuration, in which they are coupled and between them delimit an infusion chamber (3), wherein the capsule (4) is configured to be inserted in the infusion chamber (3), wherein the brewing unit (2) comprises:

• a first piercing unit (17) configured to pierce the infeed wall (9) of the capsule (4) inserted in the infusion chamber (3), supplying means for supplying hot water inside the capsule (4) inserted in the infusion chamber (3), through the infeed wall (9), and means for causing the outflow from inside the capsule (4) inserted in the infusion chamber (3), through the outfeed wall (10), of a beverage which has formed following interaction of the hot water with the powdered food substance (5);
• a lighting device (26) associated with the first piercing unit (17) and configured to light the recognition element (11) with an incident light radiation having a known band of wavelengths, and a detecting device (13) associated with the first piercing unit (17) and configured to detect a return light radiation which is emitted and/or reflected by the recognition element (11) following the lighting with the incident light radiation;
• an electronic control unit, connected to the detecting device (13) for receiving from it real data relating to characteristics of the return light radiation, the electronic control unit being programmed to execute a comparing step, in which the real data are compared with saved reference data, and a managing step, in which it manages operation of the brewing unit (2) in a different way if the comparing step indicates that the real data match reference data, compared with if the comparing step indicates that the real data do not match the reference data;
• wherein, moreover:
• the detecting device (13) has an acquiring surface (27) for acquiring the return light radiation which is fixed to the first piercing unit (17);
• the first piercing unit (17) has a distal portion (35) configured to pierce the infeed wall (9) of the capsule (4) and which, in the brewing configuration, projects inside the infusion chamber (3) more than the light radiation acquiring surface (27);
• characterised in that the capsule (4) is configured in such a way that, when the capsule (4) is inserted in the infusion chamber (3), alternatively the distal portion (35) of the first piercing unit (17) is resting on the recognition element (11) and the light radiation acquiring surface (27) is at a distance from the recognition element (11), or the distal portion (35) of the first piercing unit (17) is partly inserted in the recognition element (11) and the light radiation acquiring surface (27) is at a distance from the recognition element (11) or resting on the recognition element (11).