Low volume beverage dispenser

A beverage dispenser, comprising:

• a) a housing;
• b) a carbonation system comprising a carbonator within the housing and a source of carbon dioxide;
• c) a water system comprising a source of water, a charging pump for charging water to the carbonator, and a circulation pump for circulating water;
• d) a source of syrup located in a space within the housing that is configured to receive at least one container of syrup;
• e) a cooling system comprising an ice bin, a first heat exchanger for exchanging heat between ice in the ice bin and water and circulating carbonated water produced by the carbonation system, and a second heat exchanger for exchanging heat between said syrup and said circulating carbonated water;
• and
• f) a dispensing system comprising at least two mixing and dispensing valves and interconnecting lines between said valves, the source of water and the source of syrup;
• at least one of said two mixing and dispensing valves receiving syrup and carbonated water.

A method of producing and dispensing a beverage, the method comprising:

• a) cooling water with a first heat exchanger in thermal contact with ice and circulating said cooled water through a second heat exchanger;
• b) cooling syrup in said second heat exchanger;
• c) mixing said cooled syrup and water to form a beverage;
• and
• d) dispensing said beverage.

A beverage dispensing tower comprising:

• a) a generally horizontal top bar on which a plurality of mixing and dispensing valves are attached and arranged to dispense a beverage generally downwardly;
• b) two side supports holding the top bar in a raised position so that a cup can be placed under each of the mixing and dispensing valves;
• and
• c) the tower having a generally inverted “U” shape such that the area under the top bar is open.

A beverage dispenser comprising:

• a) a split heat exchanger comprising a first part and a second part;
• b) an ice bin in thermal contact with said first part;
• c) a pump circulating a cooling fluid between said first part and said second part;
• and
• d) a source of beverage syrup connected to said second part, wherein the first part transfers heat from circulating cooling fluid to ice in the ice bin and the second part transfers heat from a beverage syrup to the circulating cooling fluid.

A beverage dispenser comprising:

• a) a heat exchanger comprising at least one tubing coil carrying syrup and at least one tubing coil carrying cooling fluid embedded within a metallic body, each coil having two ends protruding from the metallic body, the cooling fluid coil ends being connected to a source of circulating cooling fluid, a first of said ends of the syrup tubing being connected to a source of syrup;
• and
• b) at least one mixing and dispensing valve connected to the heat exchanger, the second of said ends of the syrup tubing being connected to said at least one mixing and dispensing valve, with water and the syrup being combined in the mixing and dispensing valve to produce a beverage;
• and
• c) at least one beer tubing coil within said metallic body for cooling beer, one end of the beer coil connected to a source of beer and the other end connected to a dispensing valve connected to the heat exchanger.