Beverage brewing apparatus with user-variable, flow-controlled heating and by-pass dispensing of a liquid

A beverage brewing apparatus, comprising:

• a pump having a first fluid inlet for receiving a liquid from a liquid source, and further having a first fluid outlet;
• a first fluid conduit having a first end coupled in fluid communication with the first fluid outlet;
• the first conduit being configured to convey a liquid away from the pump and toward a dispensing outlet;
• a receptacle configured to retain a flavoring medium;
• a dispensing outlet coupled in fluid communication with the first conduit and disposed above the receptacle, the dispensing outlet being configured to receive a liquid from the first conduit and to dispense the liquid into a flavoring medium receptacle;
• a second conduit having a first end coupled in fluid communication with the first conduit, the second conduit being configured to receive a portion of a liquid from the first conduit and to divert the received liquid portion away from the flavoring medium receptacle;
• and
• a user-operable fluid flow control device coupled with the second conduit and configured, when operated, to affect a flow rate of a liquid transiting the second conduit.

A method for brewing a heated beverage, comprising:

• accepting a fluid temperature setting via a user-operable control interface;
• pumping a fluid via a pump;
• heating the pumped fluid via a heater;
• determining a temperature of the heated fluid via a thermal sensor;
• comparing the detected fluid temperature to the fluid temperature setting via logic circuitry;
• affecting an operating condition of the pump, via the logic circuitry, in response to detecting a difference between the selected fluid temperature setting and the detected temperature of the heated fluid;
• and
• dispensing the heated fluid into a flavoring medium receptacle via a dispensing outlet.