Refrigerated beverage mug

A refrigerated beverage mug, comprising:

• a housing having a beverage compartment for holding a beverage;
• a self-contained mechanical refrigeration unit having a compressor, an expansion passage, an evaporator and a condenser;
• said mechanical refrigeration unit being mounted to said housing with said condenser in thermal communication with ambient air for transferring heat thereto, said expansion passage in fluid communication between said condenser and said evaporator, and said evaporator section in thermal communication with said beverage compartment for absorbing heat therefrom;
• and
• a power source mounted to said housing, and containing a pressurized, expansible fluid for releasing to power to said mechanical refrigeration unit and thereby drive said compressor.

A method for consuming a beverage from a refrigerated beverage mug, comprising the steps of:

• providing a beverage mug having a beverage compartment, a self-contained mechanical refrigeration unit and a power source for operatively powering the mechanical refrigeration, the mechanical refrigeration unit defining a closed loop system through which a refrigerant is circulated to remove heat from the beverage compartment and transfer the heat to ambient air proximate to the beverage mug;
• holding the beverage mug with one hand;
• placing a beverage in the beverage compartment of the beverage mug;
• selectively actuating the power source to operate the mechanical refrigeration unit;
• circulating the refrigerant through portions of the beverage mug, which transfers heat from the beverage compartment to the ambient air proximate to the beverage mug and thereby reduces the temperature of the beverage within the beverage compartment to a desired temperature for consumption;
• and then,
• consuming the beverage directly from the beverage compartment of the refrigerated beverage mug.