Rapid cooling apparatus and method for dispensed beverages

An apparatus for rapid cooling of a beverage caused to flow from a beverage container to a dispenser tap, comprising:

• an insulated wall ice chest having an openable lid and able to receive a volume of crushed ice in an interior space defined therein;
• a generally open topped swirl pot in said interior space of said ice chest defining a cylindrical swirl chamber;
• a concentric cooling coil of helical tubing turns nested within said swirl chamber;
• a fluid connection between an inlet of said cooling coil and said beverage container;
• a fluid connection between an outlet of said cooling coil and said dispenser tap;
• a pump mounted within said ice chest interior space having an outlet connected to a stand pipe mounted to project up within said cooling coil and an inlet disposed to draw in melt water collected in the bottom of said ice chest interior space from the melting of crushed ice therein;
• said stand pipe having a plurality of jet nozzles receiving ice melt water pumped by said pump and directing jet flows within said coil, said jet nozzles radially inclined to create a generally tangential swirling flow against adjacent tubing turns of said cooling coil, whereby a beverage circulated through said cooling coil is rapidly cooled prior to being dispensed from said tap by cooling of said cooling coil turns through which said dispensed beverage flows.