Patent ID: 8365758

Claim:
A bladder system for reducing a head space in a container of a beverage, the bladder system comprising: an inflation stem connected to a barrel bladder, the barrel bladder inflatable by filling with an inflation gas; the inflation stem inserted into a bung opening of a wooden container, the wooden container having an upper container surface, and the bung opening located on the upper container surface of the wooden container; an inflation stem housing; the inflation stem received into the inflation stem housing, the inflation stem housing including a bung anchor, the bung anchor inserted into the bung opening of the wooden container, to seal the bung opening; the inflation stem including an upper stem end and a lower stem end; an inflation port proximate to the upper stem end; a bladder port proximate to the lower stem end; a liquid level sensor mounted within the inflation stem housing, the liquid level sensor for sensing a head height within the container, the head height defined as a vertical distance between the upper container surface proximate to the bung opening, and the liquid level beneath the bung opening, the liquid level sensor sends a fill signal to a gas valve, when the head height is greater than a predetermined fill value; the gas valve opened when the fill signal is received from the liquid level sensor; and the barrel bladder inflated by a pressurized feed of the inflation gas routed through the gas valve, to reduce the head height within the wooden container.