Patent ID: 8661966

Claim:
An apparatus for producing a heated, flavored beverage comprising: a milk pump having a milk inlet and a pump outlet; a refrigerated milk supply fluidly connected to the milk inlet; a mixing chamber having a first inlet fluidly connected to the pump outlet, a second inlet, and a first dispensing outlet; a steam supply fluidly connected to the first inlet; a plurality of liquid flavoring reservoirs, each flavoring reservoir containing a flavoring that includes a sugar, each liquid flavoring reservoir fluidly connected to the second inlet through an associated flavoring pump and an associated flavoring valve such that a selected flavoring is dispensed into the mixing chamber through the second inlet while a steam flow from the steam supply and a milk flow from the refrigerated milk supply are dispensed into the mixing chamber through the first inlet, thereby steam heating the selected flavoring with the milk flow; a steam valve for controlling the steam flow; and a plenum disposed between the plurality of liquid flavoring reservoirs and the mixing chamber; wherein the plurality of liquid flavoring reservoirs are fluidly connected to the mixing chamber through the plenum, and the plenum is connected to the steam supply through a steam valve such that steam can be selectively provided to the plenum to facilitate transport of liquid flavoring to the mixing chamber.