About two and a half years ago, we told you about an automated bartending machine, the Bartesian (Bartesian Brings Mixology Home, GeekDad, April 30, 2020). Now, that same technology is being used in a new machine that improves on the original. The bev by Black+Decker Cocktail Maker Machine automatically creates cocktails with your own choices of five liquors: gin, vodka, tequila, rum, and whiskey (improving on the four liquor bottles that required decanting from the previously reviewed machine). Designed to fit most standard 750ml liquor bottles, the bev also features LEDs under each bottle for an amazing appearance, enabling consumers to prominently display the liquor being served when friends visit—even with a “Party Mode” for an LED show that illuminates the bottles with a light show.

Much like the Bartesian machine, creating cocktails with the bev is very much like using a pod-based, single-cup coffee machine. The process for crafting a cocktail is basically a single button press: insert a cocktail capsule and the system sets the recipe, dial in the desired strength (ranging from mocktail to strong), and press “Mix”… then the bev takes over, drawing and blending the appropriate spirit(s) with the capsule ingredients and dispensing a delicious cocktail in seconds. Once the cocktail is finished, the improved auto-clean cycle runs to ensure the next cocktail tastes the way it should, not like a mix of the previous drink.

The bev by Black+Decker uses the same capsules (which contain a concentrated mix of all the mixers, including real juices, bitters, and extracts) as the previously reviewed Bartesian machine with an ever-growing selection of choices, many of which have been added since our original post. Currently, the catalog of Bartesian drink capsules includes more than forty (40!) different cocktails, including Old Fashioned, Margarita, Long Island Iced Tea, Cosmopolitan (regular or low-cal), Martinis (Gin, Espresso, or Matcha—your choice), Manhattan, Paper Plane (still a favorite aperitivo), Spiced Coffee, and more. The mixologists at Bartesian are constantly updating the list with new additions and seasonal favorites. You can review the entire catalog, including any “coming soon” capsules that have been announced at bartesian.com/collections/cocktails.

One more thing, since our 2020 review a whole collection of Bartesian-related accessories has been released, including racks to hold the cocktail capsules, leather-bound cocktail menus (you know your home bar needs them), and specialty glasses for all those great drink choices.

We were sent a bev review unit and a collection of cocktail capsules for the purpose of this review; all opinions are, of course, our own. You can get your own party started by ordering a bev cocktail machine of your own on Amazon by clicking here (affiliate link).

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