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Meet Synek, the World's First 'Portable Tap House'

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Calling all beer snobs. How would you like access to unlimited varieties of craft beer — right from the comfort of your own kitchen?

Missouri inventor Steve Young wants to turn that fantastical dream into a reality. He's created a new draft system that promises to serve up any beer, fresh from the tap, whenever you want. He says the main problem with craft beer is the packaging — cans and bottles are often too expensive for brewers, limiting selection, while growlers have a shelf life "about as long as a toddler's attention span." So he set out to re-invent beer packaging.

Synek

Enter Synek. The system features a pressurized cartridge that can be filled from any beer holding tank, keg, or tap along with a customized box about the size and weight of a toaster oven for easy storage and dispensing.

It works like this: Simply fill the patent-pending Synek bag from any tap with a special adapter. The bag is vacuum-sealed and UV protected, and Young says it can keep your brew fresh for months. From there, insert the filled cartridge into the Synek dispenser, and connect two valves — then voila. Fresh craft beer, whenever you want it.

The bags are easily interchangeable and maintain carbonation outside of the dispenser, meaning you can pour a pint and then switch to a different variety without losing quality.

The Synek debuted on Kickstarter last week and has already racked up $82,536 from 318 backers. That's still quite a ways from the $250,000 Young is seeking, but the campaign still has three weeks to go.

"Imagine, for a moment, that you could have access to every beer in the world fresh from the tap," the Kickstarter page reads. "Your favorite local brewery, your best friend's homebrew, or an international favorite…all available to you wherever and whenever you want it."

The first 200 backers who pledge $299 or more will receive a first-edition, stainless steel Synek dispenser. The system will retail for $350.

For more on Synek, check out the video below.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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