This Bartender's Invention Will Keep Your Drinks Ice-Cold. No Fridge Needed

James Vyse, a former bartender from Wales may have solved the age-old problem of keeping drinks cold without using a refrigerator. The 31-year-old claims to have developed the world's first commercially viable self-cooling can which has caught the interest of several big brands, according to a report in Newsweek.

The mechanism behind the self-cooling can, dubbed the "Cool Can" is rather simple. A small amount of water is stored in a reservoir at the base of the can and crystals of a propriety salt are inside its hollow walls. When a button is pressed, the two mix, creating a chemical reaction that chills the drink.

While the can seems like a standard 500ml beverage container, it only contains 350ml of drinkable liquid due to the insulated inner cavity.

"It's crazy, the people we're speaking to. Coca-Cola...Red Bull is another one. AB InBev. Molson Coors," said Mr Vyse when quizzed about potential suitors for his product.

Mr Vyse is a firm believer in the fact that if the beverage is warm inside the can, it "doesn't matter how good the liquid is".

"How come we're in a world where rockets can be brought back and landed from space, and our cans go warm when you walk 10 minutes away from refrigeration?"

"I was determined to crack the code, because I'd seen previous attempts and thought surely it's not that difficult," he added.

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Though determined, it took Mr Vyse more than 500 prototypes and over two years to develop the product that he believes can change the face of the industry. Trials are planned in London this summer, and the product is expected to enter mass production within two years.

The implications of a self-cooling can could be wider than just the beverage industry. Since refrigeration accounts for approximately 17 per cent of global electricity usage, as per the United Nations, Mr Vyse's invention could potentially be a major gain for sustainability.

Reducing dependence on refrigeration, especially in regions with limited access to cooling infrastructure, could cut carbon emissions.