DefCon
Beverage Cooling
Contraption Contest |
background info ~ contest rules ~ signing up ~ when & where ~ prizes ~ past results
After watching an episode of the Discovery Channel show MythBusters i had an idea for something that could be a really fun contest at DefCon. The segment that inspired me was entitled "Cooling a Six-Pack." On it, the guys tested a variety of ways to take room-temperature beer and cool it down to proper drinking temperature (38º F was the benchmark they shot for) very quickly. After getting a series of control values (beer in a fridge, a freezer, ice, ice+water, and ice+water+salt) they tried to make their own contraptions.
Adam created an ice-vat type affair through which passed a copper tube...
Jamie, on the other hand, primed rolled metal sheeting by submerging it in Liquid Nitrogen, then dropped it in the beer to act as a heat sink...
Both of these designs were well thought out, but neither had what could be called outstanding performance. I'd be willing to bet that DefCon attendees could put their considerable tech talents (and their even more considerable disposition for chilled alcohol) to the task and come up with some pretty righteous ideas for cooling a beverage very quickly. Quite an appropriate contest what with DefCon being held in the middle of the desert, wouldn't you say?
Latest Updates
After seven years of running the Beverage Cooling Contraption Contest, i have decided to step back. Uncle Enzo from the NullSpaceLabs team is now taking over the BCCC event. I am looking forward to seeing participation and energy from all sides continue long into the future. I'll stop by and say hello and be sure to reach out for a few free drinks... but for now most things posted to this page will be updates from Enzo. You folk can all look to the BCCC area of the DEFCON Forums for more details.
general parameters
- competing teams should consist entirely of badge-wearing DefCon attendees and should not exceed three people
- teams must pre-register for this competition in a signup thread on the DEFCON Forums
- teams will be tasked with cooling an air-temperature beverage in the quickest and most creative way possible
- all contestant beverages will be of similar consistency and have the same starting temp, but exactly what their temperature will be is not completely predictable since we will be setting up outside and working during an uncertain time frame
- contestant contraptions won't be judged on cooling speed alone
- any beverage that passes through a team's contraption will become the property of that team and may be distributed to bystanders, but the contest organizers shall have no control nor responsibility of such distribution and consumption by third parties
specific requirements
- All contraptions will be tasked with cooling the beverage by nearly any means neccessary
- No comercial appliances
- All contraptions must be constructed and designed the team
- Power will be available but by no means is required
- The goal is to have the fastest time to cool 12oz beverages and have them transfered into cups at the target temperature
- Due to potential foam issues multiple cups will be allowed per beverage poured
- There will be 3 separate runs for time/Temperature
- There will be clock and temperature sensors at each teams contraption
- The temperature will be measured in each cup as it is being trasferred
- The target temperature is 42 degrees
- Negative points will be assigned for each degree off of the target temperature
- Bonus points will be offered for each 12oz beverage cooled and transferred into cups
scoring
- Time: 1/time in seconds * 5000
- Off target scoring: -3 Points for each degree off target (no penalty if on target)
- per 12oz Beverage cooled: 1 point
points on a per beverage basis...
-5 points flavor tainting and seek to not impart a metallic taste or other off-notes to their beverage
-5 points for completely flat beverage
-1 point for each incident of splillover. Try not to waste our precious beverages.prizes will be given for...
- BCCC Winner
- Team Style prize
- Design Prize
There will be a signup thread in the "Unofficial Contests" area of the DefCon forums. Post there with your team info.
The Beverage Cooling Contraption Contest will take place at NOON ON FRIDAY outside on the Miranda Patio, accessible from the corridor near the main Info Booth, next to the con Reg and Swag areas.
Check with the staff at the contest booth for help if you can't find us. Or check with the main Info Booth and they'll laugh at you and point to the door right next to them. ;-)
Since this is still an unofficial DefCon event, I doubt that winners will be awarded the coveted black badges like those who succeed in other, established contests. Still, i guarantee that there will be plenty of free beverages available for participants to, ahem, "calibrate their equipment" and so forth. C'mon, it'll be fun... why not give it a try?
background info ~ contest rules ~ signing up ~ when & where ~ prizes ~ past results
to contact Nz0, shoot an email to uncl3nzo [at] gmail [dot] com