Your own private kegger for St. Paddy's Day

(Credit: Heineken)

So much for our trend-spotting skills. We thought for sure that, where beer dispensing is concerned, the next big thing would be built-in taps, whether they be for the fridge or the game console. Instead, what seems to be taking hold is the portable version, we assume for reasons of practicality.

Case in point (so to speak): The Heineken "BeerTender," which Gizmodo says it wrote about nearly four years ago, at long last is arriving on U.S. shores. The attractive dispenser accommodates a 4-liter mini-keg, though the long delay means it'll face some stiff competition. Even so, it's timing is still good--just in time for St. Patrick's Day.