Rapid chilling apparatus for beverages including a receptacle (2) accommodating beverage containers (3) of differing length, and cooling structure cooling said receptacle (2), wherein said receptacle (2) includes a plurality of electrodes (4), an inner surface (5) supporting a container (3) such that the electrodes (4) turn out as being distributed along the whole length of the container (3), the electrodes (4) being connected to circuit structure (6) detecting and measuring the capacitance value on each electrode (4) due to the presence of a container (3) made of a conductive or non-conductive material in proximity of the same electrode (4) so as to determine the actual length of the container (3), control structure (7) operating said cooling structure in response to the capacitance values detected by said circuit structure (6) for a period of time, the duration depending on the so determined length of the container (3).