Friday’s ad is for Colt 45 malt liquor, from 1969. I guess they were playing off the popularity of the space race in 1969, when Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon. It’s a pretty weird ad, and I’m not sure about a lot of it. Why, for example, is the man just wearing a conservative black suit? And why is he surrounded by two odd-looking alien women in space suits behind a wall of Colt 45 cans. It certainly is “out of this world,” as the cheesy ad suggests.
Archives for July 24, 2015
Beer May Lessen Chronic Pain
Here’s another study you won’t see reported by Alcohol Justice, because it goes against their propagandist mantra. A study conducted at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland essentially found that the moderate consumption of alcohol might lessen chronic pain, especially in people with fibromyalgia, defined as a “a syndrome characterized by fatigue and chronic pain in the muscles and in tissues surrounding the joints.”
Drinks Business summarized the findings:
In a study of over 2,000 sufferers of chronic widespread pain, those who often consumed above average amounts of alcohol had lower levels of disability than those who never or rarely drank.
The research into sufferers of fibromyalgia — a rheumatic condition that causes muscular pain and stiffness — surveyed patient’s eating and drinking habits to determine the effect of diet on their symptoms.
Of the 2,239 people surveyed, those who drank 21 to 35 units of alcohol per week were 67% less likely than to experience disability than those who didn’t drink.
The study itself was published on the July issue of the journal Arthritis Care & Research under the title “Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with lower risk (and severity) of chronic widespread pain: Results from a UK population-based study.”
Aberdeen also put out a pdf with the basics of the study and here’s the Abstract:
Objectives: To determine whether reported level of alcohol consumption is associated with the likelihood of reporting chronic widespread pain (CWP) and, amongst persons with CWP, the associated disability.
Methods: A population-based study in two areas of the United Kingdom. Participants self-completed a postal questionnaire. They were classified according to whether they met the American College of Rheumatology definition of CWP and whether the pain was disabling (Chronic Pain Grade III or IV). They reported their usual level of alcohol consumption. Potential confounding factors on which information was available included age, gender, cigarette smoking, employment status, self-reported weight and height and level of deprivation.
Results: 13,574 persons participated (mean age 55 years; 57% female) of whom 2239 (16.5%) had CWP: 28% reported never regularly consuming alcohol, 28% consuming up to 5 units/wk, 20% 6-10 units/wk and 24% more than 10 units/wk. Amongst persons with CWP, disability was strongly linked to level of alcohol consumption. Prevalence of disability decreased with increasing alcohol consumption up to 35 unit/wk (Odds Ratio (OR)21-35 units alcohol/wk v. never drinkers 0.33 95% CI (0.19,0.58)) adjusted for confounders. A similar relationship was found between reporting CWP and level of alcohol consumption (adjOR21-35 units alcohol/wk v. regular drinkers 0.76 95% CI (0.61-0.94).
Conclusions: This study has demonstrated strong associations between level of alcohol consumption and CWP. However the available evidence does not allow us to conclude that the association is causal. The strength of the associations means that specific studies to examine this potential relationship are warranted.
So while the researchers believe more study is necessary to confirm a causal connection, they do believe there are “strong associations” between moderate drinking and chronic widespread pain, and that those are robust enough to warrant additional study.
Patent No. 1234255A: Process Of Treating Beer
Today in 1917, US Patent 1234255 A was issued, an invention of Charles S. Ash, for his “Process of Treating Beer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to a process of treating beer; and has for its object to stabilize beer by eliminating the causes of cloudiness and turbidity therein, and also to prevent the development of color and the development of a cooked taste in the beer following pasteurization.
In the brewing and finishing of beer, the aim of the brewer is to obtain a product which is brilliantly clear and transparent and which will so remain under all conditions of subsequent handling.
Beer is rendered turbid or cloudy on standing, particularly in the cold, by reason of the precipitation of nitrogenous bodies. In the process of mashing the grains and making the wort, which is subsequently fermented, a portion of the nitrogenous bodies of the grain is brought into solution. After the fermentation and the aging or lagering to which the new beer is subjected some of these nitrogenous bodies are precipitated and are removed by filtration. After the final filtration the beer is brilliant, but upon storage in the case of keg beer, and upon pasteurization and storage in the case of bottled beer, the beer gradually becomes cloudy and finally turbid.
There are two ways in which this cloudiness and turbidity can be prevented; first, by the absolute removal-of the nitrogenous bodies still held in the lagered beer, which are susceptible to subsequent precipitation through storage or heating or cooling; and, second, by treating the lagered beer in such a manner that these, nitrogenous bodies remain in solution. The first method has never been hitherto successfully accomplished. The second method has yielded results of more or less value and is accomplished by adding to the beer substances known as enzymes, which have the power of rendering these insoluble nitrogenous bodies soluble and hence the beer remains brilliant.
Two beers with the same color, but different turbidity.
Patent No. 193371A: Improvement In Pumping Apparatus For Raising Beer
Today in 1877, US Patent 193371 A was issued, an invention of Clement Labuethe, for his “Improvement in Pumping Apparatus for Raising Wine, Beer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
My improved apparatus consists of a special construction and combination of devices, hereinafter described, for transmitting liquids from one cask or vessel to another, and of delivering it for use.