Today in 1940, US Patent 2187526 A was issued, an invention of Edouard Thys, for his “Hop Picking Machine.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to hop picking machines the picking of hops in the fields where they are grown.
Today in 1980, US Patent 4183226 A was issued, an invention of Stanley R. Moore, assigned to Freeze Sleeves Of America, Inc., for his “Refrigerated Beverage Holder.” Here’s the Abstract:
Means for chilling and insulating a canned or bottled beverage such as beer including a cylindrical sleeve of reusable refrigerant disposed within an insulative beverage can holder and displacing the annular “dead air” cavity between a beverage can situated therein and the side walls of the holder. The reusable refrigerant is a substance which may be frozen in conventional refrigerator freezers whereby the refrigerant in a frozen state will chill and keep chilled beer or the like disposed there within. In this manner, a beverage may be quickly chilled whether initially refrigerated or not and while being consumed out of doors. Moreover, the chilled temperature is normally unachievable in conventional refrigerators and is especially not maintainable for any length of time in conventional “dead-air” insulative holders.
Today in 1992, US Patent 5079927 A was issued, an invention of A. J. Rodino and James R. Kinkaide, for their “Beer Cooling Apparatus.” Here’s the Abstract:
A method and apparatus is provided for dispensing beer from a keg without excess foaming wherein the keg and beer temperatures and fluid pressures are controlled such that beer is dispensed at predetermined temperatures at substantially atmospheric pressures even over a wide range of atmospheric temperatures. Beer is supplied under pressure from the keg to a constricted flow line which abruptly decreases flow pressure. A portion of the constricted flow line is immersed in a refrigerating bath to reduce beer temperature. The length of the constricted flow line to the dispensing nozzle is sufficient long and its internal diameter sufficiently smooth that beer flow therethrough is stabilized to significantly reduce turbulence. Beer pressure drop through the nozzle is minimal and beer flow is relatively laminar.
The portion of the constricted line immersed in the refrigerating bath is formed from coiled tubing. The bath fluid is recirculated and the bath temperature is sufficiently low as to cause ice to form. The constricted line has a constant internal diameter throughout its length, and the dispensing nozzle has that same internal diameter. A portable embodiment includes a wheeled trailer for supporting and sheltering the keg.
Today in 1987, US Patent EP 0208450 A2 was issued, an invention of Ronald Shackleton, for his “Beer Filtration.” Here’s the Abstract:
It has been proposed to filter beer or tank bottoms using crossflow filtration. In accordance with the invention, this crossflow filtration is achieved using ceramic membranes. In a particular form shown in figure 1, a two stage filtration process combines the functions of clarification and recovery from tank bottoms. Beer is drawn from a tank 1 by a centrifugal pump 2 to a primary filtration stage comprising a circuit in- cludinga a circulating centrifugal pump 3, a ceramic membrane filter 4 and a cooler 5. A proportion of the circulating liquid is drawn off by a positive pump 8, and passed to a secondary filtration stage, again comprising a circuit including a circulating positive pump 9, a ceramic membrane filter 11 and a cooler 12. A proportion of the retentate is drawn off via a line 14. This retentate is of a pasty consistency and normally has a commercial value, in that it is free of kieselguhr or other filter aid.
For our 108th Session, our host will be Jon Abernathy, who writes the Brewsite in Bend, Oregon. For his topic, he’s asking us to consider being Snowed In, which is in fact his topic. Jon goes on to explain what he means by that in his announcement for the February Session:
The theme is “Snowed In,” and I want it to be open-ended. It’s the first week of February—we are solidly in the grip of the winter, which means hunkering down from the cold and, depending on where you live, waiting for warmer days to thaw out the ice and snow. But perhaps it’s one of those winters, where the snow starts falling… and falling… and falling some more, and the next thing you know, schools are closed, there’s four or more feet of snow on the ground—and you are effectively snowed in and not going anywhere.
For those of you living in the southern climes who don’t have snow to worry about, perhaps it’s some other stormy situation keeping you indoors—hurricanes or tropical storms, for instance. You tell me—I live northerly!
So what’s next? That is what I want you to write about—as it pertains to beer, of course! Not sure where to start? Here are some suggestions to hopefully inspire some ideas:
- What style(s) of beer do you prefer for this cold weather? Open one up and write about it.
- Do you dip into the stash or cellar, and drink something special? Does the occasion warrant it? Why, or why not?
- When you know the weather’s coming, do you stock up on a favorite or go-to beer? What makes you pick this particular beer?
- Are you a homebrewer? Maybe this is the perfect time for a brew day—what would you brew? Have you brewed in the snow before?
- Alternatively, perhaps you have a hodge-podge of brewing ingredients lying around but nothing definitive—could you MacGyver up a homebrewed beer from only what you have on hand?
- Imagine you were snowed in at a cabin in the mountains for the winter. What one beer would you want with you, and why? (Think “desert island beer” but colder.)
- There’s plenty of time to catch up on reading; what beer book(s) would you read? If not a beer book, what would you be reading—and what beer would you pair with it?
I hope these can get you started, but feel free to write about whatever you like, as long as it has something to do with beer and being snowed in, on Friday, February 5.
So what does winter mean for your beer consumption. Does it go up or down. Does being stuck indoors effect it? And how does the weather change what you choose to drink? Lots of questions but since these beers won’t drink themselves and you won’t find any answers until you start drinking, I guess you know what to do. To participate in the February Session, leave the link to your post in a comment to the original announcement on or before Friday, February 5.
Today in 1988, US Patent EP 0142966 B1 was issued, an invention of Roger John Hyde, for his “Valved Closure for Kegs or Casks.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to valved closures for pressure vessels, such as kegs or casks for beverages dispensed through the valved closure by pressure gas admitted to the keg or cask through the closure.
Today in 1971, US Patent 3554400 A was issued, an invention of John S. Bozek, assigned to the Continental Can Co., for his “Nonflipping Beer Can End.” Here’s the Abstract:
An easy opening end particularly adapted for use on beverage cans, said end including an end panel, weakening line formed in said end panel and defining a removable tearout portion which extends generally from the central portion of said end panel to the periphery of said end panel, and a circumferential rib in said end panel, said rib being generally C-shaped in outline and having opposite ends terminating adjacent said tearout portion and reinforcing said end panel around said tearout portion to prevent premature rupturing of said can end along said weakening line, and a pull tab secured to said tearout portion for effecting the removal thereof, said rib being depressed to define an upwardly opening groove, and said pull tab having a free end overlying said groove whereby clearance is provided between said pull tab free end and said end panel to facilitate the initial lifting of said pull tab.
Today in 1954, US Patent 2665936 A was issued, an invention of Walter G. Moore, for his “Beer Can Handle.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to a handle for beer cans and the like, and has for its principal object the provision of a simple, economical, one-piece structure which can be instantly snapped on and off a tin can to provide a handle therefor, and to form a drinking receptacle therefrom.
Today in 1904, US Patent 749583 A was issued, an invention of Frederich Schmidt, for his “Beer Keg Washing Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for washing or flushing beer-kegs internally with hot or cold water.
The object of the invention is to provide an` apparatus by the employment of which beer kegs may be conveniently and expeditiously cleansed.
The invention consists in arrangements or combinations and constructions of parts, all substantially as hereinafter fully described, and set forth in the claims.
Today in 1955, US Patent 2698994 A was issued, an invention of Walter M. Hansen, for his “Beer Can Opener.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to a can opening device and more particularly to a high speed opener of the performating type.
The conventional practice of storing liquids for customer consumption in cans has presented a problem for operators of restaurants and taverns who necessarily handle a large volume of canned liquids in this form such as beer and fruit juices. The usual practice is to punch a hole in the tops of the cans through which the content is poured into the customers glass. Prior to this time such a can punching operation has not only proved dangerous and laborious but also time consuming in that seldom was the punch conveniently located and its use required two hands, one hand to hold the can while the other hand was used to do the punching. Injuries are likely to occur in case of slippage of the can from the hand of the opener.
It is therefore among the objects and purposes of this invention to provide a high speed can opener requiring only a straight thrust by one hand of the operator used to grasp the can wherein a pivoted cutting blade is brought into cutting engagement with the top of the can.
