Admittedly the title might be a bit too grand and hard to live up to, but it is a nice overview of the sixteen most common types of beer glassware. Created by CorrChilled, a British supplier of cold technology and equipment, The Definitive Guide To Beer Glasses is, most likely, a low key way to promote their business but also seems like a nice outline on the subject.
Click here to see the infographic full size.
Today in 1900, US Patent 660408 A was issued, an invention of Adolf Wolf, for his “Hop-Drier.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary, although it’s a bit odd and not terribly straightforward as I believe there may have been some problems with the OCD on this one:
One purpose of the invention is to provide are obtainable under the present treatment of hops.
Another purpose of the invention is to provide a means of drying the hops which will economize in time, fuel, labor, and expense and to construct the driers that the lupulin will be preserved and the hops may be dumped quickly and conveniently without damage.
Today in 2003, US Patent 0873396 B1 was issued, an invention of Vinod K. Chaudhary, Robert J. Mizerak, Sydney R. Rader, David S. Ryder, William G. Schulze, and Matthew L. Tripp, assigned to Miller Brewing Company, for their “Brewing Products And Their Methods For Production.” Here’s the Abstract:
A method is disclosed of preparing a colorless, clear beer by a method including ultrafiltration and the addition of dextrins, bittering agents and a foam enhancer. Methods of preparing improved nonalcoholic malt beverages and making natural beer foaming components also are disclosed.
Today in 1974, US Patent 3843172 A was issued, an invention of Frederick F. Stevens, assigned to Hoff Stevens, for his “Keg Tapping Device Having Improved Sealing Means.” Here’s the Abstract:
A tapping device for beer kegs or the like includes a keg unit permanently or semi-permanently mounted on a keg and having a pair of passageways therethrough for receiving a pair of tubular probes associated with a tavern unit which is connected to the keg unit at a tavern or restaurant where beer is dispensed. The device includes a unitary elastomeric seal member carried by the tavern unit and surrounding the probes thereon. The seal member provides a gas and liquid tight seal between the tavern and the keg units when the two units are assembled in connected relation. Means is provided to limit compressive force applied to the seal member by connection of the units so that it retains its sealing integrity even after prolonged usage involving repeated connection ,and disconnection.
Today in 1975, US Patent 3913608 A was issued, an invention of Mack S. Johnston, for his “Keg Adapter Valve.” Here’s the Abstract:
A valve member containing controlled gas and liquid passageways for admitting gas into a keg and for dispensing liquid therefrom through a relatively small opening is mounted on the inside of the keg in alignment with said opening. A tapper connector member is mounted on the outside of the keg and is connected to and in operative relationship with the valve member.
Today is the birthday of Martin Gardner, who was an American science and mathematics writer. For many years, beginning in 1957, he wrote a column that appeared in Scientific American. He helped popularize science, and especially math, creating hundreds of puzzles, often collected into books. He passed away in 2010, at age 95. My father-in-law was a huge fan and read most, of not all, of his books.
One of his brain teasers was called “Beer Signs on the Highway,” and originally appeared in Gardner’s column in Math Horizons, in the November 1995 issue. It was also included in the collection My Best Mathematical and Logic Puzzles and also New Mathematical Diversions.
So here it is:
If you think you know the answer or have worked it out, leave your answer in the comments. I’ll post the answer in a couple of days. Good luck.
And the answer is? Drumroll, please:
Could I get a proper drumroll, please?
The Answer:
We can answer this without knowing the car’s speed. If x is the number of signs that the car passes in one minute, then the car will pass 60x signs in an hour. We’re told that the car is traveling at 10x miles per hour, so in 10x miles it will pass 60x signs, and in one mile it will pass 60x/10x signs, or 6. So the signs are 1/6 mile, or 880 feet, apart.
Today in 1958, US Patent D183727 S was issued, an invention of Odie D. Emberton, for his “Combined Belt Buckle, Bottle Opener, and Can Opener.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
The ornamental design for a combined belt buckle, bottle opener, and can opener, substantially as shown.
Visions of the future are rarely what was predicted or promised. I’ve been waiting decades for my Jetsons space car that fold up into a briefcase, my Rocketeer jet-pack (I’d even settle for the one James Bond used in Thunderball) not to mention that sweet holodeck from Star Trek: Next Generation..
You’ve probably noticed that there’s been a considerable amount of hype over the fact that today — October 21, 2015 — is the date that Marty McFly heads to in the sequel Back to the Future 2, released in 1989. We’re all still waiting for those hoverboards and it’s looking increasingly like the Cubs won’t “sweep series in 5” (wouldn’t 4 wins be all you need for a series sweep?) if they can’t beat the Mets four games in a row to even make to the World Series, much less win it.
Anyway, it seems like lots of people are celebrating the day as “Back to the Future Day,” which I think is great since I’m an unabashed lover of holidays and believe there can’t be too many reasons to celebrate life. A couple of worthwhile stories about Back to the Future Day include one from Popular Science and another from Chicago History Cop speculating why the film’s producers and writers chose October 21.
You may also recall that the film’s time machine, a modified DeLorean, had a California license plate reading “OUTATIME,” which is at least somewhat close to Lagunitas’ session IPA, DayTime, especially if you scribble “Day” on the license plate so it reads OUTA DAY TIME.”
And that’s just what Lagunitas did when they were recently paid a visit by the Northern California DeLorean Motor Club, which they documented with a photo galley, 10/21/15: GOIN’ BACK IN (DAY)TIME. By far, my favorite photo from the day was their arrival at 88 MPH into the brewery.
But check out the rest of the photos, they’re pretty sweet, too.
Today in 1969, US Patent 3473556 A was issued, an invention of Edward G. Akers, Keith M. Johnson, and Robert P. Marine, for their “Beer Keg Tapping Device and Seal.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
The disclosure herein describes a novel seal and more particularly a new beer keg tapping device. The beer keg tapping device described herein includes a tapping valve and an outer fitting with the tapping valve having a beer passageway extending therethrough. The passageway has an outwardly flared portion adjacent the outlet thereof. The tapping valve is releasably secured to the beer keg and a valve element is movable axially within the beer passageway to selectively open and close the beer passageway. The outer fitting includes an elongated probe receivable within the outwardly flared portion of the passageway and engageable with the valve element to move the valve element to open the beer passageway. The probe has a beer passageway therein and a skirt-type seal adjacent the inner end of the probe. The seal is engageable with the outwardly flared portion of the beer passageway of the tapping valve and as the probe is moved axially, the skirt seal is cammed radially inwardly to form a very tight probe-to-tapping valve seal before the beer passageway is Opened. The tapping valve is secured to the beer keg by cooperating lug members on both of the keg and the outer fitting and by a pair of tabs driven through apertures in the tapping valve and engageable with projections or ribs on the keg.
Today in 1952, US Patent 2614406 A was issued, an invention of Oliver W. Carpenter, for his “Drinking Rim for Beer Cans.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to detachable rims for beer cans and the like.
One of the objects of the invention is to provide a detachable rim for a conventional beer can which facilitates drinking of the contents directly from the can.
Another object is to provide a rim which may be disposed on the can and isolate the drinkers lips from any contamination such as germs, or the like, which may be present on the can.
A further object is to provide a rim which is inexpensive in construction, and hence may be discarded after use.
Another object is to provide a rim which will withstand a sterilizing temperature in event the rim is to be reused.
