Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

  • Home
  • About
  • Editorial
  • Birthdays
  • Art & Beer

Socialize

  • Dribbble
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Powered by Genesis

Patent No. 3353724A: Beer Tapping Device

November 21, 2015 By Jay Brooks

patent-logo
Today in 1967, US Patent 3353724 A was issued, an invention of Mack S. Johnston, for his “Beer Tapping Device.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

Disclosed is a tapping device for beer kegs and the like and, more particularly, a probe adapter for installation in a beer keg opening. The adapter is provided with a liquid valve opened when a probe is inserted into the adapter. Also forming a part of the adapter is a positive acting gas valve which has a closure member moved by the probe to permit gas to flow into the keg through the adapter. The gas flow path through the adapter is at all times separated from the liquid flow path.

The present invention relates to a new and improved tapping device for drawing fluid such as beer from containers such as beer kegs or barrels, using a gas to drive the fluid from the container, said tapping device including a sub-unit called a keg adapter which is sealingly installed in the keg and a second sub-unit called a coupler which is attached to the beer dispensing apparatus in a restaurant, tavern or the like and is readily connectible to the keg adapter so that the tapping device is automatically set up in operating condition. More specifically, this invention relates to a new, improved keg adapter which is usable with conventional beer kegs having a. standard three-fourths inch diameter beer removal opening therein and which includes a valve means formed therein that positively prevents gas and/or beer from passing either into or out of the keg whenever the coupler is not assembled with the keg adapter, and in which gas check valve means in addition to the liquid valve means are enclosed completely within the keg adapter body.

Untitled
Untitled
Untitled

Filed Under: Beers, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: History, Kegs, Law, Patent

Patent No. 2530594A: Separating Solid Matter From Hot Wort

November 21, 2015 By Jay Brooks

patent-logo
Today in 1950, US Patent 2530594 A was issued, an invention of Fremont W. Benedict, for his “Separating Solid Matter From Hot Wort.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The present, invention aims to effect air separation from the hot wort of most of the nitrogenous substances, and hop resins prior to the delivery of the wort to the coolers and starters. The method of the invention involves introducing the hot wortl into a charging zone where the wort is under some turbulence and from whence it flows into an adjacent and substantially larger quiescent zone. The communication between the two zones is well below the liquid level; and substantially clear wort is withdrawn from the quiescent zone near the liquid level and at a point as remote as practical from the charging zone. The apparatus of the invention comprises a tank of any desired configuration having a partition dividing the tank into a charging or feeding compartment and a’ settling compartment of considerably larger volume than the charging compartment. The lower end of the partition is spaced a short distance above the bottom of the tank, and the space between the partition and the tank bottom provides the communication between the two compartments. The hot wort is preferably delivered in a stream above the. liquid level, so that it splashes into the wort in the charging compartment and keeps the wort there in agitation. A float-controlled discharge is provided for withdrawing substantially clear wort from near the liquid level “of the-settling compartment at a point remote from the partition.

Untitled
Untitled
Untitled

Filed Under: Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Law, Patent, Science of Brewing, Wort

Patent No. 804979A: Brewing Apparatus

November 21, 2015 By Jay Brooks

patent-logo
Today in 1905, US Patent 804979 A was issued, an invention of Carl Rach, for his “Brewing Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My present invention has reference more particularly to the construction of that part of brewing apparatus which has to do with the mashing portion of the process.

The object of my invention is to so construct the apparatus as to facilitate the mashing, the heating of the mash, its transfer from one vessel to another, and the separating of the thick mash from the thin mash, or, as it is commonly termed, lauter mash.

Untitled

Filed Under: Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Law, Patent, Science of Brewing

Beer In Ads #1735: Heineken’s Extra Stout

November 20, 2015 By Jay Brooks


Friday’s ad is for Heineken’s Extra Stout, from maybe the early 1960s. I did come across a label for Heineken Extra Stout from 1961, but little else about the beer. Given Heineken’s image today, it certainly seems odd that they would have brewed a dark beer, but why not.

JHEINHERO

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, Heineken, History

Patent No. 4483881A: Process For Discontinuous Wort Boiling During Beer Manufacture

November 20, 2015 By Jay Brooks

patent-logo
Today in 1984, US Patent 4483881 A was issued, an invention of Bernhard Lenz, for his “Process For Discontinuous Wort Boiling During Beer Manufacture.” Here’s the Abstract:

In discontinuous wort boiling for the manufacture of beer, the energy of the vapor arising from the boiling is used in a heat exchanger for the production of hot water. The heated brewing water is reheated in a second heat exchange process by the energy from the vapor arising from the boiling and, with this reheated brewing water, the refined wort is heated again in another heat exchange process before the boiling, whereby the brewing water which is cooled in this heat exchange process is reheated by the energy from the vapor arising from the boiling. Thus, the energy from the vapor produced during the wort boiling is fed directly back into the wort boiling process.

Untitled

Filed Under: Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Law, Patent, Science of Brewing

Patent No. 1981627A: Coaster

November 20, 2015 By Jay Brooks

patent-logo
Today in 1934, US Patent 1981627 A was issued, an invention of Ralph S. Merriman, assigned to the Closure Service Company, for his “Coaster.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to an article of manufacture designed for use as a tray or holder for glass tumblers, bottles or the like.

Untitled

Filed Under: Beers, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Bars, Bottles, Glassware, History, Law, Patent, Pubs

Patent No. 1981014A: Beer Cooler

November 20, 2015 By Jay Brooks

patent-logo
Today in 1934, US Patent 1981014 A was issued, an invention of Otto Weigelt, for his “Beer Cooler.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to beer coolers, and more particularly to the water pipe beer cooler of the type adapted for use in brewing establishments.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel beer cooler having means for greatly improved distribution of the beer while undergoing the cooling process, so as to invoke and utilize the greatest amount of cooling efficiency of the apparatus.

A further object is to provide a beer cooler of the water pipe type having an efficient and simple means for accommodating a variation in length of the pipes employed caused by their expansion or contraction during use.

Another object is to provide end manifolds for the pipes having longitudinally slideable mountings permanently secured but capable of limited movement to accommodate variations in expansion and contraction of the water pipes.

Untitled

Filed Under: Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Law, Patent, Science of Brewing

Craft Beer Product Segmentation 2015: A Tale Of Two Charts

November 20, 2015 By Jay Brooks

bubble-chart
It was the best of charts, it was the worst of charts. So begins every great story. This made me laugh like the Dickens this morning, as fellow beer writer Bryan Roth tweeted a chart showing “Craft Production in the U.S.” apparently as of August 2015.

craft-beer-product-segmentation-2015-A

The data comes from IBISWorld, a company that identifies themselves as “one of the world’s leading publishers of business intelligence, specializing in Industry research and Procurement research.” Their website shows that they have offices in Los Angeles, New York, Melbourne, London and Beijing, although the chart claims they’re “Chicago-based.” The report is entitled “Craft Beer Production in the US: Market Research Report,” and was published in August of this year. If you want to buy yourself a copy, it costs between $925 and $1,595, depending on which purchase option you choose.

Hopefully, the chart was not created by IBISWorld, because besides mis-identifying where the company is located, as Roth points out, “the graphic designer who created alternating sized circles not dependent on their % share is bad at their job.” It’s a terrible chart, on so many levels. First, why use “stencil” as the font for the title in the red center circle? Why are the outer circles different shades of blue, for no apparent rhyme or reason. There’s no discernible pattern to that decision. Bock is the lightest color, at 3.9%, followed by Amber Ale at 10.9%, so you might be tempted to think the color is dependent on market share, lighter for lower and darker for higher percentages. But no, fruit beer is the lowest, at 3.5%, and is medium blue, while Lager, at only 8.6%, is the darkest blue on the chart.

Why are the black lines not emanating from the center of the middle? Instead, it looks like one of the webs from the 1980s video game “Tempest.” They all meet in an outer ring, too, except for Bock and Wheat Beer, which are curiously left hanging. But most egregious, the size of the circles are not even close to being proportional to the percentages expressed in them. The sizes appear to be nothing more than random, just like the color choices. So at first glance, it makes no sense and is, at best, confusing. At worst, it looks like it was designed by a five-year old, and frankly that may be overly insulting to toddlers.

Carla Jean Lauter, better known by her nom nom de plume, The Beer Babe, was similarly bothered by the chart, but decided to do something about it. She “fixed” it, making the bubbles proportional to their market share so the chart is easier to read and better represents the reality it’s trying to convey. She also chose the colors of the bubbles to be representative of the beer color of each style, even choosing pumpkin color for seasonal. As Lauter tweeted when she posted her version of the chart, “I feel better now.” Weirdly, so do I. It’s so much better.

craft-beer-product-segmentation-2015-B

Filed Under: Beers, Editorial, Just For Fun, News, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Beer Styles, Business, Statistics

Beer In Ads #1734: Brand

November 19, 2015 By Jay Brooks


Thursday’s ad is for Brand Bier, which was established in 1430. If you’re going to pick a brand name for your beer, Brand seems like a pretty good way to go. Brand Bier is still a going concern, and is the oldest brewer in the Netherlands. As for this ad, I’m not sure when it is from, though given how generic it is, it could really be from any time. I’m also not sure if the dozen full beer glasses are meant to spell out anything or otherwise represent some shape.

brand

Filed Under: Art & Beer, Beers Tagged With: Advertising, History, The Netherlands

Patent No. 8584665B2: Brewery Plant And Method

November 19, 2015 By Jay Brooks

patent-logo
Today in 2013, US Patent 8584665 B2 was issued, an invention of Kurt Stippler and Klaus-Karl Wasmuht, assigned to Krones Ag, for his “Brewery Plant and Method.” Here’s the Abstract:

A brewery plant with at least one mash container, a lauter tun, a wort pan and a water housing, wherein at least part of the thermal energy requirement of the brewery is covered with solar collectors, and the solar collectors directly or indirectly heat a fluid. Also, a brewing method where the thermal energy requirement for at least of a part of the brewing process stages is at least partially covered with a fluid heated directly or indirectly by solar collectors.

Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled

Filed Under: Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Law, Patent, Science of Brewing

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Find Something

Northern California Breweries

Please consider purchasing my latest book, California Breweries North, available from Amazon, or ask for it at your local bookstore.

Recent Comments

  • Bob Paolino on Beer Birthday: Grant Johnston
  • Gambrinus on Historic Beer Birthday: A.J. Houghton
  • Ernie Dewing on Historic Beer Birthday: Charles William Bergner 
  • Steve 'Pudgy' De Rose on Historic Beer Birthday: Jacob Schmidt
  • Jay Brooks on Beer Birthday: Bill Owens

Recent Posts

  • Historic Beer Birthday: Jacob Gimlich October 4, 2026
  • Beer Birthday: Maureen Ogle October 4, 2026
  • Historic Beer Birthday: Fred Horix October 3, 2026
  • Historic Beer Birthday: F.D. Radeke October 3, 2026
  • Historic Beer Birthday: John Gorrie October 3, 2026

BBB Archives

Feedback

Head Quarter
This site is hosted and maintained by H25Q.dev. Any questions or comments for the webmaster can be directed here.