Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 660408A: Hop-Drier

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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.

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Patent No. 0873396B1: Brewing Products And Their Methods For Production (Clear Beer)

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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.

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Patent No. 2018543A: Beer Tapping Mechanism

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Today in 1935, US Patent 2018543 A was issued, an invention of William Buirk, for his “Beer Tapping Mechanism.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The object of my invention is to provide a valve in the air line to the tap’ which is so constructed to permit closing of the air inlet and outlet ports; or to provide an uninterrupted free passage of air through the valve; or to provide a free passage of air through the valve with a safety valve in conjunction therewith to relieve any excess pressure from being applied to the contents of the barrel; or to provide closing of the inlet port and maintaining a limited pressure on the contents of the-barrel; or to provide closing of the inlet and safety valve ports and forming an open connection between the outlet port and a port exposed to the atmosphere to permit venting of the barrel when so desired. A further object is to provide means for disconnecting the air line from the valve whereby a suitable water thief can be attached thereto to make connection with the dispensing faucet for applying pressure to the liquid in the coil through the dispensing faucet.

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Patent No. 3843172A: Keg Tapping Device Having Improved Sealing Means

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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.

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Beer In Ads #1715: Catch Yogi & The Yankees

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Wednesday’s ad is for Ballantine beer, from 1964. I confess I’ve gotten caught up in baseball’s playoffs this year, despite the fact that the Giants didn’t make them. I don’t really care that much who gets to, and wins, the World Series (though I have a soft spot for my namesake Jays) but I’ve still enjoyed the games, and the various stories behind each team’s history. So this ad features former Yankee catcher, and later Mets’ coach, Yogi Berra. What might he say on Back to the Future Day? “The future ain’t what it used to be.”

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Patent No. 3913608A: Keg Adapter Valve

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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.

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Martin Gardner’s Beer Signs On The Highway

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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.

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So here it is:

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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:

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Could I get a proper drumroll, please?

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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.

Patent No. D183727S: Combined Belt Buckle, Bottle Opener, And Can Opener

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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.

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Patent No. 3473556A: Beer Keg Tapping Device And Seal

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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.

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