Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. PP18039P3: Hop Plant Named ‘Summit’

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Today in 2007, US Patent PP18039 P3 was issued, an invention of Roger Jesket, assigned to the American Dwarf Hop Assoc., for his “Hop plant named ‘Summit.’” Here’s the Abstract:

A new variety of hop is described and which is characterized principally as to novelty by being semi-dwarf in stature; and which further produces cones having a high percentage of alpha-acids, high alpha/beta ratio and excellent storage stability of alpha-acids.

Summit has become such a popular hop variety that it’s hard to fathom that it’s only been around since 2007, although it was actually first released in 2003. HopUnion describes it as exhibiting “distinct spice, earthy, onion, garlic and citrus (pink grapefruit, orange and tangerine) tones.” A few beers using Summit include Widmer’s Drifter Pale Ale, Stoudt’s Black Eye PA, Fifty Fifty’s Rockslide IPA, Oskar Blues’ Gubna, Green Flash’s Palate Wrecker, and many others.

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Beer In Ads #1681: This Will Soften The Blow!

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Thursday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1951. A man, apparently just arrived home from work, has his eyes covered by his wife. His comfy chair is ready for him, with his pipe, slippers and a book within easy reach. On the table next to his chair sits a bottle of Schlitz and a full pilsner glass. Behind the beer sits three hat boxes from “Bonnie Hats.” The idea apparently is all of the comforts waiting for him will make the purchase of the hats less of a problem for her. It’s a very sexist ad, reinforcing gender stereotypes, but at the time the ad ran, these were likely considered quite normal, with few questioning them.

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Patent No. 5555992A: Double Hinged Opening For Container End Members

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Today in 1996, US Patent 5555992 A was issued, an invention of William A. Sedgeley, assigned to the Coors Brewing Company, for their “Double Hinged Opening for Container End Members.” Here’s the Abstract:

A container end member has a peripheral wall and integral central end wall portion with a stay-on-tab mounted on the central end wall portion for pivotal and rotational movement and a score line groove defined by two spaced apart terminal ends formed in the central end wall portion for defining a severable panel portion that is large enough so that when severed will provide an elongated opening that vents the container to permit pouring of the beverage in the container at faster pour rates than now available.

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Patent No. 2014492A: Beer Faucet And Tap

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Today in 1935, US Patent 2014492 A was issued, an invention of Kenneth Miles Burdge, for his “Beer Faucet and Tap.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to a beer faucet and tap, and has more particular reference to an improved beer faucet having means for coupling it to the tap bushing ordinarily secured to the head of a beer barrel or keg, and provided with a reciprocating valve operable to drive the cork out of the tap bushing of the barrel or keg when the faucet is initially coupled thereto.

An object of the present invention is to provide a beer faucet and tap of the above kind which is simple and durable in construction, efficient in operation, and otherwise well adapted to meet with all of the requirements for a successful commercial use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a beer faucet and tap of the above kind Whose parts may be economically manufactured and initially assembled in a ready manner, and which parts may be readily disassembled for renewal or repair.

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Patent No. 3467132A: Beer Keg Fitting With Limit Stops

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Today in 1969, US Patent 3467132 A was issued, an invention of Michael J. Parisi, for his “Beer Keg Fitting with Limit Stops.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

A beer keg valve having a body portion which inserts into an opening in the keg and a valve at the inner end of the body limited to 90 rotation by abutments on the valve stem which strike against complementary abutments integral with the inside surface of the valve body.

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Patent No. 3905522A: Keg Tapping Device

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Today in 1975, US Patent 3905522 A was issued, an invention of Mack S. Johnston, assigned to Draft Systems, for his “Keg Tapping Device.” Here’s the Abstract:

In one form hereof, there is disclosed a keg adapter having a siphon body formed of bar stock receivable through the opening of a keg from without the keg. The siphon body has liquid and gas passages extending longitudinally of the keg adapter terminating at their upper ends in a pair of bores disposed eccentrically of the central axis of the keg adapter. In another form, there is disclosed a keg adapter having a siphon body formed primarily of tubular stock with tubular members receivable through the opening of a keg from without the keg. The tubular members per se comprise liquid and gas passages terminating at their upper ends in a pair of openings disposed eccentrically of the central axis of the keg adapter and opening through a flange member formed of bar stock. A coupler unit, having a pair of depending probes, is engageable with either form of the keg adapter with the probes being receivable in the bore holes or tubes as applicable to form a continuation of the liquid and gas passages. A sleeve is provided in the liquid passage of both adapters for opening a normally closed liquid valve therein. A gas valve is axially spaced from the liquid valve and in both forms includes a gas check valve comprising a flexible envelope having a slit and which envelope lies in communication with the gas passage. In the one form, the gas valve also includes a spring-biased valve plate mounting an O-ring sealing about the walls of the gas passage. The tips of the probes on the coupler unit in the one form depress the associated valve members to open the valves and permit ingress of gas through the coupler unit and keg adapter into the keg and egress of liquid from the keg through the keg adapter and coupler unit. In the other form, the tip of the liquid probe on the coupler depresses the sleeve to open the liquid valve whereby air flows through the coupler into the keg past the check valve of the adapter and beer flows outwardly from the keg through the adapter and coupler.

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Patent No. 305227A: Beer-Chip

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Today in 1884, US Patent 305227 A was issued, an invention of Bernard Rice, for his “Beer-Chip.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention has for its object to produce a beer-chip which is free from resinous and other similar matters; and to this end it consists in making the chip from a sheet or strip of veneer cut from a log, beam, or plank previously steamed, as herein more fully described.

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Taco Bell Introduces Beer

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Taco Bell announced today the opening of their first Taco Bell Cantina in Wicker Park, Chicago. The new restaurant had a soft opening today, with a grand opening scheduled for September 22. A second one will open in San Francisco later this month. One aspect about the new concept, known as “urban” restaurants, that stands out is they will serve beer, along with wine, rum, vodka and tequila.

From the press release:

“These new urban restaurants are a critical part of our growth strategy in markets where people experience our brand differently,” said Brian Niccol, chief executive officer, Taco Bell Corp. “Today’s consumers are living in more urban settings and our new restaurants cater to their lifestyle in adapting our traditional restaurant concept to fit their modern needs.”

The Taco Bell Urban Concept incorporates five consumer trends that balance relevancy and brand authenticity:

  1. Urbanization: The Taco Bell Urban Restaurant Concept reflects the Millennial trend of seeking more urban environments to live, work and play. These restaurants are ideally suited to fit in with pedestrian areas without drive-thrus.
  2. Digitization: Every point of the customer’s ordering journey is optimized through technology, including digital menu boards, TV monitors and Taco Bell mobile ordering and payment app pick up.
  3. Localization: Taco Bell incorporated the local architecture of the neighborhoods each restaurant serves.
    • The Wicker Park restaurant’s brick walls and prismatic glass were restored to help preserve the 100-year-old building. The location also features a mural designed by local artist, Revise CMW, which serves as a nod to the neighborhood’s history as an artistic hub.
    • The San Francisco restaurant, located near AT&T Park, features a patio and mobile pick-up window to cater to the quick pace, tech savvy and vibrant community.
  4. Green: The new urban locations will be more energy efficient with systems including LED lighting, use of reclaimed elements where possible and recycling.
  5. Transparency: An open kitchen design and food served in open face baskets gives customers a look inside Taco Bell’s quality ingredients.

Taco Bell Cantina restaurants will be the first and only Taco Bell restaurants to serve alcohol to customers who are of legal drinking age. The San Francisco restaurant will serve beer and wine only, while Wicker Park will serve beer, wine, sangria and twisted Freezes. Cantina restaurants will also feature a new tapas-style menu of shareable appetizers – including nachos and rolled tacos – during designated hours each evening, in addition to the full standard Taco Bell Menu.

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According to the Chicago Tribune:

The menu features three 16-ounce frozen drinks that look straight out of the Kwik-E-Mart; spike your cherry-red Cantina Punch, electric-yellow Cantina Margarita or Ninja-Turtle-green Mountain Dew Baja Blast with your choice of Captain Morgan rum ($6.19), Ketel One vodka ($6.69) or Don Julio tequila ($7.19).

You’ll also find Steelhead wine ($4) in individual-size twist-off bottles, and two taps pouring Dos Equis ($4) and Fat Tire ($4.50).

Toast to the fact you’re drinking in a Taco Bell over a new menu of what the brand is calling Shareables — essentially, appetizer baskets. Choose from regular or chili-cheese nachos, quesadilla triangles, mini taquitos (called “rolled tacos”) and, surprisingly, chicken tenders, which are actually the best of the bunch.

The new T-Bell also comes with exposed brick, an open kitchen and a fancy new name: Taco Bell Cantina.

But give up your dreams of a drink after closing time at your local bar. Taco Bell Cantina will serve wine, beer and liquor until only 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and midnight Friday and Saturday. 1439 N. Milwaukee Ave.

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Expect to see Alcohol Justice and the prohibitionists going apoplectic over this news.