Today in 1917, US Patent 1235231 A was issued, an invention of Leopold Nathan, for his “Apparatus for Cooling and Rousing Beer-Wort and for Precipitating Sludge from Same.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

In the brewing of beer, especially in breweries in which special stress is laid on the production of high-class beers, the cooler is still in almost general use for cooling down the worts. The cooler, however, constitutes the primary and worst source of infection in the preparation of beer. Owing to the very rapid cooling of. the wort in the cooler, germs which have settled down on the cooler before it is charged with wort are not all killed. Moreover, fresh germs make their appearance during the cooling process, and these are not killed, especially at temperatures from 60 downward.

In spite of these defects of the cooler, it has been impossible hitherto, owing to its valuable properties for certain special types of beer, to dispense with this appliance. In addition to the cooling effect produced in the cooler, vapors are eliminated which carry off with them unpleasant odors formed in consequence of the inevitable access of air. Through the access of air and simultaneous cooling, considerable quantities of protein substances and hop resins are precipitated, and the only way in which these can be separated from the liquid is by allowing them to settle down, for which purpose the extensive surface of the cooler is highly advantageous.

The method employed by me in connection with the apparatus of the present invention consists in the first place in freeing the wort from the said aromatic and flavoring substances by the passage of a current of air or carbon dioxid, or both. If, as was hitherto the case, in this treatment the gas be forced or drawn into the wort from below, a very strong frothing is produced, which prevents the complete removal of the vapors.

The operation is directed, in the first place, to preventing this frothing or to nullifying its ill effects. With this object, the gas is carried, in a powerful current, along the wort in a finely-divided state so as to carry off the vapors from the surface of the liquid. At the same time a cooling effect is also produced; nevertheless the essential portion of the elimination effect can only be accomplished fully by treating the hot wort with a current of gas. The complete deposition of the cooler sludge, occurring as cooling progresses, is facilitated in a special manner, and the possibility of carrying it out in a closed, sterile vessel is afforded, by setting up in said vessel a frame containing a large number of superimposed stages having a total superficial area corresponding to that of the cooler. In order to remove the sludge this staged frame must be taken out of the vessel. The resulting infection is neutralized by allowing the next charge of wort to run into the vessel in a sufficiently hot condition.

This operation can be carried out in two vessels: one for the elimination treatment and one for the deposition of the sludge; or one and the same vessel may be used for both purposes.

Today in 1895, US Patent 533747 A was issued, an invention of Otto Ritter, for his “Beer-Cooling Device.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to a beer cooling apparatus, the object of my invention being to so construct an apparatus as that when the wort or beer is passed through said apparatus it will operate a fan, which fan by its rotation sprays and cools the beer.

A further Object of my invention is to so gear the fan upon the central shaft as that said fan will rotate with greater rapidity than does the shaft.

My improved beer cooling apparatus is adapted to be located in an inclosure which is generally located in the top of brew houses, the beer being forced to said inclosure by a pump, or other suitable means, there to be passed through the apparatus and into the vats or pans adapted to receive it.

My invention consists in a suitable hollow casting adapted to besnpported in a position above the beer cooling receptacle, a shaft mounted vertically in said casting, a series of discharge nozzles or apertures located in said casting, a motor or turbine-wheel mounted to receive the beer that is discharged from said nozzles or apertures and to be revolved by the pressure of the beer, anda fan driven by and located below the said motor or turbine wheel in position to receive the beer sprayed above said fan by the movement ot’ said parts.

Today in 1973, US Patent 3749004 A was issued, an invention of William G. Pagdin and Charles F. Constable, assigned to the Schlitz Brewing Co., for their “Apparatus for Crushing and/or Compacting.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The invention relates to that type of crushing and/or compacting machine or apparatus wherein a plurality of sets or pairs of opposing crushing rollers are arranged in series. Broadly according to the invention, a frame rotatably supports one roller from each set of rollers. The other roller from each set of rollers is rotatably supported by a member movable relative to the frame and the frame supported rollers. The rollers supported by the movable member move with that member relative to the frame supported rollers to provide for relief from shock loading between the sets of opposing rollers. Relative movement between the opposing rollers to relieve shock loading there between is resisted by resilient means.

Today in 1915, US Patent 1138251 A was issued, an invention of Joseph Schaefer, for his “Mash-Filter Plate.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to mash filters adapted for use in the arts of brewing, distilling or in the manufacture of compressed yeast, and in part is a continuation of my sugars and soluble matter are more completely removed from the lower part of the grains cakes because of the greater water pressure in the lower part of the frames. This results in the loss of more or less of the valuable sugars unless an excessive amount of water is used. The use of too much water is not desirable since this dilutes the wort to such an extent, that, to remove the excess of water, extended boiling is required which, it should be understood, is expensive and detrimental to the final product. To overcome these objections I have arranged the water chambers so that the grains cakes formed there between will be thicker at the bottom than at the top, or substantially trapezoidal in shape. It has been found that with cakes of this shape the sparging 18 more thorough, and with the use of a given quantity of water-the soluble sugars are more formaly and completely removed from the grains cakes.

Another object of my invention is .to facilitate the removal of the grains cakes from their frames when the sparging process is completed, and the series of frames are separated for this purpose. The frame as ordinarily constructed is provided with a flat floor or bottom from which ‘it is difficult to dislodge that part of the cake resting on the bottom, it usually being necessary’ for the workman to scrape it of with a paddle or other device. With my improved construction I overcome this objection by constructing the bottom or floor of each grains cake frame, wedge-shaped or like a tool edge in cross-section. This construction is adapted to save the time of the workman for, as the grains cakes are friable, it will be seen that a mere tap of a hammer will cause the bottom of the grains cake to separate and slide down on each side of the wedge-shaped bottom of the cake frame, and thus leave the frame clean without any further effort on the part of workman.

Today in 1903, US Patent 734985 A was issued, an invention of Charles Spindler, for his “Apparatus For Converting Wort Into Beer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to improved apparatus for the manufacture of fermented liquors, particularly beer; and it has for its object to provide an improved apparatus of this class which shall be superior from a standpoint of continuity and efficiency of operation, comparative simplicity in construction, compactness in form, and in the obviation of the use of a number of separate apparatuses the use of which is customarily incidental to processes involving the employment of apparatus of this class.

Today in 1911, US Patent 998815 A was issued, an invention of Ernst Uhlmann, for his “Beer-Making Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to that portion of the beer making art wherein the wort is treated with hops, and it has for its objects to provide an apparatus for preventing the wort from acquiring an objectionable color and flavor and from a tendency to sour as a result of such treatment.

My invention is designed to overcome these objections and to provide a form of apparatus for rapidly removing the hops from the wort, which shall ‘be simple in construction and operation and require much less floor space for accommodation than apparatus commonly used for the purpose.

In carrying out my invention I remove the hops, albuminoids, and such matter from the wort while the latter is flowing from the brewing kettle to the coolers, so that the wort is freed from these matters almost immediately it leaves the brewing kettle, and does not remain in contact with the hops, etc., longer than a few seconds. Also I remove all the wort from the hops without employment of any mechanical or air pressure.