Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 3848631A: Beer Keg Protective Device

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Today in 1974, US Patent 3848631 A was issued, an invention of Merton R. Fallon, assigned to Draft Systems, Inc., for his “Beer Keg Protective Device.” Here’s the Abstract:

The safety device is disposable in the gas line connecting between a gas source under pressure and a tapping device installed in a keg. The safety device includes a valve housing carrying a spring biased axially movable piston including a stem and an axially adjustable element on the upstream side of the stem, the element and piston having axial passages. On the downstream side of the piston, a slit valve is provided. In use, gas flowing into the valve through the passages in the element and piston flows into the keg through the slit valve. Upon an increase in gas line pressure above a predetermined pressure, the gas acts on the piston to displace it in an upstream direction against the bias of the spring to seal the stem against the element and preclude further ingress of gas into the keg. When keg pressure is relived as by drawing beer from the keg, the spring returns the piston to open the gas passage through the valve at the predetermined pressure. The gas check valve precludes backflow of liquid and gas through the gas passage.

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Anchor Christmas Ale 1980

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It’s day six of my seasonal sprint to Christmas featuring all 42 labels from Anchor’s Christmas Ale — a.k.a. Our Special Ale — all different beers (well, mostly different) and all different labels, each one designed by local artist Jim Stitt, up to and including this year’s label.

1980 was the sixth year that Anchor made their Christmas Ale, and it was similar to the five previous year’s beers, another variation based on Liberty Ale, still a hoppy pale ale, with no spices added. This sixth label was an “Oak Tree,” or “Genus: Quercus.”

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Patent No. EP1100865B1: Process And Apparatus For Obtaining Lupulin Products From Hops

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Today in 2003, US Patent EP 1100865 B1 was issued, an invention of Francis Lloyd Rigby, for his “Process and Apparatus for Obtaining Lupulin Products from Hops.” Here’s the Abstract:

A process and apparatus for the physical separation of lupulin from hops is provided. The process releases the lupulin glands by drying, freezing, and shaking, under specific and controlled conditions. For separating the lupulin from the hop cones a separator is provided that includes a substantially cylindrical and concentrically mounted coarse screen and fine screen. A raw hops product is received into the coarse screen that allows the coarse lupulin fraction to pass through while the coarse waste in retained within. The fine screen has a larger diameter than the enclosed coarse screen. A coarse lupulin fraction is received into the fine screen allowing the lupulin product to pass through the fine screen while the fine waste is retained within the fine screen to be discharged out the end of the fine screen. An agitator is mounted to a shaft within the separator and is utilized to beat the raw hop product. The separation process provides high yield of lupulin without sacrificing purity of product as compared to other physical separation processes. Additionally, the yield and purity of the process of the present invention compares closely to the yield and purity achieved by conventional chemical extraction methods. A superior natural hop material is thereby produced as compared to extracts, pelletized hops or baled raw hops. Lupulin can be substituted for hop extracts produced by conventional methods providing a substantial price advantage.

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Patent No. 550232A: Apparatus For Cooling And Drawing Beverages

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Today in 1895, US Patent 550232 A was issued, an invention of William A. Wagner, for his “Apparatus for Cooling and Drawing Beverages.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

The invention consists in the combination with a suitable cooling-chamber, a supply-pipe passing through the same and projecting from it, a sealed air-tight jacket forming a non-heat-conducting chamber about said projecting portion for protecting it from the external heat, and a faucet connected to the end of said projecting pipe.

It also consists in the combination with a suitable cooling chamber, a supply-pipe pass ing through the same and projecting from it, a sealed air-tight jacket forming a chamber about said projecting portion, a non-heat-conducting filling for said chamber for protecting said projecting end from the external heat, and a faucet connected to the end of said projecting pipe.

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Mickey Mouse In Arabia

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Today is the day when Steamboat Willie debuted in 1928, the first Mickey Mouse cartoon, the one that made the Disney company the entertainment powerhouse that it is today. But even though Steamboat Willie is the famous one, it actually wasn’t the first Mickey Mouse cartoon created. Plane Crazy was actually the first one made, and The Gallopin’ Gaucho was the second, but both were shelved to work on Steamboat Willie, and specifically to add a synchronized soundtrack, which is what helped make Mickey Mouse so famous. A couple of years ago, I posted Mickey Mouse Drinking A Beer, about when Mickey is seen drinking a beer in “The Gallopin’ Gaucho.”

So for Mickey Mouse’s birthday this year, I thought I’d show a different cartoon, this one a little later, from 1932. It’s maybe the 46th Mickey Mouse cartoon, called “Mickey in Arabia.” There are plenty of racial stereotypes in the cartoon, sadly typical for 1932. And while Mickey doesn’t actually drink in this one, the camel that he and Minnie ride does drink some from a barrel.

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After Minnie is abducted by a sultan and rides off on his camel, Mickey runs back to his camel, who’s apparently been drinking beer the entire time and is obviously inebriated.

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So first he has to chase the drunk camel.

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Finally, catching the camel, now he has to chase after the sultan, who’s taken Minnie.

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And riding a drunk camel is no picnic.

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The drunk camel even passes out at one point but continues on running upside down on its humps!

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Below is the whole cartoon, the relevant beer barrel drinking takes place just after 1:30 into the 7-minute video.

Patent No. 440916A: Bottle Filling Machine

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Today in 1890, US Patent 440916 A was issued, an invention of William R. Dannals, for his “Bottle Filling Machine.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

My invention relates to that class of bottle filling machines in which a series of bottles are filled at one time, my invention comprising certain details in construction of the machine, as fully described and claimed hereinafter, with a view of simplifying said construction and insuring a rapid and accurate filling of the bottles.

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Anchor Christmas Ale 1979

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It’s day five of my jolly jog to Christmas featuring all 42 labels from Anchor’s Christmas Ale — a.k.a. Our Special Ale — all different beers (well, mostly different) and all different labels, each one designed by local artist Jim Stitt, up to and including this year’s label.

1979 was the fifth year that Anchor made their Christmas Ale, and it was similar to the four previous year’s beers, another variation based on Liberty Ale, with no spices added. This fifth label was “[i]nspired by the Original Christmas Ale Tree.”

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Beer In Ads #2097: This Calls For … The Neighbors

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Thursday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1962. In this ad, part of series entitled “This calls for …,” in this case “The Neighbors?” Four men, presumably all neighbors, are drinking beer in one of their kitchens, and, apparently “swapping ideas.” I can’t figure out why one of the men there is holding two bottles behind his back, almost hidden from the other three people. He’s also the only one without a glass of beer in his hand. Maybe he just arrived, and pulled them out of the refrigerator, and grabbed two so he could catch up?

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Anchor Christmas Ale 1978

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xmas-christmas-ale
It’s day four of my marathon run to Christmas featuring all 42 labels from Anchor’s Christmas Ale — a.k.a. Our Special Ale — all different beers (well, mostly different) and all different labels, each one designed by local artist Jim Stitt, up to and including this year’s label.

1978 was the fourth year that Anchor made their Christmas Ale, and it was similar to the three previous year’s beers, a variation based on Liberty Ale, with no spices added. This fourth label was “[i]nspired by an evergreen in the Sierra Nevadas.”

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