Today in 1936, US Patent 2061240 A was issued, an invention of Oscar J. Leins, assigned to the Milwaukee Gas Specialty Co., for his “Beer Pump.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to an improvement in beer dispensers or pumps of the type designed for use by the consumers in drawing or dispensing beer or similar beverages from kegs, barrels or similar containers.
Monday’s ad is for Heineken, from maybe the 1950s or 60s, touted in this ad as the “World’s Finest Lager.” I’m not sure about the Enjoy Again!” headline. Were they targeting people who’d only tried Heineken once? They were obviously targeting Americans, using the windmill and tulips so shamelessly.
According to a new report in Business Insider, the new entity combining Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller will control six out of the ten best-selling beers in America, and it would have been eight, except the deal currently stipulates that “Molson Coors will take Miller off of SABMiller’s hands.” But I especially like the handy flowchart they created to show the evolution of the various companies that will come together to become SABInBev, or whatever they end up calling the new beer behemoth. Sadly, it looks like SABMiller, or what’s left of it, will simply be absorbed into ABI.
Today in 1909, US Patent 940438 A was issued, an invention of Theron Davis, for his “Beer Faucet.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
My invention relates to improvements in the type of beer faucet in which a chambered head carries a ball valve which is raised by a finger operated by an exterior lever, so that the beer may flow past the valve, and my invention improves the type of faucet and provides a simple means than has heretofore been employed for guiding the ball, and also provides a very simple` means for removing the washers and guide from the chamber in which the ball valve is located.
Constellation Brands announced this morning that they will acquire Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits Company for roughly $1 billion. If you’re not familiar with Constellation, they’re “the number three beer company in the U.S. with high-end, iconic imported brands including Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo and Pacifico. Constellation is also the world’s leader in premium wine, selling great brands that people love including Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, Kim Crawford, Rex Goliath, Mark West, Franciscan Estate, Ruffino and Jackson-Triggs. The company’s premium spirits brands include SVEDKA Vodka and Black Velvet Canadian Whisky.”
So far, almost all of the news about the deal is from the press release:
Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B), a leading beverage alcohol company, today announced an agreement to acquire San Diego-based Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits. Ballast Point is one of the fastest growing craft beer companies in the U.S. with a beer portfolio that includes more than 40 different styles of beer, led by its popular Sculpin IPA and Grapefruit Sculpin IPA. The partnership with Ballast Point provides a high-growth premium platform that will enable Constellation to compete in the fast-growing craft beer segment, further strengthening its position in the highest end of the U.S. beer market.
Ballast Point started in 1996 as a small group of home brewers and remains dedicated to the art of making better quality craft beer. Ballast Point will continue to operate as a stand-alone company with its existing management team and employees running the day-to-day operations. The company is one of the most successful and respected craft beer companies in the country, with an expertise in brewing the most premium, highest quality award winning products, and a grassroots approach to innovation that engages beer lovers and home brewers in the process. The Ballast Point team will continue to build on its successful expansion across the U.S., and will now have access to Constellation’s strong financial position and willingness to invest in growth.
“We started this business nearly 20 years ago with a vision to produce great beer that consumers love and to do it the right way,” said Jack White, founder of Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits. “To achieve that vision, we needed to find the right partner. The team at Constellation shares our values, entrepreneurial spirit and passion for beer, and has a proven track record of helping successful premium brands reach the next level of growth and scale.”
“We believe in the vision that Jack and his team have created and we’re excited to welcome Ballast Point, one of the most respected craft brewers in the country, to the Constellation Brands family,” said Rob Sands, chief executive officer, Constellation Brands. “Along with imports, craft beer is a key driver of growth and premiumization within the beer industry, with craft doubling its share of the U.S. beer market in the last five years. Ballast Point has certainly been a key driver of that growth. Their business philosophy and entrepreneurial spirit perfectly align with our culture and we look forward to strengthening our position in the high-end beer segment with what is arguably the most premium major brand in the entire craft beer business.”
Ballast Point is on pace to sell nearly 4 million cases in calendar 2015, which would represent growth of more than 100 percent versus calendar 2014. Net sales for calendar 2015 are expected to approximate $115 million. Volume and net sales growth from calendar 2012 to calendar 2014 averaged over 80 percent. Ballast Point employs more than 500 employees, produces beer in four facilities in the San Diego, CA area, and sells its beer in over 30 states.
Constellation Brands plans to purchase Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits for approximately $1 billion. The purchase price values the acquisition multiple of the projected calendar 2016 Ballast Point EBITDA in the mid-to-high teens range. Constellation estimates that on a comparable basis (1), the acquisition is expected to be neutral to diluted earnings per share for fiscal 2016 and $0.05 to $0.06 accretive for fiscal 2017. The transaction will be financed with cash and debt, and is expected to close by the end of calendar year 2015, subject to customary closing conditions.
Sunday’s ad is for Gulpen Bier, a pilsner, another one from maybe the 1950s or 60s. I believe it’s a Dutch beer, and the tagline appears to translate to “rich in taste, rich in tradition.” I like that their choice of pairing is nuts and salami, not that it wouldn’t taste good, but surely they could have come up with something better.
Today in 1966, US Patent 3285365 A was issued, an invention of Le Roy T. Longton, for his “Apparatus Particularly for Use in Harvesting Hops.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to an apparatus particularly for use in the harvesting of hop vines.
Conventionally, the harvesters of hops stand on a platform of fixed height behind a truck which may move slowly down the rows of hops in a field. The height of the overhead hop trellises varies considerably from field-to-field and may also vary within one field because of ground irregularities and variations in the length of the trellis poles upon which the overhead wires are supported. The result has been that the worker-supporting platform is frequently too high or too low with respect to the vines to be cut by the workers therefore making it difficult for the workers to reach the vines, and generally rendering the operation inefficient. Another problem is the necessity for packing the bulky hop vines in the harvesting truck. conventionally, this has been done by the workers descending from the platform and walking around on the hop vines in the truck to pack or consolidate the vines. This is obviously an inefficient and time-wasting procedure.
It is the general object of this invention to provide a simplified mobile apparatus which will greatly increase the efficiency of the hops harvesting operation by the provision of worker supporting means which is quickly adjustable vertically and also the provision of an adjustable power-operated means for packing the vines down in the body or box of a truck or wagon.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above-mentioned character which is constructed as an attachment unit for a farm tractor and readily mountable thereon.
Another object is to provide a hop vine harvesting attachment for tractors which is hydraulically powered and operated from a hydraulic pump on the tractor and a simple control device in a convenient location to be used by the tractor driver.
Today in 1994, US Patent D352417 S was issued, an invention of Richard A. Petroske and James E. Richardson, assigned to the Miller Brewing Company, for their “Beer Keg.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
The ornamental design for a beer keg, as shown and described.
Saturday’s ad is for Heineken, from maybe the 1950s or 60s. The tagline, “Het Meest Getapt,” according to Google Translate means “mostly tapped,” whatever that means. I imagine it’s an idiom that means something more understandable for this bar scene where the dudes are wearing suits and the women are laughing and looking nervous.
Today in 1911, US Patent 1008914 A was issued, an invention of Emil Clemens Horst, for his “Hop-Picker.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to hop-pickers, or devices for removing the hops from the vines.
The invention is applicable either as a device for picking the hops by hand, or for picking t-hem entirely by machinery; essentially the same principle being employed in either instance.
