Thursday’s ad is for Genesee Beer, from 1970. The snowy stream reminds me more of a Coors ad, and how about the handle on the glass mug, that’s an odd looking one. And that foam head looks staged and fake, but then quite a lot of ads around this time and before had foam like this, they must have all used the same photo stagers.
Patent No. 2022952A: Beer Dispensing System
Today in 1935, US Patent 2022952 A was issued, an invention of Abraham Cohen, assigned to Beer Control Systems Inc., for his “Beer Dispensing System.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to beer dispensing systems.
An object of this invention is to provide a system of the character described, provided with 5 highly improved means for returning the beer within the beer coils to the barrels and for flushing the coils with water and draining the water from the coils.
Consumers File Lawsuit To Stop ABI Buying SABMiller
In a particularly strange twist, 23 consumers — 19 from Oregon, 3 from California and 1 from Washington — have filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court, for the District of Oregon, Medford Division. The Plaintiffs are represented by two law firms, the Alioto Law Firm of San Francisco, California, and Cauble & Cauble, LLP of Grant’s Pass, Oregon. The lawsuit names both Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller as Defendants and the initial filing requests “Injunctive Relief to Prohibit the Acquisition of SABMiller PLC by Anheuser-Busch InBev, SA/NV as a Violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C. § 18.” The 33-page complaint is available to read online as a pdf. The Oregonian is reporting on at least a few of the Plaintiff’s rationales for the lawsuit. “I don’t think it’s good for consumers, I don’t think it’s good for industry, I don’t think it’s good for the tax base, I don’t think it’s good for any of that,” states Plaintiff James DeHoog, who owns an air quality and environmental consulting business in Central Point, which is near where the case was filed in Medford, Oregon. Courthouse News Service also has an account of the filing.
It will certainly be interesting to see how far they get with this.
California Reaches 600 Breweries
On the heels of yesterday’s news that the number of breweries in America has reached a historic high point, today the California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA) released the news that the number of breweries in the state of California reached 600. The next closest state, Oregon, has less than half of that. Congratulations to all 600!
For me the biggest takeaway is how rapid the number of California breweries doubled. Fritz Maytag bought the Anchor Brewery in 1965, but the first new brewery opened over a decade later, in 1978. That was New Albion. It took until 2012, or 34 years, to reach 300 breweries. Three years later, this month in 2015, there are 600. That means half of the breweries in California are less than three years old, which seems remarkable.
Here’s the press release:
The California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA) today announced another milestone in the growth of local brewing, with more than 600 craft breweries in operation across the state. More breweries call California home than any other state in the nation.
“We continue to celebrate the success of craft beer in California,” said Tom McCormick, executive director of the CCBA. “The Golden State is the birthplace of the American craft beer movement and continues to lead the nation with its committed fans and creative brewers. We have seen a remarkable and growing demand for neighborhood-supported craft breweries and handcrafted, locally produced beers. It’s an exciting time to be a craft beer drinker in California and even more exciting to be a craft brewer.”
The 18 percent increase in operating breweries over that past year represents a return to the localization of beer production. In 2014, an average of two breweries opened every week in California.
Industries associated with craft beer also continue to expand, with additional investment in California-grown ingredients. Breweries throughout the state are planting hops and barley and looking to local farms to source ingredients.
“California’s craft beer drinkers are looking to their neighborhood breweries for local, sustainable, hand-grown, hand-produced, hand-crafted beers,” said Jacob Pressey, owner and brewmaster for Humboldt Regeneration Brewery and Farm and CCBA member. “We are the first California brewery since Prohibition to brew a 100 percent house-grown and malted beer, a milestone we’ve been focused on for the past three years. Across the state we see hop growers, grain growers and craft maltsters set the stage for a sustainable, local-focused industry.”
As the number of craft breweries has increased, so has national recognition for creative styles and classic West Coast IPAs brewed in California. In 2015, California breweries received the largest number of awards at the Great American Beer Festival, contributed hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs to the state’s economy and donated approximately $11,050,000 to support local and statewide charities, including fundraisers for nonprofits and charitable causes.
“California is the growth epicenter of the craft beer industry,” said Brook Taylor, deputy director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). “More than 600 California craft breweries generate $6.5 billion in annual revenue, employ thousands of people and contribute to the state’s nation leading job growth. The craft beer industry is emblematic of California – innovative people, creating innovative products and providing new jobs in a rapidly growing industry.”
Patent No. PP13311P2: Hop plant named ‘Millennium-Late’
Today in 2002, US Patent PP13311 P2 was issued, an invention of Eugene G. Probasco, assigned to John I. Haas, Inc., for his “Hop plant named ‘Millennium-Late.'” Here’s the Abstract:
A new and distinct triploid hop, Humulus lupulus, plant named ‘Millennium-Late’ selected from the progeny of tetraploid ‘Nugget’×proprietary line No. ‘833-53M’, characterized by a high percentage of alpha-acids, a higher alpha/beta ratio, significantly higher percentages of humulene and caryophyllene, coupled with a high yield and resistance to powdery mildew. Harvest maturity is late, similar to ‘Nugget’ and following ‘Galena’ by about 1 week.
A few weeks before, also in 2002, Probasco was also granted Patent Nos. PP13128P2, PP13129P2 & PP13132P2: Millennium Hops, specifically for Millennium-48, Millennium-MiddleLate and Millennium-44.
Beer In Ads #1747: Ringing The Bell
Wednesday’s ad is for Rheingold Beer, from 1946, and features Miss Rheingold from that year, Rita Daigle. Dressed up at a fancy dude ranch, she’s ringing the dinner bell, with an appetizer of Rheingold beer. Which is apparently “beer as beer should taste.”
Patent No. 20100304005A1: Pouring Spoon For Producing Layered Beverages
Today in 2010, US Patent 20100304005 A1 was issued, an invention of James M. Beale, for his “Pouring Spoon For Producing Layered Beverages.” Here’s the Abstract:
A pouring spoon (301) is provided which comprises a bowl (303) and a handle attached to said bowl. The handle has first (321), second (323) and third (325) segments, wherein said second segment is attached to said first segment by way of a first bend (322), wherein said second segment is attached to said third segment by way of a second bend (324), and wherein said third segment is attached to said bowl by way of a third bend (326).
Patent No. 2620064A: Hop Stem Remover
Today in 1952, US Patent 2620064 A was issued, an invention of Edouard Thys, for his “Hop Stem Remover.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a novel apparatus for removing free stems or twigs from hops during the course of `processing the latter after harvest; the hops having been detached from but remaining intermingled with such stems or twigs.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hop `stem remover which is operative to remove both forked or crooked and straight stems from the hops; straight stems being the most difficult to separate from the hops.
A further object of the invention is to provide a hop stem remover which includes a novel assembly of a table, a foraminous conveyor having a run thereof working along the top of the table, and a feeder positioned to deliver mixed hops and stems or twigs on the conveyor; the stems or twigs remaining on. the conveyor, while the hops pass through the forminations onto the table. whence they feed to one edge of the latter and discharge downwardly therefrom.
Number Of American Breweries Reaches Historic High
The most breweries open in the United States at any point in our history was 4,131, a milestone reached way back in 1873. Right afterwards, breweries started merging at a furious pace, drastically reducing that number. Then prohibition decimated the industry, closing almost every brewery (except for the few who figured out non-alcoholic products to make). When prohibition ended thirteen years later, fewer than 800 reopened in the year after repeal of the 18th Amendment. But many didn’t last long, and by 1950 the number was down to 407. And the slide continued, with only 230 in 1961 and the nadir of 80 in 1983, with only 51 of them owned by independent companies. For what it’s worth, other accounts say 1978 was the low point. Once the first two California craft breweries got going — Anchor in 1965 and New Albion in 1978 — things moved slowly, it took until 1994 before small brewers made up 1% of the total beer market. In 1996, we returned to pre-prohibition numbers, with 1,000 breweries open. Fifteen years later, in 2011, that number had doubled to 2,000, but in only three more years we’d reached 3,000 breweries. At the end of September, three months ago, we reached 4,000.
Today, the Brewers Association released a new press release:
As of the end of November, there are now 4,144 breweries in the country, topping the historic high of 4,131 breweries in 1873.
I knew it was coming, but it’s still a nice milestone to mark. More breweries are open right now in the U.S. than have ever been open at one time before. That’s pretty cool. Congratulations to all of those breweries.
A few additional tidbits worth noting:
- Brewery openings now exceed two a day.
- Fifteen states are now home to more than 100 breweries: California, Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Texas, Ohio, Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Indiana.
- IPA remained the top style sold by independent craft brewers, and continues to grow faster than the overall craft category.
Patent No. 714703A: Beer-Cooler
Today in 1902, US Patent 714703 A was issued, an invention of Frank Ibert, for his “Beer-Cooler.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to a beer-cooler which thoroughly utilizes the temperature of the cooling medium and effects a rapid and cleanly cooling of the beer.
