Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 2816032A: Method Of Preparing A Hops Powder

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Today in 1957, US Patent 2816032 A was issued, an invention of Willy Heyer, for his “Method of Preparing a Hops Powder.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The present invention relates to a method of preparing a hops powder by extracting natural or fresh hops with the aid of an alkaline solvent. A hops powder prepared by the method according to the invention has an application as a base material in the making of beer.

According to the invention, the hops is extracted in a brewing wort of 4 to 6 percent and softened brewing water, the hydrogen ion concentration (pH number) being adjusted from 8.0 to 8.3. With the pH number maintained within this range, an optimum yield of iso-humulone is obtained, which substance is of prime importance in regard to the making of beer, said substance being obtained as a transformation product of humulone which latter is soluble in wort and beer to a very slight extent only.

According to a specific object of the invention the desired pH number of between 8.0 and 8.3 is adjusted by the addition of alkaline salts. Substances particularly suitable for this purpose are soda lye, soda, potash and in the case of boiling under pressure, salt of ammonium. One major object of the invention is to be seen in the fact that the pH number, once it ‘has been adjusted to a value between 8.0 and 8.3, is stabilized by a buffer substance contained in the wort. A suitable buffer substance, is for example a solvent of potassium-sodium phosphate. A buffer substance of this type may be relied upon to maintain substantially constant the pH number which may take any value between 8.0 and 8.3, the use r of the butter substance preventing the pH number from exceeding its upper limiting value, thus preventing any undesirable formation of humulinic acid.

The adjustment of the pH number between 8.0 and 8.3 may be performed, according to the invention, by titrimetric or electrometric methods.

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American Cities Drinking the Most Craft Beer

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Usually, when they break down craft sales, it’s by state, so it’s interesting to see it done by city. Vinepair based their map, Cities That Drink the Most Craft Beer, on Nielsen dollar share data, so while that means it’s only mainstream data from major chains and traditional retail channels, it is still interesting to see how it shakes out. All of the top five cities are on the West Coast, while Washington D.C. leads the East. Of the five not in the West, three are in the Midwest, one is in the Northeast and the other is D.C. And it would appear there’s a large swath in the middle that has some catching up to do.

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Click here to see the map full size.

Patent No. 4557186A: Brewing Apparatus

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Today in 1985, US Patent 4557186 A was issued, another invention of Christopher J. L. Brown, assigned to Bowmans Brewer, Ltd., for his “Brewing Apparatus.” Here’s the Abstract:

Brewing apparatus for batch brewing beer or ale comprises a fermentation vessel 1 in which a fermentable liquor is contained, a float hydrometer 11 and a sensor 12 for monitoring downward displacement of the hydrometer 11 as the specific gravity of the liquor reduces due to fermentation. The sensor 12 includes means for providing a signal in a controller 3 at a desired specific gravity to indicate completion of the required fermentation and the controller 3 is operable to control automatic transfer of the fermented liquor to a maturing vessel 4 and, after a predetermined time interval to a barrel or the like.

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Patent No. 3415654A: Deep Vat Fermentation Of Beer

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Today in 1968, US Patent 3415654 A was issued, another invention of Robert E. Zinn, assigned to Falstaff Brewing Corp., for his “Deep Vat Fermentation of Beer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to an improved process for making beer, and to apparatus for carrying out the process. By the term beer is meant the various fermented malt beverages commonly included within that term, e.g., lager, ale, bock, porter, and stout. The fermentation of malt beverages is similar in many respects to fermentations in general; however, the consumption of the product by humans to satisfy thirst and for pleasure imposes unique and severe organoleptic criteria on the product.

It has now been found, in accordance with the present invention, that the fermentation of beer, to produce a highly acceptable product, can be carried out advantageously without the use of cellars and in thermally insulated and temperature-controlled individual tanks which provide the requisite greater beer depth and thus the greater foam depth. Despite the greater static pressure in the brew at these greater depths, the normal course of yeast-wort fermentation can unexpectedly be achieved, although hitherto it has generally been considered impossible or undesirable. Additionally, a volume of fermenting beer confined to a deep tank has a smaller surface area exposed to air than the same volume in a shallow tank. Preferably, the reciprocal ratio of surface area to the volume of liquid should be at least 20, and may exceed 60 or more. It will be noted that depth alone controls the surface area to volume ratio of the beer liquid.

A principal object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method of and apparatus for deep fermentation of beer with improved control of foam removal.

It is an object of the invention to provide a process of deep fermentation where the reciprocal ratio of surface area to the volume of liquid is at least 20. It is another object of the invention to provide a deep fermentation process wherein the reciprocal ratio of surface area to volume of liquid exceeds 40.

The object of this invention is attained by providing one or more deep fermentation tanks or fermenters of sufficient size to provide a beer depth of at least 20 feet, each tank being jacketed with suitable temperature control means adequate to assure the desired temperatures within the tanks. These tanks are supplied with wort and yeast and other conventional ingredients prepared in the usual fashion for supplying to beer fermentation tanks. Provisions are also made for thoroughly mixing the ingredients as fed to the fermentation tanks, and preferably also for circulation of the contents of such tanks during fermentation, so that the yeast may be effectively distributed throughout the fermenting mass to provide complete uniformity, thus assisting in assuring desired taste characteristics of the fermented product. Each fermenter is provided with means for selectively removing foam from the brew surface.

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Beer In Ads #1754: Grutli

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Wednesday’s ad is for Grutli, from who knows when, perhaps the 1950s or 60s? The illustration was done by French artist Herve Moran, but I don’t know if Grutli is from there, or somewhere else? I do love how the man really loves his beer, going so far as to imagine a woman’s face is the foam. I love a good beer, but even for me that may be going a bit too far.

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Patent No. 2620961A: Carton Flap Opener

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Today in 1952, US Patent 2620961 A was issued, another invention of Eugene A. Wahl and Ralph J. Winters, assigned to Ballantine & Sons, for their “Carton Flap Opener.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for inspecting the interior and/or contents of cartons, or for filling and emptying cartons, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for unfolding the carton fiaps from folded closed position to unfolded open position to automatically have access to the interior of the carton for any desired purpose.

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Storm Brewing Releases $1,000 Beer Bottle

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I suspect that by the time you read this, all ten bottles of the newest release from Storm Brewing, of East Vancouver in British Columbia, will already have been sold, despite the hefty $1,000 per bottle price tag. The new beer is Glacial Mammoth Extinction, and is described on Storm’s website. Essentially it’s a sour beer that, according to brewer James Walton, was frozen “into one big, solid ice cube at -30 degrees Celsius, a process that took him about a month to complete.” Then the water was removed, and the remaining liquid was “aged in French oak barrels for two years until it was ready.”

Part of the expense of the beer is the packaging, with a hand-blown glass bottle fashioned by a local artist, using a 14K gold clasp and 35,000-year-old ivory for the pendant hanging from the neck of the bottle. The beer weighs in at almost 25% a.b.v. and is described as “quite sweet, almost like a port.”

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The Beer: The Glacial Mammoth Extinction is the first beer of its kind (in the world!!) and the result of freezing a strong sour beer to -30C in two stages over a one month period. The sweet alcoholic liquid was separated from the extinct ice glacier that was left in the tank and then aged in French oak barrels for two years until it was ready. The final product is a rich, complex, and viscous 100% malt beverage that resembles Port more than beer.

ALCOHOL – 25% ABV
RESIDUAL SUGAR – 80grams per litre
VOLUME PRODUCED – 400 litres

The Brewery: For over 20 years brewer James Walton and the Storm Brewing team have been bringing Vancouverites innovative and unpretentious craft beer. James is hailed as a craft beer pioneer by both media and trade and is proud to be one of the very first brewers in North America to brew sour beer. The brewery sits at the corner of Commercial Drive and Franklin Street in gritty East Vancouver and is considered a “must-visit” destination by craft beer fans worldwide.

The $1000 Bottles: A total of ten bottles were designed and made of hand blown glass by Terminal City Glass Co-op’s Brad Turner. Adorning these bottles are one of a kind prehistoric mammoth ivory pendants made by local sculptor Richard Marcus. The ivory used for these pendants is from a tusk estimated to be 35,000 years old and they are complimented with a 14K gold clasp. Both of these East Vancouver artists are renowned for their craft and their studios are located within walking distance from the brewery.

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Patent No. PP10147P: Hop Plant named `H900322-4`

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Today in 1997, US Patent PP10147 P was issued, another invention of Gene Probasco, assigned to John I. Haas, Inc., for his “Hop Plant named ‘H900322-4.'” Here’s the Abstract:

A new and distinct triploid hop, Humulus lupulus, plant selected from the progeny of USDA `21055` X John I. Haas, Inc. No. `833-53M`, characterized by an unusually high percentage of alpha-acids, coupled with a high yield. This plant also has a high amount of farnesene as a component in the essential oil (8.8% of the total oil is farnesene). None of the USA high alpha-acids varieties has farnesene in the oil. Further, `H900322-4` (hereinafter “H900322-4”) has a higher cohumulone content (44.0%) of the alpha-acids than any of the USA high alpha-acids varieties. Harvest maturity is medium-late, with `Nugget` and following `Galena` by about 1 week. Cone size is medium to large yet compact and ovoid, and easily mechancially harvested. Cones are non-shattering, and have bracts that are of a darker green color than bracteoles, resulting in a striped appearance.

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Patent No. 6659298B2: Polyester Beer Bottle

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Today in 2003, US Patent 6659298 B2 was issued, another invention of Chio Fai Wong, for his “Polyester Beer Bottle.” Here’s the Abstract:

A polyester beer bottle comprising a bottleneck, a body and a bottom of the bottle, which are once blown and shaped with polyester blank, in which arc portion in a vertical section extended from the joint of shaped bottom and body of the bottle to a plane of the bottom has a radius ranging over 15-25 mm; an arc radius in a vertical section of the concave quaquversal portion projecting inwards at a bottom surface of said bottle is in a range of 20-35 mm, and the distance between a top of the concave quaquversal portion to the plane of bottom is in a range of 7-15 mm; an outward projecting support flange portion is formed at the joint between said concave quaquversal portion and the bottom plane of the bottle, a height of the flange portion is in a range of 0.1-5 mm; and a side-face of the bottle is connected to said concave quaquversal portion at the bottom of the bottle via the transition arc portions respectively having different radius, in which the radius of first transition arc is in a range of 3-8 mm, and the second transition arc radius is in a range of 0.5-2 mm. The ratio between the maximum outer diameter of the bottom of the bottle and the diameter of the flange portion on said bottom plane of the bottle is in a range of 1.2-1.7.

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