Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 1121930A: Metal Keg Or Cask

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Today in 1914, US Patent 1121930 A was issued, an invention of Lewis V. Mather, assigned to Enameled Steel Package Corp., for his “Metal Keg or Cask.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to kegs or casks and has for its object a cask in which the hoops and the head rings are applied to the shell in an improved manner.

This invention consists essentially in the utilization of spring tongues on the shell or staves of the cask which spring out and lock with the hoops and the. head rings when the latter have been slipped into place.

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Beer In Ads #1766: Something More Than Beer…

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Monday’s holiday ad is for Budweiser, from 1952. What could be “something more than beer….?” Apparently it’s “A tradition in hospitality.” The wagon with Santa is great though. Instead of eight tiny reindeer, it’s eight not-so-tiny Clydesdales and the sleigh is pulling beer in bottles and kegs, though I suppose those are toy of a sort.

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Patent No. 3998761A: Shampoo Compositions Containing Beer Solids

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Today in 1976, US Patent 3998761 A was issued, an invention of Herbert H. Gary, William Bess, and Frederick Hubner, assigned to the Bristol-Myers Company, for their “Shampoo Compositions Containing Beer Solids.” Here’s the Abstract, along with some additional claims:

Shampoo compositions containing beer solids.

What is claimed is:

1. A shampoo composition suitable for conditioning hair comprising at least one detergent and a waste liquid beer sludge concentrate distributed in an aqueous medium, the beer solids contained in said composition comprising from about 4% to 20% by weight based on the total weight of the shampoo composition and wherein said detergent comprises about 10 to 20% based on the total weight of the composition.

2. A shampoo composition according to claim 1 wherein the beer solids contained in said composition range from about 6% to 9% by weight based on the total weight of the shampoo composition.

I’m not sure if this is the shampoo that resulted from this patent, but this was sold in the 1970s.

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Patent No. 3628701A: Tapping Apparatus For Beverage Kegs

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Today in 1971, US Patent 3628701 A was issued, an invention of Thomas L. Kissel, for his “Tapping Apparatus for Beverage Kegs.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The principal object of the present invention is to provide tapping equipment which will not cause any escape of liquid during tapping of the keg.

Another and equally important object is to provide tapping equipment which will be less cumbersome, easier to operate and easier to fabricate than similar equipment used heretofore.

These objects are attained by providing a centrally apertured plug which is pushed into the taphole to partially push the stopper into the keg. The plug has two external O-ring seals which provide a seal between the taphole and the plug. An internal O-ring seal is located in the central aperture and provides a seal between the inside surface of the aperture and I the tap rod as it is inserted into the plug and is pushed downwardly against the stopper. The clearance between the tap rod and the aperture is fairly small, and as the stopper is removed the upward flow of the beverage and released gases is restricted to the narrow passage between the tap rod and aperture sidewall. For this reason, the O-ring seal is sufficient to prevent any beverage spray or leakage, which was encountered with prior commercial taps. The passage is, however, ample to permit a flow of gas under pressure from an entry port below the internal sealing means to the keg to, thus, permit the beverage to be maintained under sufficient pressure for operation of the tap.

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ABI Buys London’s Camden Town Brewery

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Anheuser-Busch InBev announced this morning that they were buying British brewer Camden Town Brewery, located in London. Despite having recently raised over £2.75 million through a crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube (nearly doubling their £1.5 million target), which was purported to fund a second London brewery, Camden Town is quoted in the Guardian that “the businesses needed a major investor to fund the construction of a second brewery that will create 30 jobs.”

Jasper Cuppaidge, who founded the brewery just five years ago, also posted a short statement on their website:

The ‘craft’ brewing movement has seen incredible growth driven by innovation, quality and daring. Camden Town Brewery has been at the forefront of this revolution. The success and reputation we have built has been nothing short of incredible. That has been thanks to all of you and the great beers we’ve brewed.

To stay at the forefront of this movement and secure our future success, we have to build a bigger brewery, employ more people and gain access to an international distribution network.

We can’t do this on our own. That’s why I’m proud to say I’ve signed a deal with AB InBev.

This partnership is going to help us deliver our plans to grow. With AB InBev’s support we will expand our operations, create more jobs in London and continue to brew our great beer and get it to more drinkers. Read more here.

We are really excited about taking this opportunity to turn Camden, and the quality it stands for, from being an outstanding London brewer, to being a world famous one. We hope you are too.

If you’re one of our shareholders, we’ll be in contact soon with more details about what the news means for you. We’ll also be updating the investor site shortly with answers to questions you may have.

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The terms of the deal, and the price, were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close quickly, by January 7. Camden Town also posted a more traditional press release:

Camden Town Brewery today announced that it is partnering with Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) to pave the way for further growth and expansion. The partnership will enable Camden Town Brewery to expand its operations, bringing more of its popular canned, bottled and kegged beer to more people. The deal will see AB InBev acquire Camden Town Brewery.

Founded by Jasper Cuppaidge, the owner of The Horseshoe pub in Hampstead, Camden Town Brewery started full production in 2010. From an original staff of three people, it now employs a team of 95 and has sold 12 million pints in 2015. Their beers are available in over 1000 pubs, bars, restaurants and retailers around the UK, as well as further afield in Sweden, Australia and Japan.

The deal follows a successful bid by Camden Town Brewery to raise capital via crowd funding and will support the company’s plan to build a second brewery in London, employing 30 more people and meeting growing demand for its products. The partnership will enable Camden Town Brewery to brew more of its own distinctive beers and continue to innovate, while maintaining its focus on quality.

Jasper Cuppaidge said: “Our growth has been phenomenal. To keep up with the demand for our distinctive beers we’ve had to look at expanding our brewing capacity and team. AB InBev is going to be our strategic partner, helping us maintain the character and quality of our beers, while giving us access to the investment we need to drive Camden to being ever more successful at home and abroad.

“Opportunities like this come rarely. We believe we must have the ambition to grab this opportunity and turn Camden Town Brewery, and the quality it stands for, from being an outstanding London brewer to being a world famous one.”

Iain Newell, European Director of Specialities & Craft, AB InBev, said: “We have a passion for great beer. Camden Town is a creative business with a great range of brands that will complement our existing portfolio. We will support their ambitious plans for the future, using our expertise and global distribution network to help them get their great beer to more people.”

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Beer In Ads #1765: My Goodness! My Christmas Guinness!

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Sunday’s ad is for Guinness, from 1952. I like the idea that Santa gets a bottle of Guinness at Christmas Eve instead of the more traditional milk for his cookies, although the addition of an evil (or at least mischievous) kinkajou seems a strange way to go. I’m not sure that Santa Claus versus the Kinkajou makes a great deal of sense, but I guess it’s a least a different approach.

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Patent No. 2140816A: Beer Dispenser

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Today in 1938, US Patent 2140816 A was issued, an invention of Dean C. Seitz, for his “Beer Dispenser.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to beverage dispensing systems and more particularly to a method and means for dispensing a brewed beverage such as beer. ale and the like.

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Patent No. 3293040A: Method For Chill-Proofing Beer With Water Soluble Alkyl Cellulose Ethers

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Today in 1966, US Patent 3293040 A was issued, an invention of Raymond L. McAdam and Richard G. Shaler Jr., for their “Method for Chill-Proofing Beer with Water Soluble Alkyl Cellulose Ethers.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to beer, the treatment thereof during processing, and a novel composition having utility in such treatment and elsewhere. More particularly it relates to a method and composition for the treatment of beer during processing for chill-proofing the beer.

The present invention is in part an improvement in the now conventional method of chill-proofing beer by the addition to the beer of a swelling gelling clay such as hectorite during processing of the beer. In the preferred embodiment the present invention contemplates the combination of a water soluble cellulose ether with the clay. This combination is employed as the clay itself was previously employed. Through the use of the new combination it has been discovered that the chill-proofing properties of the clay are maintained as before but the sludge produced by the clay in the beer is substantially reduced. Also, it appears that the beer is less turbid than when the clay alone is used.

Sludge reduction is desirable since beer is trapped by the sludge and is lost when the sludge is removed. By reducing the sludge level a greater recovery and yield of beer is possible.

Thus the present invention provides an improvement in the method of treating beer with a swelling gelling clay to chill-proof the .beer which comprises adding about .120% with respect to the clay of a water soluble cellulose ether to the beer during the treatment thereof with the clay. The new composition of the present invention may be defined as a swelling gelling clay and about .1- 20% by weight with respect to the clay of a water soluble cellulose ether.

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Patent No. 110232A: Improvement In Barrels

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Today in 1870, US Patent 110232 A was issued, an invention of Thomas Hanvey, for his “Improvement in Barrels.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The invention relates to straight barrels, of two or more thicknesses, one overlying another, and consists in putting lengthwise on the outside of such barrels hoops or clamps, secured by screws, said screws also forming the rests for the heads. It also consists in the formation of the heads of two thicknesses, with the grain crossing, as hereinafter described General Description.

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Beer In Ads #1764: The Rheingold Christmas Tree

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Saturday’s ad is for Rheingold Beer, from 1957, and features Miss Rheingold from that year, Margie McNally. It’s a simple ad, with Miss Rheingold out on a crisp winter’s day, wearing a warm white winter coat, and choosing a tree for Christmas. Hopefully, this isn’t the one she settled on, as it looks more fit for Charlie Brown.

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