Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. D533739S1: Process For Energy Recovery In Beer Wort Boiling

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Today in 1985, US Patent D533739 S1 was issued, an invention of Jochen-Heiner Dipl-In Keilbach, assigned to Eichbaum Brauereien Ag, for his “Process for Energy Recovery in Beer Wort Boiling.” Here’s the Abstract:

The invention relates to a process for energy recovery in beer wort boiling by condensation of the vapours on heat exchangers, which is characterised in that, in a start-up phase, the vapours are conducted away virtually unpressurised via a copper vapour condenser (8), and the hop residue-containing condensate is discarded, whereupon in the main phase, part of the hop residue-free vapours is withdrawn virtually unpressurised with the exclusion of air using a steam jet pump (60) fed with superheated steam or saturated steam and condensed via further heat exchangers (70, 70′, 70”, 74) and fed to the steam circulation together with the condensate, likewise no longer containing hop residues, by the copper vapour condenser (8).

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Beer In Ads #1763: He’s Earned It

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Friday’s holiday ad is for Work Beer, from 2010. Work appears to be a contract brewer in Richmond, Virginia that started in 1999. For this Christmas ad, Santa’s relaxing after his workday with a case of beer plus an additional six-pack. In the bottom right of the ad it gives a pretty good synopsis of why he’s earned his case of beer:

Each year Santa delivers toys to 378 million children. To get the job done before any little girl or boy wakes up, Santa must travel 3,000 times the speed of sound pulling a sleigh that weights 321,300 tons. In 31 hours he must visit 91.8 million homes, allowing him to spend 1/1000th of a second at each home.

It sure beats milk and cookies.

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Patent No. 2774229A: Draft Beer Dispenser

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Today in 1956, US Patent 2774229 A was issued, an invention of Karl Thau and August Kiel Sr., for their “Draft Beer Dispenser.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

Draft beer, i.e. beer as it is drawn from a barrel or keg of relatively large size, e.g. 4 gallons or more generally is less expensive per unit of volume than beer in smaller containers such as tin cans or bottles. Draft beer also is preferred by many people.

Heretofore however the use of draft beer generally has been limited to situations in which the entire contents of a barrel or keg is consumed quickly e. g. within a day or so because beer is known to deteriorate rapidly after a portion of the beer in the container has been withdrawn and replaced by air.

It has been proposed to preserve the beer in large containers such as barrels and kegs by refrigeration, and by replacing the beer which is withdrawn with carbon dioxide gas but such attempts have not, so far as we are advised, been successful in making it practicable for a person or family to use the contents of a keg over a period of one or more weeks.

An object of my invention therefore is to provide a draft beer dispenser adapted for home use or for use on small boats and in other similar situations, which will preserve the beer and permit its use over a relatively long period of time.

A further object of my invention is to provide a portable unit which is capable of use wherever electric current is available.

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It’s The Most Wonderful Time To Drink Beer

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I first made Johann, the founder of Seef Bier, in San Francisco, when he was here to do a presentation with his importer and the Belgian Trade Delegation as he was beginning to import his beer to the U.S. And I quite like Seef, and have since I first tried it. I saw him most recently last month in Belgium, when he was on hand to pick up the gold medal for Seef he received at the Brussels Beer Challenge. At any rate, this morning he sent me this fun video of Christmas Wishes from Seefbier, a spoof of the popular Christmas carol recorded by Andy Williams, It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. It really is the most wonderful time to drink beer. Enjoy.

Patent No. 838735A: Beer-Racking Apparatus

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Today in 1906, US Patent 838735 A was issued, an invention of Henry L. Momburg, for his “Beer-Racking Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention is a means for filling receptacles, and I have chosen to illustrate the same in this application as embodied in a beer-racking apparatus.

One object of my invention is the provision of means for rapidlyfilling kegs or other receptacles with liquid.

Another object of my invention is the provision of means for completely filling the kegs or other receptacles with liquid without wasting the liquid.

As the liquid beer, for instance, is supplied to or introduced into the keg it will foam and the foam will float on top of the liquid as the keg is filled. Now in order to completely fill the keg it has been necessary to allow the foam to run out of the bunghole and be wasted, the beer also overflowing unless shut off just as the liquid reaches the bung-hole. This operates to waste considerable beer when filling a number of kegs,.and as the filling operation should be completed as speedily possible the drip and overflow beer wasted is a considerable amount.

My invention is designed to avoid all waste from any source whatever, and if a little care be used no appreciable amount of beer need be wasted.

Of course if the foam in the keg is not al lowed to overflow then short keg is the result, the beer not completely filling the keg, and the air commingled with the foam will operate to make the beer flat and destroy the taste and freshness. By the use of my apparatus this danger is avoided, since the keg is filled completely with beer, the foam being forced out of the keg, and hence when the bung is driven into the keg there is no air left in the keg and the beer retains its original strength, freshness, and taste.

Another object of my invent-ion is the provision of a means for receiving the foam and overflow beer from one keg and supplying it to the succeeding keg to be filled without impairing the beer in the slightest, and yet effect- I ing a saving of the liquid.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a novel means for retaining the filling-tube in the keg by releasably locking it 1 1place when inserted through the bungs vision of an inexpensive, simple, and neat racking apparatus which will effectually perform all the work required in a highly efficient manner.

To these ends my invention consists, broadly, of a suitable supporting-frame, upon which is carried the filling tube or tubes, which are provided with means for receiving the overflow beer, which means is also connected with a member, likewise carried by the frame, for causing the expulsion of the overflow beer into the next keg to be filled, together with means for connecting the filling tube with the source of supply.

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ABI Buys Four Peaks

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Anheuser-Busch InBev announced this morning that they were buying Arizona brewer Four Peaks. Four Peaks is nearly twenty years old and Arizona’s largest brewery, on track to make approximately 70,000 barrels in 2015. As a nod to just how routine this type of news is becoming, ABI’s press release is titled “Anheuser-Busch Welcomes Four Peaks Brewing Company To The High End Business Unit.” The price was not disclosed and as is typical, the founders of the brewery will be remaining with the business.

Today, Anheuser-Busch announced an agreement to acquire Four Peaks Brewing Company, the leading craft brewer in the state of Arizona. Four Peaks will represent the sixth operation to join the growing list of innovative and progressive craft breweries within The High End, the company’s business unit providing unique craft and import brands.

“For 20 years we’ve had more amazing experiences than I can count doing what we love to do most – brewing great beer and sharing it with a growing craft community in Arizona that has supported us from day one,” said Andy Ingram, Four Peaks co-founder. “We’re excited to join the enthusiastic team and tap into their resources to expand our footprint and share our beer with even more people moving forward.”

Four Peaks, which opened its doors in 1996, expects to sell approximately 70,000 barrels of beer in 2015. The brewery will continue to brew their award-winning beers, including their flagship beer, Kilt Lifter, a Scottish-Style Ale that accounts for more than 60 percent of the brewery’s sales. Four Peaks also produces popular limited releases like cask versions of its mainstay beers and its four-time World Beer Cup-medaling Hopsquatch Barleywine. In addition to strong mainstay beers and limited releases, Four Peaks has seen great success with newer brews like its Pumpkin Porter, which grew more than 150 percent last year.

“As the leading craft brewery in Arizona, we’re proud of what we’ve built and of our brewing heritage. We’re excited to build on that success with The High End,” said Jim Scussel, Four Peaks co-founder. “Arizona has a rapidly-growing fan base for craft beer and we look forward to more opportunities to share what Four Peaks is about within our local community, and beyond,” added Randy Schultz, Four Peaks co-founder.

Four Peaks will join Goose Island Beer Company, Blue Point Brewing Company, 10 Barrel Brewing, Elysian Brewing Company and Golden Road Brewing as part of the growing portfolio of exceptional craft beers within The High End.

“It’s exciting to partner with another group of passionate craft beer founders, this time in the great state of Arizona,” said Andy Goeler, CEO, Craft, The High End. “What Andy, Jim, Randy and the team have been able to accomplish is remarkable and a testament to their culture and portfolio of great beers. We look forward to learning from each other and bringing more Four Peaks beers to craft lovers in the Southwest.”

The partnership includes the company’s three primary locations: the 8th Street Brewery & Pub in Tempe; the Wilson Street Brewery & Tasting Room in Tempe; and the Grill & Tap in Scottsdale, in addition to continuing their partnership at the Sky Harbor Airport facility. Anheuser-Busch’s acquisition of Four Peaks is expected to close during the first quarter of 2016. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

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Patent No. 664185A: Keg, Barrel, Or Cask

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Today in 1900, US Patent 664185 A was issued, an invention of Charles W. Stran, for his “Keg, Barrel, Or Cask.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to improvements in kegs, barrels, or casks, and pertains more especially to an article of the character indicated that is made of sheet metal.

The object of this invention is to provide a keg, barrel, or cask that possesses great strength and durability, whose heads cannot become displaced, that can be made with facility, and that is exceedingly simple in construction and comparatively inexpensive.

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Next Session Questions The Friendliness Of Breweries

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For the 107th Session, our host will be Dan Conley, who writes the brewery blog for the Community Beer Works in Buffalo, New York. For his topic, he’s asking us to consider whether breweries are our friends, or not, by bluntly asking the question. “Are breweries your friends?” Dan goes on to explain what he’s looking for in his announcement for the January Session:

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To be in business nowadays you pretty much have to have a social media presence. This is especially true in the beer world, where some breweries have basically built themselves on their personality. And yet, at the end of the day, we’re also selling you something.

I believe this is the first Session to be hosted by a brewery rather than beer blogger. [It’s not, but he’s correct that there haven’t been many. Ed.] How do you feel about that? Do you want your feeds clear of businesses, or do you like when a brewery engages with people? Can you think of anyone who does it particularly well, or poorly? As the person who does our social media, which I think is very good (although not quite good enough), I struggle with this problem. I’m on both sides, and rather than come to any sort of conclusion of my own I thought I would make all of you write about it.

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So what do you think? Are breweries in the friend zone? Should they be? Should they stay at arm’s length from their customers? Or somewhere in between? To participate in the January Session, leave the link to your post in a comment to the original announcement or tag them on Twitter at @communitybeer with your post on or before Friday, January 1. And please note that the first Friday of the month of January is the very first day of the new year. Given the revelry of the night before, it may be easy to overlook so you may want to tackle it before popping the cork on 2015.

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Patent No. 20090308879A1: Method Of Distributing Beer

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Today in 2009, US Patent 20090308879 A1 was issued, an invention of James H. Johnson, Jr., for his “Method of Distributing Beer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

A method of distributing beer includes the steps of providing a beer staging structure adjacent a retail location for the sale of beer, stocking beer in the structure and advertising for the beer on the structure.

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