Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 3473556A: Beer Keg Tapping Device And Seal

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Today in 1969, US Patent 3473556 A was issued, an invention of Edward G. Akers, Keith M. Johnson, and Robert P. Marine, for their “Beer Keg Tapping Device and Seal.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The disclosure herein describes a novel seal and more particularly a new beer keg tapping device. The beer keg tapping device described herein includes a tapping valve and an outer fitting with the tapping valve having a beer passageway extending therethrough. The passageway has an outwardly flared portion adjacent the outlet thereof. The tapping valve is releasably secured to the beer keg and a valve element is movable axially within the beer passageway to selectively open and close the beer passageway. The outer fitting includes an elongated probe receivable within the outwardly flared portion of the passageway and engageable with the valve element to move the valve element to open the beer passageway. The probe has a beer passageway therein and a skirt-type seal adjacent the inner end of the probe. The seal is engageable with the outwardly flared portion of the beer passageway of the tapping valve and as the probe is moved axially, the skirt seal is cammed radially inwardly to form a very tight probe-to-tapping valve seal before the beer passageway is Opened. The tapping valve is secured to the beer keg by cooperating lug members on both of the keg and the outer fitting and by a pair of tabs driven through apertures in the tapping valve and engageable with projections or ribs on the keg.

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Patent No. 2614406A: Drinking Rim For Beer Cans

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Today in 1952, US Patent 2614406 A was issued, an invention of Oliver W. Carpenter, for his “Drinking Rim for Beer Cans.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to detachable rims for beer cans and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a detachable rim for a conventional beer can which facilitates drinking of the contents directly from the can.

Another object is to provide a rim which may be disposed on the can and isolate the drinkers lips from any contamination such as germs, or the like, which may be present on the can.

A further object is to provide a rim which is inexpensive in construction, and hence may be discarded after use.

Another object is to provide a rim which will withstand a sterilizing temperature in event the rim is to be reused.

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Beer In Ads #1714: Look Who Switched To Natural Light

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Tuesday’s ad is for Natural Light, from 1980. Today is the birthday of baseball legend Mickey Mantle. In the mid-1970s, Mantle did some commercials, along with fellow Yankees teammate Whitey Ford, for Miller Lite. So when he did this ad for rival Natural Light, they played up his being a switch hitter “who switched to Natural Light.”

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Patent No. 5823222A: Sanitary Sampling Device

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Today in 1998, US Patent 5823222 A was issued, an invention of James Edward Minshull and Robert G. Lawrence, assigned to Labatt Brewing Company Limited, for their “Sanitary Sampling Device and Method for Using Same.” Here’s the Abstract:

A sanitary coupling device and a method for its use are described. The sanitary coupling device taps a vessel, such as a brewery tank, without exposing the fluid to the atmosphere. The device can include a coupler that prevents the collected fluid from exposure to the atmosphere. The method for tapping a vessel can include engaging a nipple with a coupler. Then, collecting a sample and disengaging the coupler from the nipple is performed. The invention is desirable for a brewery tank sampling with a clean-in-place connection system.

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Patent No. 5156283A: Wooden Stein With Responsive Emblem

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Today in 1992, US Patent 5156283 A was issued, an invention of Susan R. Sampson, for her “Wooden Stein With Responsive Emblem.” Here’s the Abstract:

A beer stein is made of wood, which imparts no disagreeable flavor to the beer, and creates a faint pleasant aroma. The stein has an insert on its front surface which contains some active display reactive to the environment, such as a thermochromic emblem or a swirling snowflake scene.

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Patent No. 2909044A: Spout Cooling Apparatus

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Today in 1959, US Patent 2909044 A was issued, an invention of John F. Wilcox, assigned to Superior Products Mfg Company, for his “Spout Cooling Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to liquid coolers and dispensers and more specifically relates to apparatus for cooling liquid dispensing spouts or faucets.

This one’s interesting and worth the long read. It’s essentially adjunct brewing, but incorporating soybeans in the process, too. The fact that Archer Daniels Midland owns the rights to the patent is also a bit curious.
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Beer In Ads #1713: There’s Room To Grow In Canada Unlimited

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Monday’s ad is for O’Keefe’s, from 1949. The ad copy begins: “The seven-league boots of today …,” which I confess made no sense to me. Apparently seven-league boots “are an element in European folklore. The boots allow the person wearing them to take strides of seven leagues per step, resulting in great speed. The boots are often presented by a magical character to the protagonist to aid in the completion of a significant task.” In this case, it’s uniting Canada, by “shrinking time and distance … bringing our peoples closer together … that’s the role of Canadian aviation.” The Rockwell-like illustration was created by a Clare Shragge. It’s an emotionally charged painting, brimming with optimism … and beer.

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Patent No. 4355047A: Method Of Preparing A Low Calorie Beer

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Today in 1982, US Patent 4355047 A was issued, an invention of William F. Line, Vinod K. Chaudhary, Etzer Chicoye, and Robert J. Mizerak, assigned to Miller Brewing Company, for his “Method of Preparing a Low Calorie Beer.” Here’s the Abstract:

Low calorie beer is prepared by introducing into the brewing process a debranching enzyme (pullulanase) obtained from rice, a traditional brewing material. The debranching enzyme reduces the real extract of the beer by cleaving alpha 1,6 linkages of unfermentable limit dextrins to form alpha 1,4 dextrins which can be converted by alpha 1,4 carbohydrates to sugars that can be fermented by brewer’s yeast. The enzyme may be introduced into the brewing process by adding rice or the enzyme extracted from rice to the mash or to the wort before or during fermentation. The debranching enzyme may be obtained from polished dry milled rice by extraction with an aqueous buffer solution. When malted rice is used as the enzyme source a particularly useful mixture of the debranching enzyme and alpha 1,4 carbohydrates is obtained.

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Patent No. 2692199A: Method Of Making Beer (With Soybeans)

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Today in 1954, US Patent 2692199 A was issued, an invention of Ralph O. Weber, assigned to Archer Daniels Midland Co., for his “Method Of Making Beer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to processes of making beer, and more particularly to improvements wherein there is utilized the solid materials of soybeans from which the oil has been removed.

This one’s interesting and worth the long read. It’s essentially adjunct brewing, but incorporating soybeans in the process, too. The fact that Archer Daniels Midland owns the rights to the patent is also a bit curious.
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The Comforts Of Life

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Here’s an interesting piece of history I came across this morning. It’s a hand-colored etching created around 1826, possibly by Henry Heath. This one is plate 3 from a set of 4, all of which apparently relate to alcohol and its effects. It’s believed to have been published by William Cole of 10 Newgate Street in London. An original of the print is in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum. It’s certainly an interesting caricature of life in the early 19th century.

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According to the text at the bottom of the print, each of the gentlemen are drinking the following. Double-X / Half & Half / Porter / Swipes (Which appears to be beer that is weak, thin, watery or even spoiled).