Patent No. 1974836A: Crown Cap Puller

September 25, 2015 By Jay Brooks

patent-logo
Today in 1934, US Patent 1974836 A was issued, an invention of John M. Schilling, for his “Crown Cap Puller.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to an improved construction of cap puller for bottles having crown caps of the kind commonly used in connection with bottled beverages. My device is preferably constructed of a single piece of sheet metal formed to give it substantial support on an object to which it is attached, and at the same time to effectively engage one edge and the outer end of a bottle cap when the cap is being removed from the bottle by means of the device. Furthermore, my device is constructed so that it may be secured to a desired support by a single fastener, for example, a screw, and the device has extending from its body portion, a projection for engaging the outer end of the bottle cap at a point remote from the edge of the cap being removed from the bottle by the device, the distance between the cap removing portion of the device and said projection, being preferably substantially greater than half the diameter of the cap, to the end that the pressure’exerted upon the .bottle in removing its cap, may be reduced to a minimum. The projection on the device for engaging the outer end surface of the cap, may consist of an integral projection formed from the material of the device, or it may consist of a rounded head of the fastening device, as preferred, and where the latter construction is used, the device is of extreme simplicity and correspondingly cheap to manufacture.

Untitled

Beer In Ads #1688: Hem And Haw On Flavor

September 24, 2015 By Jay Brooks

Thursday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1963. This is from the “Real Gusto” series that Schlitz ran for a few years in the 1960s. This one featured, unusually, a ginger man, but it was this sentence in the ad copy that really caught my eye. “It’s brewed light (with just the kiss of the hops) yet it doesn’t hem and haw on flavor.” That’s an awesome turn of phrase. Next time I find a weak beer, it will definitely “hem and haw on flavor.”

Schlitz-1963-gusto

Patent No. 4542683A: Brewing Apparatus

September 24, 2015 By Jay Brooks

patent-logo
Today in 1985, US 4542683 A was issued, an invention of Noel R. Wilkinson, for his “Brewing Apparatus.” Here’s the Abstract:

Brewing apparatus and a method of brewing in which mash cooking and wort boiling are carried out in a single vessel (2), the vessel having an agitator (202), a heater preferably formed as a steam jacket (220, 224) and as an external through flow heater (8), the wort being circulated through the heater and back into the vessel by means of a tangential feed inlet (56) which causes the vessel’s contents to whirl while the wort is boiling. The apparatus and method reduces the requirement for separate mash cooking and wort boiling vessels.

Untitled

Beer In Ads #1687: The New Washing Machine

September 23, 2015 By Jay Brooks

Wednesday’s ad is for Ballantine Ale, from 1943. “How American it is … to want something better!” Look how happy the woman is that her smug man got her a machine so she can keep washing his clothes. Apparently during World War 2, many people put off spending money on new luxuries and even Ballantine was looking forward with great anticipation to the day when people could go crazy with their spending … like today.

Ballantine-1943-appliance

Patent No. 6622510B2: Frozen Beer Product, Method And Apparatus

September 23, 2015 By Jay Brooks

patent-logo
Today in 2003, US 6622510 B2 was issued, an invention of Mark S. Giroux, Joseph M. Trewhella, and Darryl Alan Goodson, assigned to Grindmaster Crathco Systems, Inc., for their “Frozen Beer Product, Method and Apparatus.” Here’s the Abstract:

A method of freezing and dispensing a beer product comprises providing beer in a sealed, refrigerated storage container under pressure; feeding beer from the storage container to a sealed freezing chamber through a sealed delivery system; freezing the beer in the chamber; and dispensing frozen beer from the chamber.
The frozen beer product preferably has a slush consistency and a density of about 50% to about 90% of the density of unfrozen beer, a temperature of between about 23° and 27° F. and a volume reduction in a filled 14 fluid ounce plastic cup sitting in 70° F. room for 30 minutes or less than 10%.
A refrigerated cabinet for supplying beer comprises an insulated beer storage compartment; a refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a condenser, a thermal expansion device and an evaporator; a pressurized carbon dioxide tank in a separate, non-refrigerated compartment; and a fan for circulating air within the insulated beer storage compartment.
A beer freezing and dispensing apparatus comprises a freezing chamber; a refrigeration system for cooling the beer in the freezing chamber to a frozen state; a dispensing system for dispensing frozen beer from the freezing chamber when it reaches a slush consistency, and a beer delivery system for delivering beer to the freezing chamber, the beer delivery system comprising; a valve for controlling the introduction of beer into the delivery system; a check valve to prevent beer from flowing backwards out of the delivery system; an accumulator for holding beer that expands when beer freezes in the chamber; and a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of the beer between the accumulator and the freezing chamber.
The method and apparatus may also be used to freeze and dispense other single-strength beverages.

Untitled

Anheuser-Busch InBev Acquires L.A.’s Golden Road

September 23, 2015 By Jay Brooks

golden-road ABI
This morning, Anheuser-Busch InBev announced they were acquiring Golden Road Brewing, located in Los Angeles. The Wall Street Journal confirmed “Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed,” and that the “acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter.”

From the press release:

“The energy and passion of the beer community is what drew me into this industry and with Golden Road we wanted to help develop the craft beer market in L.A.,” said Meg Gill, ‎president and co-founder at Golden Road Brewing. “Our team worked hard to build Golden Road from the ground up and we are proud of the growth we’ve achieved in such a short time. California is an exciting and competitive market for beer and I see endless opportunities in partnering with Anheuser-Busch and their incredible distribution network to bring our beers to more people.”
As the largest craft brewery in Los Angeles County, Golden Road expects to sell approximately 45,000 barrels of beer in 2015 and can be found in more than 4,000 retail locations. With a brewery focused on draft and can production, a pub in Los Angeles and a new tasting room downtown. Additionally a new tasting room, opening in 2015, second production brewery and pub in Anaheim will be operational by the fourth quarter of 2016. Its core brands – Point the Way IPA, Wolf Among Weeds IPA, Golden Road Hefeweizen and 329 Days of Sun Lager – represent 95 percent of volume. Along with the core beers, Golden Road brewers are constantly experimenting with the freshest ingredients through a collection of rotating, seasonal and limited-edition brews, most notably the Custom IPA Series, a line-up of diverse, hop-forward IPAs.
“Golden Road’s commitment to making great beer, their pioneering spirit and the passionate beer culture built within the company is what appealed to us,” said Andy Goeler, CEO, Craft, Anheuser-Busch. “Their focus on giving back to the community and impact on the Los Angeles craft market in four short years makes Golden Road a strong addition to our craft portfolio.”
Golden Road Brewing will join Goose Island Beer Company, Blue Point Brewing, 10 Barrel Brewing and Elysian Brewing as part of Anheuser-Busch’s High End Business Unit’s portfolio. Anheuser-Busch’s partnership with Golden Road Brewing is expected to close by the end of the fourth quarter of 2015. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Meg and me at the opening Gala for SF Beer Week in 2011.

Several major news outlets have picked up the story, including the L.A. Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

And here, co-founder Meg Gill talks about the deal in a video.

Patent No. 3468450A: No-Return Container For Beer

September 23, 2015 By Jay Brooks

patent-logo
Today in 1969, US Patent 3468450 A was issued, an invention of Edmund Webel, for his “No-Return Container For Beer and Other Liquids.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved container for the packaging of beer suitable for the no-return distortion directly to consumers.

Untitled

« Previous Page