Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 57381A: Improvement In Hop-Vine Supports

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Today in 1866, US Patent 57381 A was issued, an invention of Norman C. Roberts and Ezra V. Badger, for their “Improvement in Hop-Vine Supports.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

[We] have invented a new and Improved Mode of Constructing Hop-Rods, to be used in the culture of hops, which we call Portable Sectional Hop-Rods and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hop-yard with the upper section or rods placed horizontal. Fig. 2 is a view of the same with the upper section or rods placed on an angle.

The nature of our invention consists in setting one rod in each hill of hops, and of having other rods or sections suitably connected and supported either horizontally or at any desired angle, by which we are enabled to save a great amount of expense in the raising of hops.

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Patent No. 7258887B2: Preparation Of Light Stable Hops

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Today in 2007, US Patent 7258887 B2 was issued, an invention of Patrick L. Ting, Henry Goldstein, Aki A. Murakami, Michael VanSanford, Jay R. Refling, John R. Seabrooks, and David S. Ryder, assigned to Miller Brewing Company, for their “Preparation of Light Stable Hops.” Here’s the Abstract:

Disclosed are methods for the production of light stable hops, useful for the brewing of beer or ale to be stored in clear or green glass containers, which beer or ale will not develop objectionable flavor as a result of exposure to light. Light stable hops are prepared by double extraction of liquid/supercritical CO2 extracted hop solids with ethanol to remove alpha/iso-alpha-acids. Such alpha/iso-alpha-acids may be further removed from the ethanol extraction liquor obtained in the double extraction process by subjecting such liquor to an ion exchange medium, or precipitation by a metal ion, heavy metal ion, or alkali metal ion, to provide an alpha/iso-alpha-acid is free extraction liquor which may be added to the light stable hops residue obtained in the initial double extraction process.

Wanting to continue using their distinctive clear bottle for Miller High Life, at least since 1962, Miller started coming with preparations to make certain hops less subject to becoming lightstruck. In 1962, they patented a Anactinic malt product and hop extract therefor and since then at least eight newer patents improves aspects of the same idea.
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Beer In Ads #1654: A Tug Of Beer

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Thursday’s ad is for the Brewers’ Society, from 1956. Similar to the ads in America by the United States Brewers Foundation that ran around the same time, the British ads used taglines like “Good Wholesome BEER” and “The best long drink in the world!” People are turning red in the face in the tug-of-war contest going on in the ad. I bet I know what they can drink when they’re done building up a thirst. “A cooling drink. A cheering drink. An invigorating drink.”

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The Next Session Looks At The Elephants In The Room

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For the 103rd Session, our host will be Natasha Godard, who writes MetaCookBook. For her topic, she’s asking us to look around and acknowledge the elephant or elephants in the room, whichever one you’ve finally noticed, or as she explains it in her announcement for the September Session, “The Hard Stuff:”

“Beer” is its own subculture at this point. There’s an expected “look” and expected desires. Beer festivals are everywhere. Beer blogs flourish; indeed at this point there’s reasonable sub categories for them. New breweries are popping up at record pace; the US alone has more than 3,000. Big breweries are getting bigger, some are being purchased, some are saying that’s bullshit.

But we’re still fairly monolithic as a group. And there are a number of problems related to that tendency toward sameness. Not all problems related are personal, for example trademark disputes are becoming more commonplace as we all have the same “clever thought”.

We have such a good time with our libation of choice that sometimes we fear bringing up the issues we see.

Well, stop that. Air your concerns, bring up those issues. Show us what we’re not talking about and should be, and tell us why.

Pour us a liberal amount of The Hard Stuff.

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So start noticing the things that are right in front of you, but aren’t acknowledged or talked about in polite beer society, and let us know what you think is the hard stuff that we should bring up and face. Maybe we’ve been looking in the other direction and just didn’t see it, or maybe it’s staring us in the face and we just chose to ignore it. Either way, to participate in the September Session, leave a comment to the original announcement, on or before Friday, September 4.

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Beer In Ads #1653: Lager At Its Best!

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Wednesday’s ad is for Carlsberg, from 1956. This is the second similar ad for Carlsberg in the last few days using the “Call For Carlsberg” tagline along with the subheading “Lager at its best!” This one features a man hanging from the chandelier, as a bemused crowd below looks up. Chandelier man looks like he’s about to say something, but from the ad copy I think he’s just trying to order another beer from the bar and doesn’t want to stand in line with the rest of the hoi polloi. Kind of a dick move when you get right down to it.

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Patent No. WO1993016167A1: Concentrated Beer Flavor Product

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Today in 1993, US Patent WO 1993016167 A1 was issued, an invention of James Allan Doncheck, Bruce John Morton, Michael Rudolph Sfat, and Ann Christine Wege, assigned to Bio Tech Resources, for their “Concentrated Beer Flavor Product.” Here’s the Abstract:

A process for forming a beer flavored concentrate by germinating barely (e.g., in the presence of the enzyme promoting agent gibberellic acid) to produce a green malt of approximately 43 % moisture content that is heated in a closed container at 85° to 95 °C for 2 to 6 hours (i.e., raising the internal bed temperature to 70° to 89 °C for one half to 3 hours) to reduce amylolytic enzyme activity. By kiln drying in an opened container (e.g. at 50° to 65 °C for 12 to 18 hours) an amylolytic enzyme deficient green malt of 3.5 to 5.5 wt.% moisture content is produced. This dried malt when used to make a mash (e.g. upon grinding and the addition of brewing water) results in the preparation of a wort that when boiled and pitched with brewers yeast can be fermented by conventional methods. The fermented wot can be diluted with water to yield a malt beverage containing less than 0.5 volume % alcohol and less than 40 calories per 12 ounces or alternatively concentrated by vacuum evaporation, freeze concentration, spray-drying and/or freeze drying to produce an intense beer flavored product.

I’m not sure if it’s the same or not, but Pat’s Backcountry Beverages started offering something similar for sale recently, which Gizmodo tested in We Drank Beer Concentrate So You Don’t Have To.
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Beer In Ads #1652: If You Want To Feel Heroic …

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Tuesday’s ad is for Double Diamond, from 1951, which by that time was part of Ind Coope. It’s part of their “works wonders” series featuring the “Double Diamond Man.” After drinking a Double Diamond, it appears that DDM believes he can stop an armed bank robber singlehandedly. The DDM reminds me of a cross between John Cleese and Rumpole of the Bailey. The ad copy almost sounds like their encouraging such behavior. Dutch courage is one thing, but I’m not sure suggesting drinking a beer will make you a hero is necessarily a good message.

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Patent No. D46298S: Design For A Bottle-Opener

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Today in 1914, US Patent D46298 S was issued, an invention of John L. Sommer, for his “Design for a Bottle-Opener.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this very short description, claiming that he has “invented a new, original and ornamental Design for a Bottle-Opener.” I bet you could make these today and they’d still be popular.
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Patent No. PP20227P3: Hop Plant Named ‘Super Galena’

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Today in 2009, US Patent PP20227 P3 was issued, an invention of Roger D. Jeske and Joe Brulotte, assigned to S.S. Steiner, Inc., for their “Hop Plant Named ‘Super Galena.'” Here’s the Abstract:

A novel variety of hop, Humulus lupulus L., named “Super Galena” is disclosed. “Super Galena” has relatively high contents of bitter acids, beta-acids, total oil, and humulene, and a moderate, pleasant aroma. “Super Galena” is comparable to Galena in its aroma and bitterness profile but offers a substantially higher yield and complete resistance to hop powdery mildew strains found in Washington, United States. The new variety was discovered among the progeny of a sexual cross made in 1998 in Yakima, Wash., United States and has been asexually reproduced and assessed in field plots in Prosser, Wash., United States.

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Beer In Ads #1651: Have A Glass Of Guinness When You’re Tired

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Monday’s ad is for Guinness, from 1945. I’m not sure who looks sadder, the camel laden down with ten levels of boxes, barrels and sacks or the dude trying to lead the ship of the desert. I guess neither of them is moving until they get a beer. The illustration feels different then many of the classic Guinness ads, but it was done by John Gilroy, who did most of their iconic ads.

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