Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 3887431A: Yeast Protein Isolate With Reduced Nucleic Acid Content & Process Of Making Same

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Today in 1975, US Patent 3887431 A was issued, an invention of Ernest Aleck Robbins, Robert William Sucher Jr., Erich Henry Schuldt, Daniel Robert Sidoti, Robert Dudley Seeley, and Jon Albert Newell, assigned to Anheuser Busch, for their “Yeast Protein Isolate with Reduced Nucleic Acid Content and Process of Making Same.” Here’s the Abstract:

This disclosure relates to a yeast protein isolate (IYP) with less than 9% nucleic acid (RNA) and a Protein Equivalence Ratio (PER) of greater than 1. The yeast protein is made by a process which involves rupturing yeast cells, removing the cell wall residue from an alkaline medium, incubating in such a manner that the endogenous nuclease contained in the solubles portion degrades the nucleic acid present to a soluble form, insolubilizing the protein to separate it from the hydrolyzed nucleic acid, and separating the insoluble protein from the fraction containing soluble nucleic acid.

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The Beer Barrel Polka

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76 years ago today one of the most well-known polkas, and songs about beer, The Beer Barrel Polka, reached #1 on the Billboard Pop Music Chart in 1939. It was actually written in 1927, by Czech composer Jaromír Vejvoda. It was originally an instrumental known as the Modřanská polka (“Polka of Modřany”), but in 1939, German accordionist Will Glahé renamed it “The Beer Barrel Polka” and it was his 1939 version that made it the memorable song that is still played today. After World War II, Glahé was known in America as the “Polka King.” The English lyrics were later written by Lew Brown and Wladimir Timm, both Tin Pan Alley lyricists. The song was subsequently recorded by many other bands and singers. Musicians such as the Andrews Sisters, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Liberace, the Marx Brothers, Bobby Vinton and Frankie Yankovic did their own versions, too, making it a mainstay at dances and weddings to this day.

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I was unaware of this local connection, but according to Wikipedia:

At San Jose Giants home games, a batter from the opposing team is designated the “beer batter.” If the San Jose pitcher strikes out that batter, beer is half price in the beer only lines for the 15 minutes immediately following the strike out. The beer batter promotion is in effect only for the first six innings of the game. The PA system plays Beer Barrel Polka whenever the beer batter comes to the plate and after every strike during the beer batter’s at-bat (through the first six innings). After the sixth inning, the beer batter becomes the apple juice batter and if he strikes out, fans get half-priced Martinelli’s apple juice.

So here is the original version that made it a hit, as performed by Will Glahé:

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Will Glahe and his orchestra in 1935, before the Beer Barrel Polka made him famous.

Patent No. 2599080A: Hop Picking Mechanism

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Today in 1952, US Patent 2599080 A was issued, an invention of Edouard Thys, for his “Hop Picking Mechanism.” There’s no Abstract, though the description in the application states that it’s an “invention relat[ing] to hop picking mechanism and, more particularly, to improvements in hop picking fingers and bars.”

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a finger bar assembly wherein the picking fingers are formed and supported in a fashion to prevent breakage thereof during use.

It is another principal object of the present invention to provide a picking finger assembly comprising a plurality of resilient fingers, supported by a finger bar in a fashion that a resilient finger may be removed easily from the bar, if it becomes necessary, with a minimum delay in the operation of the machine with which the fingers are utilized and in a fashion that requires a minimum of skill.

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Patent No. 3447375A: Beverage Container Having Sight Gage Means

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Today in 1969, US Patent 3447375A was issued, an invention of John H. Fox Jr., assigned to the Reynolds Metals Co., for his “Beverage Container Having Sight Gage Means.” There’s no Abstract, though the description in the application states that he’s invented an “improved beverage container having sight gage means made of a solid light transmitting material and extending through opaque outer wall means of such container wherein such sight gage means has outer easily visible viewing surface means and inner surface means arranged to be surrounded by a beverage within such container, such outer surface means having a normally bright appearance which becomes dark upon surrounding the inner surface means with beverage.”

Many carbonated beverages are currently sold in pressurized container means such as kegs, or the like, wherein it would be desirable to determine the amount of beverage within such keg in a simple and inexpensive manner. Although many types of liquid level gages are available most of such gages are complicated, expensive, and provide undesirable easily damaged protrusions from exterior wall means of an associated beverage keg. Accordingly, it is a feature of this invention to provide an improved beverage container having improved sight gage means of simple and economical construction.

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Senate Passes Resolution Celebrating Brewers

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This is kind of fun. A few years ago, the California state senate declared that February was California Beer Month using language I helped draft. Other states have followed suit, as well. But now the U.S. Senate has unanimously passed a national resolution, S. Res. 188 recognizing the efforts of small breweries nationwide and American Craft Beer Week in particular.

Here’s the BA’s press release:

The weeklong celebration honoring the country’s small and independent craft brewery renaissance during the 10th American Craft Beer Week (ACBW) continues, as Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Susan Collins (R-Me.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) introduced a resolution, S. Res. 188, expressing the Senate’s appreciation of the goals of the week and commending the craft brewers of the United States. The U.S. Senate passed S. Res. 188 by unanimous consent.

From May 11-17, all 50 states witnessed over 2,000 registered ACBW events, including exclusive brewery tours, special craft beer releases, food and beer pairings, tap takeovers and more, to honor the ever-advancing craft beer culture and unite tens of thousands of beer lovers nationwide. CraftBeer.com also created an interactive graphic featuring fun facts to commemorate each state and its respective commitment to craft brewing.

“American Craft Beer Week is about supporting and celebrating small and independent brewers,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and craft beer program director at the Brewers Association. “We are thrilled to see the U.S. Senate recognize the week and commend the accomplishments of small brewery businesses, each of whom are a driving economic force and cultural bright spot for this country.”

In addition to expressing gratitude for the goals of ACBW, the resolution recognizes the significant contributions of the craft brewers of the United States to the economy and to the communities which the craft brewers are located. The resolution also commends craft brewers for providing jobs, supporting agriculture, improving balance of trade—particularly by producing many sought-after new and unique styles ranging from smoked porters to pumpkin peach ales—and educating the country and beer lovers around the world about the history and culture of beer, while promoting legal and responsible appreciation.

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Patent No. 701335A: Device For Drawing Liquids

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Today in 1902, US Patent 701335 A was issued, an invention of Lucien H. Handy, assigned to the American Faucet Company, for his “Device For Drawing Liquids.” There’s no Abstract, though the description in the application states that he’s “invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Drawing Liquids,” such as:

My invention relates to that class of devices for drawing liquids in which a faucet connection is made and broken with a permanent bung in the barrel or keg simultaneously with the operation of the bung-valve, due to said connection; and said invention is especially applicable to those devices of this type in which for the purpose of drawing lager-beer means are provided for passing a slip-pipe into the liquid in the receptacle and forcing air under pressure upon top of the liquid, whereby the latter is forced up through the slip-pipe.

My invention consists in the novel combinations of bung, controlling-valve, and faucet connection, with its locking and operating key, slip-pipe, and air-passage and in the novel details of construction and arrangement in connection therewith.

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Beer In Ads #1574: Chiamami Peroni Saro La Tua Birra

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Tuesday’s ad is for Italy’s Peroni, from 1976. The headline, “chiamami Peroni sarò la tua birra, translates roughly to “call me Peroni I’ll be your beer” or possibly “call me, Peroni’ll be your beer.” And in the ad copy there’s “sono la birra pùr bevuta la Italia,” which is something along the lines of “drinking the beer while in Italy,” and finally “Lo sapevi,” meaning “did you know?” What makes this ad stand out is how exactly is she holding up that beer mug in her hand with all five of her fingers spread wide? Either she just let go and the photographer snapped the picture before it smashed to the floor, or that’s one slick magic trick.

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Patent No. 2888944A: Filling System

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Today in 1959, US Patent 2888944A was issued, an invention of Rudolph H. Breeback, assigned to Crown Cork & Seal Co., for his “Filling System.” There’s no Abstract, though it’s described this way in the application. “The present invention relates to a filling system and more particularly to a system for delivering beer or other carbonated beverages to a filling machine.”

An object of this invention is the provision of a system for delivering beer to a reservoir of a filling machine whereby the supply of liquid in the reservoir will be controlled by a pressure actuated switch so connected to the reservoir that the pressure acting upon the switch is controlled by the liquid level within the reservoir.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a system for delivering beer to a reservoir of a filling machine whereby the pressure and level of the liquid in the reservoir can be controlled within a range independent of the level and pressure of the liquid in government tank.

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Patent No. 2043183A: Double-Walled Vessel

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Today in 1933, US Patent 2043183 A was issued, an invention of Karl Wilhelm Mauser, for his “Double-Walled Vessel.” There’s no Abstract, though it’s described this way in the application:

This invention relates to a double-walled metal vessel for transport and storage of beverages, more particularly beer, in which the inner vessel for holding the beverage is removable. The removable inner vessel has the advantage over the fixed vessel that a separate cleansing or sterilization and a storage of the beverage can be effected without the outer vessel, so that the latter is used only for transporting the storage `vessels when ready for despatch. A further advantage is that the inner vessel can be kept under observation, which is of importance, for example, in case of the occurrence of corrosion.

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Patent No. 1098659A: Racking-Machine

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Today in 1914, US Patent 1098659 A was issued, an invention of John G. Bieniek, for his “Racking-Machine.” There’s no Abstract, though it’s stated in the application that Bieniek has “invented a new and useful Improvement in Racking-Machines,” adding:

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved racking machine; to provide a racking machine in which the filling apparatus may be readily brought into and out of operative position with respect to the barrel to be filled; to provide a rack 111g machine having means for automatically operating the filling valve; to provide a racking machine having improved mechanism for indicating that the barrel is filled; to provide a racking machine having improved means for firmly holding the filling apparatus in operative position; and to provide a strong, simple and easily operable device adapted to fill beer barrels with great rapidity.

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