Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 2678549A: Beer Cooling And Dispensing Apparatus

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Today in 1954, US Patent 2678549 A was issued, an invention of Alvin N. Bloom and Harold B. Campbell, for their “Beer Cooling and Dispensing Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, though it’s described this way in the application:

This invention relates to beer cooling and dispensing apparatus, and has for its primary purpose the provision of an apparatus of greatly improved and simplified structure, which is compact, portable and rugged, which can be installed very readily and inexpensively, which requires a minimum amount of attention, maintenance and servicing, which operates in a positive, economical, highly efficient and sanitary manner, and which is very flexible in its operation so that greatly varying amounts of beer at the proper temperature may be drawn.

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The Top 20 Most Popular Beers Sold In America

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Despite being primarily a wine site, Vinepair often has some interesting beer content. A few months ago, they created a chart of The 20 Most Popular Beers in America. The rankings are based on IRI data from 2013, which is a little odd since more recent figures are undoubtedly available. But in the top sellers, they don’t change all that often so it’s likely still reasonably accurate.
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In the “Details” below, the twenty beers are listed with a number of pieces of other interesting data, including the number of cases, price per case and their Beer Advocate score.
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Patent No. 7943366B2: Genetically Modified Yeast Species And Fermentation Processes Using Genetically Modified Yeast

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Today in 2011, US Patent 7943366 B2 was issued, an invention of Vineet Rajgarhia, Kari Koivuranta, Merja Penttilä, Marja Ilmen, Pirkko Suominen, Aristos Aristidou, Christopher Kenneth Miller, Stacey Olson, and Laura Ruohonen, assigned to Cargill, for their “Genetically Modified Yeast Species And Fermentation Processes Using Genetically Modified Yeast.” Here’s the Abstract:

Yeast cells are transformed with an exogenous xylose isomerase gene. Additional genetic modifications enhance the ability of the transformed cells to ferment xylose to ethanol or other desired fermentation products. Those modifications’, include deletion of non-specific or specific aldose reductase gene(s), deletion of xylitol dehydrogenase gene(s) and/or overexpression of xylulokinase.

Below are just three of the forty figures filed with the application. They all look about the same to my untrained eye.

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Patent No. 3251386A: Filler Valve Assembly

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Today in 1966, US Patent 3251386 A was issued, an invention of Frank A. Bellato, for his “Filler Valve Assembly.” There’s no Abstract, but in the description it states that the “invention relates to container filling apparatus, and particularly to what is known as a racker assembly used to fill beer kegs and the like.” But it’s primarily this.

The major object of the invention is to provide a racker assembly by means of whicha beer keg may be quickly and easily filled with a free unobstructed flow, while at the same time a supply of a gas under pressure (such as CO is being introduced into the keg to minimize turbulence and foaming of the beer as delivered into the keg.

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Patent No. 4089444A: Tapping Apparatus For Golden Gate Type Beer Keg Openings

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Today in 1978, US Patent 4089444 A was issued, an invention of Ronald E. Shea, for his “Tapping Apparatus For Golden Gate Type Beer Keg Openings.” Here’s the Abstract:

A beer keg tapping apparatus for golden gate type openings comprising a keg unit consisting of a stepped annular member in which valve controlled gas and liquid passages are disposed and which is adapted for insertion into the beer keg through the golden gate opening, and a stepped annular coupling member which is adapted for slidable disposal over the keg unit and includes first and second external threaded portions for engagement with the keg opening for securing the keg unit therein and with a tavern unit for tapping beer from the keg, respectively.

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Patent No. 625055A: Closure For Sealing Bottles

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Today in 1899, US Patent 625055 A was issued, an invention of William Painter, for his “Closure for Sealing Bottles.” There’s no Abstract, but in the description they describe an “invention [that] relates to closures for sealing bottles; and it is designed to provide for the ready and easy discharge of the contents of the bottle without the removal of the entire closure.” Basically, it’s an improvement to the crown, or bottle cap, that Painter first invented and patented in 1892.

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Beer In Ads #1556: Lady In Green

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Friday’s ad is for Sapporo, probably from the early part of the 20th century. It shows a female bartender in a green dress with a red belt serving a bottle of Sapporo. I can’t read Japanese Kanji so I don’t know what it says, but it’s a cool ad and you can see why they obviously made a poster out of it.

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Patent No. 20080110854A1: Beverage Bottle With Gripping Feature

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Today in 2008, US Patent 20080110854 A1 was issued, an invention of Jason M. Kelly, assigned to Coors Brewing Company, for his “Beverage Bottle With Gripping Feature.” Here’s the Abstract:

A container is provided with integral gripping features. The gripping features are preferably provided in two opposing groups located on opposite sides of the mid-section of the container. The gripping features include a plurality of finger grips that are adapted to conform to the placement of the thumb and fingers when grasping the container. The finger grips are elliptical shaped cavities, and ridges extend between each of the adjacent finger grips.

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