Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

Socialize

Beer In Ads #1493: Bowling Night

By


Friday’s ad is for Budweiser, from the 1950s. Ah, I remember when bowling night was something millions of people participated in. It used to be extremely popular, and my Aunt’s husband owned the Paramus Lanes in New Jersey, which is where they used to shoot a television show called “Make That Spare.” There was a time, believe it or not, when bowling was the most popular sport on television. I bowled a lot when I was a kid, played in leagues, entered tournaments and even had New Year’s Eve parties at the local lanes. For a short time in high school I dated a girl who was on the girl’s bowling team, and spent a lot of time bowling. Anyway, bowling seems to have really dropped off a cliff in popularity and was even used as a metaphor for the 2000 book “Bowling Alone,” about the collapse of community in America. I do so love the old bowling team shirts, though, and used to pick them up a thrift shops when I find cool ones in my size.

Bud-1950s-bowling-night

Patent No. 4436228A: Keg Tapping Apparatus Having Improved Retainer

By

patent-logo
Today in 1984, US Patent 4436228 A was issued, an invention of John A. Frey, assigned to Hoff-Stevens, Inc., for his “Keg Tapping Apparatus Having Improved Retainer.” Here’s the Abstract:

A keg tapping apparatus includes a keg unit secured within the neck of a keg by a retainer and a tavern unit coupled to the keg unit by the retainer. An operating handle opens valves associated with the keg unit to establish fluid communication between the keg and fluid inlet and outlet fittings on the tavern unit. The retainer has a body which includes a generally cylindrical bore and notches which communicate with the bore. Complementary inserts received within the notches are integrally attached to the body and define coupling lugs which project into the bore for coupling connection with the tavern unit. The inserts are made from a harder material than the body.

US4436228-1

Patent No. 3720355A: Portable Beer Siphon Device

By

patent-logo
Today in 1974, US Patent 3720355 A was issued, an invention of Mack S. Johnston, for his “Portable Beer Siphon Device.” Here’s the Abstract:

The device includes a keg adapter mounted within a 1 1/2 inch keg opening and a dispenser coupler secured to the keg adapter, the adapter and coupler having gas and liquid passages for permitting ingress of gas into the keg and outflow of beer from the keg. The gas passage receives gas from a hand operated portable plunger type pump with the beer dispensing outlet including a spout. The coupler is secured to the adapter by rotating the former relative to the latter which, in turn, opens normally closed gas and liquid valves in the adapter. A liquid valve is disposed in the coupler and displacement of the spout opens the valve to permit outflow of beer therefrom.

US3720355-1
US3720355-2
US3720355-3
US3720355-4

Patent No. 1662146A: Coaster

By

patent-logo
Today in 1928, US Patent 1662146 A was issued, an invention of Grant Calvin Elliott, for his “Coaster.” There’s no Abstract, but in the description it states that the “invention relates to certain improvements in coasters and it is an object of the invention to provide a dish of this kind provided with a spoon holder and wherein the spoon holder is provided with a drain delivering to the coaster or dish.” The description continues.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved coaster whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use.

US1662146-0

Beer In Ads #1492: Faust Beer

By


Thursday’s ad is for Anheuser-Busch’s “Faust Beer,” from 1915. While you may be familiar with the Faust that Anheuser-Busch put out in 1995, part of a trio of “American Originals” released that year, along with Muenchener and Black and Tan, the original Faust was first brewed in 1885. They were still brewing it at least thirty years later, when this ad is from. Despite the imagery of the Faust of German legend who made a deal with the devil, that’s not who the beer was named for, but for Tony Faust, the Oyster King of St. Louis, a restaurant owner and drinking buddy of Adolphus Busch.

A-B-1915-Faust

Patent No. 3796143A: Device For The Germination And Drying Of Malt

By

patent-logo
Today in 1974, US Patent 3796143 A was issued, an invention of Gisbert Schlimme and Manfred Tschirner, for his “Device for the Germination and Drying of Malt.” Here’s the Abstract:

A device for the germination and drying of malt charged onto the radially outer portion of an annular rotating rack and gradually shifted radially inwardly by means of rotary worm means extending radially across said annular rack and being suspended by threaded spindles for movement downwardly and upwardly between charge and discharge openings in an outer wall surrounding said annular rack.

US3796143-1
US3796143-2

Patent No. 1020212A: Beer-Tap

By

patent-logo
Today in 1912, US Patent 1020212 A was issued, an invention of Edward A. Lukowski, for his “Beer-Tap.” There’s no Abstract, but in the description states that it’s an “invention relat[ing] to beer taps and has for its main object to provide an improved beer tap, capable of being readily inserted in the bushing without the use of a mallet or other device for pounding upon the tap. A Another object is to provide a beer tap in which the danger of leakage is reduced to a minimum.”
US1020212-0

Beer In Ads #1491: Barley Brings Health And Vigor

By


Wednesday’s ad is still another one for Anheuser-Busch’s “Malt-Nutrine,” this one from 1911. This is another ad for A-B’s non-alcoholic health drink, marketed with snake-oil salesman enthusiasm. “Barley Brings Health and Vigor” continues that tradition but works only “when ably malted and fermented with the tonic properties of Saazer Hop as in Anheuser-Busch’s Malt-Nutrine.” But I especially love this testimonial. “Thousands of delicate women will testify to its food and tonic qualities.”

A-B-1911-Malt-Nutrine

Patent No. 20100062104A1: Method For Filtering Beer

By

patent-logo
Today in 2010, US Patent 20100062104 A1 was issued, an invention of Ralf Schneid, assigned to Krones AG, for his “Method For Filtering Beer.” Here’s the Abstract:

A method for filtering beer, wherein the beer to be produced is guided into a filter. For the improvement of the filtering output, the beer to be produced is subjected to a shaking process before being introduced into the filter.

US20100062104A1-20100311-D00000

Patent No. PP24299P2: Hop Plant Named ‘Calypso’

By

patent-logo
Today in 2014, just one year ago, US Patent PP24299 P2 was issued, an invention of Roger D. Jeske and Paul D. Matthews, assigned to S.S. Steiner, Inc., for their “Hop Plant Named ‘Calypso.’” Here’s the Abstract:

A new and distinct aroma variety of hop, Humulus lupulus L., named ‘CALYPSO’ is characterized by its large yield, unique aroma and resistance to hop powdery mildew.

USPP024299-20140311-D00001
USPP024299-20140311-D00002
USPP024299-20140311-D00003