Today in 1912, US Patent 1018703 A was issued, an invention of Wilhelm Griesser, for his “Building for Cooling and Storing Beer.” This one seems crazy, an entire building being patented. There’s no Abstract, but the description states that the “present invention has reference to storage buildings, and it comprehends generally a structure which is adapted primarily for cooling and storing beer and is designed to be built up floor by floor as the tanks are arranged in position one above another, so as to produce, in effect, at its completion, a tower or the like wherein the tanks are inclosed and supported by a homogeneous monolithic casing of cementitious material, the tanks being built into the casing, during the actual construction of the latter, in such a manner that their metal walls and the walls of the casing mutually reinforce each other.”
Patent No. 3022617A: Conveyor Keg Palletizing Device
Today in 1962, US Patent 3022617 A was issued, an invention of John Miller and Vincent J. Russoman, assigned to Schaefer Brewing Co., for their “Attachment for Conveyor Keg Palletizing Device.” There’s no Abstract, and given that there are a record (for me at least) 45 drawings showing the patented device, there’s precious little by way of description, so I guess just look at the pretty pictures.
Next Session Coming Up For The Up And Coming
For the 97th Session, our host is Brett Domue, who is one-half of the duo writing Our Tasty Travels, along with Erin De Santiago. He’s asking us all to opine on “Up-and-Coming Beer Locations.” Essentially he wants to know. Where are tomorrow’s beer superstars?
We all have our favorite beer locations. Some have been around for centuries. Others have made such a name for themselves in the past 25 years, they have reached beer-legend status and are ranked up there with the “old-world” beer destinations.
Belgium, Germany, and the Czech Republic are pretty-much synonymous with beer, especially in line with the basic styles that originated in their breweries centuries ago.
Within the United States, you have “old-world” cities such as Milwaukee, WI, as well as “new-world” cities such as [San Francisco,] San Diego, Denver, Philadelphia, Boston, Portland, OR, and Asheville, NC more well-known for their experimental craft breweries.
But one thing that has become more apparent than ever in recent years, the craft beer scene is growing around the world, even faster than ever before!
What are the up-and-coming beer locations that you see as the next major players in the beer scene?
For this month’s session, I’m asking you all to share which locations you see as the beer destinations that everyone will be talking about in the next few years. Where are the beer scenes just emerging, or coming into their own? Some may be brand new locations. While others may be old-world destinations seeing a renaissance into the world of new craft beer styles. Some may even be locations where familiar names from around the world are planning on setting up shop to bring new styles to old palates.
So come up with your own list of up-and-comers. To participate in March’s Session, just wax on and/or off about your take on the humble beer fest. Then on March 6, post your choices in the comments section to Domue’s announcement. He even has a novel approach for non-bloggers. “If you don’t have a beer blog but still want to participate, use the hashtag #session97 and I’ll try to include microblog/social media inputs with that hashtag as well.” That’s a fun idea, and if it works, one we should continue with going forward.
Patent No. 644171A: Attachment For Beer-Dispensing Apparatus
Today in 1900, US Patent 644171 A was issued, an invention of William Handler, for his “Attachment for Beer-Dispensing Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, but in the description Handler explains that his “invention relates to an attachment for beer-dispensing apparatus,” adding that the “object of this invention is to produce what may be termed an anti-froth device, which may be applied at any point between the barrel, keg, or vessel and the discharge outlet of the dispensing-faucet, the said device operating to retard or hold back the froth,while permitting a ready outflow of the liquid, and thereby equalizing the amount of froth delivered with the liquid from the first to the last glass of liquid drawn from the vessel.”
Beer In Ads #1478: My Friend Budweiser
Thursday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1907. The simple ad from over 100 years ago is trying to make friends. For every tuxedoed, top-hatted man with a patriotic flag lapel pin is a friend of Budweiser.
Patent No. 1992261A: Pulp Or Fibrous-Mass Breaker
Today in 1935, US Patent 1992261 A was issued, an invention of William F. Traudt, for his “Pulp or Fibrous-Mass Breaker.” There’s no Abstract, but in the description Traudt explains that his “invention relates to improvements ‘in breakers or disintegrators for fibrous material, such as the filter-mass employed in breweries for filtering beer, the breaker of this application being primarily intended for breaking up the soiled or used filter-mass coming from the beer filters preparatory to washing or reclaiming it for reuse.”
Patent No. 200744A: Improvement In Ale Or Beer Measures
Today in 1878, US Patent 200744 A was issued, an invention of Thomas Millee, for his “Improvement in Ale or Beer Measures.” There’s no Abstract, but in the description Millee explains that the “object of my invention is to provide a ready and convenient means of ascertaining the quantity of liquor in the measure, including that portion which is contained in the form of froth or foam; and in order to accomplish this object I cover or inclose the outlet from the interior of the measure to the measuring tube, by soldering strips of metal to the side and bottom of the measure at the point where the tube connects therewith, so as to form a separate compartment at the base of such tube on the inside of the measure above the bottom, which compartment has small apertures leading’ into it, arranged so that the foam or froth will not be driven against or through them into this compartment when the liquor is drawn or poured into the measure, all of which will more clearly appear by the drawings and description of the different parts.”
Beer In Ads #1477: The Health Of The Farmer
Wednesday’s ad is another one for Anheuser-Busch’s “Malt-Nutrine,” also from 1908. Malt-Nutrine was promoted not as a non-alcoholic beer, but as a “pure malt tonic” and sold by druggists and grocers. “The Health of the Farmer” that the ad is touting comes from Malt-Nutrine containing “the combined juices of germinated barley and selected Saazer Hops.” Is that all? Hell, no. “Every bottle is charged with the strength and glory of the golden grain. Its aroma is the fragrance of the clinging hop vine and its living vigor is the cream of ripened barley. It infuses life into the blood — sustains all the vital powers and to the feeble, aged and run down it is a veritable restorer of recreative and soothing potency.”
Patent No. 1054119A: Apparatus For Picking Hops
Today in 1913, US Patent 1054551 A was issued, an invention of Emil Clemens Horst, for his “Apparatus For Picking Hops,” and his second patent to be issued today. There’s no Abstract, but the description states he’s “devised a complete system for mechanically picking hops from the vines and separating them from the leaves and stems, with which they are co-mingled and delivering them to dryers by machinery.”
Patent No. 1054551A: Method Of Picking Hops
Today in 1913, US Patent 1054551 A was issued, an invention of Emil Clemens Horst, for his “Method of Picking Hops.” There’s no Abstract, but the description states that the “invention comprises a method of picking hops and [he has] disclosed in the accompanying drawings apparatus by which my method may be performed.”
To the attainment of the desirable results which will be hereinafter more particularly described, the method which I prefer to employ as comprehended in the scope of this application is as follows: First: Passing the hop vines over and in contact with suit able picker mechanism. Second: Depositing the hops by gravity into a suitable conveyer by means of which they’re carried to an inclined cylindrical separator. Third: Subjecting any clusters to a further separating action, then causing the hop stems and trash to be elevated and repassed through the separating cylinder just de scribed. Fourth: Finally conveying the hops to the dry house from the combined cleaning mechanism.
