Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 4494451A: Brewing Apparatus

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Today in 1985, US Patent 4494451 A was issued, an invention of John F. Hickey, for his “Brewing Apparatus.” Here’s the Abstract:

Brewing apparatus which comprises a first vessel including heating means, a second vessel including strainer means, a third vessel, and a valve means and pump arrangement by means of which the three vessels can be coupled as necessary for fluid transfer purposes so that the first vessel can be used firstly as a hot liquor tank to produce hot liquor which is transferred to the third vessel which serves firstly as a hot liquor container, from which in use the hot liquor is transferred to the second vessel wherein it is mashed with malt to produce a wort and which serves firstly as a mash tun, from which the wort is transferred to the first vessel therein to be heated with hops whereby the first vessel serves secondly as a brewing kettle from which the resultant brew is transferred to the third vessel which serves secondly as a fermenting vessel.

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Patent No. 2393518A: Fermentation Of Beer

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Today in 1946, US Patent 2393518 A was issued, an invention of Stephen T. Clarke, for his “Fermentation Of Beer.” There’s no Abstract, but the description explains that the “object of the invention is to provide’a process and apparatus of the top fermentation type which will produce a very full drinking beer of high stability and character.” It continues:

The whole process of fermentation is carried out under pressure in a single enclosed vessel having at the top thereof a detachable cone or dome provided with an outlet pipe of small diameter terminating in a device such as a nipple for controlling the pressure. The outlet of the pipe is at or near the top of an enclosed yeast-back provided with a cock or valve which normally is open to the atmosphere to relieve pressure in the yeast-back. The yeast-back is also provided with a draining tube for returning the yeast drainings to the fermenting vessel.

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Beer In Ads #1442: A Full-Bodied Brew For Able-Bodied Men

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Wednesday’s ad is for Guinness, from 1960. Showing a man playing golf, suggesting he could play better by keeping “a Guinness in mind!” But I guess that only holds true for men, and not just any men, but just the tough ones, as the ad copy makes clear. “But for muscular men … who work hard, play hard, live hard … this is it.” And apparently it’s been that way for awhile now. “For 200 years now , this dark Irish brew has been the masculine man’s preference. Frankly, it is not for everyone. But vigorous, vital men are vehement that Guinness stout has the secret of the cool refreshment they need.”

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Patent No. 2414669A: Art Of Brewing

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Today in 1947, US Patent 2414669 A was issued, an invention of Gustave T. Reich, for his “Art of Brewing.” There’s no Abstract, but the description explains that the “invention relates to a continuous process of brewing beer from malt and cereal. Among its objectives are the securing of the maximum diastatic action in the minimum time thus permitting advantageous continuous saccharincation, the preventing of the destruction of the diastase and peptase by heat prior to the sacchariflcation of the mash so that the full effect of all the diastase is released in the sacoharifying step, the effecting of the maximum digestion of the malt by the peptase largely prior to the saccharibody of the hulls is not fication, the avoiding of dissolving objectionable soluble materials found in the malt hulls by digesting the malt while the hulls are largely intact.”
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Ninkasi Drops Big One, Signs With Smaller Distributors

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Here’s an interesting little item that speaks to the image that a brewery can, and often strives, to create. While small in and of itself, given the changes we’re seeing in brewery ownership and other business dealings, an important one. This is especially true in the wake of another prominent up and coming Oregon brewery that witnessed a pretty severe backlash for selling an interest in the company to Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI) last year. And witness how the tribe reacted to the lawsuit that Lagunitas initiated for trademark infringement against Sierra Nevada, despite it being a perfectly reasonable and understandable business decision. What those recent incidents have taught us, if anything, is that perception often matters more in the eyes of customers than following traditional business practices. Apparently, this really isn’t your father’s brewing company, and woe be to any brewery that doesn’t at least follow its own heart, if not the perceived heart of its fanbase.

Ninkasi Brewing, of Eugene, Oregon, announced that they were ending their relationship with their large beer distributor, owned by ABI, and signing with two smaller, locally owned distributors to cover the same territory — “Eugene-based Bigfoot Beverage Distributors and Bellevue, Washington-based Odom Corp.” Apparently, the only reason Nnkasi was with ABI distributors in the first place was because of a buyout a few years ago of the beer distributors that originally sold their beer to the larger ABI-owned one.

According to a story in the Register-Guard, CEO and co-founder Nikos Ridge remarked that this “arrangement did not fit well with Ninkasi’s world view” and added. “We are committed to being an independent and locally owned craft brewery, and feel we will be better aligned long term with independent and locally owned wholesalers.”

It’s interesting that Ninkasi wants to stay true to their roots, even as they expand into other markets, preferring local distributors over potentially more efficient and possibly more effective ones. Even at the expense of their business, they chose what they perceive to be the better fit with their company ethos. That’s a lesson many other brewers will have to learn as they navigate the landscape of the modern age of beer. These things matter to a lot of people, even if they rarely even understand how to run a business, what are the intricacies of trademark law, or what’s involved in signing with a distributor. Perception is your street cred in this day and age, and that’s likely to only intensify as a growing number of breweries are vying for your attention, your loyalty and most importantly, your business.

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The Ninkasi brewery during a quick visit to Eugene last summer.

Patent No. 553269A: Method Of Manufacturing Beer Or Ale

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Today in 1896, US Patent 553269 A was issued, an invention of Gustave Sobotka and Adolph Kliemetschek, for their “Method of Manufacturing Beer or Ale.” There’s no Abstract, but the description explains that the “invention relates to methods of manufacturing beer and ale, and the objects are mainly to provide an improved process whereby a superior quality of beer or ale may be produced and in a much shorter time than is required when made according to methods heretofore in use, thereby effecting a saving of both time and labor, and also to avoid the loss of the aromatic principle or constituents of the hops, which necessarily results from ordinary methods of boiling the hops with the Wort in the copper, and further to reduce the quantity of hops usually required for the manufacture of a given quantity of beer or ale by utilizing the flavoring, disinfecting, and preserving qualities of the hops to better advantage, and thereby also effect a saving of material.”
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Schooner’s To Open Production Brewery

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Antioch’s brewpub Schooner’s Grille & Brewery is currently looking for a space to build a production brewery and begin offering their award-winning beers in bottles. The restaurant and brewery was purchased by new owners last May, and they planned from the beginning to start packaging the beer. But recently they decided to close the restaurant as of February 1, 2015. So Schooner’s beer will likely be a little harder to find for a few months, while they transition from brewpub to production brewery.

I spoke to longtime brewer at Schooner’s, Craig Cauwels, and he tells me they hope to be brewing in a new space by mid-to-late summer. They may contract some beer during the downtime, but a final decision on that hasn’t been made yet, and will most likely be dependent upon how the search for a new building for the brewery is going. They expect to know more about potential sites for the brewery over the next month.

Cauwels also will be investing in the new brewery, and will become a partner in the venture, which is exciting, because Craig is an incredibly talented brewer and it will be great for him to have a stake in the company. Schooner’s was named “Brewery of the Year” at last year’s California State Fair Brewery Competition, and has won countless awards over the years. His Old Diablo Barley Wine is consistently one of the best barley wines you’ve never heard of (but should have) and hopefully will soon be available in bottles, along with many of Schooner’s other beers. Look for bottles of Schooner’s beer on store shelves soon, or at least by the end of the summer if all goes according to plan.

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Schooner’s brewmaster Craig Cauwels.

Patent No. 2028283A: Foam Controlling Beer Faucet

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Today in 1936, US Patent 2028283 A was issued, an invention of Jules Howard and Sanford E. Richeson, for their “Foam Controlling Beer Faucet.” There’s no Abstract, but the description explains that the “invention relates to beer and like taps or valves for drawing off foamy liquid from a cooler or other container.” It was designed “to prevent loss of the liquid incident to foaming in the glass after standing for some time in the cooler or container, and at the same time to regulate the depth of the head or cap of foam at the top of the glass.”
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Beer In Ads #1441: Cooking With Schlitz

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Tuesday’s ad is another one for Schlitz, from 1936. Between the recipe for “Famous Schlitz Rarebit” and the man pouring a little Schlitz into whatever that dish is — soup, dip, etc. — it’s clear that Schlitz is cooking with beer. Based on the look on his face, I’d say he’s had a few beers before the guests are even due to arrive. And his wife in the shiny blue dress looks like she’s been keeping up, and is bringing in the next round. It’s going to be a great dinner party!

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Zodiac Beer: Aquarius

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While I don’t put any stock in astrology, Bartram’s Brewery in Suffolk, England, did a series of zodiac sign beers. The brewer describes the idea as a fun “marketing ploy,” explaining. “Each month I brew a 4.2% beer using the same grist, Maris Otter plus 10% Crystal and then varied the hops so there is a whole load of experimentation going on! It has been an experience for me as I have been able to try out new hops each month.” In addition, each new beer has a new pump handle, with original art by Cherry Burns Salmond. In 1980, Guinness put out a calendar with each month representing one of the zodiac signs, which I posted throughout 2011, so I thought it would be fun to share these throughout this year.

Aquarius, the water-bearer, is from January 20-February 19.

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To learn more about Aquarius, see: