Today in 1904, US Patent 775780 A was issued, an invention of Joseph Schneible, for his “Art Of Brewing.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

This invention relates particularly to the preparation of beer-wort, and has for its object to make-it possible to produce with certainty a wort of definite character, with reference particularly to the relationship between sugar and non-sugar, maltodextrins and dextrin, etc.

According to the methods of brewing now practiced the production of a wort of a definite or the best character in so far as it is dependent upon the relative amounts present in it of the different starch derivatives is practically impossible. This is largely due to the fact that the malt mash is subjected for a time long enough to permit conversion of the starch to take place to varying temperatures without so controlling the temperatures as to obtain the different starch derivatives in the desired proportions. This variation of temperature necessarily results from delivering, as is the customary practice, the cooked unmalted cereal mash or other heating medium,”such as hot water, which in some systems of brewing is used to raise the temperature of the malt mash, at substantially the boiling temperature to the mash-tub, which already contains the peptonized malt mash, which is at a temperature much below the boiling-point. The stream of boiling-hot cooked mash raises the temperature of the adjacent portions of the malt mash to a heat approximating its own temperature,which unduly elevated temperature continues long enough for conversion of the starch obviously where the hot cereal to begin. mash or other heating medium is thus introduced into the malt mash it is not only impossible to regulate the temperature to which portions of the malt mash are thus raised, but it is also impossible to regulate the quantity of the malt mash which has its temperature thus unduly raised, and the degree and extent Serial No. 186,592. (No specimens) of conversion or saccharification is therefore impossible of regulation under such methods.

According to the present invention the temperature of the peptonized malt mash is raised to the proper converting degree by the heat of the cooked unmalted cereal mash or other heating medium; but the attainment of the desired temperature .,is effected in so short a space of time that no reaction at other temperatures will take place, the contact of the malt mash at the peptonizing temperature with the substantially boiling hot cooked mash or other heating medium being only momentary, or rather the thorough mixture of the two being so quickly effected that no undesired reaction takes place. The contact or mingling of the malt mash and cooked mash or other heating medium preferably takes place as the two mashes or the malt mash and heating medium are moving on together in a comparatively small stream, and no portion of the malt mash remains in contact for any appreciable length of time with the cooked mash or other heating medium while the latter is at boiling temperature. In other words, the malt mash is raised to the desired converting temperature without subjecting the malt mash to reaction at any temperature other than that which is predetermined.

It will be obvious that the invention can be practiced in different ways and with different forms of apparatus, the most convenient and practicable mode of practicing the invention being to thoroughly mingle the malt mash and the hot cooked mash or other heating medium while in movement from the respective tanks or sources of supply tothe common mash-tub or strainer-tub, so that the desired converting temperature is attained at once in the commingled mashes or commingled malt mash and heating medium. After being so mingled the combined liquor is allowed to stand for the usual period of time required for conversion.

Today in 1905, both US Patent 805305 A and US Patent 805306 A were issued, and both are related inventions of Albert Lieber, under the same name: “Air Filter.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims for the first one:

The object of this invention is to provide an improved construction of air-filter for filtering compressed air and removing from it impurities as well as chemically treating it during its passage through the filter.

The use to which I. have put this filter is for pitching the interior of beer-kegs and the like for blowing and spreading the warm pitch upon the internal surface of a keg by compressed air passing through this filter. In such case the bacteria and germs in the air will be embedded in the pitch and thus affect the beer, impairing its preserving qualities as well as its taste. It is therefore found very important by me that the compressed air used for the purpose mentioned be rendered chemically pure by passing the air through medicated cotton, thus arresting the particles of dust, microbes, germs, and the like. Beer-kegs treated in this way can be used immediately after being pitched and after prior use without the necessity of treating the kegs as heretofore.

And here’s a description of the claims for the second patent:

The chief feature of this invention consists of means for compressing the cotton or filtering material to the degree best suited for the chemical through which the air passed through the device is being treated.

The purpose of the invention, therefore, is to more thoroughly arrest the bacteria and germs of the air in the filter before the same passes through the filter. I have used it for pitching the interior of beer-kegs, the air being passed through the filter and compressed for blowing and spreading warm pitch upon the internal surface of the keg. This device prevents the bacteria and germs from the air entering the pitch.

Today in 1899, US Patent 635925 A was issued, an invention of William J Gindele, for his “Machine For Preparing Finings.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

My invention relates to a machine for preparing that form of gelatin which is known as finings and which is extensively employed for clarifying beer and other beverages; and the object of my invention is to provide a simple, efficient, and inexpensive machine by means of which finings may be prepared by a simple and direct process and without the employment of the heavy manual labor now ordinarily required.

Today in 1916, US Patent 1202662 A was issued, an invention of Thomas Breheny, for his “Condensing Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

This invention relates to an apparatus for preserving the volatile hop essences or aromas coming from the copper or boiler in which the wort is boiled with the hops in order to improve the quality of the beer and like brews.

The method and apparatus comprised in the present invention consists in arranging a specially constructed condenser in communication with the top of a copper whereby the vapor arising from the heated contents of the latter will pass to and be condensed in the former.

The condensed vapor or steam is delivered to a supplementary cooling .coil and thence to a mixing chamber where it is brought into contact with the non-condensable or practically non-condensable odoriferous gases for fumes which pass from the upper end of the condenser and are collected and delivered to the said chamber in a convenient way.

The liquid resulting from the condensation of the steam or vapor given out from the copper absorbs the aroma of the odoriferous gases or fumes in the mixing chamber and as a result is richer in flavor and aroma than the original liquid contents of the said copper. The liquid is conveyed. from the mixing chamber to an open vessel or chamber from which it is delivered to a ferment ing vat.