Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 331873A: Baling Press

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Today in 1885, US Patent 331873 A was issued, an invention of Murray H. Durst, for his “Baling Press.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

My invention relates to certain improvements in balling-presses; and it consists in certain details of construction, power, and means of application, all of which will be more fully described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a general view of the press. Fig. 2 shows the lower part of the press with the door closed. Fig. 3 is a view of the mechanism for raising and lowering the follower. Fig. 4 is a section of the same. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the press.

This press is especially designed for the pressing of hops, and is preferably so built that the upper end of the vertical case or box A will be on a level with or under the floor upon which the hops are contained, while the lower end, having discharge-doors B, communicates with the floor below. The follower C fits the press-box A, and has arms D extend ing Vertically upward from it and hinged to a crossbar, E, the ends of which are strongly secured to the vertical timbers F. These timbers move in vertical guides G, as shown, and when drawn down will force the follower down to the bottom of the press-box, and when raised will elevate it, so that when it arrives at a point just above the top of the box and the level of the floor with which it communicates the follower will be swung to one side about the hinges by which its supporting-timbers D are connected with the transverse bar E, before described.

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Patent No. 3625399A: Automatic Carbonated Beverage Dispensing System

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Today in 1971, US Patent 3625399 A was issued, an invention of Noel D. Heisler, assigned to the Schlitz Brewing Co., for his “Automatic Carbonated Beverage Dispensing System.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

In general, the invention is directed to an electrical release or dispensing system for a plurality of carbonated beverages stored in suitable containers where it is desirable at a remote distance therefrom to initiate the dispensing of the beverages from another and successive container when the container from which the beverage being dispensed is empty. The system provides a header which is connected to the containers to be emptied by separated conduits in which are located solenoid liquid valves. These valves are separately actuated from a selector control unit to open a respective conduit from a container to the header and then to to a tap. A second header is connected to a source of Co gas and flow of gas from the header to the containers are through separate conduits to each container. Solenoid fluid valves are located in each gas conduit and are individually actuated to control the flow of gas to the container being tapped. The opening of a respective fluid solenoid valve occurs simultaneously with the opening of a corresponding liquid valve An important feature of the invention is that the dispensing valves are opened by momentary high surge of current to seize the solenoid armature and are held in the open position by a low holding current. The holding current consumes less power and consequently gives off less heat. In an alternative construction, the liquid dispensing valves may each be dual winding units having an opening winding and a holding winding. The holding winding draws a lesser current and consequently also minimizes generation of heat. Excessive heat is deleterious to the carbonate beverage being dispensed.

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Anchor Christmas Ale 1998

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It’s day twenty-four, a full case, of my flurry of a flight to Christmas featuring all 42 labels from Anchor’s Christmas Ale — a.k.a. Our Special Ale — all different beers (well, mostly different) and all different labels, each one designed by local artist Jim Stitt, up to and including this year’s label.

1998 was the twenty-fourth year that Anchor made their Christmas Ale, and this year marked another year that Anchor’s Our Special Ale included spices. Like the previous year’s, a spiced brown ale was created for the year’s Christmas Ale. This twenty-fourth label was a “California Juniper,” or “Juniperus californica.”

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Patent No. 3995749A: Beer Keg Pallet

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Today in 1976, US Patent 3995749 A was issued, an invention of Lewis Byron Haskins, assigned to the Johns-Manville Corporation, for his “Beer Keg Pallet.” Here’s the Abstract:

A pallet for handling cylindrical objects, particularly beer kegs, is disclosed. The pallet has a flat deck with supporting end portions. The inner surfaces of the end portions contain dual curvature segments to rest with and restrain the objects. Intermediate legs are also present for support and further restraint of the objects. Preferably the pallet is molded of a lightweight plastic.

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Beer In Ads #2117: Nature Unspoiled

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Tuesday’s ad is for Carling Breweries, from 1945. In this ad, featuring five birds, the “Spring Heralds,” the birds whose very presence means the end of winter. At least this ad talks about protecting nature and doesn’t try to make some weak analogy between their beer and the birds. Them and their “cheerful and lusty songs.”

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Anchor Christmas Ale 1997

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It’s day twenty-three of my seasonal sprint to Christmas featuring all 42 labels from Anchor’s Christmas Ale — a.k.a. Our Special Ale — all different beers (well, mostly different) and all different labels, each one designed by local artist Jim Stitt, up to and including this year’s label.

1997 was the twenty-third year that Anchor made their Christmas Ale, and this year marked another year that Anchor’s Our Special Ale included spices. Like the previous year’s, a spiced brown ale was created for the year’s Christmas Ale. This twenty-third label was a “Scots Pine” or “Pinus sylvestris.”

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Anchor Christmas Ale 1996

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xmas-christmas-ale
It’s day twenty-two of my mad dash to Christmas featuring all 42 labels from Anchor’s Christmas Ale — a.k.a. Our Special Ale — all different beers (well, mostly different) and all different labels, each one designed by local artist Jim Stitt, up to and including this year’s label.

1996 was the twenty-second year that Anchor made their Christmas Ale, and this year marked the tenth year that Anchor’s Our Special Ale included spices. Like the previous nine year’s, a spiced brown ale was created for the year’s Christmas Ale. This twenty-second label was a “White Oak” or “Quercus alba.”

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Patent No. 5473161A: Method For Testing Carbonation Loss From Beverage Bottles Using IR Spectroscopy

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Today in 1995, US Patent 5473161 A was issued, an invention of John A. Nix, Stephen W. Zagarola, and Louis Jolie, for their “Method for Testing Carbonation Loss from Beverage Bottles using IR Spectroscopy.” Here’s the Abstract:

A method for measuring carbonation loss in beverage bottles and predicting shelf-life thereof utilizes infrared (IR) absorption spectroscopy. The concentration of CO2 gas in a bottle being tested is measured with an infrared beam according to Beer’s Law. In one embodiment the CO2 gas measured is in the headspace of a test bottle partially filled with carbonated water. The walls of the bottle are clamped in a fixture to maintain the bottle diameter substantially constant. An IR beam is transmitted through the bottle just below the fixture, and absorption values of the beam are measured. Shelf-life is calculated from the absorption values. In another embodiment the test bottle is filled with compressed CO2 gas generated by dry ice placed in the bottle.

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