Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 998815A: Beer-Making Apparatus

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Today in 1911, US Patent 998815 A was issued, an invention of Ernst Uhlmann, for his “Beer-Making Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to that portion of the beer making art wherein the wort is treated with hops, and it has for its objects to provide an apparatus for preventing the wort from acquiring an objectionable color and flavor and from a tendency to sour as a result of such treatment.

My invention is designed to overcome these objections and to provide a form of apparatus for rapidly removing the hops from the wort, which shall ‘be simple in construction and operation and require much less floor space for accommodation than apparatus commonly used for the purpose.

In carrying out my invention I remove the hops, albuminoids, and such matter from the wort while the latter is flowing from the brewing kettle to the coolers, so that the wort is freed from these matters almost immediately it leaves the brewing kettle, and does not remain in contact with the hops, etc., longer than a few seconds. Also I remove all the wort from the hops without employment of any mechanical or air pressure.

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Beer In Ads #1627: Take Off On A Completely Unique Experience

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Friday’s ad is for Colt 45 malt liquor, from 1969. I guess they were playing off the popularity of the space race in 1969, when Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon. It’s a pretty weird ad, and I’m not sure about a lot of it. Why, for example, is the man just wearing a conservative black suit? And why is he surrounded by two odd-looking alien women in space suits behind a wall of Colt 45 cans. It certainly is “out of this world,” as the cheesy ad suggests.

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Patent No. 1234255A: Process Of Treating Beer

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Today in 1917, US Patent 1234255 A was issued, an invention of Charles S. Ash, for his “Process of Treating Beer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to a process of treating beer; and has for its object to stabilize beer by eliminating the causes of cloudiness and turbidity therein, and also to prevent the development of color and the development of a cooked taste in the beer following pasteurization.

In the brewing and finishing of beer, the aim of the brewer is to obtain a product which is brilliantly clear and transparent and which will so remain under all conditions of subsequent handling.

Beer is rendered turbid or cloudy on standing, particularly in the cold, by reason of the precipitation of nitrogenous bodies. In the process of mashing the grains and making the wort, which is subsequently fermented, a portion of the nitrogenous bodies of the grain is brought into solution. After the fermentation and the aging or lagering to which the new beer is subjected some of these nitrogenous bodies are precipitated and are removed by filtration. After the final filtration the beer is brilliant, but upon storage in the case of keg beer, and upon pasteurization and storage in the case of bottled beer, the beer gradually becomes cloudy and finally turbid.

There are two ways in which this cloudiness and turbidity can be prevented; first, by the absolute removal-of the nitrogenous bodies still held in the lagered beer, which are susceptible to subsequent precipitation through storage or heating or cooling; and, second, by treating the lagered beer in such a manner that these, nitrogenous bodies remain in solution. The first method has never been hitherto successfully accomplished. The second method has yielded results of more or less value and is accomplished by adding to the beer substances known as enzymes, which have the power of rendering these insoluble nitrogenous bodies soluble and hence the beer remains brilliant.

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Two beers with the same color, but different turbidity.

Patent No. 193371A: Improvement In Pumping Apparatus For Raising Beer

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Today in 1877, US Patent 193371 A was issued, an invention of Clement Labuethe, for his “Improvement in Pumping Apparatus for Raising Wine, Beer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My improved apparatus consists of a special construction and combination of devices, hereinafter described, for transmitting liquids from one cask or vessel to another, and of delivering it for use.

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Beer In Ads #1626: Vårt Brygg!

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Thursday’s ad is for Brigg beer, a brand from Norway. From the 1970s, with the simple tagline “Vårt Brygg!,” which translates as “Our Brew.” You’ve got to love the trio of serious sweater monkeys. They look like the original reporters from Anchorman that they based the movies on, especially since the dude in the ascot on the right is a dead ringer for Will Ferrell.

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Patent No. 3825145A: Beer Keg

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Today in 1974, US Patent 3825145 A was issued, an invention of Richard W. Reynolds, for his “Beer Keg.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

A beer keg having plastic top, bottom and side walls that are of integral unitary construction, and a tapper mounting member cast in position in the top wall and a filler plug mounted in the side wall.

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Patent No. 4530631A: Pull Tab For Easy Open Can End — Method Of Manufacture Thereof

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Today in 1985, US Patent 4530631 A was issued, an invention of Elton G. Kaminski and Carl F. McEldowney, assigned to The Stolle Corporation, for their “Pull Tab For Easy Open Can End — Method Of Manufacture Thereof.” Here’s the Abstract:

An easy open can end having a retained tear strip extending diametrically partly across the can end defined by a score line, and a graspable pull tab adjacent and outside the open end of the score line. The pull tab is provided with a nose portion to initiate a tear along the score line upon lifting of the pull tab. The edges of the nose portion are curled into a cylindrical cross-sectional shape to provide a high beam strength and to rigidize the nose portion and to prevent failure by bending before the tear strip is opened. A method for manufacture of the pull tab includes forming at least one relief notch in the peripheral edge of the pull tab blank at the nose end thereof, whereby to relieve compressive forces when the edge is curled, and curling the peripheral edge of the nose portion in successive steps to form an edge portion of continuous cylindrical cross-sectional shape.

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Patent No. 1033730A: Self-Sealing Bottle-Stopper

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Today in 1912, US Patent 1033730 A was issued, an invention of William G. Peacock, assigned to the Perfection Bottle Stopper Company, for his “Self-Sealing Bottle-Stopper.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

In bottle or other receptacle stoppers of that kind embracing a hollow elastic bulb that constitutes the sealing portion of the stopper which is arranged to be longitudinal y stretched to thereby reduce its diameter when it is inserted into the bottle neck and to thereafter resume its. normal length and diameter to automatically adjust itself to the bottle neck to seal the bottle.

Among the objects of the invention is to simplify and cheapen bottle stoppers of this character and to arrange the parts thereof to be readily assembled.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and efficient combined stopper and bottle cap remover.

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Patent No. 3896001A: Malting Processes

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Today in 1973, US Patent 3896001 A was issued, an invention of James Barrett, Brian Heys Kirsop, and Godfrey Henry Oliver Palmer, assigned to Brewing Patents Ltd., for their “Malting Processes.” Here’s the Abstract:

A process for the production of malt comprises removing a part of the husk of the barley, steeping the barley, treating the barley with aqueous mineral acid and with gibberellic acid, and allowing the barley to germinate. The combination of treatment steps is claimed to improve the rate of germination.

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