Today in 1889, US Patent 403130 A was issued, an invention of Otto Neuman, for his “Beer Chest or Refrigerator.” There’s no Abstract, but it’s described as an “invention relat[ing] to what are commonly termed beer chests or refrigerators, and more especially to certain new and useful attachments connected and combined therewith for increasing the efficiency and utility thereof.
Beer In Ads #1554: Mr. & Mrs. Beer Glass
Wednesday’s ad is a German beer poster by famed Swiss illustrator Herbert Leupin. This is maybe the seventh or eighth work by him that I’ve featured over the years. The text on the poster, “gibt kraft und nervenruhe,” is translated by Google as “gives strength and nerve rest.” I’m sure there’s a more idiomatic and elegant translation, but you get the idea. It may be a companion poster to Beer In Ads #1158: Spendet Freude Und Harmonie, which translates as “gives pleasure and harmony.” In that one, the male glass is smiling, whereas in today’s ad it’s more of a frown. I wonder if that’s a reflection of the beer in the glass?
Patent No. 3443958A: Method Of Preparing Ground Cereal Grains In The Production Of Brewery Mash
Today in 1969, US Patent 3443958 A was issued, an invention of George E. Dennis, Richard C. Quittenton, and Kenneth R. Robinson, assigned to John Labatt Ltd., for their “Method of Preparing Ground Cereal Grains in the Production of Brewery Mash.” There’s no Abstract, but the invention is described as a “process for producing brewers wort in which cereal grains are dehulled, the dehulled grain is ground to form a fine grist and at least part of the hulls removed before grinding are recombined with the ground dehulled grain and passed through the mashing stage in the usual manner.” Here’s why they think their method is better.
According to this invention it has been determined that the above difficulties [milling problems] can be overcome by removing the hull from the grain before the milling operation. With the hulls removed the kernels of grain can now be more finely ground than was possible in the past and then the finely ground kernels can be recombined with the hulls at any point before the lautering stage. The result of this is an increased yield without any significant sacrifice in run-off time. A series of pilot plant tests indicated that an average yield increase of up to 2% could be obtained with a less than a 15% increase in lautering time.
The degree to which the kernels can be more finely ground according to this invention will be entirely dependent upon the particular situation. Thus, the actual particle size will be dependent upon the nature of the grain, the balance of the lautering time against yield permissible in a given situation, etc.
Patent No. 3443397A: Barrel Cooler
Today in 1969, US Patent 3443397 A was issued, an invention of Thomas A. Donovan and William E. Miltenberger, assigned to Anheuser Busch, for their “Barrel Cooler.” There’s no Abstract, but the invention is described as a “barrel cooler which is inexpensive, pleasing in appearance, leakproof, and collapsible so that it may be stored in a small space or transported in collapsed condition.” They continue with more:
The present invention is embodied in a collapsible barrel cooler made from water impervious material, said cooler having inner and outer walls adapted to be positioned in spaced relation for receiving a coolant there between such as ice and water, said inner wall being adapted to be secured over the top of a barrel positioned therein to retain said inner wall in an upright position, said inner and outer walls having an opening therein near the bottom thereof for receiving a faucet for drawing off the contents from the barrel, said opening being leakproof so that no ice or water leaks out of the space between said walls.
Beer In Ads #1553: Fifty Shades Of Brown
Tuesday’s ad is for Schlitz, from 1960. Good to know advertisers back then were as shameless as today. It’s fifty shades of brown, with an attractive brown-haired male model in a brown suit and tie, sitting in a tan chair while holding a beer and a brown puppy. I wonder who they were targeting with the ad?
Beer In Ads #1552: Enjoy Life With Miller High Life
Monday’s ad is for Miller High Life, from 1963. The ad is fairly simple, just a glass of beer and a half-emptied bottle of High Life next to it, with a plate of food behind it, and slightly out of focus. Is that lobster? It feels like the ad may have been cut off, like there should be more below the headline, but maybe not, it was done in the minimalist 1960s.
Patent No. 921032A: Counter-Pressure Bottling-Machine For Beer
Today in 1909, US Patent 921032 A was issued, an invention of Ralph Waldo Webster and Leuig Chew, for their “Counter-Pressure Bottling-Machine for Beer, Mineral Waters, and the Like.” There’s no Abstract, and all it says in the description is that Schwartz “invented new and useful Improvements in Counter-Pressure Bottling-Machines for Beer, Mineral Waters, and the Like,” which is essentially the title. A bit more is subsequently added, saying the “invention relates to improvements in machines for filling bottles, jars, and other like vessels, in which a counter-pressure is created to enable beers, mineral waters, and the like, having a natural or artificial condition or pressure, to be bottled Without undue foaming or loss of condition.” For the rest, you have to dive into a full reading of the application.
Patent No. 227450A: Beer-Cooler
Today in 1880, US Patent 227450 A was issued, an invention of William Schwartz, for his “Beer-Cooler.” There’s no Abstract, and all it says in the description is that Schwartz “invented certain Improvements in Beer-Keg Receptacles.” I guess you have to read through the rest of it to figure it out.
Beer In Ads #1551: Bases Loaded, Two Out And S-M-A-C-K
Sunday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1949. The ad illustrates a scene at a baseball game, with a uniformed beer vendor — how does he keep that hat on his head? — is pouring a bottle of Budweiser into a paper cup, while they watch the game, eat hot dogs and order more beer. Seems like a pretty good day.
Patent No. 20120111874A1: Plastic Beer Keg
Today in 2012, US Patent 20120111874 A1 was issued, an invention of William P. Apps, for his “Plastic Beer Keg.” Here’s the Abstract:
A plastic keg includes a liner including a neck portion and a body portion. A lid having an opening is disposed at least partially over the liner. The liner is disposed in an outer container having a wall with at least one locking rib projecting therefrom. The locking rib angles downward and the lid secured to the outer container by the at least one locking rib. Optionally, a locking ring securing the neck portion of the liner to the lid may be configured to release the liner when the filled keg is dropped.
