Today in 1966, US Patent 3275447 A was issued, an invention of Adam Muller, for his “Process for the Preparation of Highly Concentrated Dry Hops by Freezing.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The invention relates to a novel process for the preparation of a dry hops concentrate which contains substantially all of the lupulin components or bitter principles of the hops.

Hops concentrates have been prepared by organic solvent extraction methods and by dry methods. Dry methods of forming hops concentrates have not been completely successful since substantial losses of the bitter principles occur when discarding a portion of the strobile bracts which are the major component of raw hops. Known dry processes for forming hops concentrates high in lupulin values comprise separating the leaf and stem residues and the lupulin components by coarse flaking and screening of the hop strobiles or by fine comminution of the hops. However, complete recovery of the lupulin components has not been possible by these known dry methods and therefore only hop extracts produced by organic solvent extraction have gained commercial importance.

The process of the invention for the preparation of a hops concentrate which contains substantially all the lupulin values in the hops comprises freezing the hops wherein the lupulin forms distinct particles, comminuting the frozen hops to a particle size of 200 to 6000 microns whereby the lupulin particles are freed from the hops, separating the comminuted hops into a coarse fraction containing no lupulin and a fine fraction containing substantially all the lupulin in the hops and recovering the fine fraction.

The hops are frozen to a temperature of less than 10 0., preferably to a temperature of l5 to 30 C., although lower temperatures may be used. The said temperatures are necessary in order to form the lupulin particles which are often sintered together. into clumps. The deep-freezing may be effected in a freezing chamber or by evaporation of liquids having a low boiling point such as carbon dioxide, liquid nitrogen, etc.

By comminuting the hops to a particle size of 200 to 6000 microns, all of the lupulin glands, even those anchored in cone-like fashion in the leaf parenchyma of the strobile bracts, are separated from the hops in the form of individual beads so that a considerable savings in hops can be achieved during hopping of the wort due to the larger surface area of the bitter principle carriers.

Today in 1894, US Patent 526594 A was issued, an invention of Brayton A. Weatherbee, for his “Machine for Picking and Separating Hops.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to machines for picking and separating hops. It is my purpose to provide a mechanism of this type which may be driven by hand, or by power, and by which the vines may be fed and stripped, the leaves and refuse matter eliminated, and the hops separated therefrom and approximately assorted in such manner as to separate the larger from the smaller sizes, and the clusters of hops from both. It is my purpose, also, to provide a mechanism of this type having a repicking apparatus which is combined with the fan and air-conduit by which the hops are separated from the leaves and other trash; the arrangement being such that the clusters will pass to the repicking apparatus by their own weight, and after being duly and properly separated, or detached from the vines, will be again delivered to the sieve. It is my further purpose to combine with a hop-picking and separating machine a novel and simple form of sieve, and an endless rake mechanism, with novel means for operating the latter.

Today in 2014, US Patent PP24913 P2 was issued, an invention of Peter Darby, assigned to East Malling Research Ltd., for his “Hop plant named ‘Sumner.’” Here’s the Abstract:

A new and distinct cultivar of Hop plant named ‘Sumner’, characterized by its upright and relatively compact plant habit; freely branching habit; stems reddish brown in color during the late summer and autumn; and attractive lime green to yellow green-colored leaves.

This is a brand new hop, and I didn’t find much information about its commercial use. It’s an English hop, grown in Kent, so may be used more there.

Today in 1959, US Patent 2905183 A was issued, an invention of Fred W. Thurmer, for his “Hop Picking Machine.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to the hop picking art, and pertains especially to that step of picking, commonly known as arm picking, which is concerned with breaking down clusters to free the hop flowers from other contained matter-leaves, twigs, and the likeand which is distinguished from a step usually performed in advance of the arm picking, and namely the step of combing or stripping foliage-laden hop vines to divest the latter of substantially all its foliage. The arm-picking procedure has developed separate status within the art inasmuch as it is commonly performed by a separate machine peculiary designed to accomplished the one particular function of picking hop flowers from the branches or arms of the hop vines and separating clustered flowers.

Today in 2007, US Patent PP18039 P3 was issued, an invention of Roger Jesket, assigned to the American Dwarf Hop Assoc., for his “Hop plant named ‘Summit.’” Here’s the Abstract:

A new variety of hop is described and which is characterized principally as to novelty by being semi-dwarf in stature; and which further produces cones having a high percentage of alpha-acids, high alpha/beta ratio and excellent storage stability of alpha-acids.

Summit has become such a popular hop variety that it’s hard to fathom that it’s only been around since 2007, although it was actually first released in 2003. HopUnion describes it as exhibiting “distinct spice, earthy, onion, garlic and citrus (pink grapefruit, orange and tangerine) tones.” A few beers using Summit include Widmer’s Drifter Pale Ale, Stoudt’s Black Eye PA, Fifty Fifty’s Rockslide IPA, Oskar Blues’ Gubna, Green Flash’s Palate Wrecker, and many others.

Today in 2011, US Patent 20110225686 P1 was issued, an invention of Eugene G. Probasco and Jason Perrault, for their “Hop Plant Named ‘HBC 342.’” Here’s the Abstract:

A new hop plant named ‘HBC 342’ is disclosed. The cones of ‘HBC 342’ mature in late September to early October, and yield a crop of 2400 to 3000 pounds per acre. ‘HBC 342’ is used for its late maturity, high alpha acid content and exceptional yield.

Patented one year and a day after ‘HBC 394’ (a.k.a. Citra) by the same pair, this one has yet to be given a name, as far as I know, although it has been used in some commercial beers. For example, Stone Brewing used in a collaboration they did with Jamil Zainasheff and Julian Shrago that was called Beachwood/Heretic/Stone Unapologetic IPA and also a draft beer they brewed at Stone Liberty Station, and called The Lupulin Loop. Also Sacramento’s New Helvetia created Little Beast/Sloppy Sessions IPA with the hop. At least one source says its aromatics give the aroma of watermelon, while HopUnion refers to it as a “High alpha variety with a pleasant aroma,” describing is as exhibting “Mild citrus, tropical fruit and melon notes.”

Today in 2010, US Patent PP21289 P3 was issued, an invention of Eugene G. Probasco and Jason Perrault, assigned to the Hop Breeding Company, L.L.C., for their “Hop Plant Named ‘HBC 394.’” Here’s the Abstract:

A new hop plant named ‘HBC 394’ is disclosed. The cones of ‘HBC 394’ mature in early September, and yield a crop of 1200 to 1600 pounds per acre. ‘HBC 394’ is used in brewing for its bittering and aromatic properties.

You undoubtedly know this hop by its more familiar trade name: Citra. But is as so often the case with new hops, when it was first patented, it had not yet been named. Brian Yeager has a nice write-up of that process, mentioning Citra specifically, from 2011 in All About Beer magazine, entitled Hop Forward, Breeding tomorrow’s hops… today.

Today in 1885, US Patent 325979 A was issued, an invention of Fredrich Louis Sebastian, for his “Hop-Breaker.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the construction and operation of a machine for breaking up hops preparatory to their use by the brewer.

The object of the invention is to so prepare the hops that very little time will be necessary to extract the properties of such hops when put into the hot liquor in the process of making beer, and thereby lessening the loss of the aroma in the steam arising from such liquor. By breaking the hops up I do not mean to be understood as grinding them to a powder, as if they were reduced to this condition they would be comparatively worthless to the manufacturer of beer.