Today in 2004, US Patent 6748849 B2 was issued, an invention of Richard J. H. Wilson and Robert J. Smith, assigned to S.S. Steiner, Inc., for their “Bittering Of Beer.” Here’s the Abstract:

Iso-α-acids and reduced iso-α-acids in their free acids states are converted into mobile resins by the addition of concentrated solutions of alkali metal hydroxides. The products may be used in brewing for the bittering of beer and are most effectively used in an apparatus that automatically blends the product with water and injects the resultant, aqueous solution into beer.

Today in 1999, US Patent PP10956 P was issued, an invention of Gregory K. Lewis, Charles E. Zimmermann, and Henry Hazenberg, assigned to Hopunion USA, for their “Hop Variety Named ‘Columbus.'” Doesn’t it seem like Columbus has been around a lot longer than sixteen years? Maybe it was marketed under the name before it was patented, and in fact the application date was March 22, 1995, with a priority date of November 30, 1993, which as I understand it means the date that the applicant asserts was the “invention date,” which in this case is more likely when it was first sold or used by that trade name. Here’s the Abstract:

A new and distinct variety of hop, Humulus lupulus L., named Columbus, has a superior yield of cones and a superior content of alpha acids in its resin. The new variety was cultivated as a result of a cross at a nursery near Prosser, Wash., United States, and has been asexually reproduced in and about Yakima, Wash., United States.

Today in 1954, US Patent 2681066 A was issued, an invention of Florian F. Dauenhauer, for his “Apparatus For Picking Hops From Hop Branches And Clusters And For Separating Leaves And Stems Therefrom.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary of the invention’s objects:

An object of invention is to provide an apparatus for picking hops from hop branches and clusters and for separating leaves and stems therefrom is especially designed to receive hop clusters and broken off vine portions that are delivered from the hop picking machine shown in my copending application, Ser. No. 179,722, filed August 15, 1959. The present apparatus comprises two main parts, trommel for separating hops from the other vine portions, and a branch picker for removing hops from hop branches and hop clusters. The branch picker could be used for purposes other than picking hops from branches, such as by of example, the picking of string beans from vines.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described in which the trommel and hop branch picker cooperate with each other to pick hops from branches and hop clusters and to separate the hops from all other parts of the hop vines. The trommel removes freed hops and delivers all other portions of the vine and any hops carried thereby, to the hop branch picker. The hop branch picker severs the hops from any vine portions or hop clusters and delivers the freed hops back to the tromnmel for screening.

A further object of m invention is to provide a device of the type described which is efficient for the purpose intended and will effectively pick and separate hops from hop vine branches or clusters.

Today in 1949, US Patent 2473395 A was issued, an invention of George Segal, for his “Hops Treatment.”

Hops in Yakima, Washington.

There’s no Abstract, although after a lengthly exposition about hop production prior to 1944, he eventually describes the process he’s patented, which appears to be about temperature and keeping the hops cold:

1. The method of treating hops which consists’ of freezing the hops while they still retain substantially their fresh aroma, the temperature being depressed through the temperature of about 30 F. at a rate not substantially greater than about 1 F. per hour, then holding the hops in frozen state for a storage period, then thawing the hops, and thereafter drying the hops.
2. The method of treating hops which consists of freezing the hops while they still retain their fresh aroma, holding the hops in frozen state for a storage period, then thawing the hops, the temperature being raised through the temperature of about 30 F. at a rate not substantially greater than about 1 F. per hour, and thereafter drying the hops.
3. The subject matter of claim 1, characterized of chilling hops, after picking, to a point somewhat above their freezing point and holding the hops chilled but unfrozen for less than about six weeks, then freezing the hops, the temperature theoretically or actually,
4. At a rate not substantially greater [?] being depressed through the temperature of about 30 F. at a rate not substantially greater than about 1 F. per hour, then holding the hope I in frozen state for a storage period, then thawing the hops, and thereafter drying the hops.
5. The subject matter of claim 4, characteri’zed by the fact that in thawing the hops, the temperature is raised through the temperature of about 30 F. at a rate not substantially greater.

A mountain of hops from the kiln, about to be baled and put into cold storage.

Today in 1890, US Patent 428101 A was issued, an invention of John Irlbacker, for his “Apparatus For Extracting Hops.” There’s no Abstract, though it’s described this way in the application:

My present invention has general reference to improvements in hop-extractors; and it consists in the novel and peculiar combination of parts and details of construction, as hereinafter first fully set forth and described, and then pointed out in the claims.