Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 7735413B2: Method And Device For Brewing Beer

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Today in 2010, US Patent 7735413 B2 was issued, an invention of Klaus-Karl Wasmuht and Kurt Stippler, assigned to Krones AG, for their “Method And Device For Brewing Beer.” Here’s the Abstract:

A device for brewing beer, particularly a wort pan (1), with a container body (2) to receive a wort reservoir (3), the device containing an internal boiler (4) arranged in the container body (2), which is provided with a heat exchanger (5) and a guiding screen (8). A wort forced flow (10) provided with a pump is also provided, which runs through the boiler (4). In order to increase the efficiency of the device, the wort forced flow (10) has a thin-layer distributor (17) for the wort, which contains a pipe subsection (11 b) connected with the pump, which subsection leads above the guiding screen (8) via an outlet opening (13) with reduced outlet cross-section into the container body (2). Above the outlet opening (13), a flow-guiding baffle surface (15) is provided, at which the flow arrives from below, to deflect the liquid towards the wort reservoir (3).

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Patent No. 3962851A: Self-Propelled Hop Harvesting Machine

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Today in 1976, US Patent 3962851 A was issued, an invention of Adolf Liepold, Hermann Daum, and Helmut Lindner, assigned to Fella-Werke G.M.B.H., for their “Self-Propelled Hop Harvesting Machine.” Here’s the Abstract:

This invention provides a self-propelled hop picking machine including a hop bine draw-through device which, as the machine moves forward, pulls bines in the path of movement of the machine rearwardly, preferably at a speed greater than the forward speed of travel of the machine, so as to pull such bines from their supporting wires and to convey the bines to picking elements for removal of the hop cones from the bines.

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Patent No. 6748849B2: Bittering Of Beer

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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.

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Patent No. 3585045A: Method For Preparing Beer Wort

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Today in 1971, US Patent 3585045 A was issued, an invention of Conrad Lenz, for his “Method For Preparing Beer Wort.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

According to the method of this invention, a first portion of the continuously prepared mash is transferred from a mash-making zone to a first vessel. A subsequent portion of the mash is transferred from the mash-making zone to a second vessel while the first portion is being heated in the first vessel, and the two portions are then combined, whereupon further heating may follow conventional practice of separating a portion of the mixture from the bulk of the same, heating the separated portion, returning the heated portion to the bulk of the mixture, and repeating such separating, heating, and returning until the mixture reaches the desired temperature. The plant employed in performing the method is provided with a two-way valve in the mash transfer conduit which connects the mash-making apparatus with the mash heating or brewing apparatus. Two branch conduits lead from the valve to two vessels of the mash-heating apparatus, at least one vessel being provided with heating means. The valve may be moved in the usual manner between two positions in which it connects the mash transfer conduit with the branch conduits respectively while blocking the other branch conduit.

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Patent No. PP10956P: Hop Variety Named “Columbus”

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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.

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Patent No. 2681066A: Apparatus For Picking Hops From Hop Branches And Clusters And For Separating Leaves And Stems Therefrom

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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.

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Patent No. 2473395A: Hops Treatment

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

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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.

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

Patent No. 2710818A: Method And Apparatus For Simultaneously Washing Containers And Removing Labels Therefrom

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Today in 1955, US Patent 2710818 A was issued, an invention of Ralph J. Winters, assigned to Ballantine & Sons, for his “Method and Apparatus For Simultaneously Washing Containers and Removing Labels Therefrom.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My present invention relates to the automatic washing of containers carrying labels and more particularly to a method for simultaneously washing such containers, removing and disposing of the labels as well as apparatus for carrying out the same.

In the art of packaging products, particularly products intended for human consumption, highly complex and expensive equipment for substantially automatically handling the containers has been provided. This is especially true in the brewing industry where machinery capable of handling many thousands of bottles per hour has been provided for automatically washing the bottles. In this industry containers such as bottles are used over and over again. Before each use each bottle is scrupulously cleaned. It is conventional for each bottle to have affixed thereto a paper label which washes off or otherwise becomes detached from the bottle during the washing process and settles downward in one or the other of the compartments of the washing machine. While the machines are provided with a dead space at the bottom of such compartments, nevertheless the accumulation of labels is so rapid that in a relatively short time they extend upward sufficiently far to impede the passage of the bottles. To avoid damage which may result therefrom, it has been customary to put the washing machine out of operation to permit manual cleaning and removal of the labels. Manual cleaning is, of course, time consuming and costly. Furthermore, because of the highly caustic washing solutions commonly utilized, care must be exercised in carrying out the removal of the labels to avoid injury to personnel during the operation.

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Patent No. 1863081A: Bottle Cap

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Today in 1932, US Patent 1863081 A was issued, an invention of Earl S. Bellows, assigned to the Huntington Rubber Mills, for his “Bottle Cap.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to closures for glass bottles designed to contain effervescent fluid .producing a pressure in the container; and it is also useful for inert fluids or for use 5 in bottling processes resultant in a partial vacuum in the top of the bottle after the contents have been placed therein.

The particular feature of my new bottle cap is its capability of being re-used many times and the provision made for removing it without the use of tools or implements which will tend to destroy it.

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Patent No. 4838419A: Keg Board

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Today in 1989, US Patent 4838419 A was issued, an invention of Ferdinand Weits, William F. Mekelburg and Marc R. Latour, assigned to the Adolph Coors Company, for their “Keg Board.” Here’s the Abstract:

A keg board for use in stacking beer kegs and the like in an upright orientation during storage and transporation of the kegs comprising: a generally planar surface for engaging and supporting a generally planar end surface of each keg; and pockets operatively associated with the planar surface for limiting relative lateral shifting movement of the kegs such as caused by shocks and vibration associated with transporting of the kegs.

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