Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. PP24913P2: Hop Plant Named ‘Sumner’

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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.

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Patent No. 899201A: Beer-Faucet

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Today in 1908, US Patent 899201 A was issued, an invention of Gary Braybrook, for his “Beer-Faucet.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My present invention relates to improvements in beer-faucets.

My invention consists of a novel form of metallic faucet whose valve body has a termiiial valve chai’nber above the pendent deliverynozzle whose inner end is closed by a proper hand operated valve carrying therein a proper mercury thermometer whose lower end is at all times immersed in the liquid of the valve chamber in use.

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Patent No. 2905183A: Hop Picking Machine

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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.

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Patent No. 4350712A: Frozen Beer Stick Including Retractable Cup

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Today in 1982, US Patent 4350712 A was issued, an invention of Alfred Kocharian and George Spector, for their “Frozen Beverage Stick Including Retractable Cup.” Here’s the Abstract:

A popsicle type confection, which instead of an orange, cherry, raspberry, strawberry or similar conventional flavor frozen ice upon a stick, utilizes either a frozen beer or a frozen wine mounted upon a stick, and which in the present invention also includes a cup like heat shield around confection which is retractable so to allow licking the frozen beer or wine.

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Patent No. 3207606A: Continuous Fermentation Process For Beer Production

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Today in 1965, US Patent 3207606 A was issued, an invention of Rees Philip Williams, assigned to Brewing Patents Ltd., for his “Continuous Fermentation Process for Beer Production.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to the manufacture of beer, and more particularly to the fermentation of Brewers Wort.

The present invention stems from the discovery that a continuous through flow of liquid is compatible with a sutficient period of dwell time in each phase of fermentation to enable that phase to be carried out in isolation from the other phases, and the object of the present invention is to provide a process for the continuous fermentation of wort, with the attendant advantages of relatively smaller vessels and a higher production rate.

The process of the present invention makes use of the same materials and the same times and temperatures as are used in the conventional batch processes, but with the advantage that there is a continuous through flow of the materials from one end of the apparatus to the other.

This continuous through flow has very considerable advantages. Firstly, it is relatively simple to make the apparatus in a closed state so that once it has been rendered sterile, and if sterile materials are used to feed it, there is no further possibility of infection arising. The apparatus can be used continuously for relatively long periods so that cleaning operations are reduced. The beer produced can be checked and correction of activity and temperature can be introduced while the process is in action. Above all, relatively very much less space is required for a continuous flow apparatus to produce for example 168 barrels of fermented beer in one week.

The process accordingly comprises a first step of continuously forming in a first phase a mixture of sterile wort and yeast and keeping said mixture at a temperature and for a period of time both selected to ensure yeast propagation and the onset of fermentation of the wort; a second step of passing the resultant mixture continuously to a second phase and keeping the mixture at a temperature and for a period of time both selected to ensure completion of the fermentation; and a third step of continuously passing the fully fermented wort to a third phase in which it is allowed to settle.

The process does not involve a new kind of fermentation with novel stages of working or novel chemical reactions. On the contrary, the conventional reactions are carried out with the conventional materials for the conventional periods of time allowed in batch operation, but the entire process is carried out with continuous through flow. It has not hitherto been suggested in the art to select comparative volumes for the vessels to give the required relative dwell times for the various phases of fermentation. It is well known to those skilled in this art that the times and temperatures of the conventional operation cannot be altered to any great extent and it is probable that batch operation has continued to be vused for fermenting the wort, in spite of the inherent disadvantages of batch operation, because it was not throught possible to carry out the process as a continuous process.

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Patent No. 3207605A: Production Of Beer

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Today in 1965, US Patent 3207605 A was issued, an invention of James R. A. Pollock, assigned to Brewing Patents Ltd., for his “Production Of Beer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The present invention relates to the production of potable beers and in particular to a process for the fermentation of wort in a semi-continuous manner which results in fermented wort becoming available in batches for further processing.

Processes for the continuous fermentation of wort are known and these processes are capable of producing beer at a very high rate as compared with conventional processes in which batches of wort are fermented with yeast in fermentation vats. Continuous fermentation processes have the disadvantage that they must be continued in operation over weekends and holidays, if the maximum economic advantage is to be obtained from them, and this in turn means that extra storage capacity must be installed in the brewery to hold the excess beer that may build up at such periods.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a brewing process which can readily be shut down when further supplies of fermented wort are not required, but which can at the same time produce beer at a rate comparable to that of known continuous processes.

The present invention provides a process for the production of beer which comprises adding unfermented wort to a body of yeast and either wort or fermented wort, which is subjected to sufficient agitation to maintain the yeast evenly dispersed through the wort, the unfermented wort being added at such rate either continuously or in separate small quantities that at the end of a predetermined time the body of fermenting wort is fermented to a desired degree of attenuation, at least a major part of the fermented wort then being separated from the yeast. Preferably the process is carried out under conditions such that the fermentation stage is completed in about 16 hours, so that a batch of beer may be produced each working day.

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Patent No. 770271A: Liquid-Drawing Apparatus

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Today in 1904, US Patent 770271 A was issued, an invention of John M. Doehrer, for his “Liquid-Drawing Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The object of my invention is to draw beer or other like liquids from the top or bottom of the keg and automatically seal the outlet or bung when the draft-pipe is withdrawn to apply an air-pressure on the top of the beer to force it up through the draft-pipe when drawing the beer.

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Patent No. 611003A: Keg Or Barrel

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Today in 1898, US Patent 611003 A was issued, an invention of Joseph C. Roth, for his “Keg or Barrel.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to sheet-metal kegs or barrels, more particularly that class of barrels employed for beer, wines, or other liquors, and it will be fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a beer-keg made in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on or about line a a, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a vertical central section through one section of the in-V ner case of the keg or barrel. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged sectional elevation through a portion of a side of a keg, the section passing centrally through the bun g-hole and showing the construction thereof. Fig. 5 represents a detached top view of one of the outwardly-screw-threaded inner rings. Fig. 6 represents a top face View of the improved bung.

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And here’s the original drawing filed with the patent application:
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Patent No. 3692202A: Beer Can Stein With Attached Handle

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Today in 1972, US Patent 3692202 A was issued, an invention of Thomas J. Parlagreco, for his “Beer Can Stein with Attached Handle.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

A metal beer can having a pull tab opening on the upper end thereof so to permit a person to drink directly therefrom, the beer can instead of being cylindrical in shape being slightly tapered upwardly so to resemble the configuration of a beer stein, and the outer side of the can having a flat strap placed adjacent thereto, the center of the strap being able to be pulled away from the can so to form a convenient handle for being held in the hand while drinking.

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Patent No. 2173529A: Barrel-Tapping Apparatus

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Today in 1939, US Patent 2173529 A was issued, an invention of Valentine Beecher, for his “Barrel-Tapping Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The invention forming the subject matter of this application relates to barrel bung and barrel tapping apparatus generally; and more particularly to such apparatus adapted for use in sealing or drawing of liquids from barrels, casks, vessels, etc., irrespective of position, or arranged in superposed rows with their axes substantially horizontal or vertical.

The main object of the invention is to provide a compact bung and tapping arrangement by means of which a straight or curved draught tube of metal or any material may be inserted through the bung and into such position within the barrel as to facilitate the removal of part, or all of the liquid contents, whenever desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bung that is non-rigid and extremely flexible and a tapping construction requiring less physical force or pressure than would otherwise have to be created by mechanical means, adapted for use with straight or curved glass draught tubing. to enable the liquid contents of the barrels to be dispensed; and also preventing such contents making contact with metal or other substances which might have an injurious effect upon the liquids dispensed, if so desired.

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