Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 3054676A: Process For Producing A Cereal Adjunct For Use In Brewing

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Today in 1962, US Patent 3054676 A was issued, an invention of Albert J. Hardgrove and Howard J. Lauhoff, assigned to the Lauhoff Grain Company, for their “Process For Producing A Cereal Adjunct For Use In Brewing.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide an improved cereal adjunct which can be efficiently handled and employed directly in the mashing step without pre-treatment. It is also an object of this invention to provide a method for producing such adjunct.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved cereal adjunct which will produce a higher product yield in the normal brewing operation.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cereal adjunct which can be efficiently utilized in any modern automatic brewery apparatus designed to handle materials necessary in the brewing process.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved pre-gelatinized cereal adjunct for breweries which has less bulk than other similar type adjuncts, thereby reducing shipping costs, and requiring less storage space.

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Patent No. PP18039P3: Hop Plant Named ‘Summit’

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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.

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Patent No. 5555992A: Double Hinged Opening For Container End Members

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Today in 1996, US Patent 5555992 A was issued, an invention of William A. Sedgeley, assigned to the Coors Brewing Company, for their “Double Hinged Opening for Container End Members.” Here’s the Abstract:

A container end member has a peripheral wall and integral central end wall portion with a stay-on-tab mounted on the central end wall portion for pivotal and rotational movement and a score line groove defined by two spaced apart terminal ends formed in the central end wall portion for defining a severable panel portion that is large enough so that when severed will provide an elongated opening that vents the container to permit pouring of the beverage in the container at faster pour rates than now available.

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Patent No. 2014492A: Beer Faucet And Tap

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Today in 1935, US Patent 2014492 A was issued, an invention of Kenneth Miles Burdge, for his “Beer Faucet and Tap.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to a beer faucet and tap, and has more particular reference to an improved beer faucet having means for coupling it to the tap bushing ordinarily secured to the head of a beer barrel or keg, and provided with a reciprocating valve operable to drive the cork out of the tap bushing of the barrel or keg when the faucet is initially coupled thereto.

An object of the present invention is to provide a beer faucet and tap of the above kind which is simple and durable in construction, efficient in operation, and otherwise well adapted to meet with all of the requirements for a successful commercial use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a beer faucet and tap of the above kind Whose parts may be economically manufactured and initially assembled in a ready manner, and which parts may be readily disassembled for renewal or repair.

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Patent No. 3467132A: Beer Keg Fitting With Limit Stops

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Today in 1969, US Patent 3467132 A was issued, an invention of Michael J. Parisi, for his “Beer Keg Fitting with Limit Stops.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

A beer keg valve having a body portion which inserts into an opening in the keg and a valve at the inner end of the body limited to 90 rotation by abutments on the valve stem which strike against complementary abutments integral with the inside surface of the valve body.

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Patent No. 3905522A: Keg Tapping Device

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Today in 1975, US Patent 3905522 A was issued, an invention of Mack S. Johnston, assigned to Draft Systems, for his “Keg Tapping Device.” Here’s the Abstract:

In one form hereof, there is disclosed a keg adapter having a siphon body formed of bar stock receivable through the opening of a keg from without the keg. The siphon body has liquid and gas passages extending longitudinally of the keg adapter terminating at their upper ends in a pair of bores disposed eccentrically of the central axis of the keg adapter. In another form, there is disclosed a keg adapter having a siphon body formed primarily of tubular stock with tubular members receivable through the opening of a keg from without the keg. The tubular members per se comprise liquid and gas passages terminating at their upper ends in a pair of openings disposed eccentrically of the central axis of the keg adapter and opening through a flange member formed of bar stock. A coupler unit, having a pair of depending probes, is engageable with either form of the keg adapter with the probes being receivable in the bore holes or tubes as applicable to form a continuation of the liquid and gas passages. A sleeve is provided in the liquid passage of both adapters for opening a normally closed liquid valve therein. A gas valve is axially spaced from the liquid valve and in both forms includes a gas check valve comprising a flexible envelope having a slit and which envelope lies in communication with the gas passage. In the one form, the gas valve also includes a spring-biased valve plate mounting an O-ring sealing about the walls of the gas passage. The tips of the probes on the coupler unit in the one form depress the associated valve members to open the valves and permit ingress of gas through the coupler unit and keg adapter into the keg and egress of liquid from the keg through the keg adapter and coupler unit. In the other form, the tip of the liquid probe on the coupler depresses the sleeve to open the liquid valve whereby air flows through the coupler into the keg past the check valve of the adapter and beer flows outwardly from the keg through the adapter and coupler.

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Patent No. 305227A: Beer-Chip

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Today in 1884, US Patent 305227 A was issued, an invention of Bernard Rice, for his “Beer-Chip.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention has for its object to produce a beer-chip which is free from resinous and other similar matters; and to this end it consists in making the chip from a sheet or strip of veneer cut from a log, beam, or plank previously steamed, as herein more fully described.

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Patent No. 20110225686P1: Hop Plant Named ‘HBC 342’

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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.”

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Patent No. 6790112B2: Recreational Floatation Device With Integral Cup Holder

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Today in 2004, US Patent 6790112 B2 was issued, an invention of Donald P. Kirk, assigned to Captain Noodle, Inc., for his “Recreational Floatation Device With Integral Cup Holder.” Here’s the Abstract:

A recreational flotation device (10) is provided which is designed to support a user (S) floating in water while affording a convenient holder for beverage containers. The device (10) comprises an elongated body (12) formed of synthetic resin material and having a density such that the body will float in water (e.g., extruded polyethylene). The body (12) presents a pair of opposed butt ends (14, 16), with at least one of the butt ends (14,16) being recessed to define a receptacle (18) integral with the body (12) for receiving a beverage container (24) therein. A preferred alternative device (110) is provided wherein the body (112) includes a pair of differently dimensioned receptacles (118,120) respectively located at the ends (114, 116) and integrally formed with the body (112).

So this is without a doubt one of the stranger beer-related patents I’ve come across. Who thinks I have to have my beer with me in the pool, it’s just too hard to keep it on the edge of the pool. Although I suppose if you were floating down a river it might come in handy.
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