Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 6622510B2: Frozen Beer Product, Method And Apparatus

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Today in 2003, US 6622510 B2 was issued, an invention of Mark S. Giroux, Joseph M. Trewhella, and Darryl Alan Goodson, assigned to Grindmaster Crathco Systems, Inc., for their “Frozen Beer Product, Method and Apparatus.” Here’s the Abstract:

A method of freezing and dispensing a beer product comprises providing beer in a sealed, refrigerated storage container under pressure; feeding beer from the storage container to a sealed freezing chamber through a sealed delivery system; freezing the beer in the chamber; and dispensing frozen beer from the chamber.

The frozen beer product preferably has a slush consistency and a density of about 50% to about 90% of the density of unfrozen beer, a temperature of between about 23° and 27° F. and a volume reduction in a filled 14 fluid ounce plastic cup sitting in 70° F. room for 30 minutes or less than 10%.

A refrigerated cabinet for supplying beer comprises an insulated beer storage compartment; a refrigeration system comprising a compressor, a condenser, a thermal expansion device and an evaporator; a pressurized carbon dioxide tank in a separate, non-refrigerated compartment; and a fan for circulating air within the insulated beer storage compartment.

A beer freezing and dispensing apparatus comprises a freezing chamber; a refrigeration system for cooling the beer in the freezing chamber to a frozen state; a dispensing system for dispensing frozen beer from the freezing chamber when it reaches a slush consistency, and a beer delivery system for delivering beer to the freezing chamber, the beer delivery system comprising; a valve for controlling the introduction of beer into the delivery system; a check valve to prevent beer from flowing backwards out of the delivery system; an accumulator for holding beer that expands when beer freezes in the chamber; and a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of the beer between the accumulator and the freezing chamber.

The method and apparatus may also be used to freeze and dispense other single-strength beverages.

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Patent No. 5553327A: Hat Made From Cardboard Beer Container

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Today in 1996, US Patent 5553327 A was issued, an invention of Anthony R. Koecher and Kevin M. Schoeller, for their “Hat Made from Cardboard Beverage Container and Method of Making the Same.” Here’s the Abstract:

A hat is constructed from a cardboard product container, for example a 24-pack beer package including a product logo and other graphics thereon. The hat provides a new use for a previously wasted container material, and enables fans or collectors to display their loyalty and support of a particular brand.

This is certainly an odd one to have been patented. I’ve definitely seen hats made from 12-pack containers or similar packages, but I don’t think I knew the process was one that could be, or had been, patented.
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Patent No. 20110138521A1: Party Goggles

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Today in 2011, US Patent 20110138521 A1 was issued, an invention of Bruce Riggs, for his “Party Goggles.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The present invention provides novelty eye goggles comprising an adjustable elastic rubber strap attached to the clear plastic frames of standard, vented safety goggles, with two hollowed-out 12 ounce aluminum beer cans affixed to the eye-sockets, protruding outward from the frames, suspended horizontally and running parallel to the ground. The cans themselves feature a number of brand logos and advertisements,

Who knew you could actually patent beer goggles? But in what sounds more like ad copy than a patent application, their use, and who might want to wear them, is explored, and some pretty bold claims of being able to bust guts.

A cleverly-conceived new novelty item made to let “party people” freely express their sense of individuality and help crank up the festivities, the Party Goggles proudly display, in a very literal way, the figurative eyewear we all have put on at one point or another. A gut-busting sight-gag aimed at those who might find themselves in a raucous roadhouse, hectic house party or fun family get-together, the Party Goggles should find a wide and receptive market among both the swarming barflies and regular, fun-loving folks.


The Beer Vault

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I’m not quite sure what to make of this gadget. It was created by a design firm in Australia, JonesChijoff, working with Edwin Koh and Iqbal Ameer for their Melbourne bar, Biero. It’s called a Beer Vault, and takes bottled beer and transfers it into a draft environment, cooled by glycol and kept under pressure to preserve it using carbon dioxide which they claim maintains its freshness as if it was still in the bottle. It was also designed so the bottle itself can be displayed just below a clear UV-protected tube that stores and dispenses the beer. (Thanks to Andrew M. for sending me the original link.)

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And here’s the finished product, behind the bar at Biero bar.

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The website at Biero has some additional information.

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And there’s also a blueprint there, too.

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The website anthill, where ideas and business meet, describes the project like this:

Be able to offer premium beer to punters in a way that hasn’t previously been done. Any beer is now available on tap! But not displayed in an industrial tin-can hidden away, but out ‘n’ proud, showcasing the varying hues of amber.

Syphoning the bottled beer into the BeerVaults and keeping it under the same pressure as was in the bottle before the lid was cracked. It is also chilled via a clear volume of liquid glycol surrounding the beer, which reticulates through a chiller. At JONESCHIJOFF we put simplicity above all else, and this was the simplest yet most effective solution.

Apparently it will keep the bottled beer fresh for about three days, meaning more people could theoretically buy a small amount of a rare beer, without having to open and potentially even waste a whole bottle. So maybe it’s a good idea? I guess time will tell.

And here’s a wider shot of the Biero bar.

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