IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESERVATION OF HOPs
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESERVATION OF HOPs."-A communication
from abroad by Théophile Auguste Breithaupt, of Paris, in the
Republic of France.
Sealed the 4th August 1874, and dated the 16th June 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th June 1874.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
6 County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESERVATION OF Hops," a
communication to me from abroad by Théophile Auguste Breithaupt, of
Paris, in the Republic of France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved mode of preserving hops,
whereby the inconveniences attending the ordinary method by sul-
phuring are obviated, and consists essentially in separating the essential

page_text: oil from the hops, and preserving the oil and the hops from which it has
peen extracted separately, the oil being preserved in hermetically closed
bottles, and the hops dried and compressed in the ordinary manner.
In carrying out this Invention fresh or recently dried hops are
inserted in large hermetically closed vessels or receptacles provided with
an external jacket or casing, between which and the sides of the vessel or
receptacle there is introduced a constant current of steam for the pur-
pose of elevating the temperature of the interior of the apparatus. A
slight current of steam is then passed through the hops in order to
effect the rupture of the vesicles or cells containing the essential oil, and
subsequently there is directed into the apparatus a blast of air, which
under the influence of the surrounding heat and of the steam with
which the hops have been impregnated conducts the essential oil through
a head and a condenser or refrigerator (in order to effect the conden-
sation of any of the essence which may have volatilized) into an Italian
receiver, where it is collected for bottling. A vacuum is then formed in
the apparatus in order to carry off as much as possible of the vegetable
liquid, and the desiccation is completed, and the hops from which the oil
has been extracted are subsequently compressed and packed in the
ordinary manner.
The essential oil may also be obtained by absorption or exhaustion
simply with the aid of a vacuum, and the blast of air employed for con-
ducting the oil away may thus be dispensed with. In this case it is
simply necessary to place between the pump and the apparatus con-
taining the hops a receptacle into which the conducting tube uniting
them opens.
In the manufacture of beer the hops preserved by this process are
employed in the ordinary manner. The addition to the beer before it
is drawn off into the casks of about 1 drop of the essential oil for every
- 2 gallons of the beer will greatly improve its bouquet, and at the same
time contribute to its preservation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
37th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special
license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESERVATION OF HOPs," a communication to me
from abroad by Théophile Auguste Breithaupt, of Paris, in the Republic
of France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to an improved mode of preserving hops,
whereby the inconveniences attending the ordinary method by sul-
phuring are obviated, and consists in separting the essential oil from
the hops and preserving the oil and the hops from which it has been

page_text: extracted separately, the oil being preserved in hermetically closed
bottles, and the hops dried and compressed in the ordinary manner.
Hops treated according to the ordinary system are under the action of
the sulphuring improved in appearance, and preserved from becoming
musty; but the principles contained in them are liable to undergo
certain chemical changes, which are detrimental to the quality of
the beer in the manufacture of which the hops are to be subsequently
amplavad
extracted separately, the oil being preserved in hermetically closed
bottles, and the hops dried and compressed in the ordinary manner.
Hops treated according to the ordinary system are under the action of
the sulphuring improved in appearance, and preserved from becoming
musty; but the principles contained in them are liable to undergo
certain chemical changes, which are detrimental to the quality of
the beer in the manufacture of which the hops are to be subsequently
Lemployed.
These chemical changes may be enumerated as follows, viz. :—
First. The tannic acid under the influence of the sulphurous acid
which passes through the hops becomes converted into gallic acid, which
impedes the fermentation of the beer, and imparts an acrid flavour
thereto.
Second. The essential oil (the aroma of the hops) contained in the
lupulia in which it is secreted by microscopical glands surmounted with
vesicles, becomes converted into valerianic acid, and forms with the
sulphur a solid body. In this manner the fatty matter, which without
the sulphuring becomes rancid and produces mustiness, is destroyed, and
the hops are preserved, but they are at the same time deprived of their
agreeable bouquet, which consequently beer never possesses.
Third. The sulphurous acid becomes readily converted into sulphuric
acid, and as the sulphur of commerce generally contains arsenic some
arsenious acid is evolved during the sulphuring, which acid passes into
the beer, and both it and the sulphuric acid, although there may be but
à small quantity thereof, affect the quality of the beer.
According to the said Invention the above defects are remedied, and
the hops with the whole of their principles are preserved without
deterioration. This result is obtained by the separation by a chemical
and mechanical method from fresh hops or hops recently dried of the
essential oil contained therein in such a manner that the strobils remain
intact and retain their natural color and their yellow dust, and the
whole of their bitter and tannic principles. When the operation is
completed the hops are thoroughly dried and compressed, after which
they will keep for a considerable period. The essential oil, which con-
sists of a clear green and highly aromatic liquid, is preserved separately a
in hermetically closed bottles, and it improves by keeping.

page_text: In the manufacture of beer the hops preserved in accordance with the
said Invention are employed in the ordinary way. The bitter principle
and the tannin are thoroughly extracted, and the operations of clari-
fication and fermentation are performed in an efficient manner. Before
the beer is drawn off into the store tuns there is added to it about one drop
of the essential oil for every two gallons of beer. This essence imparts the
aroma of the hops to the beer, and greatly conduces to its preservation
by destroying by its odour the formations, which by their presence in
the beer produce an acetic and putrid fermentation. Beer thus made is
of superior quality, and both clear and frothy. It is characterized by a
delicious bouquet of the hops, whilst at the same time it may be pro-
duced as cheaply as when hops preserved in the ordinary manner are¯
employed.
In carrying out the said Invention fresh or recently dried hops ara
inserted in large hermetically closed vessels or receptacles provided with
an external jacket or casing, between which and the sides of the vessel
or receptacle there is introduced a constant current of steam for the
purpose of elevating the temperature of the interior of the apparatus.
A slight current of steam is then passed through the hops in order to
effect the rupture of the vesicles or cells containing the essential oil, and
subsequently there is directed into the apparatus a blast of air, which
under the influence of the surrounding heat and of the steam with
which the hops have been impregnated conducts the essential oil through
a head and a condenser or refrigerator, in order to effect the condensation
of any of the essence which may have volatilized into an Italian receiver,
where it is collected for bottling, and the whole of the essential oil is
thus in a short time extracted from the hops. A vacuum is then formed
in the apparatus, in order to carry off as much as possible of the vegetable
liquid, and the dessication is completed, and the hops from which the
oil has been extracted are subsequently compressed and packed in the
ordinary manner.
The essential oil may also be obtained by absorption or exhaustion
simply with the aid of a vacuum, and the blast of air employed for con-
ducting the oil away may thus be dispensed with. In this case it is
simply necessary to place between the pump and the apparatus con-
taining the hops a receptacle into which the conducting tube uniting
them onens.

page_text: It is obvious that the mode of carrying out the Invention may be
varied as found necessary in practice without departing from the prin-
ciple herein-before mentioned.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or 5
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,--
First. The peculiar process of preserving hops by separating the
essential oil therefrom, and preserving the oil and the hops from which 1
it has been extracted separately, substantially as and for the purposes
herein-before described.
Second. Heating hops by means of steam and in a closed vessel or
receptacle for the purpose of effecting the rupture of their vesicles or
cells, substantially as herein-before described.
Third. Effecting the eduction or expulsion of the essential oil con-
tained in the vesicles or cells by means of a vacuum or by directing
a blast of air through the heated hops, substantially as hercin-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, the Twelfth
day of December One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
TATTardor