Method of, and Means for, Racking Beer.
Year: 1898

page_text: Method of, and Means for, Racking Beer.
I, EMIL KERSTEN, of 305 West Franklin Street, Richmond, in the County of
Henrico and State of Virginia, United States of America, Brewer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to means for racking beer contained in casks partly filled
with chips or shavings, for attracting and retaining the heavier substances form-
ing part of the products of fermentation. and fining of the beer, and it has for its
object to provide an improved method and means for, first drawing the beer in
a perfectly pure and fine state from such cask, without causing the beer to become
turbid when running close to the sediment covered bottom and chips in the cask,
and then drawing the remaining portion of the beer from the cask with as littlo
sediment as possible.
for
and
derived
As is well known, beer while undergoing the process of manufacture, rests
during part of the process in large casks partly filled at bottom with
chips
attracting
holding substances
shavings
or
from the process of fermentation, the chips thus serving to clear the beer of
undesirable particles. Fining substances of various kinds are also frequently
introduced into the beer while in the cask, to ensure a more perfect clearing of
the beer. Now when this process of clearing or fining the beer is completed and
the beer is to be withdrawn from the cask and filled into barrels,
great care must be taken to prevent the sediment attracted to and
adhering on, the chips or shavings, from becoming disturbed as otherwise the
beer would be cloudy and the drawing off of the beer would have to be suspended,
The latter process is now
or the beer run through a filter for clearing it.
generally practised, but it is very objectionable to have the main portion of
the beer in a cloudy state at the beginning of the filtering process, as the filte
would soon become clogged up and unserviceable before the beer had been wholly
discharged. In order to avoid this, I draw the beer through an outlet vessel con
tained in the bottom of a cask having two inflows at different levels, so that the
fine and perfectly clear portion of the beer above the sediment level is caused
to flow through the outlet vessel, and then the remaining portion is subsequently
withdrawn from the cask through the said outlet vessel, by the inflow located
below the sediment level. By this arrangement the sediment is not disturbed in
the least during the racking of the fine beer which forms the greater part of the
contents of the cask and the last portion of the beer contains a comparatively
small amount of impurities, at least not in sufficient quantity to clog the filter.
The apparatus employed for the purpose mentioned may be variously con-
structed and be made of different materials such as metal or porcelain.
According to one arrangement the chip cask contains in its bottom, preferably
at the middle thereof, an outlet vessel having a cup-shaped bottom connected
with a faucet arranged in the wall of the cask, for carrying the beer to the keg
or other receptacle. The outlet vessel is further provided with a funnel provided
with posts carrying a ring resting on lugs projecting from the cup-shaped bottom,

page_text: the lower end of the funnel being being below the top of the cup-shaped bottom
and concentric thereto so as to form an opening between the funnel and the
bottom, for the inflow of the lower portion of the last portion of the beer con-
tained in the cask. as hereinafter more fully described. The lower end of the
funnel is below the sediment level of the cask and extends some distance down
into the shavings, and the top of the funnel, which is preferably covered with a
netting, extends just above the sediment level, so that only pure fine beer can
pass into said.funnel at the beginning of the racking.
In a modification, the cup-shaped bottom supports, on a flange, the lower end
of the funnel which is made in the shape of an arched vessel containing inflow
openings at its upper end, the lower end of the funnel being also provided with
inflow openings arranged below the upper end of the cup-shaped bottom. Between
the flange and the bottom of the funnel may be interposed one or more rings to
raise the inflow openings according to how low down the liquid is to be drawn
from the cask. One or more rings may also be set on the upper end of the
bottom for the same purpose, it being understood that the level of the liquid
finally remaining in the cask is in line with the top surface of the uppermost of
the rings when such are used. It is to be understood however, that when a ring
is used on the bottom, a like ring must be placed in position on the flange to raise
the inflow at the openings correspondingly to that of the bottom.
From the foregoing it will be evident that when the beer is to be racked and
the faucet is opened, the beer above the sediment level will first flow through the
netting or openings into the funnel and then down through the cup-shaped, bottom
to the said faucet so that the sediment and chips are not disturbed in the least.
When the main portion of the fine beer has thus been withdrawn from the cask
and the beer reaches a level below the top of the funnel, that is, below the
netting or the openings therein, the remaining part of the beer will enter the
vessel at the lower end of the funnel and will then flow through the bottom to
the faucet and to a separate keg or other receptacle. If now the beer from the
cask is all run through a filter, it is evident that the clear beer runs first through
the filter, and the beer last withdrawn from the cask and containing more
impurities, is last run through the filter so that the latter is not liable to clog up,
and the entrance of the impurities into the filter during the end of the operation
is not as objectionable as if the impurities had entered at the beginning of the
operation.
Dated this 20th day of December 1808
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
hartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
I, EMIL KERSTEN, of 305 West Franklin Street, Richmond, in the County of
Henrico and State of Virginia, United States of America, Brewer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to means for racking beer contained in casks partly filled
with chips or shavings for attracting and retaining the heavier substances form-
ing part of the products of fermentation, and fining of the beer, and it has for its
object to provide an improved method and means for first drawing the beer in

page_text: ՆԱՆ Ն} thout causing the beer to become
turbid when running close to the sediment covered bottom and chips in the cask,
and then drawing the remaining portion of the beer from the cask with as little
sediment as possible.
The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the
same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a chip cask containing one form of the
improvement;
Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the bottom part of the outlet vessel;
Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of the ring support for the funnel of the
outlet vessel; and
Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of a modified form of the
device and made of porcelain.
As is well known, beer while undergoing the process of manufacture, rests during
part of the process in large casks partly filled at their bottom portions with chips or
shavings employed for attracting and holding substances which are products derived
from the process of fermentation, the chips thus serving to clear the beer of
undesirable particles. Fining substances of various kinds are also frequently
introduced into the beer while in the cask, to insure a more perfect clearing of
the beer. Now when this process of clearing or fining the beer is completed and
the beer is to be withdrawn from the cask and filled into barrels, kegs and other
receptacles, great care must be taken to prevent the sediment attracted to and
adhering on the chips or shavings from becoming disturbed, as otherwise the
beer would be cloudy and the drawing off of the beer would have to be suspended,
or the beer run through a filter for clearing it. The latter process is now
generally practiced; but it is very objectionable to have the main portion of
the beer in a cloudy state at the beginning of the filtering process, as the filter
would soon become clogged up and unserviceable before the beer had been wholly
discharged.
In order to avoid this, I draw the beer through an outlet vessel con-
tained in the bottom of a cask having two inflows at different levels, so that the
fine and perfectly clear portion of the beer above the sediment level is caused
to flow through the outlet vessel, and then the remaining portion is subsequently
withdrawn from the cask through the said outlet vessel, by the inflow located
below the sediment level. By this arrangement, the sediment is not disturbed in
the least during the racking of the fine beer which forms the greater part of the
contents of the cask, and the last portion of the beer contains a comparatively
small amount of impurities, at least not in sufficient quantity to clog the filter.
The apparatus employed for the purpose mentioned, may be of various con-
struction and of different material; for instance as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
the device is made of metal, and the one shown in Figure 4 is made of porcelain,
both however, being alike in construction and operation.
As shown in Figure 1, the chip cask A contains in its bottom, preferably at
the middle thereof, an outlet vessel B having a cup-shaped bottom C,
connected with a faucet D arranged in the wall of the cask, for carrying the
beer to the keg or other receptacle into which the beer contained in the cask is
to be filled. The outlet B is further provided with a funnel E, provided at its
lower end with posts E carrying a ring E3 resting on lugs C projecting from the
cup-shaped bottom C, as is plainly indicated in the drawings, the lower end of
the funnel being below the top of the cup-shaped bottom and concentric thereto,
so as to form an opening between the funnel and the bottom, for the inflow of
the lower portion of the last portion of the beer contained in the cask, as herein-
after more fully described.
The lower end of the funnel E is below the sediment level of the cask A and

page_text: extends some distance down in to the shavings, as is plainly indicated in Figure 1.:
The top of the funnel E is preferably covered with a netting E³, and extends just
above the sediment level, so that only pure, fine beer can pass into said funnel
at the beginning of the racking.
As shown in Figure 4, the cup-shaped bottom C² supports on a flange C³, the
lower end of the funnel E, made in the shape of an arched vessel containing
the inflow openings E at its upper end, as is plainly indicated in said figure,
the lower end of the funnel being also provided with inflow openings E, arranged;
below the upper end of the cup-shaped bottom C².
Between the flange C³ and the bottom of the funnel E may be interposed one or
more rings F3 to raise the inflow openings E5, E according to how low down
the liquid is to be drawn from the cask. One or more rings G may also be set
on the upper end of the bottom C³ for the same purpose, it being understood that
the level of the liquid finally remaining in the cask is in line with the top sur-
face of the uppermost of the rings G, when such are used. It is to be understood
however, that when a ring G is used on the bottom C2, a like ring F3 must be
placed in position on the flange C³, to raise the inflow at the openings E corre-
spondingly to that of the bottom (2.
Now it is evident that when the beer is to be racked and the faucet D is opened,
the beer above the sediment level will first flow through the inflow at the nett-
ing E³ or openings E into the funnel E, and then down through the cup-shaped
bottom Cor C2 to the said faucet, so that the sediment and chips are not dis-
turbed in the least. When the main portion of the fine beer has thus been with-
drawn from the cask A and the beer reaches a level below the top of the funnel E,
that is, below the netting E3 or the openings E, then the remaining part of the
beer will enter the vessel B at the lower end of the funnel and will then flow
through the bottom C2 to the faucet I) and to a separate keg or other receptacle.
Now if the beer from the cask is all run through a filter, it is evident that the
clear beer runs first through the filter, and the beer last withdrawn from the cask
and containing more impurities is last run through the filter, so that the latter
is not liable to clog up, and the entrance of the impurities into the filter during
the end of the operation is not as objectionable as if the impurities had entered
at the beginning of the operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The herein described method for racking beer, which consists in establishing
a downwardly flowing body of clear liquid through a body of turbid or sediment-
containing liquid until the level of the turbid liquid is reached, the body of the
clear liquid being at the sides in communication with the turbid liquid, and
the pressure of the clear liquid maintaining its free outflow without
mixing with the turbid liquid, and then allowing the turbid liquid to follow
the clear liquid in the same space after the latter has drained off, substantially
as set forth.
2. A device for racking beer, consisting of a discharge outlet vessel arranged
in the body of the cask and having two inflows open all the time and arranged
at different levels, the upper opening being in the clear liquid above the level
of the lower or sediment-containing liquid and chips in the cask, and the lower
opening being within the lower liquid, substantially as set forth.
3. A device for racking beer, consisting of a faucet attached to the cask and a
discharge vessel within the cask, and connected with said faucet, the vessel having
two inflows open all the time and arranged at different levels, the upper opening
being in the clear liquid contained in the cask, and the lower opening being
within the lower sediment-containing liquid, substantially as set forth.
4. A device for racking beer provided with a discharge or outlet vessel having
a cup-shaped bottom connected with a faucet, and a funnel held on the said

page_text: bottom, and having its lower end provided with an inlet below the top of the
bottom, the upper end of the funnel being formed with inlets, substantially as
shown and described.
5. A device for racking beer, provided with a discharge or outlet vessel having
a cup-shaped bottom connected with a faucet, a funnel held on the said bottom,
and having its lower end provided with an inlet below the top of the bottom, the
upper end of the funnel being formed with inlets, and means for regulating the
heights of the inlets relative to the bottom of the cask, as set forth.
1000
way of g
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.