Improving the taste of beer -- new patent application

Sounds strangely like Burton water salts. Does that count as prior art? The USPTO is screwed up.

T

Reads that way to me too. I'd think you'd want Burtonized water in the boil so maximize hops extraction - at least for a full-strength beer.

Dick

snip

snip

Midwest Homebrewing's page --

-- says that Burton Salts consists of "A mixture of potassium chloride, Epsom salts, and gypsum." Now, I don't know if 'Epsom salts' contains most or all of the above list, so maybe it's the same ... or maybe it's NOT.

It's not their fault. It's an _application_; the patent has NOT be granted YET, as far as I know. If it's prior art, then I suspect the patent won't be granted.

Bill Velek -- Grow hops? Visit

with over 200 members. To discuss 'equipment only' with over 600 homebrewers, visit

Epsom salts is a common term for magnesium sulphate; gypsum is calcium sulphate dihydrate. IANAL, but the patent application seems to include substantive differences from existing brewing additives, and additionally that the minimization of dilution's impact on taste is a non-obvious application.

"improve the taste of beer"???? Thats ridiculous, & maybe blasphemous. Beer is perfection. I'm with the Germans, Beer should be water,hops & barley. If it has anything else in it it's not beer (except yeast of course)

Yeah, you're right, those Belgians (sugar and other things) and British (ditto) sure don't know anything about brewing beer.