newscripts WINE BATHS, BEER FLOW REVERSAL
t’s not unusual for athletes to DIP INTO Russell’s invention uses a nozzle to VINICULTURE. Those who prefer their deliver a pressurized carbonated liquid— wine bottles like their Wheaties boxes— henceforth, beer—into cups with resealable emblazoned with sports stars—can choose holes at their bases. The hole contains a from a fine selection, including vintages from nonreturn valve allowing beer to flow in, but golf legend Arnold Palmer and hockey’s great not out. one, Wayne Gretzky. This removes the element of HUMAN But NBA big man Amar’e Stoudemire ERROR FROM BEER POURING, says Kyle took mixing wine and sports to a new level Johnson, director of sales and marketwhen he recently shared a ing for GrinOn Industries. photo of himself soaking in GrinOn references Russell’s a tub full of Spanish vino. patent in its patent for the Although the picture thrust Bottoms Up beer dispenser wine baths into the public (US 20110121020 A1). Both spotlight, they and other inventions are designed to forms of “vinotherapy” have replace the conventional been around for decades. tap used to pour draft Proponents claim that beer. Russell’s idea for a wine’s antioxidants are nonreturn valve is a silicon good for the skin, but membrane, while Bottoms Andrew L. Waterhouse, Up uses a magnetic gasket That’s Amar’e: See that a professor of enology at to reseal a cup. man soaked in wine? His dunks are très refined. the University of California, “Everyone’s seen a Davis, isn’t sold on the idea. bartender just blasting beer Skin cells provide a pretty efective barrier foam over the side of a pint glass,” Johnagainst wine’s phenolic antioxidants, he says. son says. Some bartenders blast because Cosmetic chemist Randy Schueller they’re inexperienced; others do it because likewise finds the claim dubious. “Does this they think it looks cool, he says. “But it’s not really benefit your skin?” asks Schueller, cool. It wastes beer.” who cofounded the Beauty Brains website. Bars lose about 30% of every keg to “I doubt it.” Antioxidants are efective at sloppy tap work, Johnson tells Newscripts; fighting sun-induced damage in skin, but a bottom-filling device all but eliminates this people are better of using a cream or lotion wasteful party foul. that will stick around for a while, he says. Further, the foam Stoudemire soaked for half an hour in head on beers from his Red Wine Ritual at Aire Ancient Baths the Bottoms Up New York and then rinsed of in water. In this dispenser comes case, the phenolics probably don’t ofer lastfrom the natural ing protection, Schueller says. bubbling of the carBefore we pull the plug on wine baths, bon dioxide within the however, government-certified wine chembeer, rather than air ist Brenda Baker of Baker Wine & Grape trapped during the pour, Analysis, in California, points out that wine’s he says. This acidic pH would exfoliate skin. Still, there are means the head, Dear Liza: Bottoms plenty of exfoliants out there that cost much which enhances Up uses magnets to seal the hole in this less than a $500 wine dip, she says. a beer’s aroma pint glass. and flavor, lasts he Newscripts gang does have good longer. news for readers with a penchant These inventions flip the world of draft for unorthodox alcohol experiences beer upside down. Change can be scary, and efciency. In December, Irish inventor but beer lovers need not fret. Per Russell’s Charles Russell earned a U.S. patent (US patent: “The beverage is consumed by a 8899281 B2) for a beverage-dispensing user through the mouth of the vessel in the system that fills cups from the bottom. usual manner.”
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VIDEO ONLINE To see a bottom-filling beer dispenser, visit http://cenm.ag/btmsup. CEN.ACS.ORG
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APRIL 13, 2015
MATT DAVENPORT wrote this week’s column.
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