BrewTroller simplifies homebrewing, makes it doable while inebriated

[Via HackedGadgets]
beer posts


Granted, we've come across hordes of patent applications that were far from practical, but if it's the premise that counts, we suppose this one works out alright. The app calls for a "probe" which could then be inserted into a drink, and an indicator connected to a database that would enlighten you if your drink has indeed been injected with a noxious solution while you weren't paying attention. The process would also require that a blast of electricity be sent through the probe, and though it's not directly stated, it also entails that the user be sober enough to understand it and willing to bust it out whilst partying. We have our doubts about the last two ever truly working out.
While it's certainly debatable whether beer is to thank for the explosion in the consumer electronics industry, it looks like we'll be thanking the beverage without hesitation for making our world a little greener. Oddly enough, "scientists and Australian beer maker Foster's are teaming up to generate clean energy from brewery waste water by using sugar-consuming bacteria," and better yet, the University of Queensland will host a microbial fuel cell at a Foster's Group brewery near Brisbane. Essentially, the cell will consume brewery wastes such as sugar, starch, and alcohol, while producing clean electricity by harnessing the energy released from the organic materials coming in. The device is expected to produce two-kilowatts of power, and while hopes are to bring the technology to other breweries and wineries around the country, this iteration should crank up sometime in September.
Beer has certainly found its place in worldwide culture, but claiming that it's the foundation for all of the consumer electronics that we enjoy today is probably stretching it. Nevertheless, the controversial (or just plain sarcastic) Charlie Bamforth proclaims that "beer is the basis of modern static civilization," touting his three decades at Anheuser-Busch as a knowledge base. Essentially, Charlie insinuates that beer spurned innovation in ages past by making the early brewers think outside of the box, which subsequently led to tents, then cities, and by extension, iPods, laptops, and USB-powered oddities. Granted, the man's linkages make entirely more sense when inebriated (or at least tipsy), so if you're looking to prove just how important alcohol is to your gadget collection, grab a few cans and hit the read link below.
It's one thing to lose track of all the peripherals you need to gank whilst stealing a gaming console, but to leave behind digital snapshots of yourself at a crime scene is on an entirely different level of dumb. In a case filled with Darwin award nominees, a team of self-incriminating thieves managed to break into private property and jack about "$5,000 worth of expensive alcohol, including $800 bottles of wine and high-dollar scotch," only to forget a digital camera filled with photos of the party in progress. Interestingly, game designer Richard Garriott (Ultima Online, anyone?) actually owns the property, and has stated that he'll probably install a swank video surveillance / security system to prevent such an annoyance from happening again. But if you've been wondering how to make a quick buck in order to snag a few new pieces of kit flowing out of CeBIT, Texas police are offering "up to $1,000 in reward money" for leading investigators to the less-than-intelligent criminals.
We're not exactly sure why Heineken needs GPS to monitor the location of its beer shipments, but they probably know more about global shipping logistics than we do. According to RFID Journal, starting this month, the Dutch beer giant will begin the first test of its "Living Beer Plan," tracking 10 shipping containers of beer from Heineken headquarters in The Netherlands to the United Kingdom and the United States. Customs data, such as whether or not the containers' doors have been opened, will be available online to British and American customs officials, (as well as the researchers monitoring the project at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) even before the cargo ships reach UK and American ports. Heineken claims it will save on the 30-odd pages worth of printed customs forms and other documents by using GPS and online tracking instead. Surely with the money saved on not printing up documents, Heineken wouldn't mind sending its friends at Engadget a free case of brew? Pretty please?








