Anyone able to identify this Automatic Beer Pump from Milwaukee? Manufactured by Wilboken. More and better pictures to come...
Well duh! That is obviously a Automatic Beer Pump manufactured by the Wilboken Manufacturing Co. in Milwaukee Wisconsin. I think they were used to get beer from the back room to the tap handle. Is there a patent # on it or date or anything else?
Not familiar with it.. But very cool engineering! Old?? Or pre-prohibition? historically low carbonation British Ale was pumped by hand from the Kegs from the Cellar which in the UK stays at about a nice cool 55-60 deg. Looks like an American Co. did one better by creating a way to automagically pump up the beer and maintain pressure. Ales are typically easy to pump, but the trick would be to get the pressures right for American lagers or pilsners so that you don't foam it in the glass and maintain the pressure in the keg to preserve the beer, unless they sold it fast. Wonder if they used CO2 as well ???
There aren't any parent numbers or other identifying info. It did come with a glass cover though which makes it look like a time machine. IMAG0244 by rassmr, on Flickr
