Michael Edward Ash
Michael Edward Ash (born 17 December 1927 - 30th April 2016) was a mathematician and brewer. He is responsible for inventing Easy Serve Draught Guinness and pioneered if not invented the whole nitro beer category (known as "nitro beer" in the US). He was Managing Director of Crooks Laboratories (1962–1972) where he was responsible for securing the licence for an early anti-depressant in the UK, Prothiaden.
Education and early life
Born in Calcutta, India to a civil engineer father and mother Maud (née Harper) Ash attended two prep schools in the UK, The old Ride School & then Yarlet Hall. He then went on to Canford School, Wimborne, Dorset, and was further educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, 1945-1948 (where he read mathematics, he got a first in the Mathematical Tripos and won the Rouse Ball prize) and at London University, 1943- 1946 as an external student (where he read natural sciences and got a first). At Cambridge his tutor was, Patrick Duff.
Ash's father, Wilfrid Cracroft Ash was a successful civil engineer in British India who also made a large engineering contribution to the 1939-1945 War against the Nazis. He was a co-founder of the construction company Gilbert-Ash and is noted for technological inventions in pre stressed concrete. His brother was Maurice Ash the environmentalist, writer and planner. He also had a sister Marjorie Ash.
Career
Michael Ash invented the 'Easy Serve System'. This invention revolutionised the Guinness product range and the way stout was dispensed. He pioneered if not invented the whole nitro beer category and has been pivotal in the development of what Guinness is today.
From 1948–1950 Ash lectured in mathematics at The Bedford College for woman. On leaving Bedford College he joined Arthur Guinness in Park Royal, January 1951.
After training as a brewer by 1954 Ash also had experience of running two departments (Brewing and Forwarding) and in 1955 he was given his own department the 'Sample Room', which had facilities for experimentation. The 'Draught problem' was given to Ash as part of his briefing from the managing Director, Hugh Beaver.
What was needed was a system in which a barman with no special training could pour a glass of draught in a matter of seconds to settle quickly with a head (3/8" in a normal ½ pint glass) decided by Ash and which is still the standard today.
The revolutionary idea was a self-contained two-part keg, (known as the 'Ash Can') with one chamber full of beer and the other full of mixed gas under pressure, and the introduction of nitrogen - the vital ingredient that made it all possible. Nitrogen is less soluble than carbon dioxide, which allows the beer to be put under high pressure without making it fizzy. The high pressure of dissolved gas is required to enable very small bubbles to be formed by forcing the draught beer through fine holes in a plate in the tap, which causes the characteristic 'surge'. It was an inspired solution that revolutionized a pint of stout forever.
In 1959 Hugh Beaver launched 'Easy Serve', making the process of serving the 'perfect pint' easier. For Guinness, nitrogenation was the revitalization that contributed to the achievement of legendary status for Guinness.
Ash left the brewing side of Guinness in 1962 to become managing director of Crooks Laboratories in Park Royal (owned by Guinness). Crooks moved to Basingstoke in 1965. At Crooks Ash was responsible for acquiring the licence for the anti-depressant Prothiaden (Dosulepin) in 1967. From 1970 onwards Ash followed various interests including business education and was a founding governor of Templeton College Oxford.
Personal life
Ash met his first wife, Dulcie Joan Orme (Canadian) in 1950 at a party in Hampstead London; in May 1951 they married in London. They had four children, Lionel Michael Ash born 1953 (died as an infant in 1953), Lucinda (known as Lucy) Jane Orme, born 1955, Frances Mildred born 1958 and (Michael) Edward Cracroft born 1960 (all in London). In 1975 Ash divorced and married his second wife Gillian Issobel Little in 1975, she died in 2007. He now lives in Mid Wales.
Publications
His publications include -
- The journal of institute of brewing, 'continuous brewing' 1961
- 'Information Science 1500-1850'
- 'Invention Innovation and Mathematics'
References
- 'Believe' Six turning points for Guinness that hinged on inner strength,
John Simmons and Mark Griffths - Guinness: The 250 Year Quest for the Perfect Pint
Bill Yenne - Beer: The Ultimate World Tour
Bill Yenne - Twenty-six Ways of Looking at a Blackberry:
John Simmons - The Search for God and Guinness: A Biography of the Beer that Changed the World
Stephen Mansfield - The SAGE Encyclopedia of Alcohol: Social, Cultural, and Historical Perspectives
Scott C. (Christopher) Martin