Pregled posta

Marketing

The factory floor of an electronics manufacturer - 3x2 inch Fridge Magnet - large magnetic button - Magnet

Rectangular wrap-around refrigerator magnet and a glossy mylar cover.

Large 2x3 inch rectangle fridge magnet or 'buttons' as they are sometimes known in the USA.

Crop shown is automated for display purposes only. All magnets are hand finished and the best most appropriate crop will always be selected to best show the full image. Therefore, actual product may vary slightly from crop shown - this can include borders or slight cropping in order to best place the image within the fixed size.

Gummy beer! Well, beer kanten at any rate. The beer is Sinebrychoff (Koff) porter. The recipe is:

Bring to a boil the reduce to a simmer:
33 cl beer (roughly 11 fl oz)
1 1/2 tsp agar-agar powder
(A ratio of 1 tsp agar-agar powder per 1 cup of liquid. Highly acidic liquids will require more powder.)

Simmer for 3 minutes or until no grainy texture remains. I covered the pot while simmering as not to reduce the beer too much thus unpalatably increasing the bitterness.

Add and dissolve:
2 2/3 TBSP table sugar

Pour into a mold and let set in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the fridge for 30 minutes. Remove from the mold with thin knife. If this proves problematic, rest the mold in a hot water bath for a few seconds to loosen the gel. Store in the fridge and serve cold (though they are room temp stable).

The amount of sugar will probably depend greatly on the bitterness and sweetness of the base beer. Koff porter is moderately bitter at 45 EBU, though roasted malts further the impression of bitterness.

The amount of agar-agar might depend on the manufacturer, if internet sources are to be trusted. Flakes apparently require three times the amount, so that would be 1 1/2 TBSP.

Spices and such could certainly accent the gel quite well. I'm going to try a drop of vanilla in the next batch using this beer.

Foaming is an issue if you want perfectly-solid, bubble-free bits of beer gel. The foam isn't unpleasantly bitter, but the texture is kind of weird. However it does make for a cool presentation when added to a partially-filled mold making it look a lot like beer. Cylindrical molds would magnify this effect. I don't have a solution for getting rid of the foam other than scooping it off of the surface of the finished liquid before placing into the mold. I tried both letting the unadulterated beer sit out for a bit, stirring occasionally, and adding a small amount of fat (butter) to the beer; I ended up with less foam doing these two steps, but there was still some foam.

I believe that sweeter beers (anything using a good dose of crystal malt or lots of Munich malt with minimal hop additions) and sour beers (I'm looking at you Belgian kriek beers) would probably work best in this application. Ooh, anyone want to send me a bottle of New Glarus Belgian Red?

My second batch used 2 tsp vanilla sugar and 2 1/2 TBSP maple syrup in place of the table sugar in the original recipe. Yes, they taste good.

below the tub of cottage cheese and plastic container of aromatic durian, a cache of film for one who still believes in its magic.

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All film materials deteriorate with time. Colour film is especially affected by temperature and humidity. If changes in climatic conditions occur, the speed and colour balance of film is likely to undergo some alteration.

There are two types of film: one is designed for professional use, the other for amateurs. Professional film is of extremely high quality and is more consistent roll for roll than amateur, but it has a shorter shelf life. For best results, manufacturers advise that professional film should be stored in stable conditions at temperatures 13 degrees C or below and processed soon after use.

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Amateur film has a longer shelf life, remains more stable under varying conditions and has a more general application than professional film. It is designed for less critical applications. Manufacturers assume that amateur film will be stored at room temperature and the length of time between purchase and process will be longer than with professional film.

--- from The 35mm Photographer's Handbook by Julian Calder and John Garrett, 1999