Thus Let Us Drink Beer – Akasha x Robert Stein Collaboration

As we have previously covered, what Dave Padden and his crew have accomplished with Akasha Brewing within its six years of existence is quite something, with especially recent releases pushing the envelope in hoppy excellence and knocking it out of the park.

Given that the warehouse where Akasha set up its operation was an empty shell in 2015 with no electricity, water and gas, it was astonishing to see how they turned it into a hospitable brewhouse in no time. However, I do not think the Akasha crew would have imagine back in the day that their haunt would serve as the backdrop for a fine dining experience.

Fast forward to 2021, where after a successful rebrand and the establishment of Akasha Projects, dedicated to limited releases and allowing for collaboration not unlike the one with Robert Stein winery, which saw both channelling their alchemy in the creation of wine / beer hybrids culminating in a three course meal paired with never-before-seen beer and wines to celebrate it.

After being eased into the proceedings via Akasha’s nod to their neighbourhood, i.e. a tin of their classic Canada Bay XPA, the evening had its first highlight with the Rhyme Or Riesling – an Australian grape ale – flanked by a Robert Stein 2020 Riesling, paired with smoky pork, potato and Mexican chorizo tostadas with avocado salsa, queso fresco and chilli pickle. 

With winemakers in Australia traditionally growing Riesling in areas of higher elevation, or in the cooler areas of existing vineyards in a bid to mimic the cooler climate where the grapes are known to thrive, the offerings unfolded delicious citrus notes with limy, zesty highlights sitting against a backdrop of herbal notes of white pepper.

Course two comprised of Oaxacan-style molé served with Tex Mex rice and black beans a la charra was my personal highlight on the wine front as Robert Stein’s deep ruby Shiraz proved to be an example par excellence for a full flavoured, red plummy, fruity aromatic tour de force of fullbodiedness with an elongated, lingering finish.

Things got experimental and wild with the final course and the Shiraz Sour, which was an excellent palate cleanser before one of the more challenging yet not less interesting emissions of the collaboration materialized, i.e. a Chardonnay Barrel Sour Ale, which accompanied a masterclass panel with the head of Akasha and Jacob Stein discussing the rationale behind joining forces and the common denominator when it comes to their creations.

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images by @k.a.vv

Fashions fade, style is eternal – an afternoon with Jeff Lack.

Fashion and grooming. Love it or act like you take yourself too seriously to care about what you look like, fact is that no matter how far removed you might perceive yourself to be from the status quo, it affects one in a myriad of ways.

If I was to pinpoint the qualities of a good stylist and mentor in the fashion department, I would probably not only look for the ability to astutely assess one’s shape and clothing their client will feel comfortable with and enjoy wearing. What I’d look for is the ability to source aesthetics and looks constantly while gently guiding and managing their client’s egos.

I guess in essence, the trick of a successful stylist is to find the middle ground beyond a thorough understanding of design, the vision of what could be and the client’s happiness.

Needless to say, a self-confident yet grounded demeanour, a dash of adaptability, an eye for proportion along with a bit of self-deprecating humour and graciousness, goes a long way. After all, people are trusting you with their time, image and buckaroos.

Enter Jeff Lack.

With a toolbox refined by over thirty years of fashion industry experience– be it in the realm of editing, styling, modelling, mentoring and content creation, both on centre stage as well as behind the scenes - the man has spent his life dedicated to become fluent in the instant language that is fashion and the art of becoming your best self.

I recently had the opportunity to spend an afternoon under the benign guidance of Jeff as part of one of his masterclasses, and it was intriguing to see the man in action, especially in moments where the façade dropped a bit and he shed light on his personal trials and tribulations, which added a welcome facet of authenticity, credibility and depth.

In his idiosyncratic engaging, swashbuckling manner and intrinsically motivated to address and incorporate the audience’s individual takes and questions, the workshop was a tour de force in Jeff touching on grooming habits, wardrobe advice and being an overall sounding board for personal growth.

An afternoon well spent and a reminder that self-care and grooming is not mutually exclusive with femininity or masculinity.

Me and Mr. Cigar

Gibby Haynes

Soho Teen

The Butthole Surfers have had an immense influence on me during my formative years, given that they broke the mould with their idiosyncratic melange of punk infused psychedelic, noise and a welcome dose of black humours.

Given my familiarity with their musical emissions, I was intrigued when Gibby Haynes’ Me and Mr. Cigar materialised in front of me.

While there is no knowledge of The Butthole Surfers’ legacy required, it certainly helps to manage expectations. The initiated would not be further surprised that it apart from being centred around a special human-animal relationship and an unhinged road trip, is a psychedelic drug fuelled meandering and seemingly chaotic and deliberately confusing tour de force with a twist, once one learns that drugs have been taken unwillingly for the first time.

Me and Mr. Cigar seemed to have started out as a short story before it evolved to become aimed at teenage audience to acknowledge the craziness of their own world. One can only hope that it will not be dismissed and instead becomes a staple in school library – I for one would have loved something out of the ordinary like this as part of my literary canon at school.

An fun read aimed at a teenage audience that will prove to be enjoyable if the young recipient has a propensity let go of conventions and does  not take things too seriously and is prepared to have expectations turned upside down.

Semi Permanent X Highsnobiety hotel takeover

Sydney, Australia

May 26-27, 2021

While one might from a distance label the entity known as Semi Permanent as a host for creative experiences and design festivals, the aforementioned categorization does not really do justice to how they channel their alchemy.

After their first festival incarnation in Sydney, Australia close to twenty years ago, the creative experience company has seen an evolution resulting in not only branching out into production services but the creation of branches in the old world, the US and China where their curations, festivals and innovative brand activations continue to thrive  in the respective local contexts.

Needless to say, when In 2020 Semi Permanent announced their partnership with digital publisher Highsnobiety, expectations were high and I was intrigued as to what the collaboration would spawn.

A first taste was given via the launch of a two-day experiential hotel takeover, which saw Sydney’s Paramount Hotel being morphed into a hub of interactive and immersive experiences, flanked by music performances, cinema and tastings, with the common denominator being the celebration of creative thought that is aimed at paving the road for a brighter future.

A curated talks session with a diverse line-up of creative talent set the scene, before attendants were set free to tumble down the Semi Permanent rabbit hole spread over four hotel floors.

By remodelling hotel rooms to serve as backdrops for e.g. an NFT exhibition by Flume and Jonathan Zawada, photography by filmmaker Gia Coppola and fashion brand and Undercover collaborators P.A.M’s multi-sensory ode to psilocybin, along with exclusive product launches and brand activations powered by Semi Permanent’s curatorial team, one had the chance to meander through an intimate and informative wonderland of experiences.

Given that the hotel takeover was only the prelude to the three-day Semi Permanent festival, which will run from 12-14 August at Sydney’s Carriageworks, one can only imagine the calibre of talks, workshops, exhibitions, screenings and parties that will be curated for the 2021 incarnation.

Water of Life

Midnight Peat, StrangeLove and Seven Zero Eight

We have covered Bladnoch Distillery the first incarnation of its offshoot Pure Scot not too long ago. While Bladnoch has a history of more than two hundred years, its two blends, i.e. Pure Scot, and Pure Scot Virgin Oak 43 have only been relatively recently released and proved to be quite delicious as you can derive from our initial assessment.

Needless to say, I was intrigued when Australian Pure Scot announced the release of Midnight Peat, highlighting that they recognize peated scotches as an underrated component of cocktails and their ambition to not only change the perception but aid in elevating classic and modern whisky-based drinks.

While I was impressed with Pure Scot’s core range – specifically at its price range – the Midnight Peat Expression takes things to the next level

as it accentuates Pure Scott’s DNA with a peaty and warm layer with sweet and well-calibrated highlights courtesy of honey, ginger, and citrus notes.

I would not go as far as categorizing Midnight Peat anywhere near more complex peat whiskies, however, the maturation in ex-peated Bladnoch barrels for up to nine months, adds character and depth.

While it will serve its purpose perfectly as a foundation for cocktails, I find it extremely sippable as the melange of honeyed toffee apples and custard resting on a backbone of peat is hard to resist.

Cannot wait to experience future Bladnoch releases.

Change of gear – let’s talk mixers and sodas, shan’t we?

Every now and then an urge overwhelms me and has me reaching for a soft drink – mainly after long runs when my guard is down, and I feel like reaching for the most exotic and least wholesome concoctions in the soda department. A bit of planning, however, helps immensely in

swapping out a saccharine-filled soft drink for one of that tends to have a bit more to offer both in terms of lower calories, lightness as well as flavour profiles.

Enter StrangeLove.

Based in Melbourne, StrangeLove has been channelling its alchemy in the creation of not only a range of mixers but sourcing the most suitable ingredients and extracts that are rarely found in mainstream offerings.

Bottled in elegantly shaped glass bottles, the guilt free beverages come in a variety of flavours, with Double Ginger and especially the Smoked Cola ones being particular favourites.

StrangeLove’s Double Giner variant is not exactly one I’d have on a daily basis but when I have it, it provides an experience that culminates in a welcome warmth emanating from Fijian ginger with subtle zingy highlights.

A preferred go-to during the colder months of the year and a pick-me-up after long nights and early mornings.

Given my preference for everything Islay, it should not come as a surprise that my favourite of the range is Smoked Cola. Now, we have all had our shares of cola with a myriad of incarnations, however, StrangeLove’s one is made from scratch and the lime oil, which is added to the foundation of lemons, kola nut, cinnamon and nut meg, adds a “je ne sais quoi” factor, which is rounded out beautifully by smoking the result over Applewood chips – the perfect accompaniment to BBQs and other hearty meals.

I usually have my Islay whiskies neat, but could not resist to have a smoky cokey by adding a tad bit of Octomore 6.3 to StrangeLove’s Smoked Cola and the result was divine.

The Australian larrikin Shane Warne has been known for many things, however, quality libations were so far not amongst them. His recently launched Seven Zero Eight gin emporium is a juniper infused nod to his career as a cricketer, with the name of the collection being named after the record-breaking seven hundred and eight test wickets that Shane accomplished during his illustrious career on the pitch.

Seven Zero Eight comes in two variants: The classic dry gin clocks in at 43% ABV and tickles the nostrils with zesty and herbal notes with highlights reminiscent of thyme and sage. I find the core expression well suited for sipping as it offers a bit of a palate experience starting with sweet flavours, which seamlessly transition into what the nose promised, i.e. a transition into lemony and herbaceous territory, which culminates in a luscious, elongated reverberating finish.

The twist is that Seven Zero Eight also has its lite version with the alcohol content not only being halved but with 23 bearing the significance of having been Warne’s shirt number in limited-overs cricket. Given the lower alcohol and thereby reduced caloric content, this variant might be an alternative for the health conscious gin aficionado and proves to be ideal for sipping.

I like the design of the bottles and the overall theme of Seven Zero Eight as it finds itself on the more subtle and subdued end of the spectrum, which is a nice counterpoint to Warner’s public persona.

Summa summarum, Seven Zero Eight is an extremely enjoyable classic, smooth gin, which also comes in a mid-strength variant.

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image from company website