Organic Beer, Is It A Thing?

The 90s gave birth to iconic trends such as tattoo chokers and cropped tops. Along with these trends was the invention of the organic beer. In America, two breweries reign supreme when it comes to organic beer. These two where Lakefront Brewing Co. in Milwaukee and Eel River Brewing Co. in Northern California. Now there are a handful of brands to choose from.

It is easy to call something “organic”, but what does it mean exactly? A beer can put the organic seal if it meets the following guidelines:

a. it is at least 95% organically produced (i.e., without GMOs, pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers)

b. the brewery must prove that the remaining ingredients are not available in sufficient organic quantities or organic form

A beer can still be labelled “made with organic…”, if the brewery used at least 70% of organic ingredients excluding salt and water. Beyond this, a beer can be given a 100% organic certification if the entire process including cleaning and making materials was organic. Such beers are understandably rare!

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Why Should You Drink Organic Beer?

It comes as no surprise that drinking organic beer helps support agriculture. Beer is made with grains, fruits, vegetables, spices, yeast, and water. You can help keep the groundwater clean, reduce the toxic air pollution, and protect the organic farmers when you buy ingredients that are produced organically. If you already subscribe to organic meat and organic produce, why not switch to organic beer too?

Let us focus on the price of organic beer. In most cases, its price is the same as many craft beers. This enables you to enjoy the healthy taste of beer at budget-friendly prices.

Further research in the organic beer industry led me to the discovery of Bison’s Chocolate Stout. It is a product made with Peruvian cocoa from Bison Brewing Co. Aside from this, you may also try Bison Brewing Co’s Honey Basil beer or Organic Hop Cuvee West Coast Ale. Sweet beers quench my preference for sweet alcoholic beverages.

You may also try Lakefront Brewery’s Chad. It is a product that exudes a special bitter taste with a spicy flair. You may have guessed that the product was brewed by a cellar-man whose name is Chad.

Nonetheless, you may check out the organic alcoholic beverages at your nearby supermarket or by visiting alcohaul.sg.

“I wanted to create a beer that connected my healthy, active lifestyle with my social life, and bring it all together.” —Smart Beer Founder Gabriel Heymann

Can You Make Your Own Organic Beer?

The short answer is “YES”! Simply round up these ingredients: malted grain, hop, water, and yeast. Then, follow the instructions found in organicauthority.com.

Sources:1 & 2

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How to Sell Your Items Beyond Facebook

There are many ways to gain extra income by selling your old or new items. All you need is a good strategy!

CONCEPT STORES

The new wave of retail came in the recent years due to the boom of concept stores that integrate different types such as blog-shops or locker pop-up spaces. Concept stores or consignment stores fuse different brands in one house. Be advised that the store will take up rent fees as well as a cut from your sales. Many people are attracted to concept stores due to the convenience of having items sold in one place without worrying about various listings. You have to decide whether this works best for you.

PAWN SHOPS

When I was in Bangkok, I noticed that our driver watched The History Channel’s Pawn Stars during his downtime. The show revolves around a family spearheaded by owner Rick. People bid some of the most unique collectibles they hid in their basements. Pawn shops are good places to sell your ancestral jewelry, musical instruments, and other collectibles. You would get the most out of your money when you have your item appraised in person. Nonetheless, it is convenient to have others sell your items in an immediate period of time. Some of the Pawn shops in the country include Toa Payoh’s Min Tai and Tanjong Pagar’s Ban Joo.

GARAGE SALES

Whether you want to get rid of several items or you want to share your unused items, you could house a garage sale at your house. Prepare a space in your flat to showcase your items in a pleasing manner. Make invitations to give out to your friends and neighbors. Garage sales entail a traditional way to eliminate unwanted items.

Alternatively, you may rent a space for cheap. I found a website that offers cheap spaces for as low as S$10 per day. It is an eleven sq. ft. display counter at Suntec. Or, you may rent a forty-dollar per day space at Orchid Hotel.

ONLINE APPS

One of the easiest ways to sell your new or old products thru a smartphone is with Carousell. Simply snap a product, include basic information, and post it thru the app. Items on Carousell are presented in an Instagram-style grids. Buyers can leave public or private comments when they are interested. The only downside is that Carousell does not support any form of payments. Most users either meet up or do bank transfer to fulfill a deal.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

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Save Up To $82/Month On Delivery Fees With Grab’s Food Plans

If you love GrabFood (like we all do!), you are in for a treat with Grab’s latest offering.

Food Plans are subscription plans under GrabFood that are designed to help subscribers achieve massive savings automatically.

For a limited time only, subscribe to Grab’s Free Delivery Subscription Food Plan and save up to $82 on delivery fees in a month.

Arnold’s Fried Chicken on GrabFood

What Is The Free Delivery Subscription Food Plan?

Order the Dian Xiao Er’s Signature Herbal Roast Duck on GrabFood

For only $7.99/month, you will get 30 free deliveries per month under the Free Delivery Subscription Food Plan. Given that GrabFood’s delivery fee averages about $3 per delivery, the Free Delivery Subscription Food Plan can deliver (pun intended) massive savings of up to $82 per month! In case you are curious, here’s the math:

  • $3 X 30 Free Deliveries – $7.99 (Cost of Subscription of Free Delivery Subscription Food Plan)

Furthermore, as an added convenience for GrabFood user, subscription plans are also auto-renewed monthly. This smooth and hassle-free process ensures that you do not miss out on any savings. Not to worry, subscribers can cancel anytime they change their mind.

Toast Box’s Drumstick Braised Pork Rice

Limited-time Launch Promo Giveaways

As part of Food Plan’s launch promotion, you get to save EVEN MORE when you subscribe today! A total of $15 worth of GrabFood vouchers:

  • 1X$5 off (with min. spend of $10)
  • 1X$10 off (with min. spend of $20)

will be given away as part of the launch promotion. These vouchers will be credited into your account instantaneously upon confirmation of subscription.

How To Subscribe To Grab’s Food Plan?

  1. Launch the Grab App and tap on your Profile Picture
  2. Select ‘Subscriptions’
  3. Scroll to find ‘Food Plans’ & tap ‘View Plan’
  4. Select ‘Free Delivery Subscription’ and tap ‘Get This Plan’
  5. Tap ‘Confirm’ to subscribe after you have checked your payment details
  6. You will find the vouchers awarded to you instantly!

Wait no more and sign up for GrabFood’s Free Delivery Subscription Food Plan to save up to $82 of delivery fees in a month!

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Rise And Fall Of Sembawang Music Centre

Remember the time when cassette tapes and CDs were a big deal? Well, the popularity of stereo and portable CD players came with the massive impact of Sembawang Music Centre (SMC).

Before we reminisce the existence of this local legend, let us go back to the birth of the CD. The CD is often times attributed to inventor James Russell who used multiple optical mediums. However, it was finalized in the 80’s when Sony and Philips created the famed “Red Book” standard. The standard follows a 120mm diameter disc with music at a resolution of 16 bit/44.1kHz. To many, this is still regarded as the optimal digital standard. This newly revamped CD made its way to the greater public in 1983.

It makes sense why Sembawang Music Centre reigned supreme in the 1990’s to early 2000’s. From cassette tapes to CDs, music enthusiasts of the yesteryears were satisfied with the collection of SMC. It is a mainstay in the music retail industry with an operation spanning for more than two decades. Students often save up every cent of their allowance to buy an album or two!

Image Credits: straitstimes.com

It got its name from the shopping centre from which it started – the Sembawang Shopping Centre. In its humble beginnings, it stored some of the most rare music finds. It made every weekend a musical treasure hunt for adolescents and adults alike. During its peak, it had about 26 outlets in Singapore! Several outlets were found in Raffles City, Thomson Plaza, and Plaza Singapura. Having decent locations were not enough to avoid its downfall! The digital wave in the music industry made retail stores like SMC obsolete. You can buy almost any song from iTunes, stream your favorite playlists in Spotify, or download illegally at no-cost from various websites.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

People like to listen to music and they like it now! The convenience that digital music platforms can offer led to the diminishing popularity of physical music retail stores. As a result, Sembawang Music Center filed for bankruptcy and eventual closure in 2009. SMC, you will always be a part of Singapore’s musical history.

Sources: 1 & 2

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Complete Your Home Gym With These Inexpensive Equipment

One of my partner’s resolutions for the year 2019 is to achieve his ideal shape! With this goal in mind, he enrolled in a nearby gym and set a schedule for his fitness regimen. To support this, he and I exercise at home with the following equipment.

Do not worry! You do not have to break the bank to get ripped.

YOGA MAT
Price: S$9.90 at Decathlon

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Investing in a Yoga Mat is a must due to its versatility. Not only can you do all sorts of yoga poses in a non-slip surface, but it can also protect your joints as you exercise. Exercising on a yoga mat goes beyond the practice of yoga. You can do push-ups or ab crunches while on the mat.

PVC HAND WEIGHTS
Price: S$13 at Decathlon

Easy-to-grip hand weights or dumbbells need no introduction! They simply add resistance to your cardio routine or strength training. You may also step up your yoga poses while holding a pair or two-pound weights!

JUMP ROPE
Price: S$2.50 at Decathlon

There is a reason why boxers incorporate the classic jump rope to their training. It improves a range of skills such as balance, stamina, endurance, and coordination. Not to mention, this lightweight and tangle-resistant rope is adjustable for different heights.

RESISTANCE BANDS
Price: S$3.90 at Decathlon

Resistance bands are cheap, convenient, and light. Toss a couple of resistance bands in your drawer to enjoy the 20 to 50 pounds of resistance in aid of your strength training. Research about the poses that you can do with it.

AB WHEEL
Price: S$10 at Decathlon

The Ab Wheel is one of the as-seen-on-TV products that actually work. It earned the hearts of many due to its ability to tone the abs. If you are sick of crunches, this alternative may be perfect for you! Made of stainless steel or heavy-duty plastic, it is durable enough to last.

MEDICINE BALL
Price: S$4.90 at Decathlon

While I will not require you to spend a huge amount of money on a full set of medicine balls, you may invest in one or two of them. Medicine balls are about the size of a Basketball, but can weigh from 2 to 30 pounds.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Use these weighted balls to support your ab exercises. Ultimately, it is fantastic for building your upper-body power. Try throwing it against the wall or to a partner.

Sources: 1 & 2

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