#Beard Kit Sweden

[niemernuet]

*wiping away tears* They're so dumb...

The ski resort was in the middle of nowhere, Sweden, more than one hour in every direction away from anything that could approximate entertainment. Thus when Daniel burst into the breakfast hall of the only hotel in the village with fire and fury and his ski boots, every athlete was more than willing to watch the spectacle, even if they did not speak the language.

"LUCA!" Daniel hollered. Luca flinched, and almost threw the cards in his hand into the air. Before he could say something, Daniel slammed the boots down onto the table.

"Careful!" Loïc warned, and pulled the board of Brändi Dog out of harm's way while Ramon stared at Daniel with his mouth wide open.

"You absolute IDIOT!" Daniel yelled. "You know I only have the one pair with me!"

"What is going on?" Luca asked, and looked at the bright-yellow plastic-boots with utter confusion.

"Don't play games!" Daniel snapped. "I know it was you who painted the dicks on it."

Giggling erupted at the table of the Norwegians further down the room, though Atle quickly hid behind Lucas when Daniel's furious glare landed on him. He lifted the boots again to reveal their soles and the pair of crude dicks drawn with sharpie.

"I didn't do that!" Luca exclaimed.

"Yeah, right," Daniel scoffed.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Luca yelled, and slammed his cards down on the table. He paused when he realised the raised eyebrows of Loïc and Ramon. "Okay, I can see why you think I might have done it. But I didn't! I swear! Somebody else must have done it!"

Daniel glared at him for a moment, as if he could stare a hole into Luca's skull with the force of his anger. Then, he abruptly turned away, and waved the boot in front of Ramon's nose.

"No!" Ramon said, and raised his palms. "Not me either!"

"Confess!" Daniel growled. "And I will show mercy!"

"There's nothing to confess!" Ramon exclaimed. "I didn't draw dicks on your shoes." This time, the Swedes and Poles also joined in the laughter. Daniel tried to silence them with his furious glare again but it had lost its effect.

"I don't even know where you keep your shoes!" Ramon said. "Also I wouldn't draw dicks like that."

"Oh, excuse me!" Daniel said. "I didn't realise your dicks would have artistic merit."

"They would!" Ramon insisted, and petulantly crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Daniel threw up his hands. "Well, somebody must have done it! And I'm sure it was one of you!"

"We did not do it!" Luca said, punctuating every word with a slap on the table. "We're not the ones who are always in your stuff. Wasn't Nicola annoyed with you yesterday because you kept pestering him about the binding of that one ski?"

Daniel huffed, and plopped down on a free chair. "He says he didn't do it," he grumbled. "Now how am I supposed to get them off? This shit is waterproof."

"Rubbing alcohol?," Ramon suggested.

"Great idea!" Daniel said. "I'll just use the bottle I've lugged across half of Europe."

"Excuse me for trying to be helpful," Ramon muttered.

Their heads all turned when a deep voice piped up behind them.

"How about acetone?" Lucas asked. "You could use my nail polish remover; I didn't have to lug it that far anyway. If the dick's not too big…there's not much left."

"The dick is small and dainty," Loïc answered before Daniel could.

Daniel threw him an exasperated look before he turned back to Lucas. "You'd be my hero."

Lucas grinned, and stood up. "I know."

Daniel stood up too, and gave Ramon and Luca one last, warning look. "When I find out which one of you did it, you're toast!"

They left the hall, and turned towards the staircase.

"You're really sure that Loïc didn't do it," Lucas remarked. He still had not stopped grinning.

"Right," Daniel laughed. "Loïc. The guy who brings his own coffee beans, and who has a beard grooming kit that's bigger than my entire toiletry bag. Nah, he's too proper for that. It was Luca, I'm sure of it. I just need to prove it."

Lucas shrugged. "Okay…if you say so…"

Daniel frowned, and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. "What do you mean?"

"All I'm saying is that he spent most of the last three years around Odi and Murisier and the younger Caviezel…"

Daniel thought about his words, and slowly, a look of understanding dawned on his face. "Could you wait here for a second?" he asked Lucas with barely restrained anger, and turned around again.

"No problem," Lucas laughed, and watched as Daniel ran back towards the breakfast hall.

"LOÏC!"

[dethshit]

Rocking Around The Christmas Tree

Dec 13th: Your Favorite Holiday Tradition Dethklok Style

Toki practically vibrated in place, shifting from foot to foot as he waited impatiently for everyone to come into the living room of Mordhaus. It had taken him hours, hell, days of begging, pleading, whining and complaining to anyone within earshot but he finally got his wish. 

He was going to decorate the massive Christmas tree he had pestered Offdensen into buying with his family. 

The massive evergreen tree smelled of artificial pine and stood tall, so very regal despite the macabre décor. It was custom made and probably cost more money than most people could dream of touching. It was bolted down to the floor by an iron base to keep it from wobbling. 

The black tree skirt had been Toki’s personal choice, decorated with white skulls with splatters of red and green glittery pools that looked shockingly close to blood. It wasn’t the only thing he had a hand in. He had helped prepare the massive star to adorn the top of the tree. It was made from stainless steel painted black with fourteen sharp points to symbolize everyone important in his life. There was one for each member of the band (he had reluctantly included himself to make it an even number), one for Murderface’s partner Noni, two for Charles and his partner, three for Abigail and her partners, one for Knubbler, one for Mashed Potato Johnson and even one for Magnus. The center had a red gem that Toki was told was some super expensive ruby from a far off land he never heard of but he loved the shine. He even convinced the creators to put a set of lights around the ruby that would twinkle cheerily. 

He hugged the star tightly, ignoring the bitter cold of the metal and the jab of the ruby against his face and chest. 

“Tokis? What ams yous doings?” He turned to Skwisgaar with a massive smile before running over and grabbing the blonde’s hand. 

“Skwisgaar, yous ams just in times! Theys brought de stars!” He yanked him to the black star, Skwisgaar falling over his feet from the amount of strength Toki used. “Sees? Offdensens lets me makes the stars with the helps of the blacksmiths and the makers and it has a points for everyones!” 

Skwisgaar wrenched his hand away, rubbing his sore wrist as he looked up at the star. “Oh, yeahs?” He asked dryly, bored with no one else around but the hyperactive Norwegian. 

Toki nodded excitedly. “The tops ams Offdensen and to his rights ams Akitas. To his lefts ams Noni. Moidaface ams next to Noni and Dana ams next to Akitas. Abby ams next to Danas and Carmens follows hers. Yous ams next to Moidaface and I ams next to yous! Pickle ams next to me and Nathan is next to Pickle. Knubbler is next to Nathan and Magnus is next to Carmens and the last one ams Mashed Potato Johnson!” He pointed out each individual arm of the 14 pointed star while Skwisgaar rolled his eyes. 

“...Oka- wait. Whys ams I next to Moidaface and yous?” Skwisgaar asked, eyes narrowing. 

Toki shuffled. “...Yous can takes a different points if yous want. You can be nexts to Mashed Potato Johnson?” He offered, hoping not to start a fight. 

“And be nexts to dats psycho Magnus?! Absolutely nots!” Skwisgaar huffed, upturning his nose at the very idea. 

Toki’s smile fell. “...then wheres dos yous want to be?” 

Skwisgaar glared at the shorter man. “Amnest it obvious? I shoulds be at de tops!” 

Toki stomped his foot, not caring how much he was acting like a child. “Nos! It ams for Offdensen! Yous cans have my spots instead!” 

“Of course yous wants my spots! Yous always wants my spots!”

“That amnest even whats we weres talkings about!” 

Their argument escalated until they were screaming in each other’s face, not noticing when the others came into the room. 

“Boys, really?” Offdensen asked, lifting his glasses to rub his face tiredly. Toki quickly shut his mouth, worried that Offdensen would change his mind and have the Klokateers decorate the tree instead. He had gone through so much trouble to pick out all the ornaments and he had a whole plan set up, the likes that would make Offdensen and Abigail proud. 

Skwisgaar scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Dis ams a stupid ideas anyways.” Toki deflated slightly as Skwisgaar tried to leave the room. He was held back by a strong hand. 

He glared indignantly at Nathan. “We said we were gonna do this with Toki so we’re gonna do it.” Nathan mumbled, forcing the blonde back into the room. 

Skwisgaar bristled. “Yous can’ts makes me!” Nathan only frowned at him before turning over to where Offdensen and his boyfriend were busy unpacking some of Toki’s custom ornaments. “HEY AKIT-”

Skwisgaar hurriedly smothered Nathan’s yell, glaring at the lead singer. “Yous bastard!” He hissed. 

“Something wrong, boys?” Akita asked innocently but his eyes said something different. There was a definitive threat in those ice blue eyes that if anyone did anything to ruin the youngest bandmate’s plans, there would be absolute hell to pay. 

“Nothings!” Skwisgaar squeaked, his voice scaling up an octave. Akita narrowed his eyes and he read that there better not be. 

Toki grabbed a green bulb that had been strung with alcohol bottles instead of lights. “Pickle, this ams for yous.” The ginger grabbed the glass and grinned. “Dat’s pretty cool, Toki.” Toki’s face threatened to split with his wide smile before returning to his box. 

He had a black skull with a white Christmas sweater pattern running across it for Nathan. A knife with a bough of holly hanging off of it for Murderface. A palm tree wrapped in string lights for Noni. A makeup kit that lit up for Dana and a dress mannequin that had on a Santa suit for Carmen. Abby had a pair of old school headphones wrapped in ribbon. Offdensen had a computer that had HAPPY HOLIDAYS written across the screen that alternated between green and red. Akita had a golden microphone that sang Christmas carols when a button was pressed on the bottom. He had chosen a festive clown that reminded him a lot of his straw companion from his days in Norway. 

And then there was Skwisgaar. 

He reached into the box, hesitating as he ran a thumb over the cold glass. He startled when he felt a hand gently land on his back. He whirled around and blushed, feeling foolish. 

It was only Akita whose eyes were full of concern. “What’s wrong, Toki? I thought you wanted to do this.” 

He nodded eagerly. “Ands I stils do. I just...” He lifted the box to let Akita see the ornament he had chosen for Skwisgaar. 

It was an exact glass replica of his Gibson Explorer down to the tiniest scratch on the neck. Akita glanced up at him, cocking a blonde eyebrow. He turned redder. “I guess....” He glanced down at his boots. “What ifs he hates it? He hated his points on the stars.” 

Akita held back his soft chuckle to avoid offending Toki. He cupped his cheek, rubbing his cheekbone with his thumb. “Toki...you know he’s going to love it. The damn Swede is a drama queen, that’s all.” 

“SHUTS YOUS FACE YOUS DAMN FINNISH SHIT!” 

Akita let go of Toki’s face, turning around to confront Skwisgaar. “Oh, shut your own ass, you wish Sweden was as great as Finland!” 

“FINLAND AMS A SHITHOLE COUNTRYS!” 

“IT”S THE FUCKING BEST YOU ILLITERATE JACKOFF!” 

Toki smiled faintly at the familiar bickering. While the words were harsh and an outsider might suspect that the two blondes hated each other, there was genuine amusement in Akita’s voice and Skwisgaar’s insults were lacking the usual bite they had when the two opposing Europeans first met. 

Toki walked up to Skwisgaar while Offdensen pulled Akita away to help him untangle the lights much to Akita’s chagrin. “You just had to volunteer for the most difficult part of the job?” Akita asked dryly as he sat down next to an outlet. Offdensen rolled his eyes fondly at the complaint. “Four hands work faster than two.” 

“And six are even better. Hey, Noni! Come help, please!” 

Toki patted Skwisgaar’s shoulder. “U-Uh, Skwisgaar?” The blonde glanced at him from the corner of his eye. “Whats do yous wants?” Toki winced and pulled the ornament from behind his back. “....I gots yous an ornaments too.” 

Skwisgaar was silent and Toki braced himself for the backlash with his eyes screwed shut. All he could hope was that Skwisgaar didn’t throw the precious glass and break it in his tantrum. 

He opened his eyes when he felt the weight lifted off his finger. Skwisgaar was gently cradling the mini guitar as if it was his real one. “...Yous gots dis...for me?” Toki nodded, keeping his gaze on the floor. “I wanteds to get ones for everyones. Yous ams part of everyones, Skwisgaar.” He explained quietly to his boots. 

He missed the way Skwisgaar had covered his mouth with his free hand, eyes starting to turn wet from unshed tears. The blonde quickly blinked away the tears before they fell and he shook away any visible emotion on his face. “It ams okays.” He finally deemed, underplaying how much it meant to him. Most of his Christmases as a kid were spent either in the cold or bouncing from house to house with anyone who would put up with him. The Christmases in the band were usually blurred by alcohol but even then. There was nothing festive about the day until Toki began his quest to make Mordhaus as festive as possible. 

Toki gave a small smile and grabbed his own ornament. It was a mini snow globe where a snowman with his fu manchu was in the middle of a group hug. There was a tall snooty snowman, a shorter one with Pickles’ fiery beard, another with a fierce scowl and the last had Murderface’s mustache. He wanted to add more snowpeople: one with a turquoise pendant around her neck, one with a set of glasses and semi circle green buttons for eyes, one with green robot eyes, an elderly looking snowman with a cane and another with a white and brown goatee. That was without even adding the newest members of his family!

But the man making the ornament begged him to keep the number small, his hand cramping with the amount of detail he was trying to cram on the small snowmen in the snow globe. 

There would be other years and he could add to the ornaments. 

He climbed up the ladder behind Skwisgaar and waited patiently for the taller man to place his ornament near the top of the tree. He placed his own towards the front so that everyone could see his snow globe and grinned happily at the sight below him. 

Noni and Murderface were adjusting some of the lower branches, Noni using their height to place some of the colored balls onto the tree. Murderface made a comment and the tall tanned figure laughed. Abby was sitting between Dana and Carmen as the trio worked on the beaded garland that would wind its way around the tree. It had gotten tangled in its voyage to Mordhaus and Carmen and Abby were talking while Dana nodded or shook her head along with the conversation. Nathan and Pickles were starting to work the lights Akita and Charles had untangled around the tree. Akita and Charles were watching them, Akita waving at Toki when they locked eyes. 

Toki waved back and winced as Skwisgaar pushed on his head. “Comes on ands moves it! I do nots plans to spends all days up heres!” 

-------------------------------

I ended up combining two traditions into a small snippet of a fic. I love decorating the tree with my family and I usually get some ornaments for my friends and I take a long time to pick them out. 

And yes I added my own OCs and their respective ships what you gonna do about it

[rinscribblessmalls]

Title: A Hot Blonde at the Bar Fandom: Riordan Universe (I don’t know what else to call it since all of them are in the same universe) Category: Mortal AU Ship: Apollo x Frey Main Idea: The moment Apollo mentioned that he had met a hot blond with a talking sword in Sweden, I could not let it live down. In this scene, Apollo had just lost custody battles with his son, and is now wallowing in self-pity in his half-brother Dionysus’ bar.

Getting divorced and losing the custody battles to his ex-wife did not sit well with Apollo. He loved being married as much as the other guy does, and he loves his son very dearly, but it seems that he shares the fate of all his other half-brothers. The fate of being divorced with their wives or their one-night stands hiding a kid from behind their backs. His sisters Artemis and Athena, who lives in Boston, did the smart thing and remained single, as well as their aunt Hestia. “I should have listened to Artemis when she said that getting married would only lead to disaster...”

“I think the only misfortune that you could have is marrying the wrong person.”

At that moment, Apollo’s head shot up to look at the person who interrupted his pity party. He was all-in to sassing the man, but the moment he laid eyes on him, Apollo felt his breath hitch. There standing in front of him was a tall blue eyed and blond haired man wearing faded jeans, a flannel shirt, and hiking boots, as if he had just gotten home from mountain climbing. He was tall, at least six foot five inches, has a hawkish nose, a stubbly beard, and brilliant white teeth that could blind even him with sunglasses. His crooked chin and cowlick behind his right ear added more sex appeal to his already handsome face.

In Apollo Language: He’s hot.

Thankfully, the thrall only took three seconds before he managed to utter a word. “Saying that from experience?”

The man smirked. “Oh not personally. My sister has been married and divorced for a total of five times, so I can tell how getting divorced for the first time feels.”

“Used you as a punching bag?” Apollo guessed.

“You have no idea.” The handsome man replied. “May I sit?”

Apollo straightened up and nodded. “Sure. Be my guest.”

The man took the seat and made himself comfortable and placed down his own drink. “Being divorced for the first time always hurts the most because you don’t know what you did wrong along the way.” He started.

Snorting, Apollo waved his hand slightly, “Oh, I know where I went wrong. What I am sulking about is the fact that my ex-wife blindsided me when it came to the custody of our son and the changing of his last name from mine to hers without even notifying me.”

At that, the man winced apologetically. “Ouch. That is a cause for drinking down a bottle of brandy.”

Apollo smiled sadly at the thought of his son no longer bearing his surname. “Well, nothing more I can do with that.” He said as he sipped his brandy. “What matters in the end is that my son is well taken care of, and I know for a fact that my ex-wife’s father was the perpetrator for the name changing.” He informed him. Even if he was just talking to a stranger about his divorce, it would do his conscience good to not put Naomi in a negative light. He loved Naomi, it was just that he didn’t love her family, especially her father. Even Artemis considered the man as an asshole. Bless her soul. He then shook his head, “Now that it’s out of the way, how about telling me more about yourself?”

The man smiled and humored him, “Well, I never married, but when my ex-girlfriend died, she left me the son that she never told me about. I just got custody of him last summer.” He shared.

“Then why are you here instead of at home?” Apollo interrogated.

Flashing his mesmerizing white teeth, he answered, “I’d love to stay at home, but my sister is babysitting him from me for the weekend, saying that an old man like me shouldn’t take his son around with his students during hiking, even though my son enjoys it.”

“You barely look thirty!” Apollo exclaimed.

“Thanks for saying that, but I’m already thirty-five.” He replied.

‘Only six years older than me, huh?’ Apollo thought to himself. Not really a large age gap, but still, the man looked too young to be above thirty. “Well, at least you have an advantage to look young at parent-teacher meetings,” he mused.

“I’d like to think so,” he answered.

For the next ten minutes, the two men did nothing but talk about each other. Apollo learned that his name was Frey Summers, an Environmental Studies professor at New York University, and his twin sister, Freya, was a famous jeweler and fashion designer in Europe. He has a son named Magnus, who was just two years older than his son. He just came back from a mountain hike that day, accompanying some of his students with their term paper concerning Minnewaska State Park Preserve, hence his attire.

Apollo, in turn, shared his own background as someone who has a hobby with playing all kinds of musical instruments and he is the head surgeon of Olympus Medical Center, and that Artemis is the head nurse of the said hospital. He did tell him that he was an illegitimate child, but he did not tell him how complicated his life was and his relations with his father. Frankly, the family issues he has are more complicated than other families out there. He decided not to let his head explode if he could help it.

He was about to bring up another subject when a rabble interrupted their conversation, rather, it interrupted just Apollo, because the other man still has his eyes on him.

“For god’s sakes you two idiots, you almost ruined my garbage dumps and the cars of the customers!” an angry Dionysus growled at the two men sporting some bruises to their faces. Apollo recognized them as their half-brothers, Ares and Hephaestus who were still in their matching red and maroon suits. Apparently, they managed to escape their mother’s clutches just in time, and they probably had help from their father Zeus.

“Those punks started it!” Ares reasoned. “Those bastards think that they can get some easy cash by trying to mug two men in tailored suits. I proved them wrong.”

“Don’t look at me! Ares pulled me in!” Hephaestus defended as he was sat down by Hermes at one of the stools while he fetched the first aid kit.

Apollo sighed as he returned to the man in front of them. “Friends of yours?” he asked.

He shook his head, and decided to drop a very big bomb, “Nope. Some of my half-siblings, though the lone girl with them is my older twin.”

Apollo could read the shock on his face when he informed him that they were his siblings, but they instantly faded and smiled. “Big family,” he mused.

“A bit complicated, but yes.” Apollo said fondly. “They have been dragging me everywhere for the past few hours to take my mind off things, but you managed to do that in five minutes flat.”

The man smiled. “I’m glad I could alleviate your worries for a while.”

Apollo smiled as he looked back at his siblings. The moment he saw the gashes on Ares and Hephaestus, and that Hermes was a bit confused of what to do with the kit between the two of them, he stood up. “I better go there and help patch them up. Lord knows what they did out back earlier.” He said.

The man nodded and stood, “I should go too. I’m supposed to head to my sister’s house and sleep over before I drive my son home tomorrow,”

“Thank you for your time then. I enjoyed it.” He admitted.

“I’d like for this to continue, if you want,” Frey said as he handed him a business card. “If you need someone to talk to again, just give me a ring, though not during my classes between seven and two.” He reminded and smiled at him, making Apollo, a grown twenty-nine year-old man, blush.

“S-Sure. See you around.” Apollo bid.

Frey simply smiled. “See you around.” He said and turned to leave the bar.

Apollo didn’t know how long he was staring, but it was definitely long enough, because when he turned to face his siblings, they were all wearing the same annoying smirk that says ‘I know what you just did there’ that made him believe that they were never going to let it go.

“What?” Apollo said as he stared at his siblings.

“I see you abandoned your brandy for the company of a man in hiking wear.” Artemis teased with a smirk.

Apollo shrugged. “He’s just being nice. No need to interpret things,” he then took the first aid kit from his brother, “Now and those over and let me see your bruises. Those can’t be a good sign that it would disappear overnight. Aphy will have a fit.”

“No need to remind us.” Ares mumbled as Apollo placed a swab of cotton with antiseptic on his cheek. “OW!” he flinched.

“Just sit down and let Artemis and I disinfect those! Who knows what those brutes you subdued outside had on their hands!” he mumbled as he tended to his brother, all the while, noticing that the others were smirking at him the entire time.

Yes. Apollo knew that they would never live this down.

[stevenhwicker]

Steam Boiler Fuels Major Expansion At Magic Rock Brewing

Huddersfield-based craft beer specialist, Magic Rock Brewing, has installed a 100hsp 4VT Steam Boiler from CFB Boilers to generate steam for a number of vital steam-powered processes at its new site. The energy-saving boiler, which comes with future-proof steam capacity, is already helping this highly successful brewery towards its aim of quadrupling output within the space of just two years.

Magic Rock has come a long way in a short space of time. Brothers Richard and Jonny Burhouse, aided by head brewer Stuart Ross, were inspired to start the brewery in 2011 by their love of great beer and the burgeoning US craft beer scene. Initial reaction to the beers exceeded expectations and a fantastic first six months culminated in the company being named ‘2nd best new brewery in the world 2012’ on the independent review site, Rate Beer.

Exceptional demand in the first few years necessitated an expansion in 2015 to a new 25,000 sq ft facility close to Huddersfield town centre. The move led to considerable investment in new brew kit, much of which is steam-powered. For instance, steam is used in the brewing process for heating and boiling wort in the kettle. It is also deployed for heating the detergent bath and steaming the casks at the end of the cleaning cycle. Further use for steam includes heating a series of CIP (clean-in-place) tanks, which provide heated detergent and water for cleaning the brewing vessels.

Steam, “the best option”

“The output capacity at our previous site was only 5,000 hectolitres a year and quite simply we needed to move in order to meet demand,” says Mr Ross. “Steam was our best option at the new site as it’s better and faster at performing the heating function. We are now on course to output 15,000 hectolitres this year, and 20,000 in 2017, which will represent a four-fold increase in around 24 months. The new location has also allowed us to introduce a canning line, which adds to our cask and keg portfolio, and open our own 4,000 sq ft bar, The Tap, where beer fans can sample the Magic Rock portfolio as close to the source as possible.”

Magic Rock and CFB Boilers were introduced via social media; at the time of its relocation, Magic Rock issued a tweet saying it was expanding to new premises. This was immediately seen by on-the-ball CFB Boilers, who replied asking if the company required steam? Magic Rock tweeted back “yes”! A subsequent site visit determined that Magic Rock required a 75hsp boiler, however CFB Boilers had a completely refurbished, pre-owned 100hsp 4VT Steam Boiler ready at its manufacturing facility in Essex, and was able to offer the larger boiler at a similar rate to a newly manufactured smaller model.

“When we heard CFB Boilers’ proposal we realised we could get extra steam capacity from the 100hsp 4VT, which would make us future-proof in the event of further expansion, but at the same price as a new 80hsp 4VT Steam Boiler. It was a perfect solution for us,” says Mr Ross.

Steam boilers offer numerous advantages over their electric counterparts. For instance, not only are they much cheaper to run (electric is almost five times more expensive than natural gas), but steam offers far better temperature control, which is very useful for brewing processes such as heating and boiling wort. Wort is the liquid extracted from the mashing process during the brewing of beer. It contains the sugars that will be fermented by the yeast to produce alcohol.

Boiling wort requires a lot of energy and it is wasteful for this energy to escape into the atmosphere. Unfortunately, this is common with conventional vessels featuring integral coils, which lose heat energy via the flue. In contrast, the 4VT Steam Boiler has a special line that returns condensate to the boiler’s steam chamber at a temperature of around 70-90oC. This heat recovery function means that the water requires less energy and time to heat, which is a valuable feature for breweries that manufacture multiple beers, where the time it takes for a vessel to complete a cycle needs to be as short as possible.

At Magic Rock, this technical advantage is exploited to produce a host of ales and stouts with colourful names such as Ringmaster, Rapture, High Wire, Dark Arts and Cannonball, not to mention an array of specials that include, Bearded Lady, Magic 8 Ball, Carnival, Big Top, Simpleton and The Great Alphonso.

All of these beers now benefit from the use of the 100hsp 4VT Steam Boiler from CFB Boilers, which was installed in June 2015.

“Steam boilers are cheaper to run than electric boilers and this efficiency will help us achieve a quick return on our investment,” says Mr Ross. “It is also more cost effective than having separate gas heaters on each jacketed vessel.”

For breweries with steam-fired jacketed vessels, the 4VT Steam Boiler offers a distinct energy efficiency advantage over similar vertical boilers due to its four-pass technology. Unlike two- or three-pass designs offered by other boiler manufacturers, four-pass technology means that combustion gasses pass generated heat over water heating surfaces four times, which maximises the opportunity for heat transfer. The result is exceptional efficiency and low exit flue temperature.

“We also like the fact that the boiler switches itself off when it’s not being used, thus saving further energy,” states Mr Ross. “Additionally, the 4VT is well insulated and can distribute heat more effectively.”

Another impressive feature of the 4VT is its steam chamber, which is approximately 30 per cent larger than most other vertical steam boilers. This not only ensures that the boiler can more efficiently fulfil variable steam load requirements – dealing effectively with peaks and troughs – but virtually eliminates boiler priming by preventing excessive moisture being carried over in the steam. Reducing moisture levels in the steam that is produced extends the boiler life and reduces the need for frequent descaling.

The 4VT Steam Boiler is manufactured by CFB Boilers at its purpose-built facility in Essex. Prior to installation, the 100hsp pre-owned boiler supplied to Magic Rock had been completely refurbished by CFB Boilers, with all the original burners and controls replaced, and new cladding installed.

Cost-saving installation solution

Magic Rock describes the installation process as “straightforward”. In fact, the same CFB Boilers’ engineer who installed the boiler when it was new, 10 years ago, fitted it in place at Magic Rock.

In addition to cost-savings associated with the 4VT’s energy efficient operation, CFB Boilers also helped Magic Rock save over £13,000 during the installation process by assisting Magic Rock on the positioning of its gas meter and developing a solution to negate the need for a gas booster. The gas supplier was asked to move the meter closer to the boiler, rather than where originally agreed, thus avoiding the need to cover the piping in stainless steel over ground. With the gas meter closer to the boiler it was possible to bury plastic piping into the ground, saving around £8,000 in the process.

A further saving arrived thanks to not requiring a gas booster. At Magic Rock’s new site (which was not previously served with gas), the new gas supply pressure is low at 21mlbar. Although this is insufficient to run the 4VT Steam Boiler, which requires 30mlbar, switching to a different gas valve meant it could be run at 18.9mlbar, saving around £5,000 on the cost of a gas booster – not to mention the costs associated with servicing such a device. Commercial boiler

With its 4VT Steam Boiler in place, Magic Rock is now ramping up output across its cask, keg and can portfolio. The company sells its beers to almost every conceivable type of outlet, with the exception of supermarkets. Beyond the UK, Magic Rock beers can now be found in countries that include Ireland, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia and the USA.

[fashiontrendin-blog]

How To Look Cool In A Heatwave: Buy A Madras Shirt

https://fashion-trendin.com/how-to-look-cool-in-a-heatwave-buy-a-madras-shirt-2/

How To Look Cool In A Heatwave: Buy A Madras Shirt

Question: When is a check shirt much more than just any old check shirt? Answer: When it’s a traditional Madras shirt – as timeless and iconic as the style gets, and a summer wardrobe staple for men in the know.

Madras is a lightweight cotton that’s perfect for the type of shirt you need when it’s hot outside and you want to look cool. Yet there’s also a genuine art and history to the Madras shirt.

“Madras fabric is the eponymous cloth traditionally made in Madras [now called Chennai], India,” says Paul Simons, son and business partner of legendary London menswear designer John Simons. “It’s a loosely woven pure cotton that is traditionally dyed in a plethora of muted – and some not so muted – check patterns.

“It’s characteristically soft and lightweight, which lends itself perfectly to the button down shirt, creating an easy-to-wear and extremely comfortable summer shirt. It was particularly popular in the Ivy League style of 1960s USA.”

Like a lot of menswear classics, the Madras shirt was popular around the middle of the 20th century. It’s pure Americana, but is a little unfairly associated with US tourists. It was also worn by mods in 1960s Britain and suedeheads in the 1970s, although you could never call it counter-culture. Worn correctly, however, it’s proof that the much-derided short-sleeve shirt should have a permanent spot in your wardrobe.

“It would definitely be seen as a casual shirt,” says Simons. “But these days, just wearing a shirt can be seen as smart. The shirt itself should have unlinked collar and cuffs to give it that perfect relaxed feel. Personally, I like to wear them untucked with plain shorts, tucked in an opened collar with a pair of jeans, or even with a knitted tie.”

The Best Brands For Madras Shirts

Ralph Lauren

Madras might be a traditionally Indian cloth, but Ralph Lauren is a cornerstone of modern US culture – a brand that exudes wealth, corporate success, and fine American living. It’s also standard issue for anyone who likes preppy fashion, so of course it does a good line in Madras shirts. Colourful and extremely well made, these shirts prove that being square might be hip after all.

Buy Now: £119.00

John Simons

John Simons was one of the top menswear designers in 1960s London – the man who kitted out the mods and suedeheads. The business started back in the 1950s, importing Ivy League-style clothes from the US and adding a British twist. With a store in Marylebone, London, the Paul Simons look is still going strong – a style that’s both defined generations and transcended them. Authentic Madras shirts have always been a key part of the collections, such as this long-sleeved blue and yellow check made (as with all Paul Simons Madras shirts) in India from genuine Madras fabric.

Buy Now: £75.00

J.Crew

Much like Ralph Lauren, J.Crew is another American staple – an accessible, lower-cost brand with high fashion aspirations and styling. At the forefront of the growing menswear industry, J. Crew has been a proponent of the ever-popular urban lumberjack look – all checked shirts, denim, and big hipster beards – which makes the brand a natural fit for Madras shirts, too. J.Crew’s version is traditionally made in India, with a relaxed fit through the body and sleeves, and exclusive plaid patterns.

Buy Now: £62.50

Abercombie & Fitch

These days, you don’t need to be a super-shredded college jock to shop at Abercombie & Fitch. The brand goes back almost 130 years, beginning life as a sports goods store then becoming the place for preppy youth style. But A&F has been undergoing another change in recent years, harking back to its sporting history to redefine its public image. A&F worked alongside Chennai artisans to produce its Madras range, which has a range of colourways. Our pick is this deep maroon check – a look that will work for both summer and autumn.

Buy Now: £58.00

Gant

The Sweden-based fashion label dates all the way back to the early 1900s. Origibally based in the US, it was a staple of the midcentury Ivy League look and still produces clothes based on that old school Americana. It’s also known for popularising the button down shirt. Unsurprisingly, this indigo Madras shirt is a no-nonsense classic, described as an ‘American sportswear icon’ – the kind that fits both a smart or casual outfit.

Buy Now: £42.50

Jacamo

Jacamo’s promise is to make clothes shopping easy, particularly for men who struggle to find well-fitting clothes in regular high street retailers. So thank the tailoring gods for Jacamo, because shopping for bigger sizes is an unnecessarily arduous chore – something most big-name brands still haven’t caught up with. True to form, its mishmash Madras shirt comes in a range of sizes – from small to 5XL – but most important is the brand’s electric designs.

Buy Now: £32.50

Gap

You know where are with the Gap – clothes that look good on just about everyone and stores that have something for almost any taste. And if you’re after a good-looking, well-made, and (most importantly – affordable) checked shirt, then Gap is the place to go. It’s no surprise that the American mainstay is a reliable place for Madras designs. There are several available, including this smart short-sleeved edition with a burgundy and green check.

Buy Now: £19.99

Beams

Established in 1976, Beams is a big name retailer and clothing brand in its native Japan. It’s known for doing the basics well – mid-level premium clothes in a smart-casual style. This Madras shirt is part of the Beams Plus range, a rugged and masculine look based on heritage and workwear-style clothing. A pop-over shirt that’s more a Madras style than authentically Indian-made (because it’s Japanese-made, of course), it has the distinct vintage, worn-in feel of the Beams Plus range.

Buy Now: £105.00

Drake’s

Not necessarily a household name, but Drake’s has a prestigious history of creating high-end, high ticket menswear. It was founded in 1977 in the East End of London and has its flagship store alongside the great and good of London tailoring, located just off Savile Row. Drake’s knows full well the importance of the Madras shirt as a stylish man’s staple, and brings a touch of English class to the design, with its shirts handcrafted in the UK.

Buy Now: £67.50

[carlawyernews-blog]

Car | Lawyer | News Best Hair Combs For Men 2018 Top Trend Best Hair Combs For Men: 2018’s Top Contenders Behind every man with an impeccable coiff and immaculately manicured beard is a trusty comb (or two or three). Usually small and discreet enough to be stuffed in a pocket and carried around, the comb is a classic staple of men’s grooming kits eve... https://carlawnews.com/trend-2018/best-hair-combs-for-men-2018-top-trend.html #CouldBeatTrumpIn2020 #UnconventionalCandyHearts #KimCattrall #HarryKane #Due Process #SaturdayMorning #Beyonce #KimKardashian #TaylorSwift #ArianaGrande #SelenaGomez #BrunoMars #USSFPresident #WakeUpWeightWatchers #SaturdayMorning #RenameValentinesDay#NationalPizzaDay #FridayFeeling #FlashbackFriday #WhyILovePizzaIn4Words #RushAFilm #animalprotection #animaldonate #petanimal #3DPrintProstheses #animal2018 #animalnews #cat #dog #instagood #petshop #AnimalEquality #animalgivedonate #animalsponsor #animalgifts #USA #canada #londra #germany #amsterdam #sweden #oslo #Paris #Trend2018 #news2018 #LawyerFirm2018 #car2018 #lawyerfirm #donate #credit #hosting2018 #cheapdomain #DonatingaCar #OnlineColleges #LowCredit #CheapAuto #OnlineInternet #HomeCredit #MortgageAdviser #VirtualData #DataRecovery #Criminallawyer #InjuryLawyers #AsbestosLawyers #YoutubeTrend2018 #DonaldTrump #AnnuitySettlements #NunavutCulture #DaytonFreightLines #TodayNews Amazon, Amazon 2018, amazon combs, combs 2018, Handle Design, Horn Combs, Men: 2018’s, Trend 2018, Tumble Barcode, Wooden Combs

[whiskeyandwing-blog]

The perfect gifts for the whiskey lover

There's nothing cozier than enjoying dark spirits like whiskey around the holidays. When the time comes to buy gifts for the whiskey lover in your life, you'll have a wide variety of stocking stuffers and bottles to choose from. We've put together a collection of gifts that are sure to please whiskey drinkers, from the best go-to bottles out there to treats that have been infused with the rich drink. Just sit back, pour, and enjoy:   Add to their bucket list.

Amazon Whiskey expert Ian Buxton reveals the whiskeys that enthusiasts should seek out around the world, from America and Sweden to Japan and Scotland. "Awesome sauce for even the slightest of whiskey nerds ... completely worth picking up," LiquorSnob.com raved in their review of the book.  Price: $9.99 (ebook), $10.33 (paperback), $17.29 (hardcover) Keep their whiskey perfectly chilled.

Amazon While some whiskey drinkers like their cup chilled, no one likes it watered down. Avoid the mishap altogether with these Vermont-milled stones made by the oldest soapstone workshop in the US. Just add in three stones, let them stand for five minutes, and enjoy your perfectly chilled drink. Price: $19.99 Help them count down the days to Christmas in a more adult way.

Master of Malt This adults-only Advent calendar brings some holiday fun back into the picture, with 24 windows each housing a different whisky variety. Highlights from this year's calendar include a rare 50-year-old Scotch, an award-winning Japanese whisky, and the drink that was named the World's Best Blended Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards last year. Price: $193 Make their cocktails portable.

Facebook/Carry On Cocktail Kit Ideal for the whiskey drinker who's also a frequent traveler, this compact cocktail kit comes with everything needed to craft two Old Fashioned cocktails mid-flight. The kit comes with a recipe card, spoon and muddler, linen coaster, aromatic bitters, cane sugar, and a carry-on tin. The only thing you'll need to get is the alcohol itself.  Price: $20.95 Inspire them to get to work in the kitchen.

Amazon Southern chef and James Beard Award winner John Currence delivers 130 recipes that pair well with whiskey. Whether the recipe calls for boiling, pickling, muddling, or baking, Currence's book will inspire the reader to cook up a storm. Price: $9.99 (ebook), $29.69 (hardcover) Stock their home bar.

Amazon Having the perfect cocktail recipe doesn't mean anything if you don't have all the tools to mix them with. This Cuisine Prefere Stainless Steel Barware Tool Set comes with everything you need to whip up top-notch cocktails, including a shaker, double jigger, strainer, stirrer, ice tongs, and a set of nine whisky stones. Price: $25 Keep their belongings safe and clean.

Etsy These coasters, which were made out of retired bourbon barrels, will protect valuable furniture from liquor marks. They come in sets of four, and users say the condensation from glasses often combines with the wood to release a sweet smell of whiskey. Price: $39.99 Get them a tasting glass so they can sip like the pros.

Amazon Glencairn tasting glasses are used by master blenders around the world. They have a tapering mouth (which allows for easy drinking while maintaining essential aromas), a wide bowl (which allows for an elegant display of the liquor's color), and a solid base (which makes them easy to hold). Price: $16.40 (set of two) Make spilled drinks a thing of the past.

Home Wet Bar These double old-fashioned glasses have a base that allows them to roll without tipping or spilling. They can even be engraved. Price: $29.95 (set of six) Add some natural spices to their drinks.

Amazon These bitters are excellent in Old Fashioneds, as well as other cocktails made with whiskey. They have been aged in Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels to pack a ton of flavor, including the bitterness of natural gentian root, the sweetness of cherries, and subtle notes of spice. Price: $15.41 Splurge on a limited-edition bottle.

The Whisky Exchange The Glenrothes' hallmarks are quality and purity, and this 1979 vintage whisky with delicate peaty undertones is sure to please the pickiest of drinkers. Approved on September 17, 1994 and bottled in 1995, the matured whisky includes flavors that range from fruity to spicy. Price: $461.79 Take their liquor cabinet up a notch.

Neiman Marcus Decanters are a great option for displaying liquors elegantly. Those made with high-quality materials will last well throughout the years, and there's a wide variety of shapes to choose from. We recommend this decanter for a classic piece that holds around 26 ounces. Price: $195 Get them their new favorite bottle of whisky.

Reserve Bar If you're looking for a go-to bottle of whisky that won't break the bank, Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a good choice. The blend of rare malts from hand-selected casks across Scotland has an elegant smoky finish. The whiskies used to compose Blue Label are specially selected from Johnnie Walker reserves, and only one in about 10,000 casks is typically deemed adequate. Price: $219 Get everything they need in one box.

Man Crates Give them a box that has all of the essentials, including two personalized, heavy-bottom rock glasses, two Tovolo ice sphere molds, two slate coasters, and a "33 Drams Of Whiskey" drinking journal. Packed in a sealed wooden crate with a laser-etched crowbar, the box also comes with snacks like spiced peppercorn peanuts, salted pistachios, and cranberry pecans. Price: $99.99   Talia Avakian   Read the full article