Slushi's Select: Beer, Cider and Coolers

 

 

As a college student, I love beer.

As an LCBO employee, I love beer.

Conclusion...I love beer!

I often have classmates ask me about reccomendations on  various beers or coolers. They usually ask me what tastes the best, how expenisive it is, where is it from, ect. My employment at the LCBO has allowed me to sample a decent variety of beers, ciders and coolers and popularity doesn't always quality.

 

 

[The following beverages are a few that I reccomend based on personal experience.]

 

Beer

Upper Canada Lager

LCBO# 278218

 

 Price: $9.95

Size: 6x341 ml 

Alcohol/Vol: 5.0%

Country: Ontario, Canada
Type: Lager

I recently discovered this beverage while exploring new beers with my buddies. We were hestitant of the quality at first because of the price but we had never had it before. Honestly I'm glad I tried it because this is now my go-to cheap domestic if I can't decide what I want. Similar to Molson Canadian this beer is light and easy to enjoy.

 
Shock Top Raspberry Wheat
LCBO# 380295

 Price: $2.55

Size: 473 ml 

Alcohol/Vol: 4.2%

Country: Ontario, Canada
Type: Wheat

This beer is great because of how unique it is. Generally when people think of what beer tastes like they refer to Budweiser or Molson. Shocktop however has a very unique taste because it's based off of wheat and has a lower alcohol content. Light hints of respberry make this beer refreshing and a great compliment to summer.
 

 

Ciders

Growers Honeycrisp Apple

LCBO# 374546

 Price: $2.95

Size: 473 ml 

Alcohol/Vol: 7.0%

Country: Ontario, Canada
Sugar Content: 68g/L

  

I really enjoy this cider because of the subtle honey taste. This is a sweeter cider and what makes it stand out is the light, crisp apple taste with every sip. Despite the higher alcohol percentage the honey really compliments the apples and creates a light and refreshing drink.

 

Molson Canadian Cider

 LCBO# 339770 

 Price: $2.95

Size: 473 ml 

Alcohol/Vol: 5.0%

Country: Ontario, Canada

Sugar Content: 54g/L

 

Molson Canadian Cider has a slightly more "beer" taste to it compared to the Growers. I enjoy this cider because it's slightly dryer and easy for me to drink. It goes great with bbq and the apple taste is noticable but not too overbearing. 

 

 

Coolers

American Vintage Hard Iced Tea

LCBO# 378315 

  Price: $2.65

Size: 473 ml 

Alcohol/Vol: 5.0%

Country: Ontario, Canada

Sugar Content: n/a

 

American Vintage Hard Iced Tea is nice cooler to relax and enjoy with. What I enjoy the most about it is that despite being 5% alcohol, the taste is not too overbearing and you are still able to appreciate the tea taste. I suggest serving this drink in a tall frosty glass with some ice.

 

Bacardi Oakheart & Cola

LCBO# 273177

 Price: $2.65

Size: 473 ml 

Alcohol/Vol: 5.0%

Country: Ontario, Canada

Base: Spiced Rum 

 

Have you ever mixed too much of either rum or coke into your drink only to be dissapointed? Worry no longer because Bacardi made it one step easier. The premixed Bacardi Oakheart is simple and tasty and the flavour definately comes from what type of Rum you use. Because Bacardi is aged in a oak barrel, it gives it a light smokey taste that compliments the sweet cola flavour. Mix with lime and enjoy a great cooler.

 

I hope these reccomendations help you the next time you need a cold frosty beverage.

-Slushi-

 

 

 

 

 



Slushi's Stuff: Retro Gaming Nostalgia

Kids these days will never understand it.

 

As a kid growing up in the 90's I've had the opportunity to see technology come and go and with it memories of the past. Kids are more focused on graphics, pixels and frame rates rather than actual content and game play. Most main stream console games these days consist primarily of first person shooters (FPS) and respond to the demand in the market. I feel sorry for kids these days because of the lack of genre selection available to them.

Fortunately with the growing Indie game industry and the competitive Steam market place, new and original concepts are being created by smaller teams which allow for investment in risky idea's rather than larger budget project which sick with "safer" formula's.

The following is a short list of games and consoles that personally resonated with me nostalgically.

Nintendo Entertainment System: Super Mario Bros 3
 

[Console]
My first gaming console was the Nintendo Entertainment System I received in 1997. I still remember when my cousin gave me his old bulky 12 inch CRT, a miniature recycling bin full of games and the console with 2 controllers. Sorting through the bin I recall all the vividly detailed and coloured labels against the dull gray cartridge. Newer consoles these days are moving away from hard copies of video games and encouraging downloading straight to the console for better convenience and cost efficiency. Personally though I still miss blowing the dust out of my favourite game because It added to the tactile experience.

First Nintendo Entertainment System

 
[Game]
The bright yellow cartridge of a flying mustached raccoon man was what caught my attention to Super Mario Bros 3. I remember not knowing what to expect and being fascinated with all the colours and design. Back when the Internet was a new concept learning through trail and error was what made this game a true adventure. Before YouTube let's plays or game walkthroughs, players would beat levels based on skill and not advantage. Despite the 8 bit graphics the game was just challenging enough to keep the player driven and the rewards gave the player satisfaction in their accomplishments. The more and more I played it, the more secrets  I learned and the deeper I became engrossed.

Super Mario Bros 3

 

A few of my fondest moments I recall the best include:

1. Discovering the tanooki suit and flying to the secret warp pipes.

2. Moving behind the scenery and bypassing enemies [Blew my mind]

3. The secret warp pipes behind level 2 that allow you to portal to other worlds.

As someone who owns a WII U I can say that the new Mario games available do capture the spirit of Mario Bros 3 and add new things to it. Kids growing up with the WII U as their first console will experience the adventure of Mario games and allow them to connect with older generations of Mario players.

Game Boy Pocket: Donkey Kong

 

[Console]
The first portable gaming console I received was the original Game Boy Pocket. I remember the day my grandparents gave me a tiny grey box for my birthday and being excited to see what It was. I remember not knowing what it did, but recall seeing the Nintendo logo. Turning it on for the first time and hearing the start up sound blew my mind. Being able to play a game anywhere without all the wires and heavy equipment was ground breaking for me. Despite only being shades of grey, It was special to me and bring me memories of my grandparents.

Game Boy Pocket

 

[Game]
Donkey Kong was the game that was included with the console. No matter where I was, I would always bring my Game Boy with me. When I was at school I would dodge springs, and when I was at home I would climb ladder's. Compared to sophisticated portable games such as Monster Hunter this game is primitive but, at the time it was revolutionary. Although I still have yet to beat Donkey Kong, It still ignites memories of my grandparents and childhood which makes me happy.

1994 Donkey Kong Commercial

 

PC: Counter Strike

[Console]
2006 was a great year for PC's and technology was at it's peak. By today's standards though, a computer run by a hamster wheel would probably run faster. My first computer that had Internet was an old Dell desktop. It used to have a floppy disk and ran games at the same frames per second as a picture book (5 fps). I remember getting the Counter-Strike:Anthology from my cousin for my birthday and not knowing what to expect.

Dell Desktop

[Game]
Back in 2006 Counter-Strike: Condition Zero was huge phenomenon. The game was explosive in popularity and had an active community. This game specifically brings me nostalgia because it was the first game I played using the Internet. My cousins used to play in clans call DSK and would compete in ranked ladders. Watching them play with their teammates in Cal-I really expressed a genuine bond they had for each other. Pro's and enthusiasts would spend thousands of dollars on premium computer parts (liquid cooling) so that they could run the game at the highest quality (1000 frames per second). When I finally started playing, It was simply amazing. The teamwork, communication and reflexes needed to play this game were completely different from my NES. Today we have it's predecessor Counter Strike: Global Offensive and it's still an amazing game which added new elements while still keeping the spirit of the original alive. Overall playing Counter Strike back in the day was some of the earliest memories I've had using the Internet and reminds me of a age when I had more time on my hands.

Counter-Strike: Condition Zero Commercial

In conclusion gaming since the 90's has allowed me reflect on the progression technology and myself. While kids today complain about graphics or frames, what they really need is a perspective. Although people will always complain about image quality, what they really should consider is the experience and the memories that game creates. These games act as an archive of my youth and kids growing up now will no doubt defend their favourites when they get older and technology becomes more real.

 

What's your best gaming nostalgic memory?

 

-Slushi- 

Simple Slush: How to install Photoshop Brushes/Fonts

What I love about Photoshop is all the possibilities. The program gives you a huge variety of options to work from and is fairly easy to learn. Throughout school  I've slowly picked up new tricks that have helped me immensely when creating new idea's. One example includes layering font strokes so that it creates contrast and is easier to read when placed on a colourful or complex background.

For those who are new or unfamiliar with Photoshop, the two best skills that I applied include how to import both custom brushes and fonts. Being able to customize my brushes and font's really opened up my possibilities creatively  and prevented me from using the standard presets. The following blog will provide a light tutorial on how to use these tools to improve your artwork. 

How to Download & Install Photoshop Brushes

Requirements: 

• File Extraction Program: (Winzip or 7-Zip) 
• Photoshop

To download additional Photoshop brushes is fairly simple. 

Step 1: Unless you have a program that unzips files already installed on your PC or mac, I suggest downloading the free software 7-zip. 

Step 2: Go to Brusheezy.com and create a free account. This site provides you with free downloads for brushes, patterns and high definition textures for your projects. 

Step 3: Once you have an account, choose a brush you want to install and download the zipped file to your desktop.

Step 4: Right click on the file and extract the contents onto your desktop or into a separate folder. 

[The file should be an .ABR and/or .TXT file.] 

Step 5: Open Photoshop and select the following: 

1. Brush tool
2. Next to mode at the top, select the brush drop down menu
3. Select the gear
4. Load brushes. 

Step 6: Select/Load the previously saved .ABR brush file. 

Step 7: Your brushes will be uploaded and saved at the bottom of the brush drop down menu. 

[Warning: Your brushes will only be loaded on the computer with the .ABR file.] 

Step 8: Design using your new custom brushes. 

How to Download & Install Fonts for Windows

Requirements: 

• File Extraction Program: (Winzip or 7-Zip)

Downloading custom fonts for PC is a similar process to downloading brushes.

Step 1: Make sure you have a file extraction program downloaded. 

Step 2: Go to Dafont.com and browse/sort through what type of font your project requires based on genre.

 

Step 3: Select the font you want to use. 

Step 4: Download the .ZIP folder to your desktop or a separate folder.  

Step 5: On your desktop select  the following:

1. Start
2. Control panel
3. Fonts folder

Step 6: Drag the zipped folder you downloaded into the font folder. 

Step 7: Right click the zipped folder and select extract all or extract here.

[The file extracted should be a .TTF and/or .TXT file]

Step 8: Once the .TTF file has been installed, in Photoshop or word search for your specific font 

Step 9: Make sure to save your work on the PC that has the .TTF font file since Photoshop will report it missing if you open the .PSD file on a different computer. 

Hope theses short tutorials help anyone out with their creative projects or Photoshop knowledge. 

Thanks for reading and I hope my blog helps! 

-Slushi-