If you thought a pesky little four-day weekend was going to stop us from dishing up more of our favourite products, stories and series – You thought wrong. Despite the team taking some much-needed respite from the Man of Many office, we’ve still taken the time to serve up the recommendations you need to make this long weekend a winner. Check out our Staff Favourites for this week.
Stryda Brewing Co
Nick Hall – Editor-in-Chief
It’s not often that a new beer catches my attention. As someone who rarely partakes in the alcoholic arts anymore, the near-endless swathe of boutique cans and labels is often too much for my delicate little eyes to bear, but my friends at Stryda Brewing Co have made me see the light. The new Queensland-based endeavour is designed to keep things light-hearted and fun rather than bogged down in the technicality of the craft beer snooze fest.
The team was nice enough to send through some samples of the 4.4% original Stryda Lager and the 2.2% low-alcohol option and they didn’t last long in the office fridge at all. Considering the sweeping interest in low and no-alcohol beers, the 2.2% stands out as a solid middle ground, and what’s more, it really has the welcoming lager taste.
That’s down to former Little Alchemist Brewing chief, now Stryda Brewing Co head brewer Riaz Shalla. The beer legend explained that the whole ethos around Stryda was getting something that homely back in the hands of the people who deserved it most.
“If you travel internationally, you don’t see a lot of Australian beer, and the ones you do see aren’t the beers we drink here,” Shalla said. “We want to put a stamp on what an Australian beer looks and tastes like. It’s bigger than a flag printed on a can or bottle; it’s about the feeling you get when you crack open a bottle and share a drink with your nearest and dearest or even a brand-new acquaintance. It’s about a community built around beer.”
Stryda Brewing Co’s beers are available now and you can learn more about the new Aussie brand via the official website. I definitely recommend checking these guys out – Good people doing great things!
Favourite Article of the Week: Our ‘REINVENTION’ Digital Edition Has Landed
$1,599 Acer Air Purifier
Scott Purcell – Co-Founder
Probably one of the most oversized packages ever arrived at the office this week, lumping down the stairs. I was going to try this out at home, but when I saw how big it was, we decided to try it in the office. The Acerpure Pro UVC Air Purifier is exactly as it sounds: a hella’ cool and hella souped-up machine that purifies the air.
It looks almost like a big gaming computer in Black and Copper and is powerful enough to cover a room up to 116 meters squared. It also has real-time CO2 monitoring and UVC air purification technology that effectively reduces odours, bacteria, and viruses through ultraviolet (UV-C) light exposure, providing cleaner and fresher air to our office. It could come in handy with a few coughs going around!
When you put your face over the top of it, it’s like a gentle cool breeze of fresh air blasting in your face, and I jokingly suck it up or inhale like a vape to get the fresh air goodness. While I might have unknowingly requested the largest version because it was the most expensive, it’s probably not suitable for a bedroom but it is definitely a great thing to have around the office. I will let you know if we feel any differences within a week!
Favourite Article of the Week: Our ‘REINVENTION’ Digital Edition Has Landed
R.M. Williams Silverton Henley
Richie Hall – Video Producer
I was recently checking out the new R.M. Williams collection and saw the Silverton Henley in navy (it also comes in white). I’ve been in search of a classic Henley since Daniel Craig rocked one in his fifth and final outing as 007 in No Time to Die and this one ticks all my boxes. Crafted from soft, organic cotton in a nice waffle texture with a button up neck detail it’s a classic style perfect for layering as the weather gets a bit colder.
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Miss Amara Mitsy Multi-Colour Picnic Rug
John Guanzon – Head of Social
Long weekends are for long leisurely picnics and you can’t convince me otherwise. Ahead of this Easter Long Weekend, I picked up a new eco-friendly and lightweight Mitsy Multi-Colour Picnic Rug from Miss Amara, designed for easy use at the beach or on an outdoor picnic. Handwoven in India from 100% recycled PET fibres, each rug is said to have a minimum of 66 recycled bottles in each picnic rug. My favourite thing about this rug is how lightweight and compact it is. No more fiddling around trying to figure out how that giant picnic rug folds up – this one you just pick up, roll up in a bag and go. The website also claims it to be stain-resistant, so I will put that to the test when I bring out the bottles of Shiraz at the beach this weekend. Lightweight, good for the environment, and incredibly low maintenance. It ticks all the boxes for a good product for me!
Favourite Article of the Week: Our ‘REINVENTION’ Digital Edition Has Landed
Papa Salt Gin
Dayna Aspite – Branded Content Associate
Papa Salt Gin is all about sharing the good times and it’s definitely got Margot Robbie’s stamp of approval! The flavours celebrate subtle tastes of Australian botanicals as well as oyster shell. You might think throwing literal oyster shell into the mix would make it taste a bit fishy but it was surprisingly a subtle salty flavour that even non-gin fans like me can get behind. Plus, bonus points for the eco-friendly packaging! They even suggest repurposing the bottle in the messaging on the back, which I really loved.
I enjoyed this gin with some lime infused soda, fresh lime and fresh mint, and you’ve got yourself a refreshing drink that’s perfect for the Easter long weekend or even if you’re feeling like a cheeky weekday mix. If you’re new to gin, this one’s a great place to start. Personally, I wasn’t a gin lover before trying Papa Salt Gin, but now I’m hooked – consider me converted!
Favourite Article of the Week: 5 Reasons You Must Experience the Incredible ‘Rise of the Ronin’ on PS5
Zero Latency VR Gaming Experience
Naman Singh – Content & SEO Specialist
As our lives continue to become deeply infused with everything virtual or artificial, Zero Latency is a standout experience in the world of outdoor play, but this one works equally well if you want to stay indoors.
A highly immersive activity, Zero Latency offers 6 various gaming experiences in different settings. Fight for survival in a zombie apocalypse, explore a sci-fi adventure or navigate the world of Far Cry 3 in a customised game. With each experience lasting 15-30 minutes, you can enjoy at least 2 games in each session.
Zero Latency’s virtual reality adventures are surreal, captivating and thoroughly engaging. It’s also a fun way to get active and move around. A perfect group activity when you and your crew want to take a breather from traditional socialising.
Favourite Article of the Week: Our ‘REINVENTION’ Digital Edition Has Landed
WHOOP 4.0
Harry Parsons – Senior Branded Content Manager
Off the back of World Sleep Day a couple of weeks ago, I took it upon myself to improve my sleeping habits and sleep quality to improve my overall well-being and general fitness levels. Multiple nights of doom scrolling in bed and late nights left me feeling deflated throughout the day and underperforming at the gym. Upon receiving the WHOOP 4.0, I became obsessed with achieving peak recovery and improving my sleeping habits. This band is no ordinary fitness tracker, the data that is available to you is incredible, including data such as sleep consistency restorative sleep and most importantly, sleep debt.
Before using the WHOOP 4.0 I would always wonder why I woke up tired and lethargic day after day. Based on my data from the past 2 weeks, I tend to rack up a significant sleep debt due to inconsistent bedtimes and poor sleep. It’s almost like the device gamifies sleep for me, making me eager to bring that debt figure down and take the various steps necessary to achieve great sleep.
Other data points that have greatly assisted my fitness journey are the strain and recovery targets, this data is calculated by taking into account my HRV (heart rate variance), RHR (resting heart rate), Respiratory Rate and Sleep Performance. Essentially, this band becomes my own personal trainer, using this data it can recommend the optimal level of strain I should achieve that day and what activities are recommended.
To make it even more helpful there is an AI chatbot (WHOOP Coach) that allows me to ask it anything to which WHOOP Coach responds with tailored answers. It is also worth mentioning that the device takes time to build this data as it is learning about you the longer you wear it, each piece of data is celebrated off your own personal baseline, meaning you are not comparing yourself to age and gender averages but more so how you can improve on your personal habits and fitness levels.
I have only just scraped the surface of what the WHOOP band can achieve, however, I am already extremely impressed with the insights it has provided me with thus far. Now I’m off to go work on that sleep debt!
Favourite Article of the Week: Apple Reportedly in ‘Active Negotiations’ to Bring Google’s Gemini AI to iPhone
Porsche Mission X
Marcus Hurley – Sales and Partnerships Manager
Last week I sat in a one-of-one hypercar. The magnitude of this event seems to have only really sunk in after the fact. The excitement and pride on the faces of the brains behind this one-of-a-kind car as they watched my jaw hit the ground gave me some indication of how monumental this thing really is.
I am, of course, talking about Porsches’ Mission X. If people came to see Max Verstappen dominate the Australian GP (No spoilers here…) they stayed to see Mission X. After receiving quite detailed instructions as to how to actually get in the seat, I felt like I was one with the car. It was like sitting in the cockpit of an X-Wing Starfighter and it filled me with as much confidence as Luke must have had when he was about to take on the empire.
Mission X isn’t just a hypercar; it’s a symbol of innovation and engineering excellence. From its sleek design to its cutting-edge technology, every aspect exudes brilliance. Mission X stole the show, showcasing Porsche’s commitment to pushing boundaries. And the colour? Why it’s Liquid Rocket of course. How could a car like this be any other colour?
As I’ve become older and wiser (slightly), I’ve come to believe that Porsche represents the pinnacle of automotive excellence and Mission X is the true representation of excellence.
Favourite Article of the Week: ‘Most Powerful Ever’: Twin Turbo V8 Defender OCTA Teased
STAIT Starter Pack
Alex Martinez – Media Sales and Brand Partnerships
The STAIT starter pack has been a real game-changer for me. It’s like having a nerdy friend who is overly into health (but knows what he’s talking about) by my side, helping me navigate life with more ease. Whether it’s handling stress, having more energy or just being more present, it’s been super practical and effective. Plus, I’ve noticed I’m kicking it up a notch in the gym, which is a bonus. As a dad, being more present and engaged with my daughter feels like the ultimate win. It’s great to feel like I’m making progress in multiple areas of my life, thanks to this handy toolkit.
Favourite Article of the Week: 5 Reasons You Must Experience the Incredible ‘Rise of the Ronin’ on PS5
Samsung Freestyle Portable Projector
Rob Edwards – Branded Content Editor
It’s quite possible that those of us with a big telly—myself included—are living in the past. I recently had the opportunity to play around with Samsung’s latest Freestyle Portable Projector and it opened my eyes to the possibilities of a TV-free existence. Capable of projecting up to a 100-inch screen, which it pairs with an in-built 360-degree speaker, and an easy-to-setup design that will have you watching your favourite content in the blink of an eye, the Freestyle is a super convenient way to enjoy a big-screen experience on the go.
Perhaps most impressive was its auto keystone functionality, which automatically corrects and skews projected images to ensure you’re always looking at a straight and rectangular screen, while the auto focus has you looking at a clear image within mere seconds. While I’ll be hanging on to my Samsung OLED TV for a little while longer—those things don’t come cheap—the Freestyle Portable Projector is a very handy piece of kit indeed.
Favourite Article of the Week: Best Australian Whiskies, According to the 2024 World Whiskies Awards
