Magic Molecule: Turning Science Into Ice Cream

The first warm spring weekend of the year sent the Franklins out in search of ice cream. With the lines at downtown ice cream parlours out the door, a lot of other people had the same idea as well. It looked like we were going to have to enjoy the sunshine with freezer-burned frozen treats from a convenience store until I remembered Magic Molecule. Part of a chain based in Hong Kong, it's a place I've been wanting to visit ever since I heard they use liquid nitrogen to make ice cream. Nitrogen is odourless and non-toxic, and at a temperature of -196℃ in liquid form, it can rapidly freeze fresh milk, cream, and flavorings into ice cream. Watching the man nonchalantly fill his pressurized canister with LN₂ as misty vapour surrounded him didn't diminish how exciting it was to wait for our orders to be made. My wife Dawn went with a scoop of hazelnut while our son decided on two scoops of their mango ice cream. Both of them enjoyed their choices, saying their ice cream was smooth, light, and refreshing. I considered ordering a cone of some sort for myself until I saw the sign for their Dragon's Breathe dessert. Intrigued by food that comes with a warning and specific eating instructions, the plastic cup of liquid nitrogen enhanced cheese puffs I received was the most fun food I've eaten in decades - it's as much fun as slurping up spaghetti was for the first time. This unique establishment is worth a visit if you ever liked watching Bill Nye do science experiments on television or if you're looking for a different take on your next sorbet, bubble tea, or waffle cone.
   

Q & A with Josh Hayter, President of Spearhead Enterprises

Recently I got a chance to try Akwa, a new hop-infused botanical beverage. While it's a refreshing sparkling water with a crisp, citrusy taste, what I found the most intriguing was that it's made by Spearhead, a brewery known for its top-notch craft beers. I reached out to the president of the company, Josh Hayter, for more about their latest product -  here's what he had to say:

FRANKLIN ON FOOD: Why is Spearhead getting into the water business?

JOSH HAYTER: Don’t get us wrong, we love beer but we wanted to make a refreshing nonalcoholic product that can be enjoyed by anyone, anytime, anywhere.   Our Head Brewer Jacob Schmidt came to us with the idea of making water infused with hops.  The first few attempts were a very bitter disaster, but we kept at it until we had a product that we were proud to put on the shelves.

FoF: Is Akwa made with the same water and hops used in the beer-making process?
JH: Akwa has the exact same water that we use in all of our beer.    Each beer has its own unique blend of hops, the hops that we use in Akwa can also be found in our NEIPA (New England India Pale Ale).

FoF: Who is Akwa's target market?
JH: When it comes down to it everyone really.  We have found through taste testing that people from all walks of life enjoy Akwa.  Given that it has zero calories, zero alcohol, zero sugars, it’s gluten-free, and has antioxidant properties from hops Akwa is a good fit into anyone's rotation.  My kids love it. 

FoF: How has COVID-19 affected your operations over the past year?
JH: 2020 and the beginning of 2021 has not been the easiest time for us.  A very large portion of our business comes from our partners in the hospitality sector.  That sector has been devastated by the lockdowns and restrictions needed to help connotation the Covid-19 virus.   We have worked very hard to establish and grow new retail opportunities as well as our online channel to help get through this pandemic.  We are encouraged and looking forward to working with our licensee partners as things open up.

FoF: What else can we expect to see from Spearhead this year?
JH: We have a lot of exciting new products coming out over the next year.    We will be adding 2 new core brands, continuing our GlobeTrotter Series, adding in a new Series, and we are planning on adding a couple new flavours of Akwa.  If I know more about when this will be published I’ll be able to give more specifics. 

FoF: Where can people buy AKWA?
JH: Akwa is available in over 90 locations (mix of retail and licensees) as well as online at www.spearheadbeer.com and www.akwawater.com.