Month: November 2020

Finding the best brewery in America is no easy task. There are over 8,000 craft breweries nationwide. That equates to fierce jostling in the quest for national prominence. Jostling that’s governed by industry groups, associations, and competitions — like the Great American Beer Festival (colloquially called GABF) — which help sort the wheat from the chaff (or the spent grain, as it were).

Each year, GABF awards medals for American craft beers, brewers, breweries, and brewpubs small and large. This year’s results were announced a couple of weeks back and covered 91 beer categories. That equated to over 8,000 entries being judged altogether. Among these, the “Brewery of the Year” competition grouped breweries by their size and function and broke them into categories accordingly. Then judges — industry folks like beer writers, brewers, and experts — picked the best in each subdivision.

This year’s GABF awarded seven breweries the honor of Brewery and Brewer or Brewing Team of the year. We’re breaking them down below with some info on what the brewery is all about with the beer we’d choose if we rolled up on their taproom in the near future.

Very Small Brewing Company: Five Branches Brewing

Location: Tarpon Springs, FL

The Brewery:

This brewery on central Florida’s Gulf Coast is owned and operated by U.S. military veterans. They run a small brewery with an attached bar and, naturally, offer beer-to-go, given that it’s late 2020. Their menu touches on classic styles from pale ales to pumpkin beers to well-aged stouts and lighter German lagers.

The One Beer We’d Order:

This is an easy pick. Five Branches also won a medal at GABF for their Doggin Wrench Imperial Stout. The brew took home silver this year. And given it’s imperial stout season, that’d be our order.

Small Brewing Company: Big ALICe Brewing Co.

Location: Long Island City, NY

The Brewery:

This New York brewery with spots in Brooklyn and Queens has spent the last five years picking up awards. The brews coming out of Big ALICe tend to lean into wild and fruity concoctions to wow your palate. They have 15 beers on tap currently, with an additional nine cans and six barrel-aged bottles to choose from.

The One Beer We’d Order:

Their Biere De Fierte is an annual release that blends the high ABVs of a Belgian tripel (9.8 percent in this case) with lemongrass and ginger before a stint in red wine barrels to mellow it out.

Mid-Size Brewing Company: Lost Forty Brewing

Location: Little Rock, AR

The Brewery:

Lost 40 takes its name and spirit from the wildlands still standing in the rolling, forested hills of Arkansas. The idea is to embrace the fruits of the wilds and fold them into well-made craft beer.

The beers are bright, fruity, and full of Arkansas mountain vibes.

The One Beer We’d Order:

Lost 40 has its annual release of Nighty Night 2020 coming up on November 21st. The imperial stout is a much-beloved release from the brewery and usually draws big crowds looking to taste this year’s suds as early as possible.

Brewery Group of the Year: Three Creeks Brewing Co.

Location: Sisters, OR

The Brewery:

Sisters, Oregon is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. And between that town, Bend, and Redmond, Oregon (all a short drive from each other), there’s an abundance of great craft brewing happening. The brewers keep everything focused on making accessible beers in cans and kegs that you can quaff between mountain bike or ski runs.

The One Beer We’d Order:

Case in point, their Crowd-Pleaser IPA is a great beer to start with on your Central Oregon beer journey. (If you can get there this year, that is.) The beer is a West Coast IPA that lets the Amarillo, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops shine next to a mild malty base. In short, it’s a crushable beer.

Small Brewpub: The Good Society

Location: Seattle, WA

The Brewery:

Good Society is the epitome of a neighborhood tavern. They have a killer in-house beer selection, the most chill of West Seattle vibes, and actually spend their time engaging with their neighbors to make their home a better place. Plus, their Belgian-style and French-style ales won gold at this year’s GABF.

The One Beer We’d Order:

While their Belgian won the award, we’d go with their good old Hausbier. It’s a German Kölsch that just hits the right spot of being bold enough to think about while being drinkable enough to last for a whole session.

Mid-Size Brewpub: Monkless Belgian Ales

Location: Bend, OR

The Brewery:

Back in Central Oregon, amongst the high desert junipers, Monkless Belgian Ales is doing some fine work. While their head brewer isn’t a monk (per the name), he’s as devoted to the science and execution of beer as any Trappist monk in Belgium.

The guy has a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, which translates to an understanding of beer on the deepest of levels.

The One Beer We’d Order:

This is a no-brainer for this time of year and that’s their seasonal drop Friar’s Festivus. The strong Belgian winter ale clocks in at a hefty 10.2 percent ABV.

The flavors are spot-on for a Belgian winter beer, with citrus, dark fruit, spices, and malty caramel leading the way.

Large Brewpub: The Freehouse

Location: Minneapolis, MN

The Brewery:

This downtown craft brewery and bar in the Warehouse District is a must-stop if you’re in Minneapolis, which is quickly becoming the most fascinating and diverse food and drinking scene in the U.S. And while the vibes of this spot are great, their beers do live up to all the hardware they’ve scored over the years.

The One Beer We’d Order:

I was lucky enough to drop in this place the last time I was in Minneapolis. And the beer is 100-percent worth the hype. But what really stands out are their beer cocktails, with whiskey, rye, and gin from their barrel collaborations. Their gose whiskey sour with J. Carver bourbon and their own gose beer was a nice, unique drink that hit the spot.

Don’t sleep on their brown ale either.

Pressure can seem like a strange word to use for a team that made the playoffs just once last decade and is picking first overall in the NBA Draft, but in the case of the Minnesota Timberwolves, it’s a strangely apt description of the situation in which they find themselves as they continue to build around Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell.

Minnesota can’t do anything about winning the Draft Lottery in a season with a weak class, nor can they change the fact that the building consensus is that the best player in that class is LaMelo Ball, a player who overlaps massively with Russell. Memphis’ James Wiseman, perhaps the second-highest profile prospect, isn’t a good fit with Towns. What the Timberwolves can do, however, and seem hell-bent on doing, is using the overall value of their picks at No. 1 and No. 17 to increase the chances that they come away from next week’s draft with a future star. There are several ways they can do that.

Drafting LaMelo Ball

Taking Ball is probably smartest according to pure value. A brilliant play-maker at 6’7 with the skill to score from just about anywhere on the floor, Ball could be the focal point of a top-10 offense one day. Even playing next to someone like Russell, the shooting and overall basketball IQ from Ball make it still a worthwhile endeavor to take him, and Minnesota has been sending out the message through reporters that they prefer having multiple ball-handlers.

Mileage will vary on Ball’s defense, as analysts like TrueHoop’s David Thorpe have been pretty harsh, while Mike Schmitz at ESPN is far more trusting of Ball’s overall intelligence and length to make up for his lack of effort last year in the Australian league. Players like Ball can be among the hardest to evaluate on this end considering how much focus they have on running the offense and how little emphasis their coaches place on asking them to execute a defensive scheme. It’s hard to imagine, though, that Ball’s smarts and size can’t make an impact on defense just like his older brother did at UCLA and early in his career with the Lakers.

Where Ball can likely be trusted is as a team defender, as Dan Olinger notes at The Step Back. Like Lonzo, he just sees the game and tries stuff that few would think to. But unlike Lonzo, he’s not as balanced or disciplined, perhaps because he didn’t get a year in a system like Lonzo did at UCLA. That doesn’t mean LaMelo is hopeless, though.

At the same time, Minnesota is not likely to be the Draft situation that insulates him. If you want Ball to use his length and instincts in rotation, Russell is almost certainly not the guy you’d pair him with. That could, however, be Josh Okogie or Jarrett Culver, two solid point-of-attack defenders. Yet that puts the team and coaching staff in a bind if the base gameplan on defense is full of cross-matches and odd positional choices.

The most interesting outcome is that Ball is simply better than Russell, and the Timberwolves’ front office has to make a bet that Ball can prove that to Towns quickly enough. That’s all a decision for down the line, and one that would be fairly gutsy, but that’s why Rosas was brought in, and sports teams tend to be rewarded when they do something gutsy in favor of accumulating the most talent possible.

Drafting James Wiseman

Another option is Wiseman from an upside standpoint, though Wiseman seems unlikely to develop the kind of shooting or defensive versatility that would make pairing him with Towns work. More likely is that Wiseman would be a bench guy in Minnesota while general manager worked the phones on a trade to flip him down the road. That’s a high-risk, high-reward way to handle things.

If the Timberwolves do just pick hold their noses and take Wiseman, it’s not as if they would be getting a hopeless player. Wiseman is already solid at many of the things a modern NBA big man needs to do. Right away, he’s probably going to be a strong rebounder on both ends, he runs the floor well and has the balance and sticky hands to finish in transition, he understands how to create quick advantages for himself as a post scorer, and he can block shots.

There’s at least a small chance Wiseman also develops a wider offensive skill set as a shooter or with a burgeoning face-up scoring game. That would certainly help his fit with Towns, who we already know can be effective even from the perimeter.

The issue is that defensively, both players are pure centers. Towns initially looked capable of switching onto smaller players but that seems unlikely now unless he slims down considerably. Wiseman is also not as mobile as you’d like and struggles to change direction or speeds when he has to guard smaller guys or come out to the three-point line in pick-and-roll coverage.

Some teams can exist these days with two bigs (Memphis is doing just fine with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brandon Clarke), but Towns and Wiseman is a frontcourt that would struggle mightily to defend.

Drafting Anthony Edwards Jr.

Maybe the safest option here would be to draft Anthony Edwards Jr., the Georgia wing who presents the best combination of athleticism, shot creation, and upside in the Draft. In the case of the Timberwolves, Edwards is also the best positional fit. Edwards could join an intriguing Minnesota wing rotation that includes Culver and Okogie and inject some unpredictable athleticism to a team that, because of Russell and Towns’ unorthodox styles, is lacking in that area.

Still, many wonder about Edwards’ overall work ethic after seemingly poor conditioning during his nationally televised workout last week and his lack of hustle throughout the SEC season. Those worries seem a bit over-blown. More pressing fixes will likely come in Edwards’ decision-making and how he impacts winning without the ball in his hands.

Throughout the year, I’ve been higher on Edwards than most seem to. Folks around the Georgia program seem to really believe in his outrageous talent and competitive spirit, and are optimistic he can find new ways to impact the game. Remember, Edwards was not part of a high-level AAU program, nor did he go through the international basketball circuit like Wiseman, R.J. Barrett, or even Nico Mannion did. All year, head coach Tom Crean implored Edwards to be more active as an off-ball scorer and gave him assignments on defense that demanded his intense focus.

All that said, Edwards’ decision-making remains an issue and has been since scouts first saw him.

The results of Crean’s coaching were inconsistent. But go back further and watch Edwards’ high school tape or his scoring explosion at the Maui Invitational nearly a year ago, and it’s clear Edwards has just about every shot in his arsenal already, and is a bit younger than most of this class. The best version of Edwards is the best complement to Towns and Russell of anyone likely in contention at No. 1 and I feel optimistic he can get a lot better in the NBA.

Breaking with consensus and drafting someone else

There are plenty of wings who could also help Minnesota firm up that spot long-term, if the Timberwolves are willing to buck consensus. Ben Pfeifer of the Prep2Pro draft podcast and the USA Today RookieWire believes Florida State wing Devin Vassell offers the best path toward an elite wing for the Timberwolves. There’s also Isaac Okoro, who’s probably a little light on shooting when Culver and Okogie both struggle with their shots as well, but is a truly genius player. A big monkey wrench would be to take combo guard Killian Hayes or Deni Avdija, two strong two-way players who don’t have any one skill that pops but would fit nicely on a team like Minnesota with two stars in place already.

There has been so much buzz around so many different players now that it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if the Timberwolves just pivoted and took someone unexpected.

Trading the pick

That brings us to situations in which Minnesota backs out of No. 1. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer added fuel to the fire on this particular concept when he reported that not only are the Timberwolves interested in trading the 17th pick to move up for a second lottery pick, but that in particular, they like Tyrese Haliburton and Patrick Williams, both of whom would be more traditional fits alongside Towns and Russell.

Trade machinations are too dense here to imagine all the possibilities involving No. 17, but it’s worth considering how this informs what Minnesota would do in the event they could simply trade down. That may be the smarter move for a few reasons.

Most importantly, by trading back, they could potentially recoup a 2021 first round pick after dealing theirs to Golden State for Russell. The 2021 Draft seems like it could have a few star-level talents in it, like Cade Cunningham and Usman Garuba. Getting back into the 2021 while also grabbing a player like Haliburton or Williams that we know the Timberwolves are high on seems like the type of move general manager Gersson Rosas — who knows the value of the long game from his time in Houston — would be wise to make.

A team centered around Russell and Towns theoretically doesn’t need another traditional star. By taking a player like Haliburton or Williams, two dynamic two-way role players with upside, Minnesota could build a deeper and more cohesive squad around the two stars rather than upstaging one of them.

The most fun scenario for those who love gigantic, complex trades is the No. 1 pick becomes involved in something bigger, such as Atlanta’s reported pursuit of Holiday, as noted this week by Marc Stein of the New York Times. Imagine Minnesota moving back and grabbing a veteran player in one move, and we know they’re aggressive in deals like this after Rosas swapped out nearly the entire roster at last season’s trade deadline.

When push comes to shove, the top overall pick hardly ever moves. The last time it did, Boston moved down two slots and drafted Jayson Tatum. Rarely does the pick become part of a huge transaction. Because of the high value of being able to draft any player in the entire class, most organizations simply roll the dice and take someone. The rumors right now indicate that would be Ball, but draft night is sure to pose some big surprises, not the least of which could be Minnesota reversing course.

Pharrell is the latest musician to join the MasterClass ranks, as he has announce that he, MasterClass, and Uninterrupted are teaming up for a new film series, “The Power You Hold.” Today, he shared a six-minute episode titled “Building Empathy.”

The episode is described, “In ‘Building Empathy’ Pharrell Williams tells the story behind Something In The Water, an annual Virginia Beach festival which has transformed a weekend with a long-held negative reputation into one associated with goodwill and empathy.”

Pharrell starts the video by saying, “We always talk about love and how important love is, but you can’t love someone or something without relating to its existence. And in order to relate, you have to empathize. You have to put yourself in that place. People often say, like, ‘You don’t know what it’s like to be in my shoes.’ Well, that’s the point. You meet people, you enter conversations, you read things, your mind starts to open up, and you start to realize that there’s more going on in the world than you and your dream. So that’s where empathy comes in. That’s where I started to realize I needed to think about things differently.”

A synopsis for the series reads, “Uninterrupted & MasterClass have partnered to launch ‘The Power You Hold,’ a series of films examining issues of social injustice and systemic racism offering education and inspiration on ways to impact change.”

Watch “Building Empathy” above.

A little over years ago, Mxmtoon was recording her first EP from her parent’s guest bedroom. Fast forward to 2020 and the singer has gotten the opportunity to work with big-name musicians like Carly Rae Jepsen and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. Mxmtoon released her second EP of the year Dusk back in October, and now, the singer shares a visual to her Jepsen collaboration “OK On Your Own.”

Mxmtoon directed, shot, and edited the visual herself with animation help by illustrator Lulu McGregor. The clip offers some insight into how the singer has been holding up while quarantined in her New York City apartment and depicts how she can remain positive while isolated.

In a recent interview with Uproxx ahead of the visual’s release, Mxmtoon said collaborating with Carly Rae Jepsen and Bon Iver was a dream-come-true for her. “Working with Carly was a shot in the dark, she came up just because she’s such an influential singer and amazing advocate,” she said. “I’m such a huge fan of her, and it was amazing that she was open to it. I got to call her and I was like ‘you know what, you’re Carly Rae Jepsen, you can take it and run with it, just cut vocals however you want to.’ As for ‘Bon Iver,’ he’s so influential in the music industry and that project is something that’s been very inspirational to me.”

Watch Mxmtoon and Jepsen’s “OK On Your Own” video above.

Dusk is out now via AWAL. Get it here.

Despite being the daughter of Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld creator Larry David, Cazzie David is probably best known for her past relationship with Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson that ended with Davidson becoming engaged to Ariana Grande two weeks after breaking up with David. Obviously, that experience had to suck all around, especially considering that David shares a lot of her dad’s famous social quirks and anxiety. But she also acquired his comedic sensibilities, which she’s explored in her first collection of essays, No One Asked for This.

In an interview to promote the book, David opened up about her break-up with Davidson, and how her father tried to help her through the excruciatingly public situation by giving her the kind of blunt advice that only the Curb creator can offer. Here’s how David described the aftermath of the break-up when she learned that Davidson had already moved on with Grande and posted pictures on Instagram of his new tattoos covering up David’s name. Via the L.A. Times:

She was devastated. On the plane to her sister’s college graduation, David was held by her dad as she “shook uncontrollably in his arms for the entire flight.” She curled up in the hotel’s bathroom, crying and sucking on her weed pens. She woke up “screaming in agony,” her dad pulling her from the bed to stop her spiraling.

“CAZZIE, COME ON!” Larry David told her. “YOUR ANCESTORS SURVIVED THE HOLOCAUST!”

As we all know, Davdison’s relationship with Grande was short-lived, and he eventually patched things up with David. In fact, she’s not only still friends with the SNL comedian, but she thanks him in her book’s acknowledgements. “Pete. I love you,” David writes. “Your bravery inspires me and your friendship means the world to me.”

(Via L.A. Times)

Hundredth is the latest in a long line of melodic hardcore bands that make the shift into the realm of dream pop and shoegaze — Title Fight, Turnover, and many more have made the shift in the last few years. But few have been able to achieve the transition as gracefully has Hundredth, whose new album Somewhere Nowhere showcases the South Carolina trio at the top of their game musically and lyrically. The album is a good indicator of how much more the group has to offer, a beautiful and impressive entry into their growing catalogue.

To celebrate the new album, vocalist guitarist Chadwick Johnson sat down to talk the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dumb & Dumber, and the future in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

“Is this the same..”

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

At that point they will probably be real-time remixing it on their brain computer while their flying car auto-drives them to the floating, Dopamine Cafe. Honestly, I just hope they’re vibin.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

Probably Tokyo, because afterwards I know we are probably going to eat somewhere sick.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

If I can say this without sounding like a narcissistic asshole, my younger self. When I feel like I’m wasting my time, I try to remind myself of how my younger self would feel about the progress. Cheesy, yes. But helps with perspective.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

Shabu Shabu, somewhere in Japan that I can’t remember.

What album do you know every word to?

The Cure – Greatest Hits.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Bon Iver by far.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

Whatever I’m already wearing and don’t have to change into or out of.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

Soytiet by far.

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

We did a month-long USA tour where we only listened to the riveting and genre-bending seventh studio album Californication by the world’s best rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

“What number album was Californication for Red Hot Chili Peppers”

What album makes for the perfect gift?

The Duke Ellington and John Coltrane album.

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

Back around 2011-ish we stayed in a kid named Josh’s concrete basement. His friends were chain-smoking cigarettes and riding bikes around all night. His mom was yelling at him through the night telling him to stop riding bikes but him and his friends wouldn’t. I only think a couple of our crew made it through the night, most of us retreating to the van. In the morning he woke up and yelled at his mom because she didn’t cook enough pancakes.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

Went out of state with my friends, since it was illegal in South Carolina at the time. Hid it from my parents as long as I could, but one of my friends accidentally told them.

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

I like a lot of radio artists. It’s honestly probably what I listen to most outside of electronic, house-leaning stuff. Billie Eilish is so talented it’s insane. Post Malone’s hooks are crazy. I love Drake, Lil Uzi Vert, Halsey, Troye Sivan, Lana Del Rey, and more.

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Anytime my wife walks in with lunch out of nowhere it feels like the nicest thing anyone has ever done. I always forget to eat and then I’m cranky and starving.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Do what you want, don’t get complacent, don’t be afraid to try something new.

What’s the last show you went to?

We left Europe right before the quarantine happened, so it was one of our own shows in Antwerp, Belgium.

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

Dumb & Dumber – It’s perfect at any time.

What would you cook if Obama were coming to your house for dinner?

I don’t really cook so I’d probably order a big ass pizza.

Somewhere Nowhere is out now. Listen here.

Portions of the Internet are already consumed with a fake Melania Trump conspiracy, which is more than likely not true, but it feels realer to say that the First Lady hasn’t seemed too enthused to be the First Lady. Melania continued to reside in New York City for several months following Trump’s inauguration (officially due to Barron’s schedule). Secretly recorded tapes revealed that she didn’t really want to decorate the White House (“who gives a f*** about the Christmas stuff and decorations? But I need to do it, right?”), and in the wake of Trump’s reelection loss, she (along with Jared Kushner) were among those in Trump’s inner circle who were apparently urging him to formally concede.

Now, former Trump aide and The Apprentice star Omarosa Manigault Newman has claimed (in her book, Unhinged) that Melania has been on countdown to leave her husband and plans to do so once he’s no longer president. The Daily Mail pulls from a book excerpt:

“Melania is counting every minute until he is out of office and she can divorce. If Melania were to try to pull the ultimate humiliation and leave while he’s in office, he would find a way to punish her.”

Of course, no one could accurately predict whether Omarosa actually has an inside line to Melania’s wishes, but the First Lady has stayed pretty darn quiet since the election (other than to drop #BeBest updates on her official FLOTUS Twitter account). Only time will tell, and there’s surely a prenuptial agreement in place, given that Donald’s divorced twice already. Meanwhile, Trump’s continuing to bizarrely lie-tweet that he’s won an election that he very clearly lost.

(Via Daily Mail)

Britney Spears has been all over headlines recently as the singer’s #FreeBritney movement is seeing a second wave. News of a new development in Spears’ conservatorship case came to light Wednesday, which eclipsed an exciting announcement from the singer: Spears is debuting a previously-unreleased single — but there’s a catch.

Spears’ never-before-heard single “Swimming In The Stars” is now available as a 12-inch vinyl exclusively through Urban Outfitters. The single is being made available in celebration of the brand’s 11/11 Singles Day, which also features ten other physical releases.

While only way to hear the single right now is by purchasing the vinyl, Billboard reports that Spears’ team plans to make “Swimming In The Stars” available on streaming services in about two weeks. Spears fans apparently scooped up a copy of the song quickly because, according to Urban Outfitters’ website, the pressing is currently on back order and won’t be available for shipping until January 15.

News of the new single arrives on the same day a judge ruled Spears’ father would remain her conservator. Following the announcement, Spears’ lawyer Samuel Ingham revealed how the conservatorship with affect future touring plans. “My client has informed me that she is afraid of her father,” Ingham said. “She will not perform again if her father is in charge of her career.”

Order “Swimming In The Stars” 12-inch vinyl on Urban Outfitters here.

The food court has always been a “must-stop” at the end of every Costco run. Or at least it was. Then 2020 happened.

Everything about the way we shop and eat changed this year. Including the much-beloved Costco food court, which was closed for a few months right after COVID hit and reopened in late May. When Costco did get cooking again, it was with a minimal menu — with some stores only serving hot dogs, pepperoni pizza, cheese pizza, and soda. Other shops were still slinging Chicken Bakes and Hot Turkey sandwiches, but it varied depending on where you were in the country.

The old days of rocking up to a Costco food court and actually having to think about what to order are on hold, at least for now. Costco’s Updates and Coronavirus Response page still lists food courts running “a limited menu” for “takeout only.” Still, this pandemic will diminish in due time and life will start reopening in some capacity — the Costco food court included.

Until that day, let’s take a look at the UPROXX exclusive ranking of our favorite Costco food court menu items.

13. Double Cheeseburger

The Order:

This burger was advertised as Costco’s answer to a Shake Shack or In-N-Out burger. Seems like a bold and presumptive move on Costco’s part. This microwaved double patty with a cold slice of cheese, some secret sauce, lettuce, and tomato is in a different (shittier) galaxy than a Shake Shack burger.

Bottom Line:

It’s shocking how much of a swing and a miss this burger is. We’ve even tried it with Costco’s chili to make a chili cheeseburger and it was still an underwhelming experience.

If this menu item doesn’t come back post-COVID, no one will shed a tear.

12. Salads

The Order:

Costco’s salads are getting bundled on this list. There isn’t that huge of a difference between the Al Pastor salad and the Chicken Ceasar to give them each a slot. The lettuce base has a very plastic bag edge, the veg is often tasteless (due to being out of season hot-house grows), and the meat is mass-produced to the core.

Bottom Line:

Who goes to Costco to have a salad? Who???

We kid. That being said, the Al Pastor isn’t terribly offensive if (for some reason) you do want to get your salad at the Costco food court.

11. BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich

The Order:

This hot sandwich piles pulled brisket fairly high with a nice scoop of legitimately tangy and crunchy slaw on a soft bun. All of those components are a winning combination. Then … there’s the BBQ sauce the brisket is mixed in.

It’s a sickly sweet almost-paste with no smoke or spice.

Bottom Line:

This should have been a huge win. But wow, that sauce is hard to get past. Imagine a cheap cola, boiled down to a glaze, and then hit with more processed white sugar.

If you could order the brisket “easy on the sauce,” this would be ranked much higher.

10. Acai Bowl

The Order:

This is a “healthy” option on the food court menu. The bowl mixes Acai berry soft serve with fresh blueberries and strawberries and a crumble of granola and dried banana.

Bottom Line:

This would be a solid seasonal option. Year-round, you end up with berries that have zero flavor that ends up just being wet next to soft serve. The granola/dried banana crumble has pretty rough edges, always one wrong-angled bite away from slicing up the top of your mouth.

9. Soft Serve

The Order:

There are a few options when it comes to soft serve (usually). The swirl is always an easy choice, as it blends decent milk chocolate and vanilla soft serve that’ll take you back to those hot days after school where you ran straight to Dairy Queen.

The vanilla sundaes with berry or chocolate syrups are fine, but they tend to lean very sweet on an already aggressively sugary soft serve.

Bottom Line:

Look, the soft serve is just okay at Costco. It’s fine on a hot day in a pinch, but it’s nothing to write home about in any form.

8. Beef Chili with Beans

The Order:

This is a classic lunchroom ground beef chili with beans. It’s spiced just enough to have a decent flavor. Still, you know it’s come out of a big ol’ can with a sprinkle of pre-grated and bagged “cheddar.”

Bottom Line:

We were pleasantly surprised by this — not blown away, mind you. It’s a good portion for $3.99. It’s also a nice addition to a hot dog, if you want to hack your own Costco chili dog.

7. Hot Turkey and Provolone Sandwich

The Order:

Given how deeply flawed the double cheeseburger and brisket sandwich are, the Hot Turkey sandwich gets a lot more respect from us.

Turkey, provolone, onion, tomato, and pesto spread mix into a melty sandwich that’s a solid lunch choice for $3.99.

Bottom Line:

There’s nothing inherently off-putting about this sandwich. The bread is a bit dry and chewy — in an industrial way — but it’s perfectly fine for what it is.

6. Churro

The Order:

This long piece of fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar is a classic Spanish snack. It’s really, really hard to argue with good fried dough. There just isn’t quite the freshness and depth of cinnamon at play to make this one shine as brightly as it should.

It is only $1 though and that’s a win.

TIP: Ask when they last changed the fry oil. This is always a little better/ cleaner tasting after an oil changeover.

Bottom Line:

If this came with a small cup of chocolate dipping sauce as it does in Spain, it’d be much higher on this list. Still, there are better churros out there.

5. Cheese Pizza

The Order:

A big slice of cheese pizza for $1.99 is a steal. Gobs of melty mozz mingle with (overly) sweet tomato sauce and a chewy, crispy-edged crust. This is the epitome of “even mediocre pizza is still okay.”

Bottom Line:

Of the three pizzas at Costco, this is the least well put together. There’s just too much cheese and sauce and it gets everywhere — turning to a cheesy red slop. A tasty slop, but a slop nonetheless.

4. Pepperoni Pizza

The Order:

Tons of pepperoni is added to the cheese pizza to create this tasty slice. It’s a pepperoni slice for $1.99. What more do you need to know?

Bottom Line:

Somehow this pizza holds together better than the cheese pizza even though it has a fistful of oily pepperoni baked on the cheese. That pepperoni oil also helps the crust’s edges get a little crispier, giving this slice the edge over the cheese slice.

3. Chicken Bake

The Order:

This is a divisive order. The Chicken Bake is kind of like a jumbo pizza pocket with chicken, creamy Caesar salad dressing, bacon, onion, and cheese. It shouldn’t work as well as it does, and folks either swear by it or never touch the thing.

Bottom Line:

Look, this is only $2.99 and will fill you up with no extra slices of pizza or side hot dog necessary. That says a lot. Still, these have to be pipping when you eat them. Otherwise, you’re looking at a solidifying gooey mess that loses a lot of its luster rather quickly.

2. Combo Pizza

The Order:

This is a solid slice of pizza all around. The pie is piled high with pepperoni, Italian sausage, black olives, green bell pepper, and red onion with the requisite mozz and tomato sauce on a big chewy crust.

Is it the best pizza slice in the world? Of course not. But it’s a damn good one.

Bottom Line:

This is the slice to get if you’re at Costco.

Come on! It has more ingredients yet holds together much better and is less greasy than its cohorts while still being 100-percent satisfying. Plus, your reptile brain will tell you that you’re being more “healthy” with all that veg on the slice.

1. Hot Dog

The Order:

The all-beef hot dog is a lock for this spot. It’s a solid dog with a nicely steamed bun that’s big enough for the sausage. It’s also customizable according to what you want on your dog. Ketchup and onions? Great! Kraut and deli mustard? Go for it! Ketchup, yellow mustard, onions, relish, and chili? No one is stopping you!

Bottom Line:

$1.50 for a dog and a soda. Enough said.

When Madeline Swegle was a little girl growing up in Burke, VA, she loved watching the Blue Angels zip through the sky. Her family went to see the display every time it was in town, and it was her parents’ encouragement to pursue her dreams that led her to the U.S. Naval Academy in 2017.

Before beginning the intense three-year training required to become a tactical air (TACAIR) pilot, Swegle had never been in an aircraft before; piloting was simply something she was interested in. It turns out she’s got a gift for it—and not only is she skilled, she finds the “exhilaration to be unmatched.”

“I’m excited to have this opportunity to work harder and fly high performance jet aircraft in the fleet,” Swegle said in a statement released by the Navy. “It would’ve been nice to see someone who looked like me in this role; I never intended to be the first. I hope it’s encouraging to other people.”

As Swegle’s story shows, representation and equality matter. And the responsibility to advance equality for all people – especially Black Americans facing racism – falls on individuals, organizations, businesses, and governmental leadership. This clear need for equality is why P&G established the Take On Race Fund to fight for justice, advance economic opportunity, enable greater access to education and health care, and make our communities more equitable. The funds raised go directly into organizations like NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, YWCA Stand Against Racism and the United Negro College Fund, helping to level the playing field.

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the U.S. military has taken significant steps over the past decade to build a more diverse and inclusive force that attracts the country’s top talent. However, women and racial and ethnic minorities remain underrepresented in parts of the military, particularly at the highest levels of leadership. According to the Congressional Research Service, in the enlisted realm, 63% of senior enlisted troops are white, while 19% are Black; and only eight out of every 100 senior officers are Black. Women represent 16 percent of the enlisted forces and 19 percent of the officer corps.

Lieutenant Commander Joseph Thompson, an officer serving in the Navy’s Dental Corps, knows how it feels to be a minority in the military.

“As a fellow Naval Officer of African descent, I am extremely proud of Lt Swegle’s accomplishments. I know the standards of excellence required to be a naval fighter pilot are extremely high. In a historically white male dominated sector of the Navy for her to break through the glass ceiling, not only as a female, but as one of African descent is nothing short of phenomenal…her accomplishments have not only made me proud, but have also motivated me to keep pushing forward in pursuit of my own goals.”

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