The public battle between Bam Margera and Johnny Knoxville is showing no signs of easing up. On Monday, Margera filed a new lawsuit against Knoxville, Spike Jonze, and Paramount, which claims that Margera experienced “inhumane treatment” when he was fired from Jackass Forever because of his substance abuse issues.
According to the suit, Margera was fired after testing positive for Adderall, which violated a “wellness agreement” that he signed prior to Jackass Forever‘s production. Margera now claims that Knoxville and director Jeff Tremaine “coerced” him into signing the agreement while he was in rehab in 2019. By Margera’s own admission, he signed the agreement without running it by an attorney, and that opened him up to an experience that the suit likens to Britney Spears’ conservatorship. It’s a pretty bold claim. We’ll put it at that. Via Variety:
“Paramount’s inhumane treatment of Margera cannot be countenanced,” the suit states. “Margera was made to endure psychological torture in the form of a sham Wellness Agreement, and then ultimately terminated for his protected class status due to his medical condition, and his complaints about Defendants’ discriminatory conduct towards him.”
However, Margera’s lawsuit isn’t the only legal action surrounding the fourth Jackass film. Tremaine successfully scored a three-year restraining order against Margera after the Viva La Bam star repeatedly made open threats against Tremaine and his children. According to court records, Margera’s threats were documented via text message, which significantly aided Tremaine’s petition for protection.
Elysian Brewing screamed onto the craft beer scene just as the movement was getting its second wind. The 1980s had lead to the birth of modern craft beer with names like Sierra Nevada and Samuel Adams (among several others) hitting shelves around the country. But it was the mid-1990s when craft beer really took hold and microbreweries started popping up in major cities around the country, hitting grocery store shelves, and beer bar taps from coast to coast.
In 1996, a group of beer nerds got together in Seattle to take their love of beer from their home garages to the streets of the Emerald City and beyond. They created Elysian Brewing, which would quickly become the touchstone of Seattle craft brewing.
Then 25 years went by. And while a lot has changed in craft beer over those two-and-a-half decades, the core of what Elysian does (or any craft brewer does) has not changed. Elysian has always been about pushing that envelope and trying something new with each new brew session. That has led to plenty of misses because that’s sort of the point. It’s also led to a lot of wins.
Those wins are what we’re focusing on today as we taste through the 23 quintessential Elysian brews over the last 25 years. Below, I’m ranking 14 IPAs, three pale ales, two stouts, one Gose, one sour ale, one ESB, and one pumpkin ale on taste alone. Since that’s a lot of beer to rank, let’s get right into it!
This brew is made specifically to taste like a “wedding cake,” according to Elysian. The beer is made with a base of Great Western Premium 2-Row, Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner, and Weyermann Sauermalz malts supported by El Dorado, Citra, and Southern Passion hops.
Tasting Notes:
This tastes shockingly like one of those big sheet cakes you get at Costco. White frosting, blue frosting trim, sprinkles, vanilla white cake inside … it’s all there. The “beer” aspect of this is pretty fleeting and the end reads sweeter than anything else.
Bottom Line:
This was the 13th taste of the day and it just didn’t land. Birthday cake and beer are two different things for a reason. Maybe. I don’t know. I tried to imagine a beer-flavored birthday cake and it really killed the vibe of this sip for me.
This was brewed specifically to celebrate Elysian’s 25th anniversary. The brew is their classic IPA that’s dosed with Ethiopian coffee beans from Lighthouse Roasters in Seattle.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a nutty nature on this sip that’s enticing. The IPA hoppiness is more fruit-forward with a sour cherry taste and feel. The bitterness of the coffee hits but feels more like a spiked Irish coffee made with drip coffee than an IPA. Notes of citrus and sweet-cracker malts swirl on the finish but are overpowered by the drip coffee grounds.
Bottom Line:
This was another late taste, 20/23 (maybe that explains why I forgot to take a photo of this glass too?). But, I really wasn’t digging the wet coffee ground vibe at play. I think I just don’t really care much for beers that “taste” like something you don’t immediately associate with beer. Coffee works well with stout but an IPA is a different beast. I started thinking about cutting my next cup of coffee with a brassy IPA and was, again, turned off.
KEXP is a Seattle radio station with a storied history of supporting live music from the local scene throughout the last few decades. As KCMU back in the 1980s, the station was pivotal in putting local bands on the radio waves for the first time. For Elysian’s 25th anniversary, the station’s crew collaborated with the brewery to create a beer that captured the feel of alternative rock in Seattle in the 80s and 90s and the flavors that went along with it.
Tasting Notes:
This smells and tastes exactly like an orange creamsicle. You can almost taste the plastic wrapper and feel the cold wooden popsicle stick. It’s so damn close to that flavor profile. The issue is that I’m not getting much more.
Bottom Line:
I really like orange creamsicles. But there was something about this that was just missing that … something. It was a fine collab beer with a nostalgic flavor profile but that was about it.
This old-school German style is brewed for summer sipping. The beer is made with a base of Pale, Malted Wheat, and Acid malts bolstered by Huell Melon and Northern Brewer hops. The beer is then hit with real watermelon and kosher salt.
Tasting Notes:
This is a nice balance of sweet and savory. It’s light and certainly refreshing. The watermelon that comes through is more like a watermelon candy than fresh melon.
Bottom Line:
This is the lightest beer on the list and that really made it stand out. It just landed a little thin on the palate and that made it really hard to remember by the end of 23 sips of beer.
This beer has become an Elysian classic. The beer is brewed with Pale, Munich, C-45, and CaraHell malts next to a small selection of Glacier and Amarillo hops. The beer is then finished with dried jasmine flowers.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a distinct grassiness on the nose and on the palate. The IPA dankness is dialed back towards the potpourri tendencies of the taste. There’s a light haziness with a touch of citrus and resin underneath all of that jasmine.
Bottom Line:
This was the first taste of the day and read very grassy and floral and not much else. It was a little thin otherwise, which is strange as I really dig this off the tap.
This sour fruited ale is subtitled “The 13th beer of the apocalypse.” The brew is a sour ale that’s made with plenty of berries to take the edge off that sourness from the yeast.
Tasting Notes:
You really get a sense of funky yeast next to berry brambles. The sweetness of the dark berries is a nice counterpoint for the slightly funky sour ale beneath it. Beyond that, there’s a touch of citrus, wet hops, and a hint of red wine vinegar that lingers a bit longer than necessary.
Bottom Line:
This was nice for what it is. It’s not something I’d immediately reach for again, but I wouldn’t turn it down if handed to me at a party.
This is Elysian’s classic West Coast IPA that leans slightly towards fruit. The beer is brewed with a medley of Premium 2-row, Pilsner, Dextrapils, and Flaked Barley malts amped up with Galaxy, Hallertau Blanc, Mosaic, Hallertau Blanc, and Huell Melon hops.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a lot of fruit on this nose and in the taste. Orange oils, guava, mango, and pineapple all make appearances and temper the danker aspects of the resinous hops. The malts chime in late and carry a slight caramel maltiness but are really overshadowed by the fruitier hops.
Bottom Line:
This feels like a great bridge between the fruitier NEIPAs and the classic West Coast IPA. And that’s sort of where it falls down, it’s not clear on being either and gets a little muddled. It’s still a very quaffable brew though.
This “raw” IPA is brewed without bringing the mash to a “boiling temperature,” according to Elysian. The actual brew is an IPA mix of Premium 2-Row, Rolled Oats, Honey Malt, and Acidulated malts next to Nelson Sauvin, Strata, Sabro, and Chinook hops.
Tasting Notes:
This opens more liked a robustly hopped lager than an IPA. That malts and floral hops lead towards some citrus fruits and a good dose of dank pine resin. The malts kick in with a sweetness that turns the fruit into a hard candy vibe.
Bottom Line:
This really felt more like an overly hopped lager than an IPA, which is why it’s a little lower. However, it was pretty crushable with distinct (albeit sweet) flavor notes.
This West Coast IPA is brewed specifically to bridge the world of piney and fruity IPAs. The brewers start with Premium 2-Row, Rolled Oats, Crystal 15, White Wheat, and Acidulated malts and then layer in those hoppy notes with a mix of Mosaic, Cashmere, Southern Passion, and African Queen hops.
Tasting Notes:
This is tart as advertised. That tartness leans into the citrus oils and almost woody pineapple. As the taste settles, it gets juicier with those grassy and mildly resinous hops taking a backseat. The end amps up the tartness one last time, leaving you with a slight pucker on your lips.
Bottom Line:
This taste came at number 15/23. Again, it just felt a little listless. It was perfectly drinkable but it wasn’t a NEIPA or a West Coast IPA and felt a little muddled at the end of the day.
This is Elysian’s straight-up New England IPA. The brew is made with Pale Ale Malt, Flaked Barley, and Oat Malt with a supporting cast of El Dorado, Mosaic, Southern Passion, Sabro, Citra, and Sultana hops.
Tasting Notes:
You’re greeted with a noseful and then a mouthful of tart citrus fruits. That bright citrus gives way to darker and sweeter berries and savory guava. The end has this really specific note of passion fruit that sort of takes everything over.
Bottom Line:
This starts off strong but ends a little weak. That passion fruit really overwhelms and you lose the wonderful nuance this beer opens with.
This strong ale is brewed specifically to mimic that feeling you get after drinking a stiff, fruity, and sweet tiki cocktail on a hot beach. They do this by adding pineapple puree, brown sugar, toasted coconut, nutmeg, orange zest, and lactose to the brew, creating a very pina colada vibe.
Tasting Notes:
You get a nice dose of pineapple cake on the nose. The taste holds onto that fruit while adding in a really clear pina colada taste, feel, and finish. It’s a little rummy, a little coconut-y, and a little sweet.
Bottom Line:
This beat out a lot of the “flavored” ales on this list by being a little subtler on the landing. Yes, it tasted like a pina colada but that was a flavor note of the beer. You still have sweet malts and floral and fruity hops present to remind you that this is indeed a beer and not a birthday cake in a can.
This beer is brewed by adding the hops in early (between the wort and mash stage) to really amp up those hoppy notes deep in the beer’s foundations in a process called “First Wort Hopping.” Elysian’s brewers do this with classic Pacific Northwest hops, Chinook and Cascade.
Tasting Notes:
The hops shine through with a floral, almost grassy nature. Then the malts kick in with a clear honey candy sweetness under those dank hops. It’s a powerful counterpoint and works from the nose to the sweet yet resinous finish.
Bottom Line:
This is where things start to get very “splitting hairs” and subjective. For me, this was a really good IPA but not the best of the day, which is weird to say as I’d gladly drink this again anytime.
This brew is a classic Northwest pale ale brewed with Pale, Munich, and DextraPils malts. The beer is then hopped with German Northern Brewer, Cascade, Citra, and Amarillo hops before orange peels and blood orange flesh goes into the pot.
Tasting Notes:
Orange, orange, orange! This opens with a slightly bitter orange pith that leads towards an orange blossom hoppiness. The end sweetens thanks to all those malts but stays in the orange lane by becoming more like an orange cake with orange frosting.
Bottom Line:
Finally, a pale ale! This edges up on the list by the virtue of being bold and distinct. The orange vibe builds as you sip the beer. It actually goes somewhere. It’s also amazingly refreshing. Or maybe I was just really happy to be done with this tasting as this was taste 23/23.
Redhook ESB was one of those ales that helped launch the craft beer movement in Seattle back in 1981. So this beer style (Extra Special Bitter) is a seminal beer for both the Pacific Northwest and Elysian brewing. The hoppy, old-school brew is made with a foundation of Pale, Munich, C77, CaraHell, and Belgian Special B malts supported by Chinook, Cascade, and Centennial hops.
Tasting Notes:
You get a mix of floral and dank hops with a grassy edge next to sweet brown bread malts, caramel cookies, and honey candies. The danker aspects of the hops drawback, leaving you with a slightly bitter edge to counterpoint the hefty and sweetened malts that make the backbone of this ale.
Bottom Line:
This is a very easy sipping beer. It also feels like it’s from a different era and poised for a comeback. It’s really hard to find faults with this one.
This American imperial stout is Elysian’s classic stout that’s aged in used whiskey barrels. The whiskey and the nuttier notes of the stout blend nicely into this now discontinued throwback.
Tasting Notes:
This is a whiskey stout through and through and makes sense. There’s a clear sense of almond cake, dark chocolate malts, mild cherry, and honey candy that goes hand-in-hand with the note of woody whiskey on the palate.
Bottom Line:
This probably ranks higher simply by standing out so defiantly from the IPAs on the list. That aside, this really does hit well for a whiskey-barrel-aged stout. It’s complex without being annoying. It’s easy to drink while still having depth. It delivers on what’s promised on the can. You can’t beat any of that.
This imperial IPA is an ode to hazy fruit bomb ales. The beer is brewed with 2-Row, Malted Wheat, and Unmalted Wheat. That’s then hopped with Centennial, Simcoe, and Strata hops with “more” unnamed hops.
Tasting Notes:
This is deliciously fruity with ripe and juicy peaches leading the way. Then the taste turns abruptly to cream soda — cold, refreshing, and vanilla-forward. The bright citrus oils lighten the mood as a savory fruit note arrives late, cutting through the sweetness of the cream soda.
Bottom Line:
This ranked pretty high thanks to the clear and unique notes. That peach and cream soda really sing together. I’d absolutely drink this again.
This pale ale is technically a smoked brew. The malts are rye and smoked wheat next to local Chinook, Cascade, and Amarillo hops. The result is another beer that truly stands out.
Tasting Notes:
This marries a stone-cold classic pale ale with a very mild smoked lager. The malts lean into an almost salted caramel feel with a floral yet refined hoppiness. Those smoked wheat malts bring about an almost burnt hay note that’s more like straw on a hot summer day than burned to ash.
Bottom Line:
This was interesting, refreshing, and classic. Those are all hard aspects to pull off in a beer. In the end, this was another beer I went back to after the tasting was over.
This is Elysian’s love letter to the classic English style of ale. The brew is made with Pale, Munich, Crystal, and CaraHell malts next to Chinook and Amarillo.
Tasting Notes:
This felt like a time machine back to another era in craft beer. The taste was light with floral and dank hops next to semi-sweet caramel malts. The hops build towards a cannabis-infused dankness as the malts remain boldly sweet and bready.
Bottom Line:
This went down very easily. It was the second taste of the day but stood out through 21 more tastes as something I wanted more of.
This pumpkin ale adheres to the hard and fast rules of the style: Add a lot of fresh pumpkin and spices to create a fall beer. Pale, Munich, CaraHell, C-20, C-45, and Special B malts and Magnum hops form the foundations of the beer before 150 pounds of fresh and roasted pumpkin along with green and roasted pumpkin seeds and ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice are added to each batch.
Tasting Notes:
You get a sense of real pumpkin from the nose through the finish. Imagine slicing up a whole pumpkin and you’ll be on the right track. There’s a matrix of pumpkin pie spices in the base of the taste but it’s not the focus of the beer. There’s a nice bitterness thanks to those pumpkin seeds and the beer touches on a buttery pie crust.
Bottom Line:
This isn’t just any ol’ storebought pumpkin pie in beer form. This is more like your favorite grandparent’s pumpkin pie that you only got once a year but you knew was made from scratch. And it just somehow works wonders in this beer. Even in the middle of summer, this was refreshing, bold, and hit the spot.
This deep and dark imperial oat stout starts off with some hardcore malts. Pale, Munich, C-77, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, and Roasted Oats malts are all used in the base. The brew is then hopped with Magnum, Cascade, and Centennial hops but they’re really only there to support those hefty malts.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear sense of almond (almost marzipan) next to dark cacao powder, almost oily espresso beans, and a hint of warm sweet brown bread. The body of the beer is dense but doesn’t overwhelm your palate. By the end, you’re left with silky dark chocolate that’s been spiked with espresso next to a soft oatmeal cookie with no raisins.
Bottom Line:
Again, this might have ranked higher simply because it’s not an IPA. Still, this was a black ray of sunshine on a very hoppy day. This is a very crushable stout at a very dangerous ABV.
This beer is another collab that celebrates Seattle’s music scene in beer form. The brew was made with the folks over at SubPop Records to commemorate that label’s impact on music in general. The classic pale was brewed with Pale, Munich, Crystal, and CaraHell malts and supported by Sorachi Ace and Crystal hops.
Tasting Notes:
This is classic from the nose to the taste with hints of grassy hops next to caramel malts. That hoppiness gets a little crispy and fruity as a hint of pineapple juice sneaks in to counter the drier edges of the hops. The malts stay solidly in the sweetened bread or cracker territory while providing a solid foundation for the hops to shine.
Bottom Line:
This takes me straight back to the late 1990s and tasting craft-brewed pale ales for the first time. This fell at taste 11/23, or about halfway, yet it still stayed clear in my memory to the end and was a beer I actually drank when I finished this.
Space Dust has become Elysian signature brew. The West Coast IPA balances Pale, C-15, and DextraPils malts against Chinook, Citra, and Amarillo hops to create a modern classic.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear sense of grassy, resinous, and mildly floral hops from the nose to the finish. The malts come into play around the mid-palate and lean into salted caramel and maybe a touch of fresh honey. The hops take on a slightly juicy edge late with bitter grapefruit pith, orange oils, and a tiny note of mango.
Bottom Line:
This is IPA through and through. It’s so damned refined and just … crushable. I finished this can after the tasting was over as well.
This American IPA is all about that Northwest vibe. The brew is made with locally grown malts and hops with Pale, Munich, and Crystal malts alongside Chinook, Centennial, and fresh and whole Cascade hops.
Tasting Notes:
This draws you in with a balance of honey-candy maltiness next to a rush of dried rose and fruity hops — think orange peels, star fruit, and papaya. The body of the sip really leans into the dank resin and orange peels with an oily bitter edge. The resin dries out towards a rosy pine as the malts create an orange-infused sweet loaf filled with walnuts on the base.
Bottom Line:
This was a beautiful sip of beer. It’s complex without being annoying. It’s got some serious depth but it all makes sense, builds, and crescendos on your palate. This was the beer I wanted more of immediately even though it was taste number 19/23. It woke me up and got my head back in the game for the rest of the tasting. And you can rest assured, I finished this beer after the tasting was over.
As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive commission pursuant to some entries on this list.
The No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart has been all BTS lately, as either “Butter” or “Permission To Dance” have held the top spot for the past couple months. Now, though, there’s some fresh blood at No. 1: On the Hot 100 chart dated August 14, The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” is No. 1 for the first time. This is Laroi’s first No. 1 single.
With this latest chart-topper, both Bieber and Laroi have made music history for their respective countries. This is Bieber’s eighth No. 1, which is tied for the most all-time among Canadian artists, with Drake. It’s also his second No. 1 song of 2021, following his Daniel Caesar- and Giveon-featuring “Peaches.” As for Laroi, “Stay” is the first song by an Australian-born solo male artist to top the Hot 100 in 40 years, since Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl.” He’s also the first Australian-born artist to top the Hot 100 since Sia, who was No. 1 for four weeks in August 2016 with the Sean Paul-featuring “Cheap Thrills.”
Elsewhere, Lil Nas X has two songs in the top 10, “Industry Baby” and “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” Reflecting today on achieving the same feat but on the Spotify global chart, Nas tweeted, “this is so crazy to think about. 2 songs in the top 10 of the world. i am so f*ckin blessed. i love u guys sooo much. i take none of this for granted. can’t wait to share my album with you.”
As Delta variant case numbers continue to tick upwards in the wake of packed outdoor music festivals (such as Lollapalooza), Jason Isbell is putting his foot down. Last week, he announced that his shows at Austin’s Moody Theatre and Tulsa’s Cain’s Ballroom would require proof of vaccinations or a negative test within 72 hours. Now, the country singer/songwriter has followed up that all of his upcoming fall dates would require proof of vaccine or a negative COVID test.
Appearing on MSNBC to discuss the decision, he told host Stephanie Ruhle, “People who work at the venues and who work in the music business understand. From everything I’ve heard so far all the response I’ve gotten from people in the business has been positive because they understand that we could go back to not working at all. A lot of these smaller venues, they’re not going to be able to reopen if they go through another round of shutdowns.
We’re now requiring proof of vaccination or a current negative test to attend all our shows, indoors or out. If the venue won’t allow that, we won’t play. https://t.co/KSYmsT5qAl
“They’re just getting so much pushback from some of the governors of certain states who want to kowtow to their political base and try to make people think their freedom is being encroached upon,” Isbell continued. “I’m all for freedom, but if you’re dead, you don’t have any freedoms at all. It’s probably important to stay alive before you start questioning your liberty.”
Though it sounds like a perfectly reasonable request, and falls in line with what a lot of other artists are requesting for their upcoming dates, Isbell did get into it on Twitter last week with singer/songwriter Marc Broussard, who wrote, “‘The unclean may not attend. The poor may not attend. The ignorant may not attend.’ Who knew Jason was so bourgois? Thought he was a blue collar type of guy. Never met him so I can’t say for sure but yeah, this is some elitist ish here, fella.”
“The unclean may not attend. The poor may not attend. The ignorant may not attend.” Who knew Jason was so bourgois? Thought he was a blue collar type of guy. Never met him so I can’t say for sure but yeah, this is some elitist ish here, fella. https://t.co/dJvP5bVDA7
Isbell, though, was not having it, replying, “This one does piss me off, I have to admit. How many kids are in the hospital in Louisiana right now, the place you love so much, @MarcBroussard? How many of our heroes died in the last year and a half? You seriously need to rethink some sh*t.”
This one does piss me off, I have to admit. How many kids are in the hospital in Louisiana right now, the place you love so much, @MarcBroussard? How many of our heroes died in the last year and a half? You seriously need to rethink some shit.
Jeopardy! was largely trying to avoid controversy with its long string of guest hosts in an attempt to find a replacement for the late Alex Trebek. But the reported selection of Mike Richards as host, however, is exactly what the show’s leadership was trying to avoid and has forced Richards to address the subsequent controversy directly this week.
Last week, Richards, who serves as an executive producer on the show, was reported to be in advanced talks to become the next permanent host of Jeopardy! One of the earlier guest hosts in the show’s long run of spot starts, Richards performed well and got higher ratings than everyone but Jeopardy! GOAT Ken Jennings’ turn at the podium. But controversy followed word of his selection, starting with outcry from anyone who thought one of the other guest hosts (like Jennings or LeVar Burton and definitely not Dr. Oz) deserved the spot more.
Later, though, a more substantial controversy followed after reports reemerged about Richards’ alleged involvement in workplace disputes while on the set of another game show. As the LA Times detailed, Richards became involved in multiple lawsuits alleging workplace discrimination (including accusations involving one employee’s pregnancy) during his time working (as a co-executive producer and executive producer) on The Price Is Rightnearly a decade ago:
According to the Hollywood Reporter, in 2010 model Shane Stirling sued producers for wrongful termination, alleging that she was improperly let go in 2008 after she returned from pregnancy leave. That case was dismissed in 2012 after Stirling had trouble bringing sufficient evidence to prove her claims and the judge decided that the statute of limitations had run out.
Also in 2010, model Brandi Cochran sued for wrongful termination, alleging that she got less work after telling producers she was pregnant with twins. She said she hadn’t wanted to reveal her pregnancy because she was afraid she’d be fired. One of her twins died in miscarriage while the other was born three months premature and had health issues. Cochran said producers sent her mixed signals about whether she could return to work; then she found out she’d been fired.
There are other factors in the suits, which also involved another producer on the show and included some serious allegations and workplace misconduct. And as those lawsuits were brought back into the public eye with no official word about his status as Jeopardy! host, Richards apparently addressed the situation to Jeopardy! staff on Monday, as revealed on Twitter by The Ringer’s Claire McNear:
First and foremost, Richards said that he was not responsible for the decision to actually pick him despite his leadership role on the show. He also confirmed that he was approached for the full-time role, and while he’s “humbled and deeply honored,” nothing is finalized yet. He also addressed the “complicated employment issues” from his time on The Price Is Right.
“I want you all to know that the way in which my comments and actions have been characterized in these complaints does not reflect the reality of who I am or how we worked together on The Price Is Right,” Richards wrote. “I know firsthand how special it is to be a parent. It is the most important thing in the world to me. I would not say anything to disrespect anyone’s pregnancy and have always supported my colleagues on their parenting journeys.”
The note stressed he looked forward to working on the new season, but doesn’t answer any questions about what’s next for the show to say the least. Whether Richards will get a deal finalized to host or the controversy will nix those plans remains to be seen, but it’s clear that he was their pick regardless of the reaction the report caused. All of this stands aside from a lengthy guest-hosting process following his already long career on TV before being brought on board Jeopardy! as Alex Trebek’s career was very publicly winding down. Even before Trebek’s cancer diagnosis, speculation about who would host next had circulated for years, and Richards’ hiring was possibly part of that process.
In other words, that Richards’ messy legal history — which was widely reported and publicly known — either wasn’t considered or wasn’t viewed as damaging enough to take him out of the running for the permanent hosting job. If public outcry about that messy past does make the show’s leadership change their minds, it will make an already messy process that much more complicated.
Before neighborhood friends Herson Escobar, Jason Valcarcel, and Luis Arroyo had their own recording studio to call home, they were simply dreamers. Growing up in a rough neighborhood in Chicago, the boys that would go on to create independent hip hop label Private Stock grew up being told what they couldn’t do and what they would never have.
“I remember my teacher making me and my cousin stand up in the middle of the class and pointing at me and saying I was going to be a gang banger,” says Arroyo, “Nobody thought we were going to open up a studio and do what we were doing.”
“When we started the company we didn’t get a bank loan or whatnot, we didn’t seek professional help. I learned a lot of skill sets to hold the team down. Web design, anything creative. Whatever I needed to learn to pick us up I did.” Adds Valcarcel.
Through sheer force of will, the trio that became Private Stock turned themselves from a back porch pipe dream to a full-blown business. And then they rose from the ashes after things took a calamitous turn, demonstrating their fighting spirit.
Watch the video to learn more about Private Stock’s journey in this latest episode from our Salud to Summer series, created in partnership with Modelo.
The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Kanye West, Lil Tecca, Nas, and more.
At the time of this writing, there’s no telling whether Kanye will actually put out his new album or not, but we’ll proceed as if his next surprise is turning a post Pablo project in on time. In case he doesn’t, though, there will still be plenty of new projects from Nas and Queen Key to fill our time.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending August 6, 2021.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
Kanye West — Donda
Kanye West
Whether or not Kanye actually drops this album, it’s become one of the most anticipated projects of the year. With features from rising stars like Baby Keem, it could be the first glimpse at the state of hip-hop to come.
Nas — King’s Disease 2
Nas
Returning to the well for a second time, Nas doubles down on the well received chemistry between himself and California beat maker Hit-Boy. Pulling in the first ever feature from Eminem and even more young talent such as A Boogie and Blxst, it seems the Queens king has finally found a formula that works for him and his fans.
Queen Key — Your Highness 3
Queen Key
The mischievous Chicago wordplay connoisseur comes with 25 tracks on her third (that’s right, third) release of 2021. I suppose her new productivity is a result of the inactivity of the pandemic year, but fortunately, she doesn’t sacrifice quality for quantity.
Singles/Videos
Doechii — “Girls”
The Tampa TikTok breakout shined on Isaiah Rashad’s new album, and now she’s poised to become a standout in her own right as TDE’s latest signing – and first female rapper.
Lil Tecca — “Repeat It” Feat. Gunna
This kid’s no one hit wonder. Tecca has shown plenty of growth since his breakout with “Ransom” and he’s been hungry to show he can run with the big dogs.
Rexx Life Raj — “HIM”
Another week, another Rexx Life production — like clockwork. The Berkeley rapper remains as consistent as ever on his latest but no matter how smooth the production and delivery, his groovy real world ruminations never get stale.
TOBi — “Off The Drugs” Feat. Mick Jenkins
TOBi’s made noise as an independent artist out of Canada over the past few years, and steadily made inroads to the American scene. This woozy collaboration with Chicago favorite Mick Jenkins should be a helpful next step in that direction.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
After some time away from the spotlight, Lizzo is returning this week. “Rumors,” her first single since 2019, is set to drop this week, and it turns out she’s not going about her comeback alone: Today, she revealed that the song features Cardi B.
In the video, Lizzo has a FaceTime call with a contact named “‘RUMORS’ Feat….” When the person answers, it’s Cardi, who Lizzo greets with a happy, “Good morning, motherf*cka.” She then declares, “That’s who is featuring, y’all, period.” The video trails off as Cardi complains about being called so early.
Cardi also shared a promotional image in the same style as Lizzo’s previous teases, as it shows a close-up of Cardi and Lizzo holding fingers, with extremely long nails, to their mouths.
She recently indicated that Mark Ronson is working on her next album, saying in a TikTok video in response to a fan question, “A album? Absolutely not, I’m not making no f*ckin’ album! I’m not in a studio. This isn’t Mark Ronson. This isn’t a whole board. I’m not hanging out with songwriters like [Philip Lawrence of Bruno Mars songwriting/production team The Smeezingtons]. [laughs] I’m not making a f*ckin’ album! Where you get that from?”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
If you’re new to whiskey, you might not know the term “non-chill filtered.” Widely popular in single malt Scotch, the term is also closely associated with high-proof bourbon. You see, when whiskey is dumped from the barrel, it doesn’t necessarily look the way you imagine a perfect bottle of whiskey looks. There’s sediment, esters, and other things that might make it look slightly murky or hazy, especially when cooled.
Chill-filtration simply lowers the temperature of the whiskey slightly below freezing to make the extra sediment meld together into larger clumps. It’s then filtered to trap the extra compounds and sediment and stop them from making their way into your bottle. Most non-chill filtered whiskeys are higher proof (usually past 46 percent or 92 proof). This doesn’t sound so bad, right? Well, to many drinkers it is.
Avid whiskey drinkers look for bourbons that are non-chill filtered because, while the process removes any hazy sediment and esters, it also removes things that actually make the whiskey taste good. Chill-filtration removes good flavors as well and compounds that might give it a creamy, mellow mouthfeel or that note of, say, dark nougat you’re craving.
Bartenders, like many drinkers, enjoy whiskey the way it should be, cloudiness, sediment, whatever. If it tastes good, they’ll drink it. They were kind enough to tell us some of their favorite non-chill filtered whiskeys they drink. Check them all out below and click on the prices if any of them sound good to you.
Frey Ranch is non-chill filtered, 90 proof bourbon from Nevada. Earthy, woodsy, and leathery notes come through on this slow-grown four-grain bourbon with vanilla, caramel, and cedar lingering on the finish.
Blanton’s Single Barrel
Blanton
David Ortiz, corporate beverage manager at Rocco’s Tacos in Orlando
My favorite non-chilled single barrel bourbon is Blanton’s produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. It’s sweet, oaky, and filled with caramel and candied orange peel flavors.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
Elijah Craig
Anton Kinloch, owner of Fuchsia Tiki in New Paltz, New York
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is hands down one of our favorite non-chill filtered bourbons (and one of my favorites overall). Stone fruit on the nose, caramel, and burnt orange on the palate. This bourbon gives your tongue a hug that lingers. It’s best with a little water to open it up.
Weller Full Proof is a fine example. Aromas of vanilla, cinnamon, wood from the barrel, and flavors of exotic fruits, spice, and cask notes come together to round everything into a wonderful drinking experience.
So, the best non-chill filtered bourbon is definitely George T. Stagg (from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection). It has toffee sweetness and dark chocolate with hints of vanilla, notes of tobacco, dark berries with a bit of coffee. It’s perfect with a nice cigar.
Four Roses Small Batch Select
Four Roses
Brian McDonough, food and beverage manager at The Tides Inn in Irvington, Virginia
Four Roses Small Batch Select is my favorite non-chill filtered bourbon. Perhaps it is my love for wine that takes me to non-chill filtered bourbons. By non-chill filtering the bourbon, you leave all the tannins and other particulates that come naturally from making bourbon. This is much like having a non-filtered wine. It is somewhat more natural and allows the wine — or bourbon in this case — to be more of a living thing, with depths of flavor from the production process that you do not get when it’s filtered. While this is a higher-rye mash, you still get a bright red berry flavor to go with the spices that you expect from the rye in the whiskey.
Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Wild Turkey
Ryan Pines, beverage director at Ukiah in Asheville, North Carolina
You don’t hear non-chill filter as much in the bourbon world as you do in the Scotch world. However, if I had to choose a bourbon that was non-chill filtered, I would have to go with Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel. I really love non-chill filtered whiskeys because you really get a sense of all the fatty acids and lipids that come from new oak barrels that make bourbon taste so smooth and unique.
Booker’s is an iconic brand that people may know. It’s bottled at barrel proof, so its ABVs are always high, usually in the low 60 percent. Try this one with a little water to cool it down because right out of the bottle it is a bit hot. It also makes an outstanding mint julep.
Filibuster Single Estate
Filibuster
Deke Dunne, master mixologist from Allegory DC in Washington, DC
The bourbon that I am currently most into is Filibuster’s Single Estate Straight Bourbon out of Virginia. There’s a lot of love about this bourbon and Filibuster in general. When developing their whiskey, they try to make the entire process as natural as possible, and that includes using a non-chill filtered method. All of their grain for the mash bill comes from a single farm, hence the name single estate, which has the perfect coverage to create a combination of both ample sun and shade for the grain. They then distill the grains as naturally as possible. Once they are done with distillation, they age the bourbon in both American and French oak casks.
Now, this bourbon comes in at a fairly high proof, but it sips like a 90-proof whiskey. It has a silky-smooth body, the benefit from being non-chill filtered, and has a deep, complex profile of cake, baking spices, orange peels, and delicious caramel. You can really tell the craftsmanship in every sip.
This bourbon only runs around $50 currently, but drinks like a $100 whiskey. Definitely my new current favorite non-chill filtered bourbon.
Town Branch Single Barrel
Town Branch
Sharfiq Cosby, bartender at Revival 1869 in Clayton, North Carolina
Non-chill filtered bourbons have that extra kick in flavor and texture. It’s almost like cooking bacon in a cast iron then cooking eggs or veggies with that fat for that extra deliciousness. Currently, my go-to for non-chill filtered bourbon is Town Branch Bourbon. What I love about Town Branch is the mouthfeel and the legs of the bourbon, you can usually tell a non-chill by those two alone. The mouthfeel is somewhat oily, silky, and a bit savory in flavor (rye spice, rosemary, oregano, etc.) which makes for a great sipper and a pretty cool fortifier in a cocktail, so the spirit doesn’t get lost. Proof and ice are also to be considered, Town Branch is 90 proof so a small 1-inch clear cube for this one is enough to open up and taste those wonderful flavors of a non-chill filtered bourbon, delicious.
While Booker’s gets most of the press when it comes to Jim Beam’s small batch collection, my favorite is actually Baker’s. Its 7-year-old version is reasonably priced, sits at a potent 107 proof, is non-chill filtered, and filled with notes of dried fruits, butterscotch, vanilla beans, and a subtle spice that works well neat or on the rocks.
As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 23,903 new coronavirus cases in Florida, the highest-single day total in the state since the beginning of the pandemic. A “fifth of all new U.S. infections and current hospitalizations” come from the Sunshine State, the Washington Post reports, but Republican governor Ron DeSantis is doing everything in his power to prevent mask mandates, even for kids returning to school. “We can either have a free society or we can have a biomedical security state and I can tell you, Florida, we’re a free state,” he said last week.
Florida might be a “free state” but it’s a “free state” with nearly 40,000 deaths from COVID led by a “piece of sh*t” governor. That’s according to comedian Bill Burr, who unloaded on DeSantis during Monday’s episode of the Monday Morning Podcast.
“DeSantis, whoever this guy is — and they have the most grumpiest looking photo ever — this guy is starting to build stature in 2024 and he says he disagrees on mask mandates,” Burr said. “The amount of people who not only don’t even own a microscope or even have a pair of scrubs — you know, unless they went to some Halloween party — who are literally questioning doctors… At this point, it’s just hilarious.” The Mandalorian actor continued, “These f*cking piece of sh*t politicians! He knows that that’s what his fanbase wants him to do so that’s what the f*ck he’s gonna do. Unbelievable.”
Burr previously went after anti-vaxxers for being “full of sh*t… I’ll tell you right now, if they came out with a shot that gave you a flat stomach and abs, all of these same people that ‘you ain’t f*ckin’ with my freedom,’ they’d be right down there getting that f*cking thing.” You can listen to the Monday Morning Podcast episode below.
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