It’s hard to figure out just what type of person Nicolas Cage is. On the one hand, he has starred in a number of cult-classic movies like Mandy and Wild At Heart. On the other hand, he was in Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance. So his movies are a bit of a toss-up. One thing that remains consistent, though, is that Cage doesn’t half-ass his various eclectic roles. This translates on and off-screen, where he has turned into the most caring cat dad ever, probably.
While promoting his upcoming movieThe Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, Cage spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about his life and acting career. Sure, there were some interesting tidbits about how he turned down the role at first (Cage will play himself in the movie) and how he would probably never want to be in another Marvel movie. But the real takeaway from the interview is Cage’s eloquent monologue about his beloved cat, Merlin. When asked about what makes a great cat-owner relationship, Cage said:
I think the key is to respect them. And to let them come to you. The hand is very important. When you pet them, that connection is the great reward. When they start purring, you know they genuinely appreciate you being there. Lately, Merlin and I have had some issues because I got a little Pomeranian and he’s not happy about that. But Merlin is an unusual cat. It’s not the same as the other relationships I’ve had with cats throughout the years. There’s a real, almost human level of affection emanating from him which is almost like a son. It’s pretty intense.
Cage has previously mentioned his love for cats in the past. He has stated that Merlin is his best friend, despite the fact that he has a second cat and a pet crow who seems to hate him. While he was filming Vampire’s Kiss in 1987, Cage’s old cat destroyed his hotel room, but he didn’t mind! Cage and his cat Louis once took magic mushrooms together, which he mentioned while promoting The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, which is a kid’s movie, in case you were keeping track. So, yeah, he’s a good person to take cat advice from.
A Billy Joel biopic titled, Piano Man, is reportedly in the works from Michael Jai White‘s Jaigantic Studios, which would seem like a pretty big deal, except there’s one small problem: The project does not have the rights to Joel’s name, music, or even his likeness, and a rep for the singer has been clear that the production will not get them Did we say small problem? Because we meant extremely significant, and yet, somehow, this thing is still moving ahead. As for how that’s possible, apparently, Jaigantic Studios is going with the loophole approach? Bold move.
Instead, Jaigantic has acquired the life rights to Mazur, who was Joel’s music rep from 1970 to 1972, the year before his commercial breakthrough. Mazur’s father owned the Long Island club where Joel got his start with The Hassles in 1966. Joel’s hit album and song “Piano Man” were released in 1973.
Music needs for the film are “yet to be determined,” according to the producers.
Despite not having the rights to Joel in any way, shape, or form nor the album that’s in the movie’s title (and the whole thing just generally having the vibe of the legendary “Jackie Jormp-Jormp” episode of 30 Rock), Jai, Mazur, and director Adam Ripp all released surprisingly confident statements to Variety sharing their excitement for telling the “untold story of how Billy Joel became the Piano Man” and how he belongs on the “Mount Rushmore of American Music.”
Things are shifting at Chipotle. For years the fast-casual chain’s menu remained mostly unchanged. Sure, you’d get a new menu item occasionally, but instead of something substantial, it always seemed to be stuff like… queso. But over the past six months, Chipotle has been on a steady clip of releasing new protein options, and that’s a pretty big deal. Chipotle’s queso is awful, it can only ruin meals, but a new protein option? That’s straight-up game-changing.
September gave us a deliciously marinated sweet and tender smoked brisket, January brought us plant-based chorizo, Chipotle’s first new vegan-friendly protein option since sofritas, and now the brand is dropping a brand new chicken recipe — pollo asado.
Available for an unspecified limited time, Chipotle’s pollo asado is grilled in small batches, tumbled in earthy spices, cooked whole, and hand-chopped. The new protein was first rolled out in November of last year in Sacramento and Cincinnati and after a successful test launch, it’s now available at all Chipotle’s nationwide and through Canada.
Given that we’ve already reviewed and ranked every single Chipotle protein in existence, we had to hit the pollo asado to see how it fares and whether it deserves permanent menu status. Let’s eat!
Pollo Asado
Dane Rivera
To sample Chipotle’s pollo asado, I ate the meat in a burrito (see our recipe for the perfect Chipotle burrito) as well as took a few pieces out to taste alone.
According to Chipotle’s press release, the new pollo asado is Chipotle’s first chicken menu innovation in the company’s 29-year history. That. Is. Ridiculous. 29 years? First of all, we didn’t even know Chipotle has been a thing for 29 years, but to not change the chicken a single time in that span is crazy for a fast food brand.
By comparison, over the past 29 years McDonald’s has given is something like eight different chicken sandwiches. Probably a whole bunch of regional drops, too.
Chipotle has changed the pinto beans, they’ve changed the queso, and they added two different plant-based proteins before introducing a new chicken option? That must mean Chipotle’s OG chicken is pretty damn popular. You don’t mess with a best seller (see the longevity of GTA V and Mario Kart 8 in the video game world) which means Chipotle has to think they’ve really cooked up something good to compete.
We’re happy to say that not only is Chipotle’s Pollo Asado good, but it’s also better by a significant degree compared to the old chicken. Which we will now forever dismissively refer to as, “the old chicken.”
Chipotle
We’re including a press photo since the burrito doesn’t give a good idea as to what this meat actually looks like. It’s not quite as well-lit and glossy in the real world, and there are sadly no flecks of fresh cilantro thrown in, but this is a pretty good representation of how juicy it appears.
Pollo asado, in the world of Mexican cuisine (shout out to Cuba too), is simply citrus and spice-marinated grilled chicken meat, and that’s exactly what Chipotle’s version is. Chipotle hasn’t explicitly dropped the ingredients of the marinade, but we’re tasting citrus top notes, over an oregano and pepper-dominated body, with the bitter earthy bite of achiote, which is what gives this chicken its appetizing red color. Cilantro really helps to keep this meat tasting fresh, Chipotle needs to add cilantro as one of their customizable options because every one of their dishes could be elevated with cilantro (except if you’re a supertaster).
The serving of meat I had was juicy and tender, significantly less dry than Chipotle’s regular chicken option, and featured smokey and mouthwatering spicy flavors that tingled on the palate at the aftertaste.
The Bottom Line:
Chipotle fans rejoice, this is the best new menu addition in Chipotle’s 29 (!!!) year run. It is without a doubt the best meat you can get at Chipotle right now, it’s more savory than Chipotle’s barbacoa (our current favorite), focusing on zesty citrus notes and earthy pepper flavors over sweetness while being every bit as tender.
If you haven’t been to Chipotle in a minute or you have doubts that Chipotle is good in the first place, it’s worth the trip for a second evaluation. While I’ve only sampled the burrito, this protein option seems a perfect fit for tacos, bowls, and salads alike. Or better yet — a quesadilla.
Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
This week, Khalid leads the way with his new single, “Last Call,” his first release since his late 2021 project Scenic Drive. Elsewhere, Tinashe updates her fifth album 333 with four new songs thanks to a deluxe reissue, and Blxst continues his hot streak with “Sometimes” featuring TDE singer Zacari.
Khalid — “Last Call”
A little over two years had gone by since Khalid’s last album when he decided to close out 2021 with Scenic Drive. The project was a brief interlude ahead of his third album, Everything Is Changing. While that’s still on the way, Khalid returns with “Last Call” which was released to celebrate the fifth anniversary of his debut album, American Teen.
Tinashe — 333 (Deluxe)
Tinashe’s fifth album 333 was by far one of the best R&B releases in 2021. Its versatility and overall uniqueness made it quite enjoyable to listen to. Eights months after its release, Tinashe returns with a deluxe version that adds four new songs to it including her latest single, “Naturally.”
Blxst & Zacari — “Sometimes”
By the looks of it, Blxst may have a project for us to enjoy in the near future. The singer has been quite active lately and delivers another great track with “Sometimes” alongside Zacari. It joins “About You” as strong releases that Blxst has recently shared.
Omah Lay & Justin Bieber — “Attention”
Omah Lay has steadily grown in relevance on the afrobeats scene thanks to efforts like 2020’s “Damn” and 2021’s “Understand.” In what will surely make for one of his career’s biggest songs, Lay teams up with Justin Bieber for the rhythmic “Attention,” a record Lay admits came during a time when he felt “a little lonely.”
Pheelz & Buju — “Finesse”
Once again, afrobeats is making its presence felt on TikTok through Nigerian singers Pheelz and Buju’s new song “Finesse.” Long before the song was released, a snippet of the track went viral, and fans expressed their desire to get their hands on the song. Finally, “Finesse” was released to the world and has been used in nearly half a million videos on the app to date.
Tiana Major9 — “Try Peace…”
On March 15, British singer Tiana Major9 will return with her second project Fool Me Once. So far, she’s released one single from the project, “2 Seater” with Smino, and now she’s back with “Try Peace…” The new song is a graceful effort that finds Tiana focused on enjoying better days in her life.
Che Ecru — What Are We?
Just a week after he dropped Pain Pack 5, Boston native Che Ecru is already back with new music through his What Are We? EP. The project presents five songs in just over 12 minutes, so it’s a quick listen filled with solid music from the very active singer.
Cruel Santino — Subaru Boys: Final Heaven
Nearly three years after he impressed with his second album, Mandy & The Jungle, LVRN singer Cruel Santino (fka Santi) drops off his third project Subaru Boys: Final Heaven. The new effort offers a more alternative body of work that arrives complete with 21 songs and guest appearances from Koffee, Amaarae, Skepta, and many more.
Mack Kease & ESTA. — “O.M.L.” Feat. Destin Conrad
The Soulection crew continues to thrive as a collective, Mack Keane’s latest single presenting a strong example. Teaming up with ESTA. once again, the duo calls on Destin Conrad for their new track “O.M.L.” The new song is a heartfelt effort that sees Keane and Conrad speaking passionately about the intimate moments they share with their partner.
Jor’dan Armstrong — Church Girls Love R&B
A little over three years after he dropped Blsd, Baton Rouge native Jor’dan Armstrong is back in action with his latest project, Church Girls Love R&B. The contemporary R&B gospel singer returns with a 10-track project that touches on the pains of love due to infidelity and other faults.
Devvon Terrell — “Let It Go”
In a little over a week, New York singer Devvon Terrell will share his latest project, Boys Don’t Cry, with the world. So far, he’s released one single, “Wasting Time,” from the project, and follows up this week with “Let It Go,” an uptempo number that begs his partner to walk away and end their relationship if they’re cheating on him.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The release of Lil Durk’s next album 7220 is imminent, and after sharing the tracklist for the upcoming project earlier this week, the Windy City native has followed up with another preview of what fans can expect with the video for “Golden Child.” Similarly to the video for “Ahhh Ha,” another track he previously shared, the clip for “Golden Child” is a short, stripped-down affair, capturing a raw look at Lil Durk as he raps the song to the camera in his home while members of his crew smoke and shoot dice in the background.
7220 is set to arrive this Friday after a stellar, breakout year for the Chicago rapper that saw him follow up 2020’s The Voice with the joint project Voice Of The Heroes alongside Lil Baby, as well as a string of well-received features with artists such as Latto, Moneybagg Yo, Nardo Wick, Polo G, Pooh Shiesty, Tee Grizzley, and more. He continued his hot streak earlier this year with 2 Chainz, 50 Cent, Cordae, and Gucci Mane, and will hit the road in April to promote 7220 on his headlining tour. You can watch the video for “Golden Child” above, pre-save the album here, and see the tracklist/tour dates below.
1. “Started From”
2. “Headtaps”
3. “AHHH HA”
4. “Shootout @ My Crib”
5. “Golden Child”
6. “No Interviews”
7. “Petty Too” Feat. Future
8. “Barbarian”
9. “What Happened To Virgil” Feat. Gunna
10. “Grow Up / Keep It On Speaker”
11. “Smoking & Thinking”
12. “Blocklist”
13. “Difference Is” Feat. Summer Walker
14. “Federal Nightmares”
15. “Love Dior Banks”
16. “Pissed Me Off”
17. “Broadway Girls” Feat. Morgan Wallen
4/8 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Federal Theatre
4/9 – Los Angeles, CA @ YouTube Theatre
4/10 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
4/13 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
4/15 – Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center
4/16 – New Orleans, LA @ The Fillmore New Orleans
4/18 – Miami, FL @ FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park
4/19 – Jacksonville, FL @ Daily’s Place
4/20 – Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
4/21 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
4/23 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater
4/24 – New York, NY @ Manhattan Center Hammerstein Ballroom
4/26 – Pittsburgh, PA @ UPMC Event Center
4/27 – Cincinnati, OH @ Andrew J Brady Music Center
4/29 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
4/30 – Indianapolis, IN @ TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
5/2 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
Hey, alright, we’re getting baseball this year. After a months-long lockout and the need for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association agreed to a new labor deal on Thursday that will lead to the commencement of the 2022 season in the coming weeks.
BREAKING: Players have accepted the owners proposal, and the start of spring training is imminent, sources tell @TheAthletic. Major League Baseball is back.
BREAKING: Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor deal, sources tell ESPN. While it still needs to be ratified by both parties, that is expected to be a formality, and when it is:
The specifics of the new CBA have not been fully reported, but Jesse Rogers of ESPN did bring one important detail: MLB will go back to having nine-inning doubleheaders and will get rid of the automatic runner on second base at the start of extra innings.
Baseball is really back. Nine inning doubleheaders and regular extra inning rules return. Man on 2nd is a thing of the past.
As for when we’ll see teams playing baseball again, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that Opening Day will take place on April 7, and despite a whole lot of posturing by the league about canceling games due to the MLBPA’s hesitancy to accept a bad deal, all 162 games will be played. Of course, that will require some flexibility with regards to playing doubleheaders early in the season.
The players union accepts the deal and once owners agree, which is a formality, it’s official. Opening Day is April 7
After being caught on camera calling Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky a “thug,” scandal-prone GOP Representative Madison Cawthorn is attempting to pull back the remarks that have even drawn criticism from his own party. During a recent speaking event in North Carolina, Cawthorn unloaded on Zelensky as well as the entire country of Ukraine by spreading what some have called pro-Putin propaganda.
“Remember that Zelenskyy is a thug,” Cawthorn said in the now-viral video. “Remember that the Ukrainian government is incredibly corrupt and is incredibly evil and has been pushing woke ideologies.”
— The Republican Accountability Project (@AccountableGOP) March 10, 2022
Cawthorn’s comments were quickly rebuked by North Carolina Republican State Senator Chuck Edwards, according to WRAL:
“Let’s be clear. The thug is Vladimir Putin,” Edwards wrote on Twitter. “We must unite as a nation to pray for President Zelenskyy and the brave people of Ukraine who are fighting for their lives and their freedom. Anything less is counter to everything we stand for in America.”
Even longtime GOP strategist Karl Rove got in the action by saying Cawthorn’s comments, “didn’t reflect Republican opinion.” Realizing the situation was turning on him, Cawthorn took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon in an attempt to massage the situation as the headlines began to pile up. However, Cawthorn continued to accuse Zelensky of pushing “misinformation.”
“The actions of Putin and Russia are disgusting,” Cawthorn tweeted. “But leaders, including Zelensky, should NOT push misinformation on America. I am praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Pray also we are not drawn into conflict based on foreign leaders pushing misinformation.”
The actions of Putin and Russia are disgusting.
But leaders, including Zelensky, should NOT push misinformation on America.
I am praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.
Pray also we are not drawn into conflict based on foreign leaders pushing misinformation.
At this time, it probably wouldn’t hurt to note that the story of how Cawthorn met his wife sounds like it was ripped straight from The Americans. Namely, the part where Cawthorn met a guy at a Russian casino who “put me in the same room with the girl who would eventually become my fiancee.” The marriage didn’t last long, but the revelation about their shady meet-cute had people cracking jokes that Cawthorn’s divorce just went from “boring information to national security concern.”
With less than a month to go before the release for their wildly-anticipated debut self-titled album, Wet Leg are in the full swing of their US tour. With a show tonight at Brooklyn’s Baby’s All Right, they stopped by The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon studio in Manhattan to perform on the show yesterday. And when your buzz is this loud, you play not one, but two songs, and that exactly what Rhian Teasdale, Hester Chambers, and company did.
Opening with a performance of “Wet Dream,” Wet Leg breezed through a tight take on the single, singing, “Baby do you want to come home with me? I got Buffalo 66 on DVD.” The next number was “Chaise Lounge” and they let the guitar licks fly while Teasdale and Chambers traded the song’s back and forth lyrical barbs. The light flashes from above gave Wet Leg that larger than life feel of a band that’s steadily driving on the road to bigger things.
Speaking of which, their tour continues down the East coast with upcoming stops in Philadelphia, and DC, before heading to Nashville and then multiple stops at SXSW in Austin next week. Check out their complete tour schedule for 2022 here.
Watch Wet Leg perform “Chaise Lounge” on The Tonight Show above and watch them play “Wet Dream” below.
Wet Leg is out on 04/08 via Domino Records. Pre-order it here.
Thursday afternoon’s SEC Tournament game between Florida and Texas A+M had gigantic NCAA Tournament implications, as both teams entered into the game in the “Next Four Out” section of ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s latest projections. Despite blowing a lead at the end of regulation, though, the Aggies were able to recover and take down the Gators in overtime, 83-80, thanks to the heroics of guard Hassan Diarra.
After a pair of free throws by Wade Taylor, A+M found itself up 67-58 entering the game’s final minute. But Florida caught fire, with Phlandrous Fleming and Kowacie Reeves leading the charge on a 12-3 run to force an extra period.
Despite entering overtime with the wind at their collective sails, though, the Gators were unable to land the knockout blow that would keep the Aggies down. A pair of Tyrece Radford free throws tied things up at 80 with 39 seconds left, Fleming missed a three on the ensuing Florida possession, and after getting the ball back, Diarra got the ball in his hands and went to work, hosting up a three from the top of the key that rattled in and put A+M ahead.
The Gators weren’t able to make a miracle happen with 0.4 seconds left, and as a result, the Aggies kept their tournament hopes alive. Diarra connected on 26.5 percent of his triples this season, but went 3-for-4 on the day and provided 14 points in the win.
You don’t have to wait until March 17th’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations to crack open a can of Irish beer, but the holiday certainly offers a nice excuse. March is a great month for beer drinking and Ireland is home to numerous great beer brands (not just Guinness). Meaning that there’s plenty to explore and dive into.
That’s exactly what we’re doing today. While Ireland is well known for its dry stouts featuring bittersweet chocolate and coffee flavors, the country is also home to thirst-quenching lagers, flavorful red ales, and myriad other styles commonly seen in the craft beer universe. Generally speaking, Irish beer brands aren’t as easy to find in the U.S. (if they’re available at all). To that end, we decided to list the best Irish beers you can actually find at your local grocery store or beer store. We then ranked the beers according to what we think you should give a shot as St. Paddy’s nears.
You might have been curious about where Killian’s Irish Red was on this list. But while it has its origins in Ireland, it’s made by Coors in the U.S. Instead, we dropped O’hara’s Irish Red in its spot. A much more flavorful example of the style, this traditional red ale is known for its balance of sweetness and bitterness.
Tasting Notes:
The aroma is a bit thin with some caramel, toasted malts, and slight spices. The palate follows suit with some caramel and biscuit-like malts, dried fruits, and a slightly nutty flavor. The finish is dry and slightly bitter from the hop presence.
It’s not a bad beer, but not a very exciting one either.
Bottom Line:
If you want to drink an Irish red ale from Ireland this month, you could do worse than O’hara’s. It might not be the most exciting beer you crack open on St. Patrick’s Day, but at least it will be a break from the stouts and whiskeys.
This red ale touts itself as “Ireland’s most loved ale.” It’s beloved by many drinkers stateside as well. Known for its dark red color and balanced flavor profile of roasted barley, malts, and slightly bitter hops, it’s sweet, malty, and has just enough hop bite to appeal to most drinkers.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is fairly muted with some slight caramel malts, gentle nutty aromas, some dried fruits… but not much else . The palate is surprisingly sweet, nutty, and has notes of butterscotch, toffee, and light coffee, all with very little hop bitterness.
Bottom Line:
This is a very sweet, malty beer that doesn’t have much hop aroma or flavor at all. I’d prefer a little more balance betweenness sweetness and bitterness though. If you’re into that kind of beer, you’ll enjoy this one. Otherwise, stay away and find something that more suits your palate.
While Ireland is most known for Guinness, there are a few other stouts from the country that are readily available in the U.S. One of the most popular is Murphy’s Stout. From Cork, this robust and flavorful stout is brewed with water, malted barley, barley, and hop extract. It gets its creamy, frothy texture when you crack one open thanks to the addition of nitrogen.
Tasting Notes:
Aromas of freshly brewed coffee, dark chocolate, caramel malts, and a slightly nutty scent fill your nostrils. Sipping it reveals more coffee beans, bittersweet chocolate, toasted malts, and dried fruits. It’s creamy, luxurious, and it finishes pleasantly dry with very little hop bitterness.
Bottom Line:
Irish brewers really know how to craft a great dry stout. For some, if you were to put this beer head to head with Guinness, it would be difficult to tell the difference in terms of flavor and quality. Of course, if you say that in Cork, you might get thrown out of the county and asked never to return.
If you’re new to Irish beer, there’s a chance you’ve grabbed a sixer of this assuming that you were buying Guinness Draught. This popular “Extra Stout” is just that: extra. Extra alcohol content, extra bitterness, extra carbonation, extra roasted malty dry flavor. It is not, however, the creamy nitro’d stout that comes off the tap or out of widget cans.
Tasting Notes:
Your nose is first met with aromas of bread-like malts, caramel, chocolate, and slight spice. The flavor is very different from the traditional Guinness. First of all, it’s surprisingly fizzy and not at all creamy. There are notable roasted malt, caramel, and chocolate flavors, and a very bitter, almost tangy finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a unique beer. It tastes sort of like the regular Guinness, but it’s fizzier, maltier, and has a bit of a tangy, hard to pinpoint flavor. It’s not for everyone, but should be tried. That’s what makes this beer stand out and make this list, albeit in the middle.
The second O’Hara’s offering on this list, the brand’s Irish Stout is well-known for its rich, robust, well-balanced flavor due to being brewed with Fuggle hops and extra roasted barley. It’s sessionable, flavorful, and highly memorable.
Tasting Notes:
Nosing this beer reveals the aromas of coffee beans, bitter chocolate, licorice, and slight nutty scents. The palate continues this flavor profile with more freshly brewed coffee, light licorice candy, chocolate, as well as vanilla, and toffee. The finish is robust, rich, and ends with a nice kick of dry bitterness at the end.
Bottom Line:
While some stouts stick to coffee and chocolate as their main flavors, Ohara’s leans into the hop bitterness to create a very flavorful, well-balanced beer.
Some drinkers might not think of Ireland and imagine lager. Brewed since 1959, this sessionable, pale lager is known for its refreshing, malty, slightly hoppy flavor. It’s a no-frills beer that deserves attention all year long. Not just during March.
Tasting Notes:
The nose carries aromas of freshly baked bread, dried hay, fresh grass, and spicy, floral hops. Drinking it reveals more bready malts, slight caramel notes, citrus zest, and bright, floral hops.
Bottom Line:
As reasonably inexpensive mass-produced lagers go, there are a lot worse beers than Harp that get a lot more acclaim. It’s an easy-drinking, fairly well-balanced beer. While not the most flavorful lager, it’s refreshing and crushable any time of year — and that’s why it’s ranked pretty high on this list.
There are no Irish beers more well-known than Guinness. Hell, there are few beers that are as well-known as Guinness in the entire world. Brewed since 1759 at St. James Gate in Dublin, Guinness is available in more than 120 countries. If you’re throwing a St. Patrick’s Day party, chances are someone will bring some Guinness Draught.
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of roasted malts, raisins, dark chocolate, vanilla, and freshly brewed coffee are prevalent on the nose. The mouthfeel is sublimely creamy and rich with notes of roasted malts, caramel, cocoa, dried fruits, and toffee. The finish is dry and slightly bitter.
Bottom Line:
There’s a reason Guinness is such a popular beer. For such a low ABV beer, it’s amazingly complex with rich, deep aromas and flavors. It’s roasty, bold, rich, and surprisingly drinkable. It only missed the top spot due to the next beer having a slight flavor and underdog edge.
Dublin’s Guinness has a long history, but Cork-made Beamish wasn’t far behind in 1792. Not surprisingly, it has a similar flavor profile to its world-famous counterpart. It’s well known for its flavors of roasted malts, freshly brewed coffee, and bitter chocolate.
Tasting Notes:
This beer’s nose is exactly what you expect and that’s a good thing. There are aromas of caramel, roasted malts, bitter chocolate, and a nutty sweetness that tempers the dry, bitter finish very well. While many of the flavors are similar to Guinness, the extra sweetness puts it over the top.
Bottom Line:
The reason Beamish tops our list is that it ticks all of the Irish dry stout boxes and does it very well. There are flavors of roasted malts, coffee beans, vanilla, nutty flavors, but a nice extra sweetness that pairs well with the dry, bitter ending. There’s a reason most pubs in Cork serve this more than even Guinness (or Murphy’s). It’s got that little something “extra” that lands it at number one.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
