Month: July 2023

July is here. For most of the country, the weather is sunny and warm (or downright stinging hot). In the simplest terms, it’s prime beer-drinking weather. From IPAs to pilsners to wheat beers and everything in between, July is a beer-drinkers dream.

The key though, especially in the summer months, is finding the right beers to enjoy. While nobody will fault you for sticking to that same lager you’ve been drinking summer after summer, why not try something new this year? You’ll be glad you did, and we have the recommendations to expand your summer beer list.

July is littered with seasonal favorites, limited releases, and new beers. Lucky for you, we found some of the best. Keep scrolling to see eight of the best beers to chase down this month.

• The 30 Best IPAs To Drink Right Now, Ranked
• 10 Breweries Every Beer Fan Should Visit In 2023, According To Brewers
• Every Supermarket Mexican Lager, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• Craft Beer Experts Name The Best Beer Cities In America For 2023
• Eight Wildly Popular, Big-Name IPAs, Blind Tasted And Ranked

Anderson Valley Cherry Gose

ABV: 4.2%

Average Price: $13 for a six-pack

The Beer:

This summer favorite is a kettle-soured beer with pale 2-row malts, malted wheat, rice hulls, house yeast, and Chinook hops. It gets its unique flavor from the juice of Michigan-grown Montmorency sour cherries. It’s a great mix of fruity sweetness, tart flavors, and salt.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is heavy on tart cherries, citrus, and slight salinity. The palate has lactic acid, tart cherries, a fruity sweetness, citrus peels, and a subtle salty flavor throughout. It’s sweet, lightly acidic, tart, and gently salty.

Bottom Line:

If you’re a gose fan who also enjoys sweet, tart cherry flavors, this is the beer for you. The salinity throughout only helps the experience.

Bear Republic Racer 7 Hazy IPA

ABV: 7%

Average Price: $13 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Bear Republic Racer 5 is one of the most well-known IPAs on the market. Recently, the California-based brewery dropped a hazy IPA called Racer 7. Brewed with hazy strain yeast, malted barley, oat, and wheat, it gets its hop presence from the use of Galaxy, Citra, and Hallertau Blanc.

Tasting Notes:

Classic hazy IPA aromas of tropical fruits, citrus peels, and floral hops greet you before your first sip. The palate continues this trend with an oat-driven creamy mouthfeel as well as pineapple, grapefruit, mango, orange peels, and floral, piney hops. The finish is sweet and fruity with very little bitterness.

Bottom Line:

This fruity, juicy style is well-suited for summer sipping. Racer 7 is another great addition to the pantheon of hazy IPAs.

Narragansett Del’s Shandy

ABV: 4.7%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

Narragansett Del’s Shandy is the definition of summer in a can. This collaboration between Narragansett and Del’s Frozen Lemonade Stand is a mix of classic, crisp lager, and lemon concentrate. The result is a citrus-filled, highly refreshing summer staple.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a ton of lemon on the nose. It’s tough to discern anything else, but that’s the point. There’s more to the palate with the crisp lager underneath making an appearance along with lemon peels, orange zest, and a slightly tart acidity. The finish is sweet and lemony with very little bitterness. All in all, it’s very refreshing.

Bottom Line:

This beer is touted as a lemon radler made with real lemon concentrate and that’s exactly what it is. It’s a beer for people looking for a no-frills citrus-filled summer crusher.

Firestone Walker Mystic Shadows

ABV: 6%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

This limited-release West Coast IPA from the brewers at Firestone Walker is New Zealand through and through. This is because of the liberal use of New Zealand-grown hops Nelson Sauvin, Rakau, Moutere, and Motueka. This results in a fruity, well-balanced, and highly drinkable IPA.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is a classic West Coast IPA with ripe fruit, citrus peels, light malts, and bright pine. The palate, on the other hand, is a little different and that’s thanks in large part to the use of New Zealand hops. There are flavors of ripe berries, pale malts, candied orange peels, pineapple, and watermelon. The finish is slightly bitter and memorably piney.

Bottom Line:

This is one for the IPA fans who prefer a little West Coast flavor as well as a dollop of unique New Zealand hop flavor and aroma.

Bronx Summer Pale Ale

ABV: 5.2%

Average Price: $15 for a six-pack

The Beer:

If you’ve never tried a beer from the Bronx Brewery, now is your chance. It’s a Summer Pale Ale brewed with Munton’s Extra Pale malt and Briess Ashburne Mild malt as well as Delta and Exp. 04190 hops. It’s known for its crisp refreshing flavor featuring a nice mix of malts, citrus, and hops.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is littered with aromas of cereal grain, lemon zest, and floral yet piney hops. Drinking it reveals notes of sweet malts, light fruit, lemongrass, orange peel, more cereal grain, and a ton of floral herbal hops. The finish is a mix of citrus and lightly bitter hops. Overall, this is a very refreshing summery pale ale.

Bottom Line:

This is a classic, complex, well-balanced, and citrus-forward pale ale that you’ll go back to summer after summer. It’s that good.

Weldwerks Vacay Everyday

ABV: 8.8%

Average Price: $16 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

Who wouldn’t want to retire early and take a vacation every day? While that’s not an option for most of us, at least we can get that feeling every time we crack open a Weldwerks Vacay Everyday. This 8.8% ABV hazy IPA is brewed to taste like a trip to a tropical island with Sabro, Citra, and Lotus hops.

Tasting Notes:

Pineapple, grapefruit, coconut, tangerine, vanilla, and floral hops greet you on the nose. On the palate, you’ll find more of a tropical oasis including orange peel, coconut grapefruit, caramelized pineapple, guava, and just a hint of herbal earthy hops. The finish is a perfect mix of tropical sweetness and hop bitterness.

Bottom Line:

This is a very aptly named beer. Every time you crack one of these juicy tropical fruit-filled IPAs you’ll be transported to a tropical paradise.

Wynwood La Rubia

ABV: 5%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

The Beer:

When it comes to summer refreshment, it’s tough to beat the appeal of a well-made blonde ale. Wynwood La Rubia is one of the best. This 5% ABV brew is made with German Pilsner malts, British Crystal malts, Czech Saaz hops, and German ale yeast. It’s light, crisp, and highly flavorful.

Tasting Notes:

With aromas of cereal grains, sweet malts, ripe fruit, honey, and floral hops, this nose is definitely a good start. The palate is highlighted by freshly baked bread, more cereal grains, clover honey, citrus peels, tropical sweetness, and floral yet lightly bitter hops. All in all, it’s a very refreshing beer.

Bottom Line:

Crisp, pleasantly sweet, and well-balanced are the best phrases to describe this summery blonde ale. Stock up and enjoy it all summer long.

AleSmith Limeberry Twist

ABV: 4.7%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Thirst-quenching ability is extremely important when it comes to July beers. One of the best is AleSmith Limeberry Twist. This Gose gets its flavors from the addition of lime and raspberry and just a hint of sea salt. The result is sweet, tart, and pleasantly salty.

Tasting Notes:

Complex aromas of ripe raspberries, lime zest, tropical fruits, and sea salt are the first scents to hit your nostrils. Drinking it reveals more raspberry, wet grass, acidic citrus, more berries, and salinity throughout. It’s tart, salty, and extremely refreshing on a hot day.

Bottom Line:

The gose style (especially fruited goses) is perfect for July heat. AleSmith’s Limeberry Twist is definitely one to add to the list.

A few hours ago, Taylor Swift released the highly anticipated new re-recorded album, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). As with any Swift project, it’s a major event in the music industry, and Drake found a funny way to chime in.

On his Instagram Story, he shared a photo of himself with a woman who isn’t Swift but sure does look a lot like her. He wrote on the photo, “Congrats on the drop sis. Dialed In.”

The lookalike is actually a woman named Jaime Kitt Carson (who, by the way, has the excellent Instagram username of @trailer____swift). She took to Twitter to explain that the encounter happened while she was at work last night, and that Drake was “so nice.”

Carson apparently got some sort of negative feedback, as she tweeted a photo of herself giving a thumbs up and wrote, “getting cyberbullied on twitter cause drake posted a photo with me on his IG story <3 worth it.”

The release of the new album confirmed suspicions that Swift switched up the lyrics to the song “Better Than Revenge.” Meanwhile, Swift’s music popped up in the new season of The Bear, so check out our interview with the people who curated the show’s music here.

Even though it’s 2023 and schools are much more concerned with protecting children from bullying than in the past, parents still have to be aware that kids will be kids, and having a child with a funny name is bound to cause them trouble.

A mother on Reddit is concerned that her future children will have the unfortunate last name of “Butt,” so she asked people on the namenerds forum to help her convince her husband to name their child something different.

(Note: We’re assuming that the person who wrote the post is a woman because their husband is interested in perpetuating the family name, and if it were a same-sex relationship, a husband probably wouldn’t automatically make that assumption.)

“My husband’s last name is Butt. Can someone please help me illuminate to him why this last name is less than ideal,” she asked the forum. “I totally get we can’t shield kids from everything and I understand the whole family ties thing, but c’mon. Am I being unreasonable by suggesting our future kid either take my name, a hybrid, or a new one altogether?”

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The posters on the forum overwhelmingly supported her.

“I can see hubby being a bit of a stickler because he wants to keep the family name, but I find it a bit baffling that he doesn’t get why it would be a concern,” Babelight wrote. “If you have to club him over the head with it, indicate that for children/young persons hearing the name, they would equate it to someone’s last name being ‘Pooh,’ ‘Vaginah’ or ‘Peenis/Peniss.’”

Other posters noted that her opinion is just as valid as her husband’s when naming their child.

“You are absolutely not being unreasonable. Your husband’s last name is objectively pretty awful, and of course, you don’t want your child to have it. Also, even if it wasn’t that bad, you would be still entitled to at least suggest that your child takes your last name since you are also going to be their parent,” SwordfishBrilliant 40 wrote. “Also, he needs to think about his child, let’s be honest, their life is going to be a lot easier with a ‘normal’/not bad’ last name.”

Having a last name like Butt opens a child up to being bullied, which can lead to feelings of rejection, exclusion, isolation, diminished self-esteem and long-term mental health struggles, including depression and anxiety.

“I knew a kid named Zack Butt. Teased relentlessly. At every age,” Kwam26 confirmed.

There is also the practical problem of living in a digital world where algorithms often filter out names deemed offensive. This issue is known as the “Scunthorpe problem.” Back in the late ‘90s, people from the town of Scunthorpe in the UK couldn’t sign up on AOL because a filter blocked out the name due to the offensive term that sits in the middle of it.

The husband is proud of his family heritage and, possibly, of having learned to live with a name that would make most people chuckle. But it’s also understandable that his wife has a real problem bringing a child up in this world with a name that will make them the butt of jokes throughout their lives.

One wonders why this wasn’t discussed before the couple got married.

Even though it’s 2023 and schools are much more concerned with protecting children from bullying than in the past, parents still have to be aware that kids will be kids, and having a child with a funny name is bound to cause them trouble.

A mother on Reddit is concerned that her future children will have the unfortunate last name of “Butt,” so she asked people on the namenerds forum to help her convince her husband to name their child something different.

(Note: We’re assuming that the person who wrote the post is a woman because their husband is interested in perpetuating the family name, and if it were a same-sex relationship, a husband probably wouldn’t automatically make that assumption.)

“My husband’s last name is Butt. Can someone please help me illuminate to him why this last name is less than ideal,” she asked the forum. “I totally get we can’t shield kids from everything and I understand the whole family ties thing, but c’mon. Am I being unreasonable by suggesting our future kid either take my name, a hybrid, or a new one altogether?”

---

The posters on the forum overwhelmingly supported her.

“I can see hubby being a bit of a stickler because he wants to keep the family name, but I find it a bit baffling that he doesn’t get why it would be a concern,” Babelight wrote. “If you have to club him over the head with it, indicate that for children/young persons hearing the name, they would equate it to someone’s last name being ‘Pooh,’ ‘Vaginah’ or ‘Peenis/Peniss.’”

Other posters noted that her opinion is just as valid as her husband’s when naming their child.

“You are absolutely not being unreasonable. Your husband’s last name is objectively pretty awful, and of course, you don’t want your child to have it. Also, even if it wasn’t that bad, you would be still entitled to at least suggest that your child takes your last name since you are also going to be their parent,” SwordfishBrilliant 40 wrote. “Also, he needs to think about his child, let’s be honest, their life is going to be a lot easier with a ‘normal’/not bad’ last name.”

Having a last name like Butt opens a child up to being bullied, which can lead to feelings of rejection, exclusion, isolation, diminished self-esteem and long-term mental health struggles, including depression and anxiety.

“I knew a kid named Zack Butt. Teased relentlessly. At every age,” Kwam26 confirmed.

There is also the practical problem of living in a digital world where algorithms often filter out names deemed offensive. This issue is known as the “Scunthorpe problem.” Back in the late ‘90s, people from the town of Scunthorpe in the UK couldn’t sign up on AOL because a filter blocked out the name due to the offensive term that sits in the middle of it.

The husband is proud of his family heritage and, possibly, of having learned to live with a name that would make most people chuckle. But it’s also understandable that his wife has a real problem bringing a child up in this world with a name that will make them the butt of jokes throughout their lives.

One wonders why this wasn’t discussed before the couple got married.

If you’re like me, you were probably a little lost when everyone started talking about thread overnight. Is there a sewing convention touring the United States? Are we learning a new survival skill for the end times? After some very quick, not-so-deep research in the halls of influencers’ comment sections, I quickly learned people weren’t talking about thread at all.

Threads. They were talking about Threads, a new social media app created by none other than Instagram, which is owned by Meta (or as we older folks call it, Facebook). Essentially, it’s all owned by Mark Zuckerberg, and while some are side-eyeing what they say is a monopoly on social media platforms, others are excited about the current wholesomeness of it all.

Someone remarked that the app gave 2008 social media feels where everything was mostly kitten pictures and dying crops folks forgot to tend on Farmville.

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People are hungry for a more unifying experience, basically, yearning for what social media was originally intended to be. And for the time being, Threads seems to be providing that space. It’s also growing exponentially in the short time it’s been in existence. Zuckerberg made a post on the app announcing that it had over 10 million subscribers in just seven hours. That seems like a record that surprisingly didn’t crash any servers.

The app is tied to your Instagram account, which makes it extremely easy to migrate to because you’re not losing the folks you follow. They’ve figured out a way to essentially “port” your following to the new platform, which is amazing if you’re an influencer or follow a lot of people. Now, it’s still up to those people to follow you, but when you log on, everyone you were following is just magically there awaiting your finger to press “follow all.”

As more people you follow on Instagram mosey on over to Threads, they just appear in your timeline because, surprise, you’re already following them. Maybe this isn’t as cool to other people, but for those that like things to transfer seamlessly, this is a game changer.

There has been a bit of hesitation from the over-35 crew. Learning a new app is intimidating and makes you want to give up no matter what the cool kids are doing. But that’s also something that Threads seems to have kept in mind. Not only does it make it easy to curate your space with the people you’ve already connected with, but it also works in a strikingly similar way to Twitter. Except everyone seems to be on their best behavior and actively enjoying the new app smell.

It’s the little things that make millennials happy and an intuitive app that ports over your best buds so you don’t have to learn anything new is right at the top of the list. This is also a reason that so many people are die-hard iPhone fans. If you bought your first iPhone in 2013, the model you bought in 2023 still works exactly the same and you’ve likely never typed in an old contact once.

Being sort of the millennial that started it all, Zuckerberg knew in order to win over his cohort, he’d have to make it easy. Now if only Threads were available in a desktop version, even more folks would likely make the leap.

But for now, the mobile version is enticing plenty of people, even though some still have some big feelings over anything branded Meta. For those looking for nostalgic wholesomeness in content, Threads is currently the place to be.

If you’re like me, you were probably a little lost when everyone started talking about thread overnight. Is there a sewing convention touring the United States? Are we learning a new survival skill for the end times? After some very quick, not-so-deep research in the halls of influencers’ comment sections, I quickly learned people weren’t talking about thread at all.

Threads. They were talking about Threads, a new social media app created by none other than Instagram, which is owned by Meta (or as we older folks call it, Facebook). Essentially, it’s all owned by Mark Zuckerberg, and while some are side-eyeing what they say is a monopoly on social media platforms, others are excited about the current wholesomeness of it all.

Someone remarked that the app gave 2008 social media feels where everything was mostly kitten pictures and dying crops folks forgot to tend on Farmville.

---

People are hungry for a more unifying experience, basically, yearning for what social media was originally intended to be. And for the time being, Threads seems to be providing that space. It’s also growing exponentially in the short time it’s been in existence. Zuckerberg made a post on the app announcing that it had over 10 million subscribers in just seven hours. That seems like a record that surprisingly didn’t crash any servers.

The app is tied to your Instagram account, which makes it extremely easy to migrate to because you’re not losing the folks you follow. They’ve figured out a way to essentially “port” your following to the new platform, which is amazing if you’re an influencer or follow a lot of people. Now, it’s still up to those people to follow you, but when you log on, everyone you were following is just magically there awaiting your finger to press “follow all.”

As more people you follow on Instagram mosey on over to Threads, they just appear in your timeline because, surprise, you’re already following them. Maybe this isn’t as cool to other people, but for those that like things to transfer seamlessly, this is a game changer.

There has been a bit of hesitation from the over-35 crew. Learning a new app is intimidating and makes you want to give up no matter what the cool kids are doing. But that’s also something that Threads seems to have kept in mind. Not only does it make it easy to curate your space with the people you’ve already connected with, but it also works in a strikingly similar way to Twitter. Except everyone seems to be on their best behavior and actively enjoying the new app smell.

It’s the little things that make millennials happy and an intuitive app that ports over your best buds so you don’t have to learn anything new is right at the top of the list. This is also a reason that so many people are die-hard iPhone fans. If you bought your first iPhone in 2013, the model you bought in 2023 still works exactly the same and you’ve likely never typed in an old contact once.

Being sort of the millennial that started it all, Zuckerberg knew in order to win over his cohort, he’d have to make it easy. Now if only Threads were available in a desktop version, even more folks would likely make the leap.

But for now, the mobile version is enticing plenty of people, even though some still have some big feelings over anything branded Meta. For those looking for nostalgic wholesomeness in content, Threads is currently the place to be.

Rauw Alejandro is turning up the heat. Tonight (July 7), the Puerto Rican hitmaker has dropped his hotly-anticipated fourth studio album, Playa Saturno.

On the album, Alejandro delivers a series of sounds designed to encapsulate the feeling of summer, transporting us to a reggaeton beach party on the mythical Playa Saturno, which translates to “Saturn Beach.” He pays homages to traditional reggaeton music throughout, but one song that sticks out is “Celebrando,” — a collaboration with reggaeton veteran Ivy Queen.

On “Celebrando,” Alejandro delivers a catchy, sing-songy hook and opening verse, over a rattling drum loop.

Ivy then pops in, continuing to deliver scorching bars more than three decades into her career.

In an interview with Billboard, Ivy noted that while she’s still continuing to rise and collaborate with newer Latin music artists, she wants to continue to make music on her own terms, and not follow industry trends. This, after all, is how she truly remains empowered.

“You earn your own money; you earn your own spot, she said. “I try to maintain my essence, of what reggaetón was, and what reggaetón is. I don’t want to be a puppet.”

You can listen to “Celebrando” above.

Playa Saturno is out now via Sony. Find more information here.

Cardi B is once again adding her magic touch to the hottest rap tracks. Over the course of the past few months, Cardi has given her magic touch to songs by Latto and GloRilla. Her latest magic in the form of “Point Me 2,” a remix of FendiDa Rappa’s viral hit, “Point Me To The Sluts.”

On the song, Fendi’s verse remains the same as the one on the original version, as she raps over a Jersey Club beat delivering raunchy rhymes.

“I can’t wait, I’m tryna fack, take me to the back / We hit a rat, where you at, we got Uchi sat / And all the guys in here ready, where the hoochies at?,” raps Fendi.

Cardi then pops in giving the track an additional spark, delivering bars that are nothing less than legendary.

“I’m ready with receipts, I be proving sh*t / I blow 50 racks at Target on some stupid sh*t / B*tches out here, so they must be losin’ it / I’m like a whole b*tch, I’ma go, I don’t care who it is” she raps on her verse.

You can listen to “Point Me 2” above.

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Chika‘s much-anticipated debut album is finally on the way. Tonight (July 7), she has shared a new single, “Demigod.”

On “Demigod,” Chika taps into her tenacious energy, rising above all the setbacks that have come her way. Throughout the song, she shows off her fiery pen game, and also her soft-tinged, cozy vocal stylings.

“Don’t ask me the questions, just know that I am / Don’t ask how I do it, just know that I can / Don’t give me no budget, just give me the cash / and f*ck a deposit, I want it in hand,” she sings on the song’s chorus.

The song comes from her full-length debut album, Samson: The Album, which is set to arrive later this month.

Over the past few months, Chika has been teasing Samson via social media, hinting that there will be “shows coming with the album.”

She’s also teased a collaboration with Snoop Dogg.

Most recently, she revealed that many of the songs have a deeper meaning, and many of the people she’s played it for have been receptive to the underlying messages.

“people really listen when i explain the songs on my album and it makes me feel really good,” Chika said, “I know i made something important.”

You can listen to “Demigod” above.

Samson: The Album is out 7/28 via Warner Records.

Chika is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Two of the biggest boy bands in the world have teamed up for a new contender for the song of the summer. Tonight (July 7), K-Pop group Tomorrow X Together and Jonas Brothers have shared their hotly-anticipated collaboration, “Do It Like That.”

On “Do It Like That,” the boys find themselves distracted by the beauty of a special woman, captivated by her dance moves and overall aura.

“You throwin’ that drink back / You stayin’ awhile / You rockin’ that fit that’s making all of them strangers smile,” sings one of the guys of Tomorrow X Together.

They come together on the chorus, as they sing, “Don’t know how you do it like that / Oh my, my / Somehow you reel me right back.”

The song came to be after Tomorrow X Together played two sold-out shows at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles back in May. They invited Jonas Brothers, who were immediately enthused, to collaborate on the track.

In the accompanying music video, the boys are seen dancing around in a white room. The JoBros play around near a guitar and drum setup, while Tomorrow X Together shows off their moves, demonstrating pure joy and energy.

You can listen to “Do It Like That” above.