It’s been over five years since Paramore release their last album, 2017’s After Laughter. Singer Hayley Williams, who launched her solo career in the years since After Laughter, sent a note to fans in late 2021 saying that “Paramore can’t be ‘on a break’ forever now, can we?” It proved more than a smokescreen as the band have become active as of late offering up not only some information on an upcoming album, but also announcing a tour that’s set to begin this year, including an appearance headlining the emo-palooza known as When We Were Young Fest. The band has also teased their first single in over years and it begs the question of when Paramore will be releasing their sixth album?
Everything We Know About Paramore’s Upcoming Sixth Album
In early 2022, Williams did an email interview with Rolling Stone saying that the new Paramore album would have, “1) More emphasis back on the guitar, and 2) Zac (drummer, Zac Farro) should go as Animal as he wants with drum takes.” That effectively stoked the fire and anticipation has been building all year.
Then in July, on the Everything Is Emo podcast, Williams went a step further and said that Paramore’s next album was inspired primarily by the UK band Bloc Party. Saying that, “From day one, Bloc Party was the number one reference because there was such an urgency to their sound that was different to the fast punk or the pop-punk or the like, loud wall of sound emo bands that were happening in the early 2000s.”
And now, we have the promise of a new song. “This Is Why,” is set to drop on September 28th, the band said in a tweet dated 09/16.
No word yet on whether the new Paramore album will be out in 2022 or 2023, but given their tour schedule through the year, it’s looking like 2023 is a safer bet. Until then, there will be singles to look forward to.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The Los Angeles Lakers are brining back an old friend. According to Marc Stein and The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Lakers have decided to sign Dennis Schroder on a 1-year contract that will pay him $2.64 million. It marks a return to Lakerland for Schroder, as he previously played for the team in 2020-21.
Dennis Schroder has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Lakers, @PrioritySports CEO Mark Bartelstein tells @TheSteinLine.
Stein noted that a number of teams were interested in acquiring the services of Schroder, who last played for the Houston Rockets. But ultimately, he wanted to suit up in the purple and gold again.
With interest from other NBA teams rising after he helped host Germany to the @EuroBasket semifinals, Schroder gets the return to Lakerland he wanted and becomes the second vet guard, along with Patrick Beverley, that LA has added to a roster still featuring Russell Westbrook. https://t.co/Dh95wz0xe6
Schroder’s return to the Lakers comes on the heels of some absolutely spectacular play at EuroBasket, as the veteran guard was a main reason Germany made it to the semifinals before falling to Spain on Friday. He was one of the top scorers at the tournament, averaging 21.6 points on 43.1 percent shooting from the field to go along with 7.3 assists per game.
After joining the Boston Celtics last offseason on a 1-year deal, Schroder was part of a package that was traded to Houston for another German, Daniel Theis. He played in 15 games for the Rockets before getting shut down with a shoulder injury. He started all 61 games in which he appeared during his one season on the Lakers, although more headlines were made by reports that he turned down an $84 million extension with the team. He has said that he never had such a deal placed in front of him.
Since we’re on the cusp of fall, you’re going to see a ton of stories on fall beers. Specifically, a lot of articles on Oktoberfest-style beers, stouts, dark lagers, and the divisive, oft-hated pumpkin ale. But just because another season is headed our way, one in which drinkers are supposed to head towards heavier brews, doesn’t mean you need to drop drinking crisp, refreshing pilsners.
Actually, we think the pilsner style, especially Bohemian (and Bohemian-style) pilsners are perfect for any time of year. Fal Allen, brewmaster at Anderson Valley Brewing Company in Boonville, California shares our sentiment. But when he’s looking for a Bohemian-style pilsner, he heads for Mexico.
“There are some great versions out there but sometimes it can be a gamble to try some American craft brewer’s interpretations of a Bohemian pilsner — they can be overly malty or lack balance, or worse yet they can have the defect of Diacetyl.” He adds, “On the safe side one of my favorites is Bohemia from Mexico. True it may be a bit light for the style according to the World Beer Cup guidelines, but it is still a great beer. It is super-easy drinking, with a fresh refreshing snap of hops that balances the light malt character. It goes great with any food, but especially with spicy Thai or Mexican food. It’s a well-made pilsner.”
The best thing about Bohemian-style pilsners is the fact that even though they had their genesis in the Czech Republic, they are brewed all over the world. Not simply in their birth country or Mexico (as Allen pointed out earlier). To find them, we turned to professionals for help. We asked some well-known brewers and craft experts to tell us the best Bohemian-style pilsners to drink all year long.
Red Stripe
Red Stripe
Pedro Goicouria, community and partnerships manager at Veza Sur Brewing Co. in Miami
Red Stripe for sure. It’s crisp, slightly bitter, and highly carbed. All these make for a very easy-to-drink beer. The best things? It’s fairly cheap, refreshing, and available pretty much anywhere. What’s not to love?
Pilsner Urquell is my pick. It is one of the oldest in existence and is truly a crafted high-volume beer. We currently don’t have all of the necessary equipment to produce this style. The light grassy and herbal aromas balance out the light biscuit and toasty notes from the malt. Truly one of the best Bohemian pilsners out there.
Fresh Budweiser from Czechvar. The original Budweiser, known as Budvar in the US. I have a friend from Austria that always brings me fresh 500ml cans whenever he comes back from a visit. It’s a perfect balance of fresh whole cone Saaz hops aromas, rich malty flavors, and a beautiful golden appearance. I love it.
I was recently at Wayfinder Beer in Portland, Oregon, and their Czech-style pilsner, aptly named CZAF was heaven in a glass poured expertly from their Lukr side-pull faucets. Brewmaster Kevin Davey has gone to great lengths to capture authentic Czech sensibility including Czech pilsner malt and Saaz hops, a triple decoction mash, and expertly-handled cold lager fermentation. It’s both bracingly bitter and sublimely drinkable at the same time, the balancing act that has made the authentic pilsner such a compelling beer for the past 179 years or so.
Sunken’ Silo Brew Works Deemed Essential Pilsner is my favorite Bohemian-style pilsner. It’s just a delicious, clean, refreshing Pilsner made locally that has the perfect touch of Saaz hops. It’s great any time of year.
Poetica #3 by Hill Farmstead. Bready, lightly floral, and just a hint of lemon zest with grassy hops that complement. Crispy, bright, refreshing, and just what you’re looking for in a pilsner. It doesn’t get much better than this beer. Especially if you’re specifically getting into Bohemian-style pilsners.
With the obvious nod to Pilsner Urquell, my favorite domestic Bohemian-style pilsner is Machine Czech Pilz by Bunker Brewing Company in Portland, Maine. A Bohemian Pilsner needs to be super drinkable first and foremost, and Machine Czech Pils delivers every time. If I’m reaching for a beer to pair with my lobster roll, this beer is it.
Solid pale maltiness, light dryness, and just the right kick of balanced hops make this Pilsner one of my favorites.
Earth Rider Royal Bohemian
Earth Rider
Garth E. Beyer, certified Cicerone® and owner and founder of Garth’s Brew Bar in Madison, Wisconsin
ABV: 5.5%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Water chemistry is insanely important to understand when brewing beer, especially a Bohemian-style pilsner. My recent favorite has been Earth Rider’s Royal Bohemian. They stick to the script of using Bohemian pilsner malt and they plus it up with German Saphir and Czech Saaz hops. To make matters even more delicious, they use Lake Superior water. It’s the cleanest water of the Great Lakes and is on the softer side, which is a tradition to have when brewing a Bohemian pilsner. Together you get a well-rounded light malt flavor with slight notes of herbal spice. This one is an instant classic and a go-to in my fridge.
Bell’s Lager of the Lakes
Bell’s
Caroline O’Halloran, area sales director at Sprecher Brewing in Glendale, Wisconsin
I could drink 1,000 Bell’s Lager of the Lakes. Its crisp, clean profile highlights the subtle hop bitterness. Crushable without losing its craft pilsner profile. It’s the kind of beer you’ll crave both in the middle of the summer and the depths of the dark winter. It hits the spot any time of year.
The Los Angeles Chargers went into Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night, and as is so often the case, the Kansas City Chiefs were able to defend their home field. Kansas City came out on top, 27-24, thanks in part to a fourth quarter pick six by Jaylen Watson that he housed from 99 yards away.
It was one of the few mistakes made on the evening by Chargers signal caller Justin Herbert, who completed 33 of his 48 pass attempts for 334 yards and three touchdowns. This came despite the fact that Herbert was playing hurt, as he took a few hits that made it look like he was in some serious pain and notably did not run for a first down in the fourth quarter when he had acres of space in front of him.
Herbert was able to finish out the game — the play immediately following that third down decision saw him uncork one of the best throws you’ll see — but it was obvious something was wrong. And on Friday, Chargers coach Brandon Staley announced some relatively good news: While Herbert is dealing with a rib injury, he will be listed as day-to-day going forward.
Brandon Staley says Justin Herbert “has a fracture to his rib cartilage and good news better than having a fracture of his bone.” He’s day-to-day.#Boltup@nflnetwork
Rest in peace to PnB Rock. It is so difficult to cope with all of the losses we experience when they happen so frequently. Thankfully, music heals. I hope that any or all of the forthcoming albums and songs can be your safe escape from the ways of the world.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending September 16, 2022.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
EST Gee — I Never Felt Nun
EST Gee
EST Gee is one of the hottest new acts over the last few years, and I Never Felt Nun puts that on full display. The 21-song offering features the fun “Backstage Passes” with Jack Harlow, Gee getting into his menacing bag on the standout “Shoot It Myself” featuring Future, and the rap-R&B hybrid “Sabotage” with Bryson Tiller.
DJ Drama & Symba — Results Take Time
DJ Drama Symba
DJ Drama’s latest album treatment goes to Symba on Results Take Time. The album features Pusha T, Roddy Ricch, Key Glock, 2 Chainz, and more.
MulaManDam — Shades Of Green
MulaManDam
MulaManDam is either focused on the environment or the cash, but the latter makes sense on Shades Of Green. The 10-track project features Turbeazy, Casey Chang, and GG Tef.
Ka$hdami — World Damination
Ka$hdami
The world may not be ready for Ka$hdami’s new album. World Damination features NoCap, Ilyfall, Slump6s, and more across its 13 tracks.
Kxng Crooked & Joell Ortiz — Harbor City Season One
Kxng Crooked Joell Ortiz
Rap veterans Kxng Crooked and Joell Ortiz have plenty left in the tank and put the rap game on notice with Harbor City Season One. The 24-track project features AZ, Blakk Soul, Mrk Sx, and more.
Pink Siifu & Real Bad Man — Real Bad Flights
Pink Siifu Real Bad Man
Pink Siifu and Real Bad Man provide some turbulence with their latest offering. Real Bad Flights features Boldy James, Amani, Armand Hammer, and more across its nine records.
AG Club — Imposter Syndrome
AG Club
AG Club is known for bringing energy, but sometimes even the most talented people question themselves. Imposter Syndrome takes an introspective look at the talents through 13 songs featuring Samplelov, Na-Kel Smith, Sam Truth, and more.
Torrian Ball — Philophobia
Torrian Ball
Love can be overwhelming, almost to the point of fear and rejection of the feeling. Torrian Ball displays this internal conflict on Philophobia, a 15-track project featuring Todd Zack Jr., Xavy Rusan, TJ, and more.
Singles/Videos
Tee Grizzley — “Robbery Part 4”
Tee Grizzley opens the “Robbery Part 4” video with a heartfelt tribute to PnB Rock. The rapper then taps into his rapid flow, asserting he is ready for whatever in case anyone tries to cross him.
Young Devyn — “Outside” ft. Fivio Foreign
Young Devyn and Fivio Foreign’s “Outside” samples Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger” and while the uptick of drill samples has been exhausting, this effort goes over well. Devyn’s furious flow mixed with Fivio’s signature vocals make this one worth pressing repeat on.
Asian Doll — “Prettiest Problem” ft. Damu Up
Asian Doll and Damu Up’s “Prettiest Problem” samples Drake’s “Marvin’s Room” with Drizzy’s vocals getting the chipmunk treatment. Doll and Damu operate in tandem despite their yin-yang deliveries for another fun drill record sampling something one may not expect it to.
D Smoke — “El Rey”
“El Rey” translates to “The King,” and D Smoke serves up some regal lyrics backed by a mariachi band sample. It’s a fun hybrid of Inglewood energy and Latinx sounds fit for Hispanic Heritage month. Not to mention, D Smoke flexes his bilingual rapping ability.
SixSaidIt — “Choosey”
SixSaidIt’s “Choosey” video time travels back to a 70s-like dating show. The colorful visual shows three potential suitors singing along to her lyrics as she’s dressed to the nines. Whoever ends up winning may be very lucky, but act wrong and a fiery diss track could be headed their way.
Kai Ca$h — “Can We Talk” ft. Devvon Terrell
Kai Ca$h and Devvon Terrell shook New York City up when they released “Can We Talk” back in July, as the record samples the legendary Tevin Campbell record of the same name and flips Jay-Z’s “I Just Wanna Love U.” Their new video finds the duo enjoying an NYC summer, meaning one thing: big outside energy. Throughout the visual, they trade between scenes of them having a grand time with rapper Niko Brim and producer Dizzy Banko and footage from a recent live show they appeared at. With eccentric fits and smooth bars, it’s hard to imagine a fair maiden not wanting to talk to them.
Fredo Bang — “Bee Crazy”
Fredo Bang’s “Bee Crazy” is loaded with content that stings. He reflects on Black people being thrown in jail, others threatening to murder him, and his impatience with seeing his “opps” in person. Through it all, he can still kick back and enjoy a steak in Miami.
Smoke DZA — “Wish Upon A Star” ft. Curren$y
Smoke DZA and Curren$y’s affinity for marijuana makes “Wish Upon A Star” a fitting title for their latest collaboration. Their bars soar above the moody, soul-sample-laden production, and of course, the video features them smoking a bunch. Thankfully, their lungs are capable of both inhaling haze and exhaling lush lyrics.
B-Lovee — “One Time” ft. Ice Spicee, J.I. The Prince Of NY, and Skillibeng
New York’s upcoming talents and Jamaica’s finest link up on “One Time,” as B-Lovee, Ice Spicee, J.I. The Prince Of NY and Skillibeng have joined forces. The mid-tempo record blends autotune melodies, hard-hitting bars, and spicy patois. Of course, Ice Spicee utilizes her popular coined phrase “Munch.” It’s a buffet of different talents that come together for an overall fun record.
Cam’ron & A-Trak — “Ghetto Prophets” ft. Conway The Machine
“Ghetto Prophets” is a downtempo record with the instrumentation of an anthem meant for a stadium provided by A-Trak. Cam’ron and Conway The Machine do what they do best with their descriptive lyricism, confident flexes, and cool flows.
Melvoni — “Chrome 2”
Melvoni skates over the slow drums and piano keys adorning “Chrome 2.” He croons about people pocket watching, how the “opps” can’t run from him, and kicking women out of his bed. While he asserts he has plenty of money, he has no issue doing what is necessary to gain an advantage over those who would dare threaten him.
Mavi — “Baking Soda”
Mavi’s “Baking Soda” is a soulful record fit for a Sunday afternoon and spliff for those who partake. Mavi displays that energy, rapping alongside his pal with a joint in hand or dancing through a hallway. The man is enjoying the simple pleasures of life.
G Perico & Gotdamnitdupri — “Did A Lot”
G Perico and Gotdamnitdupri’s “Did A Lot” sounds like a hybrid of live island music and a vintage California bop. As the rappers reflect on how hard they’ve worked and all they have accomplished, one could understand their desire to vacation somewhere tropical. G Perico sounds content in “Driving the newest Benz they got / Straight to the hood when I swerve off the lot” though.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
There’s always a new whiskey hitting the shelf these days. That’s especially true as we head into the fall and brands start dropping expression after expression to corner the holiday shopping and partying markets lingering right out on the horizon. This applies to rye whiskeys as much as bourbons, scotches, Irish whiskeys, and so forth.
For this blind taste test, I pulled eight new bottles from my shelf and lined them up. The thrust of this tasting was to see which one tasted the best overall. I was looking for overall balance, depth, and, well, satisfaction. I then ranked those tasty whiskeys based on which tasted best and which ones I think you should track down.
Our lineup today is:
High West Double Rye A Blend of Straight Whiskeys Batch No. 22B16
Frey Ranch Straight Rye Whiskey Bottled-In-Bond
Redwood Empire Rocket Top Bottled In Bond Batch #002
Ragtime Rye New York Straight Rye Whiskey Bottled In Bond
There’s a light fruitiness to the nose that’s just touched with mint chocolate chip, root beer, plenty of winter spice, and a hint of orris root. The palate holds onto the fruitiness as a soft spice mixes with menthol tobacco leaves, green tea, woody vanilla, nasturtiums, and a nice honeyed underbelly. The end settles into a sharp black pepper with a hint of eucalyptus and dried orange rind.
This is a nice place to start. I’m not a huge fan of the floral and botanical ryes, but that doesn’t take away from how well-made this is.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a nice dose of old leather and black pepper next to a hint of dry citrus rind — orange and grapefruit — with minor notes of honey and rum-raisin. The palate adds in a spicy and tart apple crumble with a line of dried rose and floral honey that gives way to rye bread crusts and cinnamon/clove spice. The end kicks the spice up with fresh ginger sharpness, dark cacao, more black pepper, and a soft and chewy tobacco vibe.
This was perfectly fine.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
A sense of fresh sage mingles with meaty dates, black tea, slightly bitter bergamot orange, and a hint of squash. The palate is nicely fruity with a dark edge — think figs, prunes, dried cranberry — next to smooth salted caramel, woody winter spices, and a hint of red peppercorns. That sharp pepper adds a nice warmth to the finish as the caramel and dried fruit attaches to a hint of old cedar and tobacco.
This had a very nice complexity. It’s certainly my favorite so far.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
The starts off dry and woody with a feel of porch wicker, humidors, and maybe even a little fruit orchard bark next to dark and dried fruits, a hint of vanilla, and a dash of winter spices. The palate is earthy and dry with a sense of black potting soil next to more of that orchard bark, a touch of leather, and a whisper of mint chocolate chip. The end remains dry, earthy, and just touched with black pepper and vanilla.
This was really dry and woody. It was nice but I’m not sure where I fall on it yet.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of mild citrus oils on the nose next to tart green apples, rose water, plenty of sharp cinnamon, and a touch of soft brown sugar. The palate leans into oatbread and prune jam with a hint of blackberry and fig lurking there somewhere. Those fruits drive the end with a sweet tartness that’s countered by mild winter spices, orange rinds, a touch of anise, and soft vanilla toffee.
I dig this. It’s a little fruity/sweet but very sippable.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
The nose balances old cellar oak against a spicy sticky toffee pudding, candied cherry, burnt orange rinds, and marzipan. The palate has a hint of tannic bitterness — this is old — next to vanilla sheet cake topped with orange zest frosting. There’s a sense of butterscotch and Almond Joy on the mid-palate that leads to a finish full of silky molasses, woody winter spices, and tobacco leaf layered with brandy butter and burnt orange and wrapped up in old leather and cedar bark.
This is a hell of a whiskey. It’s also pretty well aged with that old oak and tannic edge.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a hint of figs and dates on the nose that lead to a spiced Christmas cake covered in powdered sugar frosting with plenty of candied citruses, dried dark fruits, and roasted nuts next to vanilla pudding and dried pear skins. The taste has a hint of orange saltwater taffy on the front that leads to a mix of clove, allspice, and sassafras as dark fruit leather and white peppercorns pop. The end is lush and mellow with a hint of that pepper next to dark dried fruit layered into a tobacco leaf alongside cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and dark orange oils.
This might just be the winner. It’s deliciously complex.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of slight sourdough rye funk on the nose with a hint of pumpkin seed, caraway, sweet cinnamon, vanilla husks, and a whisper of candied ginger. The palate leans into that sour funk and caraway as oloong tea, piney honey, and spicy, raisin-filled oatmeal cookies vibe. The mid-palate kicks in hard with the heat as sharp cinnamon and chili dominate until a soft sense of vanilla, toffee, and dark fruit leather try to calm things down on the finish.
This was hot. It needs some water or ice to calm it down. That said, there was enough complexity at play to make it enticing.
Part 2: The Ranking
Zach Johnston
8. Ragtime Rye New York Straight Rye Whiskey Bottled In Bond — Taste 4
This rye from NY Distilling has a very local feel. The juice is made from 75 percent rye, 13 percent corn, and 12 percent malted barley. That whiskey is then aged for four years in New York. Finally, select barrels are blended, proofed down slightly, and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This was fine. It’s clearly made to use for good cocktails.
This whiskey from Nevada is a single estate spirit. That means it’s made with 100 percent rye in the mash bill and that rye (Winter Rye specifically) came from the Frey Ranch farmland. The spirit was then aged a few years before only a few thousand bottles were filled.
Bottom Line:
This was better than fine but still felt like a solid cocktail whiskey more than a sipper.
6. Middle West Spirits Straight Rye Whiskey Dark Pumpernickel Cask Strength Barrel No. 0968 — Taste 8
This Ohio whiskey is made with dark pumpernickel rye, Ohio soft red winter wheat, yellow corn, and 2-Row barley malts. The juice is then aged for three years in new white oak before it’s bottled as-is at cask strength.
Bottom Line:
This was a lot. That heat was real. That all said, this had a really unique and enticing flavor profile. Just make sure you add some water or a rock or two to the glass before you dive in.
5. High West Double Rye A Blend of Straight Whiskeys Batch No. 22B16 — Taste 1
High West’s Double Rye is quickly becoming a modern classic. The Utah whiskey is made from a blend of 95 percent rye from MGP of Indiana and two-year rye from High West’s Utah distillery with a mash of 80 percent rye and 20 percent malted rye. All the whiskeys in the mix are at least two years old before they’re blended and proofed for bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was the whiskey that bridged the gap between a solid cocktail base and a solid sipper. I can see mixing with this as much as just pouring it over some rocks and enjoying it as is.
This whiskey from Penelope really leans into the specialty cask finish. The base is a six-year-old MGP 95 percent rye. Those barrels are shipped out to Penelope and they re-barrel that juice into Hungarian Tokaji barrels for a final rest. Once the whiskey hits the right spot, the barrels are blended and bottled with a touch of proofing water.
Bottom Line:
This was a nice, but a little bit thin, sipper. Overall, it was complex and inviting. It was just missing something I can’t quite put my finger on.
I’m nitpicking for this ranking, of course. Because this really was a very nice sip of whiskey overall.
3. Redwood Empire Rocket Top Bottled In Bond Batch #002 — Taste 3
This California whiskey was made back in the spring of 2017 with a mash of 87 percent rye, five percent malted barley, five percent wheat, and a mere three percent corn. Five years later, the juice was small batched from 55 barrels and bottled with a hint of water to bring it down to bottled-in-bond proof.
Bottom Line:
This was a clear winner today. It’s subtle yet deeply built. Overall, I can see this as a solid on-the-rocks sipper or your next go-to for fall Manhattans.
This rye is made from that magical Canadian 100 percent rye mash bill. The juice went into the barrel back in May of 1999 and was left alone in the cold north for over two decades before Lock Stock & Barrel blended and bottled this without any fussing.
Bottom Line:
This is just a great whisky. It’s so dark and engaging while still feeling accessible and tasty. I’d say pour it over a single rock and really take your time.
1. New Riff 100% Malted Rye Bottled In Bond Aged 6 Years — Taste 7
This whiskey from New Riff is a whiskey lover’s dream pour. The mash is made from 100 percent malted rye (most rye that is used for whiskey is unmalted). That means more sugars are available in the grain as it goes through germination and then heating to stop that process, which helps create a lot of sugars. Anyway, the juice then rests for six years in new oak before the barrels are blended, proofed down, and bottled as-is.
Bottom Line:
This is a truly great whiskey. It’s extremely well balanced while carrying a deep flavor profile that hints at bourbon sometimes. Overall, this is the perfect Manhattan rye or end-of-the-day slow-sipping pour.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
This was a fun tasting. All eight of these whiskeys are winners in their own way. Even the eighth-ranked Ragtime Rye has a place on your bar cart as a simple cocktail mixer for cocktails where the whiskey isn’t the star of the show — think smashes, sours, nogs.
The rest are all solid in their own ways. I’d say the top four are the ones you want to hunt down. Each one has a little different flavor profile, so go back and see which set of tasting notes speaks to you.
If you don’t want to think about it, then just get the New Riff. It’s a guaranteed win for your bar cart.
The Handmaid’s Tale has just launched a new season on Hulu, and here we are with the U.S. looking a lot like Gilead. The Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade gave the green light for red states to start putting near-total bans on abortion, and in a late-breaking update, Sen. Lindsey Graham decided to push right past the GOP by proposing a national ban that doesn’t even leave the matter to states’ discretion. At the very least, Mark Cuban’s online discount pharmacy is providing some drug-based relief to women who worry about being unable to run their own bodies, and now, Chrissy Teigen is getting real about her own medically necessary abortion.
This is a subject that Chrissy (who’s married to John Legend, with whom she shares two children and is pregnant with another) took awhile to come to grips with in her own mind. As the Hollywood Reporter relates, the model and food enthusiast took the stage (on Thursday) at Propper Daley’s “A Day of Unreasonable Conversation” summit, where she reveals that she openly considered her third pregnancy a miscarriage, but now, she’s speaking out to reveal that this was a life-saving abortion. Via Hollywood Reporter:
“Two years ago, when I was pregnant with Jack, John and my third child, I had to make a lot of difficult and heartbreaking decisions. It became very clear around halfway through that he would not survive, and that I wouldn’t either without any medical intervention. Let’s just call it what it was: It was an abortion/ An abortion to save my life for a baby that had absolutely no chance.
Chrissy related how she only really realized that she’d had an abortion after the Supreme Court’s gut-punch of a verdict for women’s health. And yes, she had a difficult decision that she’d had to make at the time, but these days, the decision might be even more difficult because of how some states will inevitably scrutinize every medical decision when it comes to abortion. Lindsey Graham, who wants to abortions at 15 weeks throughout the U.S., isn’t helping matters, but awareness (and public outreach) from pro-choice advocates is vital, especially going into the fall elections.
Here we go again y’all: Kanye West is everywhere. After appearing on MSNBC to discuss how leaving Gap has affected the company’s stock and insinuating that he is the, “One individual in the world who could save the Gap,” he wasted no time in announcing that he’s opening a private Christian school called Donda Academy — one where parents have to reportedly sign NDAs. Talk about a scholarly week for Mr. West! But then, in a wholly unpredictable, but also obviously predictable, Ye admitted in a podcast interview that he’s actually never read a book before and said that it’s about as icky to him as, “Eating Brussels sprouts.”
On the latest episode of the yoga-centric fitness apparel company ALO Yoga’s podcast, Ye sat down with company CEO Danny Harris and host Alyson Wilson for a discussion about building lasting brands. Harris welcomed Ye to the show by saying, “I am so inspired by you, the inspiration you’ve had in Alo…your street sense and your street vibe.” Harris was smitten by Ye and how Alo’s, “Manufacturing, excellence and efficiencies,” were inspiring him. It was all a bit hokey from the get-go and Kanye wasted no time in being extremely forthcoming.
When Harris started talking about a conversation he had with Ye about a book he told the rapper he’d read 100 times, saying how Ye, “Embodies every positive attribute from this book,” Ye interjected to say: “I actually haven’t read any book. Reading is like Brussels sprouts for me. And talking is like getting the Giorgio Baldi corn ravioli.” Uhhhh…ok? Perhaps this provides some insight into the friction that caused West to sever ties with the Gap claiming that they violated their contract?
Ye went on to cite an example of a conversation he had with Mike Howe, the inventor of the ripsaw military tank, and how he admitted to only reading the first and last sentence of lengthy texts from his mother. Somehow, this anecdote validated West’s quest to never read a book. But it now begs the question: Did Kanye only read the first and last sentence of his contract with Gap?
Watch the podcast episode below, with the conversation about reading and Brussels sprouts happening at the very top.
The nonprofit group Gen Z for Change may have had something to do with Yelp changing its policy regarding crisis pregnancy centers. The online local listings directory now notifies consumers that these businesses typically don’t provide medical services and may not be staffed by licensed medical professionals. Many people searching online for abortion services, especially those in states that have enacted trigger laws, see crisis pregnancy centers pop up as if they provide the desired service. Yelp now helps potential patients navigate this deceptive practice by adding a warning label over the results on its platform.
What does Gen Z for Change have to do with this change in Yelp’s policy? After Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in June, crisis pregnancy centers, also known as “fake abortion clinics,” began populating in searches for people looking for abortion care. This is a problem for multiple reasons, the main one being that vulnerable people were being deceived by these centers, whose main goal is to get the mother to carry on with the unwanted pregnancy at all costs. Gen Z for Change began flooding their online presence with negative reviews to warn potential patients.
The group was so efficient that it was able to create a program that automatically ran a prepared script to flood Yelp with negative reviews on crisis pregnancy centers. The program it designed is called S.A.F.E.R., which stands for spam, assist, fund, educate and register, and encourages users to spam Yelp in an effort to warn others. Yelp eventually disabled its review system to stop the spamming from Gen Z for Change. But it looks like Yelp took notice of the reviews being left by the activist group.
In August, Yelp added a notice to its listings for pregnancy centers to help differentiate them from actual abortion providers. Noorie Malik, Yelp’s vice president, said in a statement, “To provide consumers with helpful information when looking for reproductive health services, Yelp’s new consumer notice will appear on Crisis Pregnancy Centers and Faith-based Crisis Pregnancy Centers business pages, informing consumers that businesses in those categories typically provide limited medical services and may not have licensed medical professionals onsite.”
Yelp is hoping the change will prevent people from being confused about the services provided at the centers.
There are currently more than 2,700 crisis pregnancy centers across the United States and they provide limited services, such as free pregnancy tests, peer counseling, clothes and diapers. Some centers offer ultrasounds, but the healthcare they provide is very limited. Crisis pregnancy centers are not bound by HIPAA, which could lead to violations of client privacy—a real concern in states where pregnancy termination is now illegal and citizens can turn others in to authorities.
While Yelp doesn’t directly credit Gen Z for Change for its policy change, it would seem the group was able to at minimum get Yelp’s attention. It’s a small change that can make a big difference in a post Roe v. Wade world.
There’s nothing like preparing for a new baby. The excitement and anticipation take hold and before you know what’s happening, your baby registry is five pages long full of things you’ve probably never heard of. I’ve been there before, and now, four kids later, I can tell you with absolute certainty that there are tons of things you actually don’t need. It’s easy to get carried away when everything is so tiny and cute, especially ’cause marketing around baby stuff is bananas. The following offers some alternative items to the ones you’ll likely only use a limited number of times before practicality takes over.
Many of us have been there, standing in the baby aisle looking like we’re smuggling an oddly shaped beach ball under our now-too-small maternity shirt contemplating between the many styles of pacifiers and different types of bottles. You’d be forgiven for spending an insane amount of money on bottles shaped like a deflated spaceship that guarantee your baby will never burp, when two weeks after they’re born you find out your baby actually prefers the $0.98 ones from Walmart. Figuring out what you really need is tricky enough, so let me help you out. Hold on to your bellies or shiny new babies folks, this list might blow your mind.
1. Put the Pee Pee Teepee down and back away slowly.
Aside from the word “teepee” being highly inappropriate for non-Indigenous people to use, you can go ahead and take this bad boy off your baby registry. If you’re not familiar with a “pee pee teepee,” it’s a cone-shaped item that goes on top of your little guy’s business so he doesn’t accidentally pee in his eyes or on the unsuspecting diaper changer. Here’s the thing, baby wipes or a baby washcloth work just as well. When my boys were little I’d just throw a wipe over their baby business while I changed the diaper, and once the dirty diaper was off, it’s easy to toss the used wipe in before trashing the diaper. Easy peasy and it’s one less thing to put on your list.
2. Diaper Genies are unnecessary and it’s easy to forget they exist.
I had such high hopes for my Diaper Genie as a first-time mom. They’re so cool, you shove a dirty diaper in there and twist. That’s it. It locks in the odor and makes a weird-looking segmented snake of dirty diapers. Alas, when your diaper pail is in one room and you’re changing a diaper on a wiggly baby in another, most times the diaper just winds up in the closest trash can. So just buy some small cheap trash cans to put in different rooms and then empty them at the end of the day. There’s only so much odor a diaper genie can hold and they only take special expensive trash bags. Save your money. Get some small trash cans and those little smell good bags to toss the smelly diapers.
3. You can buy a swaddler but you don’t actually need it.
I know this might be a controversial statement, but honestly those swaddlers are really expensive and babies quickly outgrow them. You can do the perfect swaddle with a receiving blanket for a fraction of the price and just as much energy. You know how babies come all bundled up when the nurse brings them in from the nursery? Yeah, that’s a really good swaddle that will give your snuggle bug the same coziness as an expensive swaddler.
4. You don’t have to be fancy and get a Baby Brezza.
Honestly, I had never heard of a Baby Brezza until I had my youngest, so I’m assuming its a newer invention. They’re certainly cool and also really expensive and unnecessary. These little doodads are like baby Keurigs but for formula. They hold powdered formula and water, you press a button and it supposedly perfectly mixes up a warm bottle of sustenance. The price tag on these things are about the same as a larger much more needed baby item, like a car seat-stroller combo. There have also been some concerns raised by pediatricians due to some bottles not getting enough formula added.
Take the guesswork out of it and just fill the bottles by hand. You can even put water in the bottles in advance and leave them out at room temperature and use a portable formula container to put premeasured scoops in. I know it’s no Baby Brezza, but you’ll be $200 richer and know exactly how much formula is going into your baby’s bottle.
5. Your baby doesn’t need fake grass to dry their bottles on.
Don’t laugh, a fake grass bottle dryer is something that actually once sat on my kitchen counter. That’s about all it did because I dang sure didn’t use it for more than the first week. When you’re sleep deprived, you want the easiest thing available and oftentimes that’s the top rack of the dishwasher or the dish rack that’s already on your countertop. The things we get suckered into buying is laughable sometimes. Besides it being esthetically pleasing, you don’t actually need it and a regular bottle rack, in fact, works better because there are no removable trees holding the nipples.
6. Side eye anyone that says you need embroidered burp cloths.
Don’t fall for it. Yes, purpose-made burp cloths can be super cute but they’re literally used to catch baby puke. These things are too small to cover the area needed to prevent your back and shoulder from becoming a casualty of a little guy eating too fast. Remember those receiving blankets we talked about earlier? Yeah, they are much more absorbent and cover more of your body to spare you having to change clothes. Those flannel blankets are versatile. You can use them for swaddling, to cover a car seat or stroller, for burp cloths or even a clean area to change the baby on. There’s no such thing as too many receiving blankets. I’ll make it easy for you, grab a pack here.
7. Skip the bulb syringe and splurge on the NoseFrida.
The hospital will give you a useless bulb syringe that only the nurses know how to work, because I swear no matter how hard you squeeze the bulb you barely get anything out. Bulb syringes even come with many newborn essential sets. I’m sure they work, but they seem to take way too much effort for the little bit of mucus they pull out. Get the NoseFrida—yes, it’s a little more expensive but it’s worth it, even though it seems gross. I promise the hygiene filter that goes in the tube will spare you from getting baby boogers in your mouth. You can literally use that thing well into the toddler years until your little one learns to blow their nose. Can’t speak highly enough of this thing and here’s a link to it here.
8. Do you really need a Pack ‘n’ Play that turns into a rocket ship?
OK, maybe it doesn’t turn into a rocket ship but some of those things are so outrageous that you might need to be a rocket scientist to put it together. Pack ‘n’ Plays are really convenient and a great investment for new parents, especially if you like to travel or have family out of state. You can use it so your baby can sleep in your bedroom until you’re ready for the switch to sleeping away from your little one. Just try not to get distracted by all the bells and whistles and stick to the basics. A Pack ‘n’ Play with a bassinet is really all you need. It’s much cheaper and you’ll use the bassinet piece much longer than the ones that come with other parts.
9. Expensive teething jewelry is overrated.
Fancy teething jewelry is cute and has become quite popular lately, but babies don’t really need it. They are perfectly happy with the normal water-filled teething rings or rubber ones that can be thrown in any diaper bag. They’re tried and true, plus they’re designed specifically for teething. While the jewelry is marketed for teething babies, doctors have warned that they’re not safe enough to use for that purpose. Besides, having a baby is expensive enough, no need to add to it when you can pick up teething rings at just about any store for a reasonable price.
The idea that everything for babies has to be the most expensive top-of-the-line things is just marketing. When it comes down to it, babies need very basic things: a safe place to sleep, food, diapers and lots of love. Everything else is extra and you can be as extra as you’d like but it should never feel like it’s a necessity. Your baby will love you whether you have the Baby Brezza or mix their bottles by hand, promise.
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