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Over the weekend, Doja Cat got into some trouble with the online community after controversial videos and other material resurfaced. She quickly offered a written apology/explanation, but that apparently wasn’t all she had to say on the matter. Doja followed that up with a 30-minute Instagram Live session last night, in which she further expanded on the situation.

She began her broadcast by being completely transparent about her written apology, saying, “The apology that I posted is absolutely an edited piece from me and the people I work with. Like any business, like any conglomerate, there would be many people trying to protect what’s going on, and that’s exactly what we were trying to do.”

Doja goes on to say, “My behavior isn’t something that always needs to be followed. I’m not perfect. At the end of the day, I shouldn’t be doing dumb sh*t. But also I need to stand up for myself instead of making a video that’s diplomatically and politically correct.”

Elsewhere during the broadcast, she played snippets from some pre-recorded apologies that she made but ultimately abandoned, revealing that she racked up 98 different takes before deciding to do it live on Instagram instead. She said, “There’s nothing more [disingenuous] than making a f*cking edited video and asking other people — by the way, I’ve counted: 98 different apologies. There’s no better apology than me doing what I’ve always done: being on Live, telling you guys my f*cking truth, and being completely honest. It’s a hard time right now, but recording myself apologizing and recording myself sounding perfectly diplomatic is the biggest f*cking lie I can make to you.”

Watch the full video above.

It’s not a secret that it’s hard to eat healthy foods while we’re stuck in our homes. Sure, we can plan three well-balanced meals a day. But we all know that the plan can easily fall apart when we’re procrastinating and looking around for things to snack on ten times a day in our own kitchen. More often than not, we’re heading straight for salt-covered foods like pretzels or peanuts or potato chips for some instant gratification. And since we’re working from home, it only makes sense to pair them with a nice bottle or can of beer.

The beer you pair your salty snack with is important. That’s why we asked some of our favorite bartenders to tell us their favorite beers to pair with salty foods.

The nine beers below are great examples of thirst quenchers that also pair well with the salty snacks a lot of us are probably craving (and indulging in) right now. They’re also fairly widely available domestic or import selections with a few regional craft choices peppered throughout.

Reissdorf German Kölsch

Peter Ruppert, beverage director at Short Stories in New York City

Salty foods deserve something German like kölsch. One of my favorites is Reissdorf (an import from the kölsch heartland of Köln, Germany). It’s bright and crisp, making it a great partner for salt and mustard.

Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier

Piero Procida, bartender at The London West Hollywood in Los Angeles

If you are going to eat German food (like a big, salty pretzel), go with a German Beer. My favorite brand is Weihenstephaner. All of their beers work, but their Hefeweissbier or original Helles work especially well. Remember that much of the beer-drinking world centers its beverage around the type of food they eat. They have had many years to perfect that, even with a pretzel. I enjoy German beers because they are typically very light in nature which is thirst-quenching, especially while having a salty pretzel. They don’t overwhelm you as they focus on one thing and that is to keep it delicious without ever over-complicating the beer.

Nightshift The 87

James Arensault, director of food & beverage at Harbor View Hotel on Martha’s Vineyard

If I’m paring with salty food with beer, I would probably go with an IPA or Pale ale. The brand is up to interpretation. Nightshift “The 87” or Wash Ashore “Buddha” both pair well. The acidity and citrus notes from both mix well with the salt.

Carib Lager

Everson Rawlings, mixologist at Scrub Island Resort Spa and Marina in the British Virgin Islands

When it comes to salty foods, you can’t go wrong with an IPA. But, I believe Carib Lager is best because the bitterness tends to cut the saltiness but also enhance the flavors of pretzels and any other salty snack.

Remedy Queen Bee Honey Cream Ale

Zac Johnson, general manager at JJ’s Wine, Spirits, and Cigars in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

You need something crisp and refreshing to fight off the dry mouth from the salty food, so I would probably say a Remedy Queen Bee Honey Cream Ale, or a Snobbery NE IPA from WoodGrain Brewing. Queen Bee coats the mouth with honey and keeps you feeling refreshed while giving you a nice buzz. Snobbery provides you with easy tropical fruit while being sessionable enough to enjoy a couple.

Coors Banquet Beer

Sebastien Derbomez, brand advocacy manager at William Grant & Sons

Beer and salty foods are the ultimate combinations. So sit back, relax, and crack open a cold Coors Banquet can while keeping the conversation flowing. Simple, refreshing, and perfect.

No Label Ridgeback

Jon Joseph, bartender at JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa in Sonora, Texas

I like to use Ridgeback from No Label Brewing Company in Katy, Texas. This beer has a great caramel flavor with roasted malts. This combination is wonderful and the beer isn’t overproduced. Attention to detail has been given to producing such a wonderful beer that pairs well with any salty foods.

Avery El Gose

Hayden Miller, head bartender at Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in Miami

Avery Brewing makes an excellent and aptly named gose called El Gose. The tartness always makes me crave something salty and really promotes the salty spiral of the two.

Bohemia Pilsner

Nicole Quist, beverage director at Bartaco in Aventura, Florida

Pairing salty foods and beers? You can’t go wrong with a Bohemia Pilsner. It’s so crisp and refreshing, with a body to it to wash down a pretzel, potato chips, or chips and salsa. Whatever you prefer.

“Quarantine Kit” features interviews with our favorite actors, musicians, chefs, athletes, and artists about their personal methods for killing time, staying fit, and keeping social distance during isolation.

I’ve been jamming out to Bearcubs on a near-daily basis since we went into lockdown. I’ve yet to find another artist that perfectly captures the isolation we’ve all been experiencing as Bearcubs’ Jack Ritchie somehow does. Songs like “Screen Time” and “Every Place Is Life” from the recently released Early Hours have become headphone anthems on my daily walks and weekly grocery runs, and the lush sound beds and skittering beats have actually made the social isolation experience oddly danceable.

Just before Bearcubs dropped the highly anticipated Early Hours, we linked up with the Berlin via London based electronic artist and producer behind the moniker, Jack Ritchie, to talk about how he’s riding out quarantine, and finding inspiration in isolation.

STAYING ENTERTAINED: TV and Worms

I have still been watching a couple of TV series including ‘Better Saul Call‘ and, for some reason, ‘The Roman Empire’, which is surprisingly good. I’ve also been playing this game called ‘Worms‘ online with some friends from home, it’s a ridiculous game but I used to play it when I was growing up so it’s quite nostalgic for me.

STAYING SANE: Reducing screen time

I’ve been using the lockdown as a reason to do more reading and to be on my phone less. I realized that I was getting way too much screen time because I was working on my laptop all day and then looking at my phone in the evening or watching a film. So now I don’t check my phone in the mornings until I’ve been up for a while and had breakfast and done a bit of meditation.

STAYING MOTIVATED: Developing a routine

I try to keep a consistent daily routine and to be honest, not much has changed for me because I’m used to working on music all day from home anyway. My album is finished and came out on May 15th, but I’m still working on new music and other projects so I’m keeping quite busy.

Also, luckily, it’s not too far to get into the countryside from where I live in Berlin, so I’ve been going on bike rides into nature on my nice old Bianchi road bike, which definitely makes a big difference to my mindset and stops me from getting too much cabin fever!

GO TO QUARANTINE MEAL: Pickled Chilies

I think I’ve done more cooking than ever in the past few weeks. The highlights so far have been a homemade veggie lasagne, battered fish and chips, and I also made some cookies with almonds, white chocolate, and fig the other day which were very nice. Another thing I’ve been doing food-wise is pickling my own chilies. My next plan is to make my own hot sauce. It’s made me realize that there’s a lot of stuff you don’t really need to buy from the supermarket.

When I get older I’m going to turn into some sort of mad hippie surrounded by a vegetable garden and various homemade condiments and pickles.

STAYING HEALTHY: Finding balance

I think it’s just about balance. I don’t really believe in all these fad diets going around, just eat a wide range of foods and you’ll be okay. You should trust what your body wants instead of being too restrictive because then you’re just setting yourself up to fail. Although, don’t trust your body if it’s requesting 5 Big Macs a day! I’m not big on going to the gym because I’m lazy and, for me, exercise has to have a fun component. So I try and sneak it in by playing games like squash, table tennis, or football — also cycling as I mentioned before because it feels more like exploring than exercise.

STAYING IN SHAPE: Use your feet and stay hydrated

Walk and cycle everywhere! It saves the planet and you get fit at the same time, two good things at once. Also, drink a lot of water.

STAYING CREATIVE: Keeping an open ear

What fuels me as an artist right now is mainly looking at previous music I’ve released and just trying to step up everything I’m doing in terms of production and songwriting. It feels like a long journey from when I started and I’ve learned a lot about myself and about trying to keep things simple and direct so that the message gets across clearer, instead of trying to be clever all the time. It will always be a work in progress though.

Another thing that inspires me is hearing the high-quality music everyone is putting out right now. There’s a lot of talent and people creating interesting things in the world, and you kind of soak it all up now that we are receiving a constant stream of new things through our electronic devices on a daily basis.

Check out Bearcubs latest album Early Hours here.

The average bottle of whiskey is around 40 proof. That’s 80 percent alcohol for those new to this game. But with the proliferation of whiskey, it’s not hard to find bottles that push those boundaries higher and higher with high proof whiskey (often referred to as “barrel proof” or “cask proof” on the label).

Whiskey is usually lowered to 80 proof (40 percent ABV) by adding water to “cut” the whiskey down to proof. It’s become more and more common for distillers to offer high-proof expressions as a mainstay of their lines these days, especially with the single barrel programs out there. In fact, if you spend some time perusing the whiskey aisle, you’ll find a wide selection of high proof whiskeys from some of the most recognizable names in the whiskey game.

“High Proof is a tough category,” says Jim Richard, chef at Red Fish Taco in South Walton, Florida. He continues, ” There are just so many well-made options.” So, where do you start? We’ve got your back.

From Weller to Noah’s Mill to Booker’s, the category is loaded with nuanced, smooth, crowd-pleasers. To find the right bottle for you, we decided to ask the experts for their advice. That’s why we asked some well-known bartenders to tell us their favorite high-proof whiskeys.

Weller Full Proof Bourbon

Pete Stanton, head bartender at Ai Fiori at The Langham in New York City

My favorite high proof whiskey is the Weller Full Proof. It’s so bright and fruity with a little oily texture. It’s probably the easiest drinking “high proof” whiskey. I also love Russell’s Reserve Bourbon and Rye for an inexpensive everyday barrel strength whiskey that isn’t impossible to find. An honorable mention has to go to Elijah Craig barrel proof.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon

Jim Richard, chef at Red Fish Taco in South Walton, Florida

I enjoy Woodford. The “Double Oaked” sips well from the bottle around an open bonfire on the beach or at the hunting camp. On the other hand, I find The WhistlePig in an LED rocks glass with one large ice cube brings out subtle nuances that lend well to social occasions.

J. P. Wiser’s 23-Year-Old Cask Strength Whisky

Gord Hannah, head bartender at The Drake Hotel in Toronto

The J.P Wiser’s 23-year-old Cask Strength Blend from their rare cask series comes in at a whopping 63.4 percent ABV. It’s part of Corby’s latest Northern Border collection and I fell in love with it almost instantly. Cask Strength whiskies amplify every ingredient that goes into making a spirit. Any mistake or imperfection is immediately recognizable to even an untrained palate. The 23-year-old is a masterclass in Canadian farming, distilling, aging, and blending. The high ABV is a power play. It’s as close as you will ever get to a Canadian showing off.

Old Line Cask Strength Whiskey

Ian Clark, bar supervisor at Topside in Baltimore

Old Line Spirits’ American Single Malt Whiskey Cask Strength from Baltimore is my current favorite high-proof whiskey. This whiskey is dense. The brown sugary nature of the malt they use for this whiskey is an excellent complement to the heat from the high proof of this whiskey. Served on a big ice cube or with a splash of water really brings out the complexity and boldness of this whiskey.

Noah’s Mill Bourbon

Tim Wiggins, co-owner and beverage director at The Lazy Tiger Cocktail Bar in St. Louis

I fell in love with Noah’s Mill while working with my wife at a whiskey bar so it will always have a special place in my heart. I love lots of overproof bourbons but none of them are as nostalgic for me as Noah’s Mill.

Booker’s Bourbon

Brandi Carter, beverage manager at Elvie’s in Jackson, Mississippi

Booker’s True Barrel Bourbon is a great high-proof whiskey because you get all of the burn on the nose but it is very smooth on the palate. It’s pretty much the main bourbon think of when I’m looking for high proof whiskeys.

Old Forester 100 Proof Bourbon

Brooke Baker, general manager at Underdog in New York City

For high proof, I love Old Forester 100 Proof. It’s my go-to for standard old fashioneds and pretty much any other whiskey-based drink. It has enough spice and oakiness to punch through any staple whiskey drink.

Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel Bourbon

Catalina Borer, bartender at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia

Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel high-proof, without hesitation. Picture this, sitting on a rocking-chair, in a peach orchard in Kentucky while enjoying a good ol’ lit American tobacco and sipping honey citrus tea but with a massive kick at over 120 proof. That’s what it tastes like.

Willett Family Estate 4 Year Rye

Westin Galleymore, spirits director at Underbelly Hospitality in Houston

There have been many high-proof whiskeys that could easily make a run for my favorite high-proof whiskey., But as for something recent that one could possibly find without sacrificing their firstborn, it would have to be Willett Family Estate 4 Year Rye. Now, some of the barrel picks really show the absolute infinite badassery that Drew Kulsveen and Willett is capable of. The standard release of the 4 Year Family Reserve Rye is pretty impressive, along with everything else.

Akashi 5-Year Sherry Cask Whisky

Kira Webster, beverage director at Indo in St. Louis

Akashi 5 year Sherry Cask. I’m allergic to alcohol, so my body can’t process it correctly. However, with most rice-based liquor, I don’t tend to flush. Akashi is a rice-based whisky ending with delicious nutty, fruity notes, and doesn’t even taste like it’s 100 proof. So, even if I drink a few glasses of it (which I normally do), I don’t break out.

Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon

Piero Procida, bartender at The London West Hollywood in Los Angeles

Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. It’s 120 proof and aged for 9 years in new, charred American oak barrels. It’s a wonderful Whiskey that maintains its character despite higher alcohol content which in itself could have been overpowering. Its age certainly adds more character.

Four Roses Single Barrel Private Selection Bourbon

H. Joseph Ehrmann, proprietor of ELIXIR in San Francisco

Single barrel Four Roses private selections are some of the best bourbons available today. We’ve about sold out of all of ours, but I’m looking to get more and even buy some from other bars and spirit shops that need help liquidating their purchase commitments on those. Usually clocking in around 60 percent across 10 different recipes, you just can’t go wrong. An OBSV (mash bill) is what the standard Four Roses Single Barrel product is (at 50 percent) so to find that at 60 percent it’s amazing. As is the OBSK (my favorite), but every barrel is different.

Stagg Jr. Bourbon

Hayden Miller, head bartender at Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in Miami

This bourbon is all business. You can either take the enamel off your teeth or tone it down with some cubes. But, either way, the 130+ proof is sure to get the job done. This bourbon has a lot of heat straight from the bottle but when you add some water to the equation, the flavors really pull through. It also makes a mean one-and-done old fashioned.

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“Oh, hello there” —my eyes.

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“Roman numerals. Looks better tbh.”

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“Currently leaking John’s album on my stories. Out June 19th. Or free when I get mad enough.”

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