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If you didn’t realize it, we’re officially halfway through 2023. This means that it’s a great time to take a deep dive into the events, foods, and drinks we’ve enjoyed the most this year (so far). And while I personally love to stare off into the middle distance, slack-jawed and lamenting on the epic, life-changing road trips I’ve gone on and delicious, meaty, cheesy memorable meals I’ve enjoyed so far this year, what I really care about is the beer I drank.

Obviously, that might seem strange to you. It sounds pretty odd. But it’s my job to imbibe a lot of beer during the year — so thinking back on it is pretty fun.

In half a year, we’ve enjoyed quite a few IPAs, lagers, pale ales, pilsners, sour beers, and imperial stouts. So even though we’re just entering summer, I’m going to highlight them all. Who knows, maybe you’ll want to sip on a porter or bourbon barrel-aged stout on an unseasonably cool summer night. We’re not here to tell you when you can and can’t drink certain beers.

It took a lot of drinking and ranking, but I somehow managed to make a list of the top twenty beers I’ve enjoyed in 2023 (so far). Keep scrolling to see all of the picks.

20) Stone Imperial Stout

ABV: 10.5%

Average Price: $20 for a six-pack

The Beer:

We love a classic imperial stout. Stone might be most known for its IPAs, but its Imperial Stout (formerly called Russian Imperial Stout) is a classic beer. This 10.5% banger is known for its pitch-black color, roasted coffee, toasted malt, and light hop flavors (from the use of Magnum hops). Not over-the-top exciting, but well-made, it’s the kind of beer you’ll always want on hand.

Tasting Notes:

A nose of dark chocolate, dried fruits, and freshly brewed coffee greets you before your first sip. Those were the main aromas that could be found. The palate is more of the same with coffee and chocolate taking center stage. There are also some dried fruits and vanilla. All with a dry, lightly hoppy, bitter finish.

Bottom Line:

If you’re a fan of classic imperial stouts, you’ll love the coffee and chocolate flavors. The only downfall is that it doesn’t really go beyond that basic flavor profile.

19) Lord Hobo Atomic Insomniac

ABV: 7.5%

Average Price: $17 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

First released in October of 2022, Lord Hobo Atomic Insomniac is one of our favorite recent coffee milk stouts. Not only is this flavored with coffee, but it’s also infused with cold brew coffee from Atomic Coffee Roasters. Adding lactose gives this robust, coffee and chocolate-filled stout a creamy mouth feel.

Tasting Notes:

Not surprisingly, there’s a ton of coffee on the nose. There’s also a good deal of bitter chocolate and not much else sneaking through. The palate is creamy and has more coffee, chocolate, and roasted malts. It’s very coffee-centric and a little one-dimensional to that degree.

Bottom Line:

If you’re a fan of both imperial stouts and cold brew coffee, this is absolutely the beer for you. If not, you might not love this beer as much as we do.

18) 3 Floyds Zombie Ice

ABV: 8.5%

Average Price: $16 for a six-pack

The Beer:

3 Floyds Zombie Dust is one of the most popular, highly-rated pale ales on the market. This “undead” double pale ale gets its bright, floral flavor from the liberal use of Citra hops. If you like the original, you’ll love this ramped-up version just as much (if not more).

Tasting Notes:

This turbo-charged pale starts with a bouquet of caramelized pineapple, mango, orange peel, and lemongrass. There’s also a bit of pine. The palate continues this trend with notes of passionfruit, pineapple, mango, tangerine, and earthy, herbal pine. The finish is a little boozier than one would expect.

Bottom Line:

This is a higher-ABV version of the popular Zombie Dust pale ale. It carries some of the same aromas and flavors. It’s just a bit boozier.

17) Fat Head’s Green Grunge

ABV: 6.5%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

Fat Head’s Green Grunge is a classic, hoppy IPA. Brewed with Chinook, Citra, and Pahto hops as well as Pale 2-row, Munich, and Carahell malts, this is a piney, citrus, and tropical fruit-filled IPA perfect for any hot day regardless of the time of year.

Tasting Notes:

Classic IPA aromas of citrus zest, orange, lemon, grass, and pine greet you before your first sip. Drinking it reveals flavors of ripe peaches, candied orange peel, wet grass, pineapple, tart grapefruit, and dank, sticky pine. The finish is floral, resinous, and lightly bitter.

Bottom Line:

This is a classic American IPA for fans of the style. It’s well-balanced and flavorful, but really isn’t breaking any new ground.

16) New Glarus Pilsner

ABV: 5%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

We couldn’t be more excited that breweries are beginning to embrace lagers and pilsners again. One of the best newer varieties is New Glarus Pilsner. The name might not be overly exciting, but this beer is. This mash-up of Czech and German-style pilsners gets its flavor from the use of malted barley as well as Diamant, Mittelfrüh, Saphir, Select, and Hallertau Blanc hops

Tasting Notes:

Cereal grains, fresh-cut grass, pilsner malts, and floral, herbal, and piney hops start the nose off on the right foot. The palate adds to this with a ton of grass, pine needles, citrus peels, pilsner malts, and just a hint of hop bitterness at the finish. The ending is crisp, dry, and refreshing.

Bottom Line:

This is a classic, no-frills pilsner. It’s a great example of American brewers using traditional ingredients and techniques to make something really special.

15) Rogue Rolling Thunder 2023 Imperial Stout

ABV: 13.6%

Average Price: $15 for a 500ml bottle

The Beer:

Available from February through May, this imperial stout is matured for a full nine months in barrels that were used to age the brand’s popular Dead Guy Whiskey. A favorite of whiskey barrel-aged stout fans, this popular beer is released every year including 2023.

Tasting Notes:

Boozy whiskey, toasted vanilla beans, bitter chocolate, coffee, and roasted malts are prevalent on the nose. On the palate, you’ll find flavors like chocolate fudge, freshly brewed coffee, sweet vanilla, roasted malts, and sweet toffee. It’s a sweet, lightly bitter, indulgent beer.

Bottom Line:

This beer should be labeled as a dessert beer as it’s extremely sweet and heavy. It would best be paired with a rich dessert or poured onto vanilla ice cream.

14) Firestone Walker No Vacancy

ABV: 6.5%

Average Price: $20 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

Firestone Walker No Vacancy is the official beer of the 2023 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest. This classic tropical, lightly bitter, piney West Coast IPA is a collaboration between the iconic Paso Robles, California-based brewery, and Monterey, California’s Alvarado Street Brewery.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is classic West Coast IPA with aromas of resinous, dank, pine, and light citrus peels. It doesn’t need to be overly exciting because it’s exactly what you’d hope for in an IPA. The palate only adds to this with notes of grapefruit, tangerine, lemongrass, and more floral, dank pine. The finish is perfectly bitter.

Bottom Line:

This limited-edition beer might have been made for the beer fest, but it did have some distribution this spring and is definitely worth seeking out if you enjoy a crisp, fresh, crushable West Coast IPA.

13) von Trapp Schwarz

ABV: 5.2%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Introduced in late January, this black lager is a welcome addition to the von Trapp family of beers. This is the Vermont-based brewery’s take on the black lagers traditionally produced in Bavaria. It might be made with dark and roasted malts, but the addition of noble hops makes it surprisingly light and drinkable any time of year.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find aromas of freshly brewed coffee, caramel, and roasted malts. The robust nose gives way to a surprisingly crisp, easy-drinking black lager with notes of caramel, dark chocolate, roasted malts, coffee beans, and floral, herbal, lightly bitter hops at the finish.

Bottom Line:

Another home run from von Trapp. This winter beer is both malty and rich and crisp and easy-drinking. It’s a great example of the style.

12) Lawson’s Finest Hazy Rays

ABV: 5.3%

Average Price: $15 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

Lawson’s Finest is a big deal in the Vermont beer scene. Its Sip of Sunshine is a must-try for New England-style IPA fans. But this spring, the brewery also released Hazy Rays, a hazy, juicy, fruit IPA brewed with Mandarina Bavaria and Citra hops.

Tasting Notes:

Complex aromas of tangerines, lemongrass, mandarin oranges, ripe peaches, pineapple, and lightly herbal, earthy pine start the nose off on the right foot. Drinking it reveals flavors like mango, tangerine, peach, mandarin oranges, lemon peels, and more floral, earthy, herbal pine. The finish is dank, sweet, and memorable.

Bottom Line:

If you already enjoy Sip of Sunshine (or just New England-style IPAs in general), you need to try Lawson’e Finest Hazy Rays. You’ll be glad you did.

11) Anderson Valley Coastal Ale

ABV: 4.5%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

The Beer:

This light, crushable, easy-drinking ale is brewed with pilsner malt and wheat as well as Mosaic, Ekuanot, and Citra hops. Not only is it crisp, fruity, and refreshing, but 5% of sales go to Surfrider Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation that strives to protect the oceans and beaches for surfers and anyone who enjoys a day at the beach.

Tasting Notes:

This is referred to as “coastal ale”, but it smells like a pilsner through and through. Light aromas of cereal grains, pilsner malts, and herbal, floral pine make for a great start. Sipping it brings forth notes of citrus peels, pilsner malts, honey, and more earthy, herbal, floral pine. It’s crisp, refreshing, and highly crushable.

Bottom Line:

This is the epitome of the no-frills warm-weather beer. It’s fruity, crisp, and very easy to drink. The kind of beer you’ll want to stock your fridge with.

10) Firestone Walker Another Life

ABV: 6%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

In the past few years, the cold IPA has become a popular beer for brewers. One of the best recent examples is Another Life from Firestone Walker. Brewed with Citra, El Dorado, Chinook, and Centennial hops, it’s known for its mix of tropical fruit and bright pine.

Tasting Notes:

The nose begins with aromas of honeydew melon, caramelized pineapple, tangerine, fresh-cut grass, and pine needles. On the palate, you’ll find a symphony of orange peels, watermelon, pineapple, tangerine, and a ton of dank pine. The finish is a nice mix of bitter pine and tropical fruit sweetness.

Bottom Line:

This spring beer is complex, balanced, and loaded with fruity flavors and gentle pine. It’s perfect any time of year.

9) Maine Beer Thank You (2023)

ABV: 6.1%

Average Price: $8 for a 500ml bottle

The Beer:

Maine Beer is the kind of brewery that seems to only brew award-winning beers. Its Maine Beer Thank You (2023) is no different. This annual beer is made with a different recipe every year (hence the year in the name) and it’s brewed as a thank you to everyone involved in the brewery’s production, sales, distribution, and others associated with the brand. Brewed with Citra, Mosaic, and HBC 586 hops, it’s known for its fruity, complex flavor profile.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is filled with bready malts, ripe peach, caramelized pineapple, lemongrass, and pine. Taking a sip reveals more ripe peach, tangerine, yeasty bread, lemon peels, mango, and just a hint of spicy, floral, herbal hops. The finish is piney, bitter, and memorable.

Bottom Line:

If you’re a fan of the other popular IPAs from Maine Beer, you’ll definitely want to seek out this highly complex, balanced IPA.

8) Untitled Art Barrel Aged Midnight Toffee Stout

ABV: 14.9%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

This collaboration between Untitled Art and Angry Chair is a barrel-aged pastry stout. But that description doesn’t even do it justice. This barrel-aged imperial stout made with brown sugar, Belgian candi syrup, and other natural flavors is aged for a full fifteen months in bourbon barrels.

Tasting Notes:

A nose of boozy bourbon, toffee, vanilla, chocolate, and rich oaky wood greets you before your first sip. The palate continues this with notes of dark chocolate, buttery caramel, vanilla beans, oak, and warming, sweet bourbon. It’s a rich, sweet, warming beer perfect for a cold evening.

Bottom Line:

This beer is the definition of decadence. When you read the description, it almost seems like too much. But the long aging actually tempers all the sweetness well. It’s a great imperial stout… if you can find it.

7) Avery Gose Con Sandia

ABV: 4.5%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Formerly, Avery sold a beer called “El Gose”. Recently, the Colorado-based brand changed this up and released a salty, sweet, refreshing Gose called Gose Con Sandia that’s brewed with sea salt, lime, and sweet, juicy watermelon.

Tasting Notes:

The nose begins with lime, cereal grains, and floral hops, but ends with a bit of salinity. The palate is crisp, salty, and has flavors like juicy watermelon, lime peels, and lemon zest. It’s crisp, salty, and highly sessionable. It’s a crushable beer for a hot day.

Bottom Line:

This is a great example of taking the salt and refreshment of a classic Gose and running with it (in the right direction). The addition of lime and watermelon adds an extra element that really rounds this beer out.

6) Parish Murphy DIPA

ABV: 7.6%

Average Price: $20 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

This juicy, fruity double IPA is named for the late brewery dog lovingly referred to as Murphy. This aromatic and flavorful IPA is brewed with Strata, Citra, and Idaho-7 hops. The addition of Heliogazer yeast adds even more flavor.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find notes of tangerine, lime, pineapple, grapefruit, and dank, resinous pine. On the palate, you’ll find hints of passionfruit, tangerine, lemons, wet grass, bready malts, and dank, earthy pine. The finish is fruit, piney, and leaves you craving more.

Bottom Line:

The fact that this beer is adorned with an adorable dog should be reason enough to buy this beer. The beer inside lives up to the heart-warming label.

5) Half Acre Green Torch

ABV: 4.5%

Average Price: $11 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Sometimes we want a simple, no-frills, refreshing lager. Not only does the recently released Green Torch from Half Acre fit that bill, but this session-able lager is also flavored with a hint of lime. The result is crisp, lightly tart refreshment to the max.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is loaded with corn sweetness, lime zest, cereal grains, and lightly herbal, floral, piney hops. The nose sets you up nicely because the palate is more of the same with corn sweetness, honey, light pine, and a nice hint of fresh lime. The finish is crisp with barely any bitterness.

Bottom Line:

This is a simple, sessionable, easy-drinking lime lager perfect for yard games or standing around talking about the weather.

4) Pure Brewing Diamond Dust

ABV: 6.7%

Average Price: $21 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

We can’t get enough juicy, hazy IPAs so we try a lot of them. One of the best of the year is the now year-round available Pure Brewing Project Diamond Dust. Referred to as a “murky” IPA, this juicy, tropical fruit, and citrus-filled banger is brewed with Mosaic and Cashmere hops.

Tasting Notes:

Before your first sip, breathe in the aromas of toasted coconut, tangerine, caramelized pineapple, ripe peach, guava, and floral hops. Drinking it reveals notes of tart grapefruit, ripe berries, juicy peach, mango, pineapple, coconut, and lightly floral, herbal hops. It’s juicy, sweet, and has very little bitterness.

Bottom Line:

This is one for the juice bomb fans. This IPA is bursting with tropical fruit flavor. Yet, even with all the various flavors, everything seems to work together in perfect harmony.

3) Tree House Breakfast Juice

ABV: 9%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

Juicy, hazy, New England-style IPA already reminds us of a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice so it only makes sense that a brewery would literally make one and call it “Breakfast Juice”. This triple IPA lives up to its name as it’s brewed with peach, mango, and guava puree. The use of milk sugar adds sweetness and a creamy mouthfeel.

Tasting Notes:

This beer certainly smells like a glass of fresh fruit juice. There are aromas of ripe mango, tangerines, grapefruit, juicy peach, and aromatic, floral hops. The palate continues this trend with a creamy, juicy mouthfeel and notes of apricot, pineapple, ripe mango, mandarin oranges, and floral, lightly piney hops. It’s all sweetness and little to no bitterness.

Bottom Line:

This IPA is so fruity and loaded with tropical fruit flavors you might want to pair it will a platter of rich bacon, cheesy scrambled eggs, and savory home fries instead of your usual orange juice. It’s not for everyone, but I adore it.

2) Troegs Nimble Giant

ABV: 9%

Average Price: $15 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

Troegs Nimble Giant is one of those annual offerings we look forward to every year. This 9% double IPA is brewed with Azacca, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops, house ale yeast, and Pilsner and Vienna malts. It’s a complex, well-rounded IPA that needs to be sipped to be believed.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is a mix of candied orange peels, clover honey, sweet malts, and floral, herbal pine. One sip and you’ll be immersed in flavors like dank pine, sweet honey, tangerine, grapefruit, mango, caramelized pineapple, sweet malts, and floral hops. The finish is gently hoppy and bitter.

Bottom Line:

As double IPAs go, you’ll have a tough time finding out as balanced and flavorful as Troegs Nimble Giant. There’s a reason it’s so sought after every year.

1) Schilling Jakobus

ABV: 5%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

While we love a good barrel-aged stout, a fruity sour, and a bitter, hoppy IPA, sometimes we want tradition and simplicity. That’s where Schilling Jakobus comes in. This German-style pilsner is complex and well-balanced with Hallertau Mittelfrush and Saphir hops.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is clean and fresh with lemon zest, freshly cut grass, honey, pilsner malts, and floral noble hops. Drinking it brings forth notes of cereal grains, pilsner malts, lemon peels, honey, orange zest, and floral, piney hops, It’s crisp, refreshing, and perfect any time of year.

Bottom Line:

Schilling Jakobus is a masterclass on simplicity. It’s as traditional as American pilsners come. No frills, but perfectly balanced, crisp, and refreshing. Undeniably impeccable.

It seems likely that Brandon Miller is going to hear Adam Silver read his name at the 2023 NBA Draft when either the Charlotte Hornets pick second or someone — either the Portland Trail Blazers or the team that gets the pick from the Portland Trail Blazers — picks third. While there is a real debate as to whether Miller or G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson is the second-best player in the Draft, Miller’s size and shooting are the sorts of things that every NBA team covets nowadays, so it’s not hard to get the appeal with him.

Miller, like many players who will go in the Draft tomorrow, held a media availability on Wednesday. He was asked a pretty basic question about his perspective on the Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James greatest of all time debate and whether he believes it is “overdone,” at which point he responded with a collection of words that I do not think any human has ever said ever.

“No, because I actually don’t think LeBron is the GOAT of basketball,” Miller said. “My GOAT of basketball is Paul George. I grew up watching him, so, it was never just LeBron.”

With all due respect to Paul George, a wonderful NBA player and someone who has accomplished a ton in his career, this marks the first time I have ever seen someone anoint him the GOAT. It is worth mentioning that, in the past, Miller has compared his game to George, telling HoopsHype that he likes how George “takes pride in the defensive side. I steal some of his moves and put my own twist to it.”

The 2023 XXL Freshman has been revealed. The artists gracing this year’s cover include Philadelphia’s 2Rare, UK rapper Central Cee, Milwaukee native DC The Don, Memphis breakout stars Finesse2Tymes and GloRilla, the crooner Fridayy, New Yorker Lola Brooke, Florida fly guy Luh Tyler, New Orleans standout Rob49, Real Boston Richey, Michiganer SleazyWorld Go, and Houston viral star TiaCorine.

If those names aren’t familiar to you, Uproxx has you covered with some background. See the links below for more information about each of these rappers, from their UPROXX Sessions performances to profiles and interviews explaining just who they are and why you should be paying attention.

Here’s 2Rare’s UPROXX Sessions performance of “Q-Pid.”

Central Cee and Dave recently teamed up for the drill hit “Sprinter.”

DC The Don performed “Enemies” on UPROXX Sessions.

Finesse2Tymes shared his Bar Stories with Uproxx’s Cherise Johnson.

GloRilla heavily features in this overview of the carefree Black girl backlash.

Uproxx’s own Wongo Okon interviewed Fridayy.

Here’s our interview with Lola Brooke.

Who is Luh Tyler? Find out here.

Rob49 gave our Chloe Caldwell a tour of his native New Orleans.

Here’s a double dip for TiaCorine: Her UPROXX Sessions performance and a mini-profile here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

One of the biggest K-pop boy bands is teaming up with one of the biggest American boy bands: On July 7, Tomorrow X Together and Jonas Brothers will drop their collaborative single, “Do It Like That.”

“Do It Like That” was produced by prolific producer and songwriter Ryan Tedder. According to a press release that was accompanied by the song’s announcement, “Do It Like That” promises to be “the ultimate summer anthem of the year.”

The song came together last month, while Tomorrow X Together was performing a series of sold-out BMO Stadium shows in Los Angeles. The band wanted to release “Do It Like That” as a summer jam, and invited Jonas Brothers to add to the track.

In July, Tomorrow X Together will make history as the first K-pop band to headline Lollapalooza. Meanwhile, Jonas Brothers are currently gearing up for their tour, appropriately called The Tour, which is set to kick off in August.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Tomorrow X Together and Jonas Brothers will continue to tease more information about “Do It Like That” on their official social media channels, as well as global fandom life platform Weverse.

You can see a calendar below noting when the teasers will drop.

Michael Jordan is in the process of selling the Charlotte Hornets, as he reached an agreement last week with a group headed up by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall (and minority investors like J. Cole) to end his tenure as majority owner.

Jordan’s time as the owner of the Hornets has not seen him reach nearly the level of success he had as a player, and Charlotte’s personnel decisions have been questionable at times, with plenty wondering how much of that was an issue of Jordan’s eye for talent. With that all as background, the Hornets arrive at the 2023 NBA Draft at a critical juncture for the franchise, holding the second pick in a Draft with some considerable talent at the top.

Scoot Henderson is cited by many as the second-best prospect in this class, and the explosive point guard is considered a player that would be the No. 1 pick in most drafts — just not one with a generational prospect like Victor Wembanyama. And yet, the Hornets are reportedly leaning towards taking Brandon Miller, as the 6’9 forward out of Alabama is a clearer fit alongside LaMelo Ball than adding another on-ball guard and reportedly impressed Jordan in his second workout.

On Wednesday, Hornets GM Mitch Kupchak confirmed that, despite Jordan’s tenure as owner coming to a close before next season starts, he will still be the one with final say on Thursday night’s selection at No. 2 overall.

Kupchak would add that he and Jordan tend to be on the same page and the legend will defer to him, but saying outright that Jordan still has final say certainly raises some eyebrows.

It feels like Kupchak is pre-deflecting some blame for a pick that goes against the consensus. The Hornets do not have the best track record making picks and given how the rest of the league seems to feel about the Miller vs. Henderson debate — with teams waiting to see if Scoot is available before engaging in real trade talks with Portland for No. 3 overall — nothing about how this is going seems ideal for Charlotte.

That said, it’s possible Miller is a sensational player, as he’s a tremendous scorer with great size and that could be just what Ball needs next to him. Or, they might be pulling off one of the great pre-Draft smokescreens we’ve seen and will take Henderson anyway.

Four Roses is one of the most iconic Kentucky bourbons on the shelf. It’s massively respected and hugely sought-after — especially their single barrel releases (more on those later). But it wasn’t always that way. Barely two decades ago, it was a dismissed brand of whiskey that nearly shuttered for good. The public’s view of Four Roses was that it was swill, rotgut — the stuff your grandpappy hid in the garage.

Through diligence and commitment to craft, Four Roses has made an incredible comeback. Now, the whiskey is so good and nearly ubiquitous that I knew it was time to rehash and rank every single available expression. Available is italicized because Four Rose is truly unique in the bourbon whiskey world — using 10 different mash bills (recipes) to make its bourbon. Most distilleries (even the huge ones) will use one or two (maybe three if they’re doing something wheated).

10 mash bills is a true outlier in bourbon, so it makes sense to break them down a little. Four Roses’ 10 mash bills are created from two distinct grain recipes with five different yeast strains. The grain recipes are a very high-rye bourbon mash bill of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley. This is called mash bill “B” — remember that for a little later. The other mash bill is a lower rye but still on the high end with 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley. That’s mash bill “E,” you’ll need to remember that one too.

How do these two mash bills become 10 bourbon recipes? Yeast. Four Roses deploys five distinct yeast strains that it propagates in-house. Each yeast has its own structure that focuses certain flavor notes to be more present in the resulting beer and, later, the whiskey that eventually ends up in your glass. These strains are also given a letter name and are as follows:

• “V” — Delicate Fruit
• “K” — Slight Spice
• “O” — Rich Fruit
• “Q” — Floral Essence
• “F” — Herbal Notes

Why are the letters important, you ask? Well, they allow you to decode what is either in the blended bourbon or single barrel bourbon bottle you have. Four Roses uses a four-letter code to tell the drinker what they’re drinking. They look like this: “OBSK” or “OESO” or “OBSF”.

You can decode it easily. “O” is for “Old Prentice Distillery” which is the old name for the Four Roses Distillery (which just celebrated 135 years of operations). The “E” or “B” is always the second letter and denotes the mash bill. The “S” tells you that the whiskey is a “Straight” bourbon. And finally, the last letter tells you which yeast strain was used.

So “OESO” is a Four Roses straight bourbon made with Mash Bill E and “Rich Fruit” yeast. Savvy?

That leads us to the “why?” of it all. Four Roses does this so that it can create a fantastic line of whiskey expressions, plain and simple. I’ll get into what’s in what bottle below. But trust me, it can be shocking how different a whiskey can taste based on yeast alone. Moreover, this also gives Four Roses the unique chance to release single barrel releases that highlight one of the recipes. That, in turn, makes the hunt for every recipe single barrel voracious. Seriously, when word gets out about a new single barrel release at Four Roses, the line to buy one can be miles long.

There’s a workaround for that now. Four Roses just announced that it’s releasing a 10-bottle tasting kit of each one of its recipes represented. Now, you too can try each of the ten recipes without waiting in a line for a day or spending well over MSRP!

To that end, I’m ranking every Four Roses expression that you can get on the shelf. I’m not including vintage single barrel releases because… there are a gazillion of them. But I am ranking every single barrel recipe alongside the standard stuff and their prized Limited Edition annual release (again, I’m not ranking every Limited Edition Four Roses release because those go all the way back to 2008). This is about what you can get now, capiche? Let’s dive in!

• The 100 Best Bourbon Whiskeys From Kentucky, Ranked
• The 100 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Of 2022, Ranked
• The Absolute Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
• Our Head Drinks Critic Reveals The Expensive Bourbons He *Won’t* Pay Above Retail For
• The Absolute Best Bourbons Between $50-$60, Ranked

Part 1 — The Standard Four Roses Bottles Ranking

14. Four Roses Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $21

The Whiskey:

This introductory juice from Four Roses is a blend of all 10 of their mash bills. The barrels are a minimum of five years old when they’re plucked from the warehouses, blended, brought down to proof, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose also brings along dried flowers, plenty of honey, and orchard fruits, with a hint of dark spice.

Palate: The palate adds vanilla to the honey and apple foundations with a light sense of tinniness that feels kind of cheap.

Finish: The end is short but full of orchard fruit, caramel sweetness, dark spice, and green oak with a nice vanilla underbelly.

Bottom Line:

This is a rail whiskey. It’s meant for mixing with Coke, Sprite, or ginger ale. Use it accordingly.

13. Four Roses Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $35

The Whiskey:

Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon is a blend of four whiskeys. The blend is split evenly between the high and low-rye bourbons with a focus on “slight spice” and “rich fruit” yeasts — that means OBSK, OESK, OBSO, and OESO are in the mix. After six to seven years of aging, the whiskey is blended, cut with soft Kentucky water, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Soft and sweet apple and cherry woods greet with a good dose of sour red berries dusted with brown winter spices, especially clove and nutmeg.

Palate: The palate leans into soft and salted caramel with a hint of those berries underneath while the spices get woodier and a thin line of green sweetgrass sneaks in.

Finish: The finish is silky and boils down to blackberry jam with a good dose of winter spice, old wood, and a hint of vanilla tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is lightyears ahead of the standard Bourbon above. It’s a soft bourbon that can work as an easy everyday sipper over some rocks or make a killer cocktail base.

12. Four Roses Small Batch Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 52%

Average Price: $57

The Whiskey:

This expression uses six of Four Rose’s ten whiskeys. The blend employs OBSV, OBSK, OBSF, OESV, OESK, and OESF all aged six to seven years before batching, much lighter proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This nose is enticing with a mix of dark berries and cloves with a yeasty doughnut filled with dark fruit and covered in powdered sugar next to a thin line of berry brambles — stems, thorns, dirt, leaves, everything.

Palate: The palate is lush with a balance of dark berry pie filling next to winter spices, mincemeat pies, nutshells, and brandy butter vanilla sauce.

Finish: The finish arrives with a rush of fresh mint next to wet cedar, blackberry Hostess Pies, and nutmeg-heavy eggnog all leading to a final note of that dark berry bramble black dirt.

Bottom Line:

This is just excellent whiskey. It’s a great sipper neat or on the rocks. It also makes a whiskey-forward cocktail that will slap. You cannot go wrong with this bottle.

Part 2 — The Single Barrel Four Roses Ranking

I didn’t need to make this division in the ranking but it does a great job of illustrating that all of Four Roses’ best stuff is their single barrel stuff.

11. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OESF

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 75/20/5 mid-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “herbal note” yeast, or “OESF.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose takes you on a walk through a mint garden after the rain while layers of classic orchard fruits, honey, and vanilla mingle beneath the fresh herbs.

Palate: The palate takes a turn toward sage and thyme with a hint of green tea cut with cinnamon and honey over caramel chews and a hint of rhubarb.

Finish: That rhubarb, mint, and sage combine on the end with a rush of sharp winter spice barks and soft vanilla.

Bottom Line:

This is probably the funkiest of the single barrel, single recipe bourbons for me. I like it a lot but I really need to be in the mood to reach for it.

10. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OBSK

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 60/35/5 high-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “slight spice” yeast, or “OBSK.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The spice is present on the nose as cinnamon sticks, clove buds, star anise, and a hint of black licorice that leads to creamy root beer with a touch of vanilla and cherry and maybe a whisper of boot leather.

Palate: The palate starts off with smooth vanilla that leads to a rich and nutty winter spice cake brimming with black tea, cardamom, allspice, and nutmeg next to light leathery tobacco.

Finish: There’s a sense of stewed apples with plenty of wintry spices that amps all the way up to red chili pepper with a woody and leathery finish.

Bottom Line:

This does lean into spice but only really hits 100 by the finish. Until then, this is a balanced whiskey that presents as very classic.

9. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OBSV

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $43

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 75/20/5 mid-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “delicate fruit” yeast, or “OBSV.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Woody maple syrup and cinnamon sticks lead to a hint of pear candy with a vanilla underbelly on the nose.

Palate: The palate lets the pear shine as the spices lean into woody barks and tart berries next to leathery dates and plums with a butteriness tying everything together.

Finish: A spicy tobacco chewiness leads the mid-palate toward a soft fruitiness and a hint of plum pudding at the end with a slight nuttiness and green herbal vibe.

Bottom Line:

This feels like classic Four Roses and not that far off the Small Batch Select above. Because of that, I like this one in cocktails quite a bit, especially Manhattans.

8. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OESV

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 75/20/5 mid-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “delicate fruit” yeast, or OESV.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A mild sense of waffles in maple syrup work toward blueberries and currants with a hint of apple cider and maybe some vanilla cookies.

Palate: There’s a light softness that’s kind of like pear cake covered in caramel syrup with a hint of date and maybe almond at play.

Finish: The soft berries come back at the end with a fleeting sense of mint tied to old tobacco and mixed berries pie with a dollop or malted vanilla ice cream.

Bottom Line:

This is getting into the interesting stuff. It’s just so different and so tasty. The berry pie filling, hint of mint, dark fruits, orchard fruits, and slight tobacco spice all create a really deep experience. This is a good sipper, folks.

7. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OESK

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 75/20/5 mid-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “slight spice” yeast, “OESK.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a subtle sense of old gingerbread that you’d build houses out of with a hint of powdered sugar next to apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks and clove buds floating in a mulled wine.

Palate: Those muted cinnamon sticks and clove buds lead to allspice and nutmeg-heavy eggnog with a counter of ginger candy and orange peels next to soft leathery notes of tobacco.

Finish: The sip dries out with the spice attaching to mincemeat pies and nut bread on the warming end.

Bottom Line:

This is another one that I like a lot. Admittedly, it does feel more like a holiday bourbon. So I’d generally save this one for those months.

6. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OBSQ

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 60/35/5 high-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “floral essence” yeast, or “OBSQ.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a sense of nasturtiums floating in a honey pot next to orange blossoms and rose-water-kissed marzipan.

Palate: The palate takes us on a walk through a summer wildflower bed before veering toward the woods with mild spice, old barks, and a hint of dried white mushrooms.

Finish: The end really leans toward the earthiness with a mild dry sweetgrass braided with cedar bark and wild sage and then left in a fully in-bloom cherry orchard.

Bottom Line:

I don’t like floral whiskeys all that much but I like this. There’s something about the floral notes and how they’re tied together that just works wonders for the depth of the palate. Overall, this is a great one to reach for when you really want something unique in your bourbon glass.

5. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OBSF

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 60/35/5 high-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “herbal note” yeast, or “OBSF.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with rye bread crusts just touched by caraway and sourdough before veering toward sweetgrass and wild sage with a hint of saddle leather.

Palate: The palate leans into vanilla cakes and mint before hitting on a medley of sage and cardamom next to soft notes of saffron-stewed pears served with a hint of dried mint.

Finish: That saffron helps dry out the finish with plenty of smudging sage and old tobacco leather.

Bottom Line:

This is another one that’s funky and fresh. It’s so different, again, but still has this comforting sense of familiarity. It’s a nice balance.

4. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OESQ

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 75/20/5 mid-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “floral essence” yeast, or “OESQ.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This opens with a subtle nose that blooms toward cherry blossom and rose water with a deep marzipan and vanilla base before leaning into fluttering moments of chili spice.

Palate: The palate leans toward orange water and oolong tea leaves with a sense of cedar bark and a very mild hint of dry lavender dipped in fresh honey pots.

Finish: That honey/lavender vibe carries through the finish and gets a touch creamy as soft chewing tobacco and old oak staves mingle with a light flourish of nasturtium and orchard blooms.

Bottom Line:

This is getting into the single barrels that are just so wildly good that it’s hard to rank. I like the floral here a lot but I’m on the record as not being a huge “floral in my whiskey” guy. Still, this is good enough that it converts me, especially over some ice. It gets creamy kind of like a marzipan-lavender cake with a sprinkle of spice. It’s so nice.

3. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OBSO

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 60/35/5 high-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “rich fruit” yeast, or “OBSO.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a classic sense of old-school bourbon — rich salted caramel, black cherry, oily vanilla pods, and sourdough pancakes with maple syrup.

Palate: The pancakes take on blueberries and pecans as the caramel moves toward toffee butteriness with a touch of roasted almond and dark chocolate next to very earthy dark fruits and berries.

Finish: That earthiness drives the finish toward spiced barks and orange rinds floating in mulled wine with a touch of sticky toffee pudding rounding out the long end.

Bottom Line:

This is starting to hit on everything good about bourbon — in general. It’s classic and deep while still feeling approachable. It’s also just straight-up delicious.

2. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — OESO

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This version of Four Roses single barrel is the 75/20/5 mid-rye bourbon mash that’s fermented with “rich fruit” yeast, or “OESO.” The barrels are selected and bottled after seven to nine years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with this mix of mincemeat pies, sticky toffee pudding, and vanilla sauce kissed with orange oils that give way to a deep sense of spiced barks and berries next to old oak and boot leather and this fleeting sense of dry mint tobacco.

Palate: The palate leans into the creaminess with a rich black-tea-soaked date sticky toffee pudding with freshly ground nutmeg and cinnamon over buttery rum-washed toffee and gently flakes of orange rind leading to plum and apricot.

Finish: The end leans into Christmas spices and woody vibes before veering back toward leathery prunes and dates with a hint of figs dashed with olive oil and mint.

Bottom Line:

This has everything. It’s funky, fresh, and fabulously tasty while still feeling quintessentially Kentucky bourbon. This is the single barrel I’d line up for.

Part 3 — The Best Bottle Of Four Roses Bourbon

Okay, another fake division. I did it because… this deserves its own section. Also, it’s not a single barrel release so I was sort of handcuffed by the previous section heading.

1. Four Roses 2022 Limited Edtion Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 54.5%

Average Price: $499

The Whiskey:

2022’s LE Small Batch is made from a blend of 20-year-old Bourbon from the OBSV recipe (high rye, delicate fruit yeast), a 15-year-old OESK (lower rye, slight spice yeast), a 14-year-old OESF (lower rye, herbal notes years), and a 14-year-old OESV (lower rye, delicate fruit yeast). The blend is non-chill filtered and bottled at 109 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is soft and feels aged yet fresh with mild notes of old cellar beams that lead to a sour cherry next to sourdough pancakes smothered in butter and maple syrup with a thin line of spiced cherry jam next to a bit of crumpled-up old leather gloves.

Palate: The palate opens creamy with a vanilla underbelly that’s countered by a whisper of barnyard funk and old barn floorboards before a chewy spiced cherry tobacco leaf kicks in with layers of nutmeg, clove, and allspice with a creamy eggnog vibe and a hint of Kentucky hug warmth.

Finish: The mid-palate gets a little warmed before diving back toward the spicy cherry tobacco and a finish that’s full of creamy brown sugar butter and hazelnut shells.

The Bottom Line:

While I adore a lot of the whiskey above, especially the Small Batch Select the OESO, this is truly the mountaintop of Four Roses. It’s just so good. It’s got that Four Roses vibe of funky and fruit that sets it apart while still being something 100% relatable. It’s a wonderful pour.

Adele is continuing her residency in Las Vegas, but sometimes, the show doesn’t go as planned. During a recent concert, even the superstar forgot part of the words to her newer song, “I Drink Wine,” from her album, 30.

“I forgot the f*cking lyrics,” Adele told the crowd. “Bloody hell, 50 dollars that cost me last night.”

She then asks the audience to remind her of the lyric, pointing the microphone to someone who knew it. After Adele attempted to continue the part she forgot, she then laughed it off with the crowd and hoped to start the song again from scratch — until she apparently had earbud issues.

“My ears aren’t working,” Adele said. “What’s going on? Oh sh*t, I’ve got to tell a joke.”

“What’s a joke I’ve got?” she continued. “That one’s a bit sh*t. No, I can’t tell that one. That’s too filthy.”

Despite the crowd encouraging Adele to tell the dirty joke, she pointed out that she thought she “told it before” and “got in trouble” for doing so. Still, she eventually caved and told it anyway — leaving both the crowd and internet users loving her energy.

Check out Adele’s “I Drink Wine” mishap and part of her stand-up routine above.

Forget Yellowstone, Kevin Costner’s real-life divorce drama is the stuff great TV drama is made of.

The actor is currently in the middle of a messy split with his wife of 18 years, model Christine Baumgartner, who filed for divorce last month. The two have since been in a heated battle over ownership of Costner’s sprawling Santa Barbara estate — a $145 million beachfront property with its own baseball field and horseback riding trails that Costner designed as his dream home. Baumgartner refuses to vacate the compound despite a prenup agreement and the pair are now in a kind of legal standoff over the 10-acre residence.

But the house reportedly caused even more drama between the couple before their breakup.

New details into their strained marriage reveal that, at one point, Costner got into a heated altercation with a tech entrepreneur who rented the family’s guesthouse for nearly a year. Daniel Starr is a multi-millionaire and real estate investment guru who made his fortune off video game streaming services. He signed a yearlong lease in June 2022 to stay in the couple’s beachfront guesthouse for $60,000 a month. “Daniel was really happy living in the house. It’s right on the beach, and he has a 4-year-old son who he wanted to feel settled,” a source with inside knowledge of the situation, told the Sun.

Unfortunately, relations grew sour once Costner jetted off to film his hit TV show. Baumgartner and Starr allegedly developed a close friendship with reports claiming the model would visit the guesthouse “almost daily.”

“After he moved in, he became close friends with Chris and Kevin. They’d hang out together with their kids. But Kevin was always away filming, so Chris must have been lonely,” the source said. But a few months after Starr moved in, he and Baumgartner had some kind of falling out. “Kevin got wind of it,” the insider claimed. “There was a row between him and Daniel, and things escalated from there.”

The only reasons the source gave for the broken friendship were that Starr was a “respectful guy,” and Baumgartner “didn’t like [his] attitude towards their friendship.” When he tried to resolve the matter legally, first by getting his lawyers involved, then by refusing to vacate the premises before his lease was up, Costner lost it. “Daniel thought really highly of Kevin and thought he was an excellent father to his kids. But Kevin hit the roof and sided with his wife,” the insider claimed.

Starr moved out three months before his lease was up and Baumgartner filed for divorce not long after.

(Via The Sun)

Just a couple of weeks ago, there were tweets asking about ITZY’s whereabouts. While they may have been active — shooting vlogs, birthday song covers, video podcasts, finishing up their first world tour and performing at countless music and college festivals — what fans, especially their MIDZY, wanted to know was where the new music was.

“Now?” Chaeryeong shyly said on Good Day New York earlier today (6/21). “We are planning our next album.”

In other words, an ITZY summer comeback is expected.

But before warmer and hot days provided by the five members approach, they casually sat in the private back room of Junior’s Cheesecake in the heart of Times Square, catching up with me for a light dinner. Surrounded by plates of disco fries, wings, and a few slices of the restaurant’s signature cheesecake, this highly-anticipated meet marked the last stop of their press day before going back to Seoul.

The previous weekend, the group headlined Day 1 of 88rising’s first-ever Head In The Clouds music festival in New York. Faced with torrential downpours throughout the whole day, the rain stopped right before Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna took the stage. It was a miracle but also ironic, given that it metaphorically symbolized ITZY’s coming, whether it was foreshadowing them owning the stage and making the festival their own concert, or the fact a comeback filled with new music and content is on its way.

“Weather fairies,” the group’s leader Yeji joked at the table. Speaking in English, her tone shifted slightly to reflect how she admired concertgoers who waited for them all day in the rain. “There were so many people at Head In The Clouds, and at the same time the weather was very tough. I’m really touched by our MIDZY because of the bad weather.”

Though the group has performed in the States in the past through showcase tours, their own world tour, or convention-concerts like KCON, the 88rising music festival was their first outdoor festival in the US.

“We were all really hyped from our tour,” Lia, the power vocalist, said. “So we were really very happy to hear the news about the festival ‘cause the excitement from our tour was still with us.”

In a span of 45 minutes, ITZY, along with an army of backup dancers, took over the main stage and performed 10 songs Saturday evening. The set included special dance breaks and extended performances to some of the hit singles like “Not Shy” and “LOCO” as well as fan favorite b-sides like “SHOOT” and “Nobody Like You.” (“We remixed the songs to have the rock vibe, knowing everyone loves that in the festival [setting], so we had to do the band [instrumentals],” Ryujin said.) To say the least, the set was a concert as the group invited a sea of attendees in raincoats, hoodies, and ponchos to jump, chant, and sing their hearts in the night’s breeze.

Yet, calling themselves “weather fairies” is a new title that suits them, along with the many others they’ve accumulated since their debut in 2019. ITZY is one of the pioneering acts that introduced the fourth generation of K-pop artists, or rather the emergence of the new era; to which some may argue is the 3.5 generation. As a representative of one of South Korea’s best-performing acts, the five-member ensemble are well-decorated in awards, records, and achievements. They’re the queens of confidence, often praised for their charismatic, jaw-dropping performances and stage presence, as well as their various ways of instilling self-love in their music.

However, within the last year, fourth-generation K-pop has seen the rise of girl groups with songs going viral, topping charts, and being highly in demand. Many can even agree that 2022 was the renaissance of girl groups. The demand was only met with more debuts of female acts whether solo, groups, or sub-units. Rather than seeing it as a competition, it’s a moment for ITZY to be grateful.

“For me, it’s an honor to be a part of it,” Ryujin explained. “There are so many things that we could learn from other groups. So, we’re really glad that we have many friends [in the industry] around us. I think it’s [having] the comradery with other groups, so we can see each other and learn from each other. And we can run [towards our own goals] with each other.”

In a side conversation relating to the topic, the five members openly shared their inspirations and current likings of fellow K-pop acts, both senior and junior to them — Girls’ Generation, Chung Ha, NewJeans, f(x), and many more. But since the year began, with many groups releasing new music, fans and netizens were quick to notice ITZY’s whereabouts.

“We are working on the new album,” Ryujin casually said while nodding at her plate, picking up a wing with her fork. “I think that’s the thing that we can tell you. It’s a very typical thing to say but—”

“Only that!” Lia interjected with a laugh.

“We are preparing the next album!” Chaeryeong said while smiling.

Pretty much mirroring what was said on GDNY, fans already knew a comeback was on the way just by the sudden change in Lia’s hair color. Being the only member who hasn’t bleached her hair since debut, the vocalist went blonde just last month. “I was actually worried before dying it,” Lia said, leaning a bit over the table to emphasize what she was saying. “It’s not like I wanted to do it, but it was a suggestion because I never tried dying my hair after debut. It was always dark so somehow I thought ‘Okay. I guess it’s my turn.’”

Around the same time before Lia’s Barbie blonde transformation, a video of the group exiting a boxing gym surfaced on MIDZY Twitter. So it was an obvious ask on my end to pop the question. Gasping at my discovery, the members were impressed at the detective work done but refused to budge and reveal anything further. (“That’s another level of deep dive,” Ryujin said, while Chaeryeong sat there with an expression reading “Wow.”) “That is top secret!” Yuna said as she turned to me and gestured to be quiet about it. Perhaps, boxing is a part of it after all.

“Ooh! You really do look at everything,” Lia said, as she smoothly shifts the conversation about picking up the sport as a hobby. “But these days I box at home with gloves when I get stressed out.”

Prepping for an album behind the scenes and trying to cover it up — all while fulfilling public appearances — can certainly stress out artists like ITZY who are constantly on the go and in demand. However, they tend to overcome it by accepting it all and making sure to treat themselves tenfold whenever they can, like what they’re doing right now sharing a gigantic slice of cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries. (Ryujin, who admits to not being a planner, tends to go with the flow, while Yuna leans towards eating spicy dishes like spicy rice cakes or spicy dry pot, while the others may get a massage and do a self-care day.)

Despite a long tiring day, the conversations and laughs shared at the table became a good recharge, or “healing time,” session for them. By the end of it all, the meeting was another metaphor for realizing where they’re mentally at: they’re just getting ready for the next chapter in their music careers.

Though openly admitting to still being nervous here and there, the group is positive fans will like the new songs. “We’re still a little bit nervous because we had lots of songs before,” Yuna said. “When we release the new music, I think our fans will love these new songs on the album but that thinking makes me nervous.”

Ryujin leaned a bit closer to the phone recording the conversation, as if she was speaking directly to MIDZY. “We’ll do our best to show you guys a great show, stage, anything. So, please look forward to it,” she said.

The upcoming EP, titled KILL MY DOUBT, is a culmination of the hard work and hustle the group has gone through the past couple of months. It’s a step toward their goal of being an unforgettable group to the masses. And with headlines already surrounding the news, ITZY’s impact on this K-pop generation is just getting started. It’s just the beginning of bigger things ahead.

“Coming soon!” Yeji smirked, confidently confirming new ITZY is indeed on the way; already shutting down any doubts. As expected from the leader, it’s very ITZY of her to say.

Rap beef fans, gather ’round. We’ve got a tasty one in the offing — but it doesn’t look like one of the participants is taking it as seriously as the other. After Jim Jones expressed his surprise at Pusha T’s placement on a recent greatest rappers list, Pusha seemingly clapped back in a song that premiered during Pharrell’s first Louis Vuitton fashion show. And while it looks like Push is all the way war-ready, Jim seemingly isn’t sweating the Virginia rapper’s opening shots. In a video on his social media (reshared by Elliott Wilson), Jim can be seen cracking up laughing — and the timing makes it clear just what (and who) he’s laughing at.

Push seemed to take umbrage at Jones’ comments on Spotify’s RapCaviar podcast during a discussion about Billboard‘s 50 Greatest Rappers Of All Time list. Disagreeing with Pusha’s placement at number 29, Jones wondered, “What has he done that puts him in the greatest rappers of all time besides talk about coke that he probably didn’t get himself? He’s nice as sh*t. He could rap his ass off, but what has he done? Nobody wants to be like Pusha T… I don’t know too many n****s in this game that was leaning towards being like Pusha T.”

Later, Jim reiterated his comments on The Breakfast Club, saying, “Could you name five Pusha T records? No. Could you rap to five Pusha T records? I never wanted to be like Pusha, I never had a Pusha moment in my life. Where I’m from, n****s wanted to be like you if you was really that dude as a rapper.”

Pusha, whose profile raised exponentially with his 2018 feud with Drake (with which he claims he’s gotten bored), always seems to be itching for his next fight, but until Jim Jones responds, it doesn’t look like he’s gonna get one here.