This year is lining up to be a pretty big one for Post Malone. The singer announced that his fourth album Twelve Carat Toothache will arrive on June 3 and it’ll be his first full-length release since 2019’s Hollywood’s Bleeding. He’s teased the album with a couple of singles and previews of tracks on Instagram, but Twelve Carat Toothache is not the only thing that’s coming for Malone in 2022. The singer just announced that he is expecting his first child with his longtime girlfriend. TMZ reports that Posty shared the news during a private party for friends and family over the weekend.
Post Malone shared his excitement about his upcoming baby in a statement to TMZ. “I’m excited for this next chapter in my life, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and for since I could remember I was sad,” he said. “Time to take care of my body and my family and friends, and spread as much love as we can every day.”
As for Twelve Carat Toothache, Post Malone previously confirmed that the project will include features from The Weeknd, Doja Cat, Roddy Ricch, Robin Pecknold, and The Kid Laroi. Posty even went as far as to preview records from the upcoming project which includes “Happy” with Doja, “Cooped Up” with Roddy, and “Love/Hate Letter To Alcohol” with Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes.
Roddy Ricch is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
We seem to have forgotten how to perform one of the most popular behaviors throughout human history, nothing. The closest we come to it these days is sleeping or resting. But when was the last time you did absolutely nothing?
When was the last time you stared out of a window for a long period of time? Can you remember the last time you sat in a park and just looked around? Have you ever just laid on your back and looked deep into the sky?
We live in a world where something is expected of us every moment. Either we’re working, socializing, cooking, cleaning, eating, drinking, traveling, scrolling through social media, or watching television. We’re always going somewhere or trying to get something.
We live in a culture that abhors doing nothing which is evident in our frantic work schedules and constant need to be entertained.
Imagine if you had the monk-like peace of mind to just put a stop to all of the doing and lived completely in what Eckhart Tolle calls “The Now.” Seems impossible, right?
In the “Tao Te Ching,” philosopher Lao Tzu challenges people to balance all of the something they’re constantly up to by also learning to embrace the nothing. “When nothing is done, nothing is left undone,” the philosopher famously said.
Dr. Manvir Singh, a research fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse and a Ph.D. from Harvard’s Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, called attention to our inability to do nothing on Twitter recently.
Dr. Singh shared a tweet thread that highlighted a study from the ‘70s and ‘80s in small-scale non-industrial societies where researchers noted activities people engaged in throughout the day. The shocking fact—at least from today’s perspective—is that idling or “doing nothing” was one of their favorite activities.
In the 1970s & 80s, anthropologists working in small-scale, non-industrial societies fastidiously noted down what people were doing throughout the day. I’ve been exploring the data & am struck by one of the most popular activities: doing nothing. [thread] pic.twitter.com/Y3YuZUU55O
Background: The anthropologists (e.g., Bob Bailey, pictured) visited random people during waking hours & recorded what they were doing, building a representative sample of time use. Most of these data were collected while an anthropologist lived with the community for a year+. pic.twitter.com/cI025d3FSM
The researchers typically chose among ~60 activity codes, one of which was “Idle, doing nothing”. This is different from napping, chatting, fixing tools, tidying up, & idleness b/c of illness. As far as I can tell, it’s really about doing nothing at all, at least apparently. pic.twitter.com/yqaT9sdWku
Here are data collected in ’80-81 for the Efé, who lived mostly by hunting & gathering in the Ituri Rainforest of Central Africa. The median adult spent ~27% of their waking time doing nothing (in green). It was the most common activity. pic.twitter.com/EL5abCMjq7
Here are the data for two Machiguenga communities in Peru, collected in ’72-’73 (left) and ’86-’87 (right). The Machiguenga combined small-scale horticulture with foraging. Again, “doing nothing” leads the pack, either as number one or in the top 3. pic.twitter.com/FlhXlHoN9Z
“Doing nothing” didn’t always win. For the Madurese (Indonesia), it ranked 12th, perhaps reflecting the tiresome lives of more full-time agriculturalists. Still, across 8 diverse communities “doing nothing” came in 4th behind agri work, learning/teaching, & socializing (see plot) pic.twitter.com/ashWpnxMR7
Most of the high-ranking activities in these plots are well-studied by psychologists. But how much do we know about doing nothing? Not much. Living in fast-paced, industrialized societies with constant access to entertainment, it’s easy to lose sight of the value of doing nothing pic.twitter.com/6bqFgF72TO
These data were collected in the 70s & 80s but were digitized (I believe) by @JoHenrich & then released in 2019 with this paper led by @rabhui: https://t.co/7UWhrIhrAf
Finally, I’ve been exploring these data in preparation for my talk at the Sophia Club (hosted by @aeon) on June 14th in NYC! If you’re in the city that night, come & chat about leisure, idleness, & work across cultures:https://t.co/wtaeXDurnZ
I was just thinking how people feel the need to react immediately to everything all the time. Many simply cant sit still & listen or take in information for a long period of time without the need go react or do something
Ready to get started doing nothing? I’ve found that one of the healthy byproducts of regular meditation practice is learning to appreciate doing nothing. A simple mindfulness meditation practice (which you can easily learn here) teaches you to set aside ponderous thoughts and to feel fulfilled existing in the moment without having to be productive or entertained.
In the Western world, we are constantly searching for a sense of fulfillment. In the Eastern philosophy of Taoism, a person can only be filled if they are first empty. So by taking the time to empty ourselves of sensory input, ponderous thoughts, or the desire to go somewhere or do something, we are opening ourselves up to new possibilities of fulfillment.
At the end of 2020, Teyana Taylor announced her retirement from the music industry after airing out her frustrations with her label Def Jam. The announcement came after she released her third album The Album which stood as one of the better R&B projects in 2020. Some wondered if they would receive a chance to say goodbye to the beloved singer, and Teyana gave them that with The Last Rose Petal tour last fall. That tour came to a close at the end of November 2021 which insinuated that Teyana’s retirement would begin, but as we now know, that is not the case.
On Tuesday, Teyana announced that she will once again hit the road thanks to The Last Rose Petal 2 tour. In a post about the new tour, Teyana explained her decision to head out on the road again. “TLRP2 is for all the cities that I did not get to hit during part 1,” she wrote. “However If you see a city on part 2 that I already did in part 1 those cites are getting encores because the venues was not big enough to hold the amount of people that showed up.”
The Last Rose Part 2 tour will begin June 19 in Washington DC with the Something In The Water Festival. Almost two months later, things will resume with a show in Los Angeles and The Last Rose Part 2 tour will continue for a little over a month before coming to an end on September 8 in Paris.
You can check out the full list of dates in the post above. Tickets will go on sale this Friday 5/6 and they can be purchased here.
With Cinco de Mayo on the horizon (what better time to splurge on a nice bottle of booze to share with friends and family?) we’re going to start breaking down the finalists in the agave spirits — tequila, mezcal, even a Peruvian agave liquor. With so much premium spirit to choose from, you should able to find something that piques your interest.
For this list, I’m keeping it very straightforward. I’ve pulled all the finalists from the agave spirits sections that actually placed in the finals (blanco/unaged tequila, reposado tequila, añejo tequila, extra añejo tequila, mezcal, and “other agave spirits”). I’m listing them by category and adding tasting notes where I can. Some of these are pretty scarce, so for bottles I haven’t personally tasted, I’ve filled in tasting notes from the bottler/distiller, but in some cases, even those are hard to find.
In any case, we’re not talking about just “double gold” here. These are the bottles that stood out as the best of the double gold; the cream that rose to the top, recognized above and beyond their peers by professionals who know. These are the bottles you want to search for. Let’s dive in!
This tequila is made in the Jalisco highlands with Weber agave from a single estate. Those agave pinas are tasked to NOM 1445, Cía. Tequilera Los Alambiques, where old stone ovens roast them, then a stone tahona wheel crushes the pinas to extract the juice. That juice is then transferred to old wood fermenters that are open-air, allowing wild yeasts to start the fermentation process. After two distillations in copper pot stills, the tequila is cut with local water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this is like a plate full of roasted agave chunks next to artichoke hearts soaked in olive oil covered in lemon oils with plenty of fresh mint, fresh hibiscus, and cracked black pepper. The palate really marries the slow-roasted agave to the lemon and pepper while a little bit of potting soil draws everything back to a finish full of white pepper, dried florals, sweetgrass, and a dusting of cinnamon.
Bottom Line:
This is a super soft and smooth sipping blanco. There’s serious depth but it’s not hot or off-putting in any way. Overall, I dig this on the rocks with a little lime, but it also works wonders in a cocktail.
This tequila hails from just outside of Tequila, Mexico. The pinas go through the autoclave (high-pressure steam extraction) process to get the juices ready for fermentation in steel tanks with open-air fermenting. After being twice distilled, the juice is cut with water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This is very peppery with a mix of cracked black pepper mixed with soft white pepper and a hint of red chili flake with a touch of orange zest and river rock on the nose. The palate largely delivers on that nose while layering in sharp agave woodiness with a hint of aloe, very faint mint, and a whisper of cottage cheese. The finish is short and peppery and almost vodka-esque in its cleanness.
Bottom Line:
I’ve only really had this while making cocktails, so that’s the way I’d go with this one.
This comes from the Jorge Salles Cuervo y Sucesores distillery which grows its Blue Weber agave up in the highlands and brings it down to Tequila to turn the pinas into tequila. The ripple in the process is the old cement tanks used to ferment the agave juice after the autoclave extraction. From there, the fermented juice is twice distilled and cut with local natural spring water for bottling.
This tequila from Destiladora del Valle de Tequila is a mix of old stone ovens and steel tanks for fermentation. What’s interesting is that Destiladora del Valle de Tequila currently makes 158 tequila brands!
This tequila comes from Tequilera Puerta de Hierro in the lower Valley of Jalisco. Overall, it’s a pretty standard stone oven to steel tank to double distillation process.
“With a luminous crystalline color, with silvery and straw-colored tones, it offers a warm flavor with spicy and herbaceous notes.”
Bottom Line:
This is another tequila that has a nice enough bottle but with little information about it out there. Its distillery, NOM 1477, makes 28 other labels. But that doesn’t really tell you much about this expression/brand.
This “premium” tequila is made in the southern “Los Altos” region of Jalisco at the Fabrica de Tequila Don Nacho distillery (NOM 1508), which only makes this and one other small brand of tequila. The juice is made from piñas cooked in old stone ovens and then fermented with local spring water in open stainless tanks. After the usual distillation, that hot juice is loaded into both used and new American white oak barrels for a short maturation.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a hint of dry cedar on the nose that leads to this mix of dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, old vanilla extract bottles, and a hint of that slow-roasted agave with a very thin sliver of ashiness. The palate has a cream soda vibe with the agave taking on a sweeter edge next to a creamy caramel on the mid-palate. The finish leans away from the sweetness towards a peppery dark chocolate bar with hints of winter spices and peach pits.
Bottom Line:
I dig this a lot. There’s a nice base that makes this a decent shooter or sipper on the rocks. But that peppery/chocolate profile helps this stand out as a dark and tasty cocktail tequila.
Hailing from NOM 1438, Destiladora del Valle de Tequila in Tequila, Mexico (the aforementioned home to 158 tequila brands), this tequila has a little more nuance. The agave piñas are roasted in both old stone ovens and autoclave. The mash ferments in open-air stainless tanks before the standard double distillation in copper pot stills. The juice is then aged in used whiskey barrels for an undisclosed amount of time.
Tasting Notes:
This is a bourbon lover’s tequila, with a nose brimming with vanilla beans, caramel apples, floral agave, and a nice bitter chocolate edge with a black potting soil whisper. The palate largely delivers on the nose with more vanilla and dark chocolate (now touched by cinnamon and clove) with a more robust roasted agave vibe leading to dry grass and porch wicker. The finish has tiny flourishes of pancake syrup and black pepper with a touch of sweet oak on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is a pretty solid sipper all around. It has a nice, almost bourbon feel to it, with plenty of spice, grassiness, and agave still in play. It feels familiar and fresh at the same time.
Rounding out this list of great tequilas, Lobos 1707 also comes from the southern Los Altos region of Jalisco (NOM 1460, Compañia Tequilera de Arandas distillery). The front end of the tequila-making process is pretty much the same — Weber, autoclave, ex-bourbon barrels, etc. — with the finishing on this one standing out. After six months in bourbon barrels, this is aged in Pedro Ximinez sherry casks for a final rest.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a hint of sour cherry on the nose alongside a base of roasted agave, winter spices, and a hint of old oak barrels from a dusty cellar. The palate marries that agave and oak into an earthy note that’s part dry moss and part dry firewood with the agave lurking in the background. The mid-palate to finish has the cottage cheese vibe with pineapple and black pepper making appearances before a dry grassiness and oakiness round out the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is another easy sipper that’s well-suited for cocktails. I really like that cottage cheese/pepper profile on these tequilas, but I can see how that’s a tad offputting. Still, this is an easy sipper/mixer worth grabbing for your own bar.
This tequila comes from the Ciénega (wetlands) and Highlands of Jalisco. The process Integradora San Agustin distillery is pretty common with stone overs, steel tanks, copper stills, and deep well water. The whiskey ages in used bourbon and new white American oak before vatting, proofing, and bottling.
This sounds sweet and oaky. I can dig that. Overall, the price isn’t too out of control, but I think I’d try this at a bar before committing to a bottle.
Don Julio is pretty well known for making damn fine tequila. This spirit comes from Diageo México Operaciones in Jalisco’s Ciénega, though the agave is from the Highlands. The difference here is that the spirit is distilled three times before resting in used American oak, ex-bourbon, and new American white oak barrels for a spell. Then the tequila is color filtered to make it clear again before proofing with deep well water and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This tequila is a bit of a mind trick. The nose is full of vanilla, woody spice, dried orange peels, rich toffee, honeycombs, grilled pineapple, and plenty of raw agave. The palate really leans into the vanilla with a creaminess leading to crushed almonds rolled in toffee candy and then dusted with dark chocolate. The mid-palate veers slightly toward dried florals, more of that dried orange peel, and a hint of an old cigar humidor.
Bottom Line:
Not gonna lie, it’s weird this is clear but tastes like it should be dark brown. That aside, this is a damn fine sip of tequila. It’s damn near perfect with a single rock in a big glass.
Back at Destiladora del Valle de Tequila (NOM 1438), we get Siempre Tequila. This expression goes through stone ovens, roller mills, steel fermenters, and copper stills before aging in used oak and used bourbon barrels. The just is then blended, cut with natural spring water, and bottled.
“You can taste alluring notes of toffee, salted caramel, chocolate, vanilla, and peppercorns followed by a lasting-lasting, warm finish. Enjoy in a snifter with dark chocolate and mixed nuts.”
Bottom Line:
This sounds lovely. I might actually go out and buy this out of all of these and give it a shot.
Made in the Jalisco Highlands at NOM 1468, Grupo Tequilero Mexico, this tequila keeps things pretty standard up until the aging process. The juice rests in a combination of used French oak and new American white oak barrels. When those barrels are in their prime, they’re blended, cut with deep well water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This is subtle from top to bottom with a nose full of brown butter, cinnamon sticks, vanilla pods, singed agave spears, and woody tobacco stems. The palate leans into the spice with anise and clove joining the cinnamon, a touch of black pepper, and agave. The mid-palate veers toward salted caramel with a hint of nori lurking in the background before the woody spices kick back in at the end.
Bottom Line:
This is subtle, yes, but it’s also very complex. There’s a lurking smokiness that feels like something green was just singed but the fire is already smudged out. It’s kind of fascinating and worth taking more time with.
Rancho Sierra Mar
Rancho Sierra Mar
ABV: 40%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Tequila:
There is very little known about this one. It’s made at the Tequila Las Americas distillery (NOM 1480) with stone overs, open-air fermentation, copper stills, and old bourbon barrels. But little else is available.
Everything about this tequila is a “vibe.” There’s a whole section of their website devoted to “lifestyle” but not telling you about their tequila. It’s made at NOM 1610 in the southern Highlands at Casa Tequilera Dinastía Arandina. Beyond that, the details are under wraps.
This brand comes from Sazerac (of Buffalo Trace fame) and Casa San Matias of Tequila San Matias de Jalisco. This expression is, however, made in Valles Centrales Oaxaca by 10 master mezcaleros working together. Beyond that, the rest is kept under wraps like most Sazerac products.
“Powerful aromas of baked pineapple and canned pineapple juice with an earthy core. It is all spice upfront in the mouth and quickly moves to roasted tropical fruits, tender young ginger, and green bell peppers.”
Bottom Line:
Pineapple, spice, and peppers sound like a great mix on a mezcal. I’m going to have to track this one down.
This mezcal comes from mezcalero Don Abel Lopez in Santiago Matatlán, the Oaxacan town known as the World Capital Of Mezcal. This expression is made from 100 percent organic Espandin agave that’s roasted slowly underground before it’s slowly distilled in small batches. It’s then bottled as-is after proofing.
Tasting Notes:
This is very grassy — sweetgrass, dry straw, alfalfa, freshly mowed lawn — with hints of smoked honey, burnt orange rinds, and a savory green note, kind of like an artichoke soaked in saltwater on the nose. The palate leans more into the smokiness but now it’s attached to the agave with warm, sandy dirt, a savory herb garden, and orange syrup. The end feels like rosemary stems that have been singed and then ground into the smoked honey next to a deeply charred agave that’s still smoldering.
Bottom Line:
This is bold mezcal. While it’s pretty intense, a rock or two will calm it down and bring out more of the orange, honey, and herbal notes, which means this is a great cocktail candidate.
Vago makes a lot of great mezcals. This expression specifically uses a mix of agaves (wild and cultivated) that are at their peak when it’s time to make this mezcal. Mezcalero Salomon “Tio Rey” Rodriguez picks an assortment of plants, hand grinds them, roasts them in the ground, and the works clay pot stills. All of this gives each release of this expression its own feel.
“Although every Ensamble en Barro batch is unique, they are generally rich, earthy, and full-bodied. The mineral and clay tones clearly define its style.”
Bottom Line:
These are always phenomenal. And although I haven’t tried this exact expression yet, I can’t imagine that it’s not great too.
This mezcal from Tlanipatla in Guerrero (on the Pacific coast) is all about low and slow traditional mezcal making. The mash is made from Agave Cupreata before going into a slow roasting, fermenting, and distilling process in the hills above the ocean. The juice is then cut with local spring water before bottling.
“Aroma: Subtle aroma of cooked agave, with a slight smell of wet earth. Taste: Smoked throughout, with delicate citrus notes and a captivating flavor of sweet fruits. Finish: Penetrating on the palate, filled with the soul of the agave Cupreata characteristic of Guerrero.”
Bottom Line:
Wet earth, sweet fruits, and “the soul of the agave” have me hooked. This is another bottle I’m probably going to go out and buy immediately.
Coming from the state of Michoacán, this mezcal is made with 100 percent Espadincillo, which is indigenous to the local area. The process is then very similar to the standard for mezcal with slow roasting, clay pot, and a lot of fire before bottling the spirit as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Hints of burnt citrus as sandy soil mingles with green banana leaves, a touch of sweetgrass, and plenty of hardwood charcoal that still feels a little warm from the fire mingle on the nose. The palate leans into dark citrus with a balance of dried agave and wet rainforest floor with and almost sticky orange vibe. The end adds in a line of citrus-laced smoke with plenty of dark woody smolder.
Bottom Line:
This feels like a classic that hits pretty hard. I coughed when I first sipped it. Once I got past that, it was a smooth, smoky, and citrusy ride. Though I did pour it over ice to get deeper into the flavor profile.
Raumen Mezcal
Mezcal Raumen
ABV: 50%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Mezcal:
There’s very little about this mezcal out there besides this YouTube video. It’s worth a watch to learn how mezcal is made in general.
Tasting Notes:
None available.
Bottom Line:
I’d love to try this if it’s ever available a little more widely. Until then, I’ll just keep enjoying that YouTube video.
This Peruvian agave spirit is made from 100 percent agave grown in the north-central mountains of Peru. The distillate goes through a similar process of roasting, fermentation, and distillation as tequila with this spirit spending one to three years mellowing in new American oak barrels in the Andes. The juice is then blended, proofed with local water, and bottled.
Festival season is in full swing, and so far in 2022, the music world has been graced with strong showcases that display some of the best talents from different corners of the music world. Coachella is a couple of weeks removed from its two weekends of performances and it joins other festivals like Sol Blume, SXSW, Lollapalooza, Dreamville Fest, and more that have put on shows this year. Others are just weeks or months away from their own showcases, and it includes the HARD Summer Music Festival which just announced the lineup for its 2022 edition.
This year’s HARD Summer Music Festival, which will take over the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino during the weekend of July 29-31, will be headlined by Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Uzi Vert, and Porter Robinson. The announcement comes after Megan Thee Stallion shined brightly at last month’s Coachella Festival while Lil Uzi Vert and Porter Robinson are gearing up for additional festival appearances of their own, those being Something In The Water and Osheaga.
In addition to Megan, Lil Uzi, and Porter, the 2022 HARD Summer Music Festival will also feature performances from Joji, Gunna, 100 Gecs, Amine, Koffee, Masego, Denzel Curry, Ski Mask The Slump God, Three 6 Mafia, Duckwrth, and more.
You can view the full lineup for the 2022 HARD Summer Music Festival in the flyer above. Tickets for the festival will be on sale Friday 5/6 at 10 am PST here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award is headed to Miami. The league announced on Tuesday evening that Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro is the first player in franchise history to earn the distinction, as he beat out fellow finalists Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cameron Johnson of the Phoenix Suns.
Herro was presented the award by Heat teammate Udonis Haslem, who praised the youngster for accepting his role in Miami when he could have a more prominent role elsewhere.
Shortly after the news was announced, the NBA showed how the voting bore out, with Love coming in second and Johnson coming third. Herro blew away the remainder of the field, earning 96 out of a possible 100 first-place votes and appearing in the top-3 on every ballot.
Tyler Herro is the first player to win the Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award with the Miami Heat.
Herro, the No. 13 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, burst onto the scene in the league’s Orlando Bubble during his first season and took a step forward during his sophomore campaign. In 2022, Herro came off the bench in 56 of the 66 games in which he appeared, but still managed to be one of the Heat’s top scorers — Herro averaged 20.7 points per game, a career-best mark and second only to Jimmy Butler on the team. Beyond his scoring, Herro doled out a career-high four assists a night.
Since starting his bus conversation in 2020, Caleb has driven his home on wheels across the U.S., exploring both the most touristed and remote outdoor destinations. Having visited numerous national parks, natural wonders, and mountain towns, he has the expert knowledge needed for a legendary road trip across the country. Below, he’s sharing his all-time favorite outdoor destinations across the U.S.
Growing up in a family of nine that valued road trips and camping led me to a lifestyle that would become a piece of my identity: being a nomad. Did I expect this as a middle schooler while crammed in the back of an RV in national parks from California to Maine — no, but I knew I cherished the freedom of the open road. Permanently living on wheels never crossed my mind as a lifestyle until I started graduate school at the University of Tennessee. I quickly realized that working a part-time job to pay rent would be a challenge while pursuing two master’s degrees, so I looked for solutions that would give me more financial freedom.
Amid a pandemic and inflation in the housing market in 2020, I began scrolling through social media for inspiration for unique and affordable housing options. One afternoon, I landed on a listing for an old school bus on Facebook Marketplace. That yellow bus would end up becoming my tiny home on wheels and the best purchase I would ever make. Two years and thousands of miles later, living on wheels has given me the freedom to not be confined to a permanent location or tied to a life where I must work a traditional job to pay my rent.
I will be forever grateful for this experience.
Big Bend National Park
Caleb Brackney
I first went to Big Bend National Park on a class field trip in 2018. Little did I know that this vast park in Southwest Texas would become one of my favorite destinations. From mountains to remote desert, there are over 150 miles of trails to explore, and the Rio Grande winds its way through the edge of the park to offer dynamic canyons and places to dip in and cool off. My favorite canyon is Santa Elena where you can hike along the river and view wildlife and numerous plant species that make the national park one of a kind.
Black Hills, South Dakota
Caleb Brackney
The Black Hills have been the backdrop of cowboy tales, movies, and wild west imaginations for over a hundred years, but the millions of acres that comprise the region are full of more wildlife and vegetation than you could explore on any single trip. From the roaming bison in the plains to the horseback riding trails that wind their way up the hills, the Black Hills are perfect for any adventure. Black Elk Peak is my favorite hike in the area, which is also the highest peak between the Rockies and the Atlantic Ocean. A visit to local chuckwagon dinner shows and Mount Rushmore are a must for every visit.
Devils Tower, Wyoming
Caleb Brackney
Devils Tower may be the most iconic national monument (along with the first established one) in our country. The sheer walls stretch up hundreds of feet in the plains of Wyoming and the cliffs hold history and numerous stories from native Americans who originally found the place. Hiking trails surround the tower and allow visitors to climb along boulders that have broken off the cliffs. You can also attempt to climb to the top as there are over 200 routes up the monument!
Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs
Caleb Brackney
Garden of the Gods is a gorgeous destination just a few hours south of Denver in Colorado Springs. This small park is home to hiking trails that take visitors around rock outcroppings and provide a great destination for novice rock climbers to learn the hobby. While the loop around the park can become crowded, there are many trails that are more remote and provide nice views towards Colorado Springs. Pikes Peak is near here and should also be a stop as it is the tallest point in the Rockies.
Glacier National Park
Caleb Brackney
Glacier is hands down my favorite travel destination in the United States. From backpacking to day hikes, this massive park has enough wildlife and mountains to provide entertainment for dozens of trips. My favorite part of the park is Many Glacier, where a massive log cabin-style lodge sits next to a lake with hiking trails that circle it. Every time I’ve visited I’ve seen no fewer than half a dozen grizzly bears which add an extra level of excitement to each trip. Moose also freely roam this park and provide unforgettable moments when you see them at close distances.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Caleb Brackney
Located a few hours north of Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park is a destination that can not be missed. From the entrance through Estes Park into a wilderness of its own, the Rockies were practically created for adventures. From Lily Lake to the tree line on Longs Peak, wildlife and vegetation are abundant in this part of the country. Over 100 peaks litter this park, and multiple entrances allow visitors to experience it from different perspectives. My favorite hikes have been from Wild Basin into the wilderness.
Sequoia National Park
Caleb Brackney
Since when is it not cool to experience the world as a squirrel would?! In Sequoia National Park, located in Southern California, tree trunks that are larger than the width of school buses comprise this oasis. Since there is only a small elevation/precipitation zone where Sequoia trees can live, this park is a natural wonder because it offers the only canvas where groves of these old trees can live. When you enter the park you’ll have to drive almost 45 minutes uphill to reach the groves, so the weather can swing over 40 degrees within that hour due to the elevation change!
Tucson, Arizona
Caleb Brackney
While most of my favorite destinations are national parks, Tucson holds a special place in my heart because of how unique it is. Adjacent to vast spans of BLM lands, canyons, national forests, and Saguaro National Park, this city is a great base for desert adventures. My favorite day trips out of Tucson include watching prairie dog villages, walking through the streets of historic Tombstone, AZ, and exploring the gorgeous town of Bisbee. Though a large city, I believe Tucson is a hidden gem and a great home base for creating memories in the desert.
When it comes to warm weather IPAs, it’s difficult to beat the refreshing, juicy, hazy, tropical fruit-laden New England IPA. This popular IPA style is a safe haven from the sometimes aggressively bitter West Coast IPA. The best part? Since this style has taken off dramatically in the past five years or so, there are plenty to choose from.
To help you pick a (new, to you!) hazy worth drinking, we asked a handful of well-known craft beer experts, brewers, and beer professionals to tell us their picks for the most underrated hazy IPAs on the market and they didn’t disappoint with their answers. Below, you’ll find some well-known beers that perhaps don’t get the acclaim they warrant and others that should immediately be on your radar. Let’s dive in!
Lone Pine Oh-J
Lone Pine
Mike Haakenstad, brewing operations manager at Sycamore Brewing in Charlotte, North Carolina
Everyone knows the New England heavy hitters so we will skip all of those. What most people may not know of is a beer called Oh-J from Lone Pine Brewing Company out of Portland, Maine. This beer is on par with the best New England has to offer. Huge aromas of citrus that carry through the entire sip, very well balanced and drinkable, and perfectly carbed every time (which aids in the great mouthfeel). Not sure why this beer doesn’t have the love as some others, maybe it’s the size or location of the brewery, but this beer is excellent and you should have it.
Old Nation’s Boss Tweed has a bigger Vienna malt backbone with really citrusy fruit aromas that hit the spot for me. This 9.3 percent double New England IPA carries notes of mango, tangerine, and guava that pair well with its pilsner malts.
I recently had a Double Agent Hazy IPA from Funguys Brewing (Raleigh, North Carolina) that stood out as on par with some of the best hazy IPAs I’ve had from world-renowned breweries like Treehouse Brewing. Double Agent has a luscious mouthfeel from oats and lactose sugar that is perfectly balanced with malt character and juicy hops. Fun Guy’s are already making a name for themselves, but I think this IPA is going to grow indefinitely in popularity.
I do think that some of the better and more consistent hazy IPAs on the market these days are coming from Timber Ales. Most recently we have enjoyed Miles of Trials, an IPA dry-hopped with Nelson and Strata hops. Clean and soft, yet not overly sweet and cloying, and layered with saturated, bright, hop character, Trials has been an IPA that I find myself easily finishing a 16-ounce can of (a feat that all too often is not the case). Timber Ales IPAs tend to not be receiving the same hype as their BA releases simply because of the availability, but don’t let the “shelfie” status fool you! Each and every one of the Timber IPAs can hang in there with the best of them.
Real Ale Fresh Kicks
Real Ale
Hector Cavazos, owner and head brewer at Rebel Toad Brewery in Corpus Christi, Texas
There are so many good ones out there, but I can say that Fresh Kicks by Real Ale is always consistently good. It has a great hazy look and just the right amount of dankness. Brewed with Azacca, Mosaic, Amarillo, and Strata hops, it’s fruity, juicy, and well-balanced.
Wind Shift Solar Tsunami is my choice. This is a great hazy IPA. It’s brewed in small batches, so you know it is going to be fresh. Brewed with a mix of El Dorado, Citra, and Cascade hops, it’s loaded with juicy, hazy, citrus, and tropical fruit flavors.
Even though it’s popular, it still doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Hazy Little Thing from Sierra Nevada is a juicy, hop-forward hazy IPA that is approachable, affordable, and readily available across the country. Hazy Little Thing is the perfect beer for someone looking to get into hazy IPAs, but also for the hazy IPA drinker looking to have more than a few pints.
It’s hard to say there is anything like an underrated hazy IPA these days. One of my favorites that doesn’t get enough credit is New York Nectar from Subversive Malting + Brewing in Catskill, NY. Made with entirely New York state grown ingredients, it is very soft, very juicy, and has a surprising seven percent ABV. Considering the current trend of using hops and grain from all across the globe, it is amazing to have a beer that can compete with the highest-rated offerings that are made entirely with ingredients from my home state.
I’m going with SingleCut Beersmith’s 18-Watt. It’s a session IPA at five percent ABV, and I feel like SingleCut gets overshadowed by the wealth of great New York breweries. This was a beer I kept on tap often back when I worked in New Jersey and it packed a ton of flavor (mango, tangerine) without coming across as grassy in a smaller beer.
Terra Trooper from Platform Brewing is my pick. The guys from Platform sent us some beers a bit ago and this one really stood out to me. We can’t find many of their products down in South Florida, so I haven’t had many of their beers before. This one was very citrusy and juicy but didn’t feel overloaded with hops. It was nice and balanced, not overly sweet, not overly bitter.
The Alchemist Heady Topper
The Alchemist
Jesse Mix, regional manager of beer and soft drinks at Sprecher Brewing Company in Glendale, Wisconsin
Heady Topper still isn’t very accessible though highly praised. This is unfiltered and unpasteurized beer in its raw form. It’s very resinous, piney, and fruity but with a good amount of malt body to keep everything in check. Even though it’s highly touted, it still doesn’t get talked about as much as it should when it comes to hazy IPAs. It’s the pinnacle of hazy IPAs.
Grove from Brewery Bhavana is my pick. It’s hard to describe this other than to say it’s a soft, delightfully citrus beer that hides the booze quite well. I don’t think Bhavana gets talked about for their IPA much, but they do it well.
This past weekend, Sol Blume festival returned to Sacramento, CA for the time since 2019. Held at Discovery Park – with its sweeping 300-acre riverfront grounds – the third edition of the festival saw a powerful, all-female headlining bill in Jazmine Sullivan, Jorja Smith, Summer Walker and Jhene Aiko.
In recent years, we’ve seen lineup figures cross the 30 percent mark of female-led acts on the bill, but that number seldom affects the headlining slate, which is typically dominated by male artists. Some festivals recently made it a priority to feature female-led acts in at least half of the bill, but when it comes to hip-hop/R&B, that effort is generally negligible. Sol Blume is (hopefully) pioneering a new trend in booking multiple women to headline festivals across all genres.
Day 1 of the festival kicked off with perfect weather and R&B stars like Ravyn Lenae, Lauren Jauregui, and Lucky Daye. West Coast rappers Buddy and D Smoke brought some balancing hip-hop energy across the two festival stages before DVSN, Majid Jordan, Alina Baraz, Jazmine Sullivan, and Jorja Smith took over for some nighttime, sing-along R&B vibes. Sol Blume producers made a note to make sure none of the set times overlapped across the two stages, so ticket holders truly got their money’s worth being able to catch every act on their wish list.
Day 2’s energy was just as high as Day 1, with West Coast stars like Rexx Life Raj, Victoria Monet, Tinashe, BLXST, and Syd packing Discovery Park and priming the thousands in attendance for two of R&B’s biggest stars of today: Summer Walker and Jhene Aiko.
Check out our photo recap of Sol Blume below.
Sol Blume // Photo by Dante NicholasJazmine Sullivan // Photo by Dante NicholasJorja Smith // Photo by Dante NicholasSummer Walker // Photo by Dante NicholasJhene Aiko // Photo by Dante NicholasBuddy // Photo by Dante NicholasSol Blume // Photo by Dante NicholasKiana Lede // Photo by Dante NicholasLucky Daye // Photo by Dante NicholasD Smoke // Photo by Dante NicholasDVSN // Photo by Dante NicholasTinashe // Photo by Dante NicholasSinead Harnett // Photo by Dante NicholasBlxst // Photo by Dante NicholasLauren Jauregui // Photo by Dante NicholasRexx Life Raj // Photo by Dante NicholasVictoria Monet // Photo by Dante NicholasLauren Jauregui // Photo by Dante NicholasRexx Life Raj // Photo by Dante NicholasFoushee // Photo by Dante Nicholas
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
There’s soooooooo much bourbon out there right now that it can’t all be great, “the best,” or… even very good. That’s just math. I know that sounds flippant, but every major distillery has a few expressions that lurk on the bottom shelf in plastic bottles with screwtop caps. Because they’re not going to just dump a barrel of whiskey into the gutter, right? So they blend it out into the cheap stuff.
It stands to reason then that just as there are the best bourbons from particular distilleries, there are also the worst bourbons from those same distilleries. It’s a simple ying and yang, Superman and Zod, Rock and Smith, or in bourbon terms Eagle Rare BTAC and Benchmark (more on that below).
To put a finer point on it, I’d be lying if I said I loved every bourbon I tasted. Some (a lot sometimes) are hot trash. Generally, I log those and move on without slagging them off because it’s pretty obvious that a $7 plastic bottle of “bourbon” isn’t going to be something anyone is going to line up to buy. That said, the quality between a big Kentucky distillery’s standard expression and the stuff they put in those plastic bottles can be massive. And just because a bottom shelf bottle is made by, say, Willett or Heaven Hill or even Buffalo Trace does not mean it’s worth your time or money.
To that end, I’m naming ten bottles of Kentucky bourbon that I think you should avoid. Forever. Are these the worst bourbons ever? Nah. They’re just not very good — maybe a little plasticky or watery — and also all come from huge distilleries that make way better expressions for just a little bit more cash. Sometimes only five to ten dollars more. And why be disappointed (or even disgusted) when you can be satisfied for just a few bucks more? You’ve earned good whiskey, so let’s get into which bottles to skip from the big Kentucky distilleries!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
Barton 1792 Distillery — part of the Sazerac group of distilleries — is renowned for white labeling, contract distilling, and putting out both amazing and amazingly cheap bourbons. This expression is the bottom rung in bottle form. Barton doesn’t disclose the mash bill but it is aged at least four years. Beyond that, it’s cut down to 80 proof with plenty of Kentucky limestone water and bottled in plastic.
Tasting Notes:
Water and plastic are what you get on the nose and on the palate. While the plastic fades away, the wateriness imparts flavors of muted vanilla, banana chip, and maybe a hint of caramel soda. The palate is largely the same with a sense of watered-down apple juice, a hint more of that vanilla, some alcohol burn (almost inexplicably), and a touch of chocolate-covered cherries dipped in water.
Bottom Line:
I probably wouldn’t even mix this with Coke. It’s just so watery.
The Bottle To Get Instead:
For $13, you can get some Very Old Barton from the same distillery. It’s aged two more years and only proofed down to 100 proof. While it’s not mind-blowingly better, it’s miles ahead of Kentucky Tavern and that watered-down nature is gone — allowing the flavor profile to shine through.
This is an entry point whiskey from Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, commonly known as Willett. The juice is a bourbon blend that’s a minimum of four years old. It’s then cut down to a very accessible 86 proof with that local limestone water.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a mix of yellow masa, damp cedar, wildflowers, and a hint of vanilla extract next to fresh mint leaves. The palate is very thin but carries a fair amount of buttery caramel, a dash of black pepper, a hint of cinnamon, and more of that soft cedar. The finish is pretty much what you’d expect for a bottle under $20 with a quick, watery fade, leaving you with the distant and vague idea of caramel, masa, and sweet oak… those features could be a leftover from the nose more than the actual taste.
Bottom Line:
This is fine on the front end but completely disappears on the back end/finish into a watery mishmash.
The Bottle To Get Instead:
Sticking with Willett, Old Bardstown Estate Bottled 101 — for $28 — is a massive jump in quality, taste, and overall usefulness. It’s a really good mixing bourbon that also works fine in a highball or even on the rocks. It’s versatile, cheap, and damn good for what it is.
The juice in this bottle is from Buffalo Trace’s Mash #1, which has a scant amount of barley and rye next to mostly corn. This is the same mash that’s used for bigger hitting brands like Eagle Rare, Stagg, and E.H. Taylor. In this case, this is a standard straight bourbon that’s sort of like a base-level Eagle Rare, in theory, but from barrels that didn’t make the cut and were then proofed all the way down for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Faint lemon candies and honey lead to an old vanilla wafer on the nose but not much else. The taste is “classic” bourbon with watery hints of leather, spice, and cornmeal next to vanilla extract, caramel, and old buttered popcorn. The end is very faint and almost vodka-like with a tapwater vibe.
Bottom Line:
This is just a cheap and easy bourbon that’s good for mixing with Coke and not much else.
The Bottle To Get Instead:
The easy path is to just say, “get the Eagle Rare 10 for $50” and be done with it. But I’d argue that Benchmark Bonded — for $20 — is such a big jump in quality and flavor that you should try that first. The Bonded version basically takes everything that’s just a whisper in the above version and lets it shine while layering in deeper flavor notes.
This Heaven Hill bourbon is standard bourbon made with its iconic mash bill of 78 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and ten percent rye (the same as Evan Williams and Elijah Craig). The juice spends four years in barrels before it’s blended out into this expression and proofed way down to 80 proof.
Tasting Notes:
“Light” is what comes to mind on the nose with a soft cream soda, a touch of caramel, and a little bit of corn husk. The palate follows suit with simple notes of vanilla, caramel, and dried corn dominating the palate. The finish is pretty watery — it kind of reminds me of hose water on a hot day — with the same beats for vanilla-caramel-corn-and-wood barely peaking in over the proofing water.
Bottom Line:
This is light but also simple. I’m not mad at it but don’t really see the point either.
The Bottle To Get Instead:
Just get an Evan Williams White Label. Yes, it’s a shooting and mixing whiskey but it’s so much more complex than this and only costs about $5-$7 more.
Old Forester’s 86 Proof is a very straightforward whisky. The mash bill is mid-range rye with 18 percent of the grain next to 72 percent corn and a final ten percent of malted barley (the same bill for all their bourbon). The juice is aged in a fairly heavily charred oak barrel for an undisclosed amount of time (the youngest barrel is likely older than four years). The whisky is then blended and proofed down to a very manageable 86 proof.
Tasting Notes:
This has a big nose of vanilla-cherry tobacco with a hint of fresh mint lurking in the background next to a whisper of floral honey cut short by a slightly tinny nature. The taste has a grilled corn-on-the-cob vibe with a hint of pepper and butter next to small doses of citrus and soft oak that’s all a little muted by an “alcohol” burn. The end is long and leaves you with that boozy burn and a touch more of that sweet corn and butter.
Bottom Line:
This is getting better, all things considered. Instead of watery muted notes, this suffers from a bit of a burn that overpowers what’s in the whiskey. Still, this is perfectly serviceable as bourbon and Coke whiskey but not much else. I guess I’d also take a shot of this as a beer back in a pinch… but I wouldn’t be hyped about it.
The Bottle To Get Instead:
I think you can skip Old Forester 100 (which is fine for cocktails) and go straight to Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond. It’s only $49 and is a great example of the power of this brand/distillery/team.
This is a classic bourbon that became part of Jim Beam about 30-odd years ago. Until then, it was famed for being the drink of choice of President Grant, back in the 1870s — which gave it a lot to hang its hat on as a brand. The juice in the bottle is a year younger than a typical Jim Beam bourbon — so three-ish years — and it is cut way down to 80 proof for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Wow, this is thin on the nose. There are hints of vanilla, overcooked popcorn, caramel, and what feels like fresh slices of Wonder Bread. The sip is almost invisible on the tip of the tongue and very watery but does have echoes of sweet cherry candy, caramel apples, and vanilla extract in there but you really have to dig around for them. Those notes almost immediately disappear into the watery nature of the sip with no discernable finish but maybe that Wonder Bread dipped in tepid water.
Bottom Line:
This is the first bottle of whiskey I ever considered pouring down the drain. I didn’t, but I have no idea what to do with it otherwise.
The Bottle To Get Instead:
Literally any other bottle made at Beam from any of their brands, or just grab a Jim Beam Black Label. It’s like it’s in an entirely different spirits category than Old Crow. Plus, Jim Beam Black Label should only cost you around $19.
This expression was devised as a lower-proof bourbon that’s a pure workhorse whiskey. That means it’s made for mixing but you can sip it if that’s your jam. This universality is achieved by letting the juice rest in deeply charred oak for six to seven years before it’s cut down to 81 proof for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a mix of mild spice, bitter oak, ripe stone fruits, creamy vanilla, and an echo of salted caramel with little to no watery presence. The taste delivers on that and expands into peach cobbler territory with mild hints of vanilla and brown sugar syrup with baking spices. The end is another left turn with a dusting of dark chocolate with a hint of honey as the water kicks in a fades out the stone fruit, spice, and oak pretty quickly.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the best “skippable” whiskeys on this list. It’s perfectly fine but not the best representation of Wild Turkey by any stretch. Still, if you do come across this, it is a great mixer — I can’t deny that.
The Bottle To Get Instead:
This is easy, Wild Turkey 101 all day — it’s only $20. While 101 has been erroneously slagged off by a generation of adults who didn’t know how to handle their Turkey in college, this is still one of the most legitimate cheap bourbons on the market. It’s also an essential cocktail mixing bourbon for any bar cart.
This introductory juice from Four Roses is a blend of all ten of their whiskeys. The barrels are a minimum of five years old when they’re plucked from the warehouses, blended, brought down to 80 proof, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a bit of steeliness to the nose that mellows hints of dried florals, apple, and a touch of honey and spice. The taste doesn’t veer too far from the nose as the apple turns more honey, with mild vanilla and more honeyed sweetness. The end is subtle, short, watery, and steely with a minor touch of green oak, spice, fruit, and one more dash of honey.
Bottom Line:
The steeliness of this is hard to get past sometimes. That said, that note completely goes away when you mix this into highballs or bourbon and Cokes, where it shines the most.
The Bottle To Get Instead:
Four Roses Small Batch is such a small step up in price (only $28) but a huge step up in taste. The bottle works wonders in a cocktail and is perfectly fine for an on the rocks sip of whiskey.
This bourbon from Lux Row is a high-rye mash that’s contract distilled partially off-site and partially made at the distillery. The whiskey spends around four to five years mellowing before it’s blended, proofed down, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is all about the nuts and fruit with a trail mix vibe next to more standard notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak. The palate has a hint of alcohol burn from the jump with plenty of dark spices and dry peanut shells popping in before the burn takes over on the mid-palate. The burn carries through to the finish, muting the vanilla, peanut, caramel, and oak.
Bottom Line:
This is “hot” in that it tastes like burning instead of “hot” notes from spice, wood, or tobacco. Overall, it’s fine if you’re making a bourbon and Coke.
The Bottle To Get Instead:
I’d go with another Lux Row mainstay, Ezra Brooks 99. It’s only $5 more than David Nicholson and just much deeper while also being more approachable and mixable.
This whiskey embraces a high-rye mash bill that’s comprised of 68 percent corn, 28 percent rye, and four percent malted barley which Bulleit has been distilling themselves since 2017. The juice is then rested for six years before blending, cutting down to proof, and barreling, which, in turn, means that there’s still a little sourced juice in the mix here.
Tasting Notes:
This has a very “classic” and “spicy” bourbon nose with clear hints of vanilla, oak, spice, and wood. The spice is squarely in the cinnamon category, with creamy vanilla, warm tobacco, and a hint of orchard fruit lurking in the background. The end is warm but not hot. The oak, dark spice, brown sugars, and whisper of corn linger on your senses through the medium finish.
Bottom Line:
This is fine for what it is, a decent cocktail bourbon. It’s also a pretty good shooter without too much burn but… not much else. Unless you’re looking for a run-of-mill bourbon.
The Bottle To Get Instead:
Given Bulleit’s dismal history with the LGBTQ and BIPOC communities, I’m not going to recommend any other expression from the brand. If you want to stick with Diageo, however, then I’d recommend getting yourself some George Dickel Bottled-In-Bond for $40. It’s stellar whiskey, albeit from Tennessee and not Kentucky.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
and general manager at 
