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The Brooklyn Nets entered the 2020-21 season with sizable expectations, even before acquiring James Harden in a massive, multi-team swap. Though question marks did surround the Nets, the presence of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving attracted immediate attention and, once it was clear Durant had returned to his pre-injury form as one of the best players in the NBA, the spotlight grew. With that in mind, it wasn’t a shock when the Nets started just 9-8 but, at the same time, the concerns about their defense and top-heavy roster building came to the surface.

Since that 9-8 start, however, the Nets are a blistering 15-5 and they rank fourth in the NBA in net rating (+6.0). That includes a 10-1 spurt before the All-Star Break and, while Brooklyn is also the league’s No. 1 offense for the season (118.4 points per 100 possessions), they are essentially unstoppable right now. The Nets boast a 120.4 points per 100 possession mark in the 24 games since acquiring Harden and, in the aforementioned 11-game streak, that number rises to a ridiculous 121.8 points per 100 possessions.

It was worth saying plainly that Brooklyn’s offensive pieces are virtually unmatched in the history of the league. Allowances could certainly be made for the Durant-era Warriors and a few other squads, but the Nets essentially deploy three of the ten best individual shot creators in the NBA, and they also have one of the best supporting offensive pieces (Joe Harris) in the league. Not only are the statistical results tremendous, but the Nets are 17-6 with Harden in the lineup since he arrived, even as both Irving and Durant have missed time with injuries.

As you may expect, the Nets have been (quite) good when even one of their best players sees the floor, and that is one of the appeals of having three No. 1 options. Brooklyn has a +10.2 net rating when Durant plays, with a +10.0 mark for Irving and a +6.0 for Harden, which is weighed down by units in which he is asked to carry a Rockets-like workload. When they are paired together, the results are staggering, including a +18.0 net rating in 140 minutes when the three stars play with Harris.

It is worth pointing out that, while all expectations are that the Nets will be fantastic when all of their pieces play together, we are still in a small sample size world with this group. Still, Brooklyn’s offense has shown itself to be in a class of its own so far this season and, at least when looking at recent results, the Nets are beginning to play a little bit better on the defensive end.

Brooklyn still lands in the bottom five of the NBA in defensive rating this season, yielding 113.6 points per 100 possessions. If that were to continue, it would be wise to fade the Nets in the grand scheme, simply because that is untenably poor. Brooklyn’s defense is improving, both with the eye test and the statistics, though, and that includes a 112.2 defensive rating in the last 11 games. That may not seem like much but, at the highest levels, the formula for Brooklyn will be to lean heavily on their offense and produce just enough stops to win. With their ability to switch (particularly for Harden) and lock in when it matters, the defense is a concern, but perhaps not a fatal one.

At this moment, FiveThirtyEight installs the Nets as the single most likely team to reach the 2021 NBA Finals, albeit with only a 30 percent chance to do so. It remains to be seen as to how Brooklyn will matchup with the likes of Philadelphia, Milwaukee and others in the playoffs but, with three scorers averaging at least 25 points on uber-elite efficiency, it stands to reason that no opponent will be able to stop them. Hopefully, observers will have more of a chance to examine what it looks like when they all play together but, after one half of the 2020-21 season, the Nets are terrifying.

Where does Brooklyn land in the All-Star Break edition of our DIME power rankings? Let’s explore.

1. Brooklyn Nets (24-13, Last week — 2nd)

The Nets have the second-best record in the NBA since acquiring Harden. The Nets have the best record in the league over the last 11 games. This isn’t a slam dunk by any means but, with the Jazz losing their last two games, the door was open. However, let’s just say the gap isn’t very big.

2. Utah Jazz (27-9, Last week — 1st)

Utah’s been really, really good and I considered leaving them at the top. Considering they’ve lost four of the last seven games, that is a testament to just how dominant they were previous to that (slight) downturn. The Jazz still lead the NBA in net rating (+8.5) with top-four marks on both sides of the floor. They are real, and it won’t surprise anyone if they are back at No. 1 soon enough.

3. Phoenix Suns (24-11, Last week — 3rd)

Even with Brooklyn playing the way they have, it could be argued that Phoenix is the hottest team in the league. They are 16-3 in the last 19 games and, ironically, two of those losses came when they blew big leads. It’s probably unsustainable on some level, but the Suns are really good. Let’s keep an eye on Devin Booker, though, as he missed the All-Star Game due to a knee injury.

4. Philadelphia 76ers (24-12, Last week — 7th)

Philly leads the East by a half-game and everyone knows they are playing well. With that out of the way, Joel Embiid absolutely eviscerated Rudy Gobert and the Jazz on Wednesday, and that was quite the message. It will be interesting to see how long Embiid and/or Ben Simmons are sidelined due to contact tracing, but they are in a fantastic position.

5. Denver Nuggets (21-15, Last week — 8th)

The Nuggets swept through an entire road trip before the break, winning four games in a row. The headliner was a dominant “statement win” over the Milwaukee Bucks, and that prompts the three-spot jump this week. Nikola Jokic and company are rolling and they are up to fourth in net rating for the season.

6. Milwaukee Bucks (22-14, Last week — 6th)

Milwaukee won six of the last seven before the break, with only the aforementioned loss to Denver. After what many might describe as a disappointing first half, the Bucks are second in net rating. You can pick that apart, to be sure, but they are 17-9 with Jrue Holiday, and I trust that a lot more than the 5-5 mark without him.

7. Los Angeles Lakers (24-13, Last week — 4th)

It’s pretty hard to “rank” the Lakers right now. Everyone understands they are a leading title contender when healthy. They are also 3-7 in the last 10 games and they effectively punted the end of the first half schedule. It would be nice if they could perform better without Anthony Davis but, well, Anthony Davis is really good and virtually irreplaceable.

8. Boston Celtics (19-17, Last week — 16th)

It doesn’t mean that everything is solved in Boston, but they just won four in a row before the break. Granted, the Celtics were a complete mess prior to that spurt, but they beat three solid-or-better teams in that run. Getting Marcus Smart back will help, but Boston still has a move (or two) to make before the trade deadline for them to be considered serious contenders.

9. L.A. Clippers (24-14, Last week — 6th)

We’re punishing the Clippers for three straight losses at the end of the first half. To be fair, absences from Kawhi Leonard and Paul George contributed (greatly) to those results. Their defense hasn’t been great lately, though, and it a bit strange that the Clippers are “only” 24-14 while leading the NBA in three-point shooting and free throw shooting.

10. Dallas Mavericks (18-16, Last week — 10th)

No team could match Brooklyn’s 10-1 mark in the last 11, but Dallas came close at 9-2. They were (unsurprisingly) awesome on the offensive end and solid enough to defensively to stack some wins. It is certainly concerning that the Mavs have still be outscored for the season, but their struggles appear to be behind them, for now.

11. Portland Trail Blazers (21-14, Last week — 14th)

It is very difficult to parse Portland’s last month of results. The Blazers won six in a row in early-to-mid February, only to give it back with four straight losses to close the month. Then, Portland went 3-0 to finish the first half, but the victories came at home against Charlotte, Golden State (by two points) and Sacramento. We’ll see how they start the post-break stretch.

12. Miami Heat (18-18, Last week — 9th)

In the grand scheme, the Heat are still riding high as they were last week. Miami is 7-1 in the last eight games, and they are looking like they are supposed to look. Erik Spoelstra’s team did have a hideous performance against Atlanta in the one loss, though, scoring 80 points and looking generally hapless without Jimmy Butler.

13. San Antonio Spurs (18-14, Last week — 13th)

With the slew of postponements in February and a 2-3 record once they returned, the Spurs are still in the “TBD” category. San Antonio starts with six road games in the first seven contests after the break, and that could go a long way toward determining what’s real and what isn’t.

14. New York Knicks (19-18, Last week — 12th)

New York was 8-3 before the break and they did it on defense. That aligns with the way the team has played all year, but it’s worth remembering just how unforeseen all of this development has been.

15. Toronto Raptors (17-19, Last week — 11th)

Following some fantastic work to climb out of an early-season hole, the Raptors limped into the All-Star break with four losses in the last five games. They really get an “incomplete” due to absences related to health and safety protocols, but Toronto is going to need to bank some wins coming out of the hiatus as they look to avoid the play-in.

16. Golden State Warriors (19-18, Last week — 15th)

Steve Kerr’s team gets a mulligan for the blowout loss they suffered against Phoenix to end the first half, simply because of the skeleton roster they utilized. The two losses before that can’t be wiped away, though, and the Warriors are creeping back toward the .500 mark. Golden State just can’t seem to score (98.6 offensive rating) without Stephen Curry on the floor, and that’s a problem.

17. Atlanta Hawks (16-20, Last week — 25th)

The Hawks definitely had some preseason hype but, in taking a step back, Atlanta was basically projected as a .500 team. Obviously, a 16-20 mark isn’t great through that lens but, when considering the lack of contributions the Hawks have received from their offseason acquisitions, it suddenly doesn’t feel so bad. Atlanta also started the Nate McMillan era with back-to-back wins before the break, and they are in a solid spot overall.

18. Memphis Grizzlies (16-16, Last week — 17th)

After some early-season streakiness, the Grizzlies have pretty much settled in as a .500 team. Ironically, they are 11th in net rating (+0.8) despite their relatively modest win-loss mark, but that speaks to the morass in the middle of the league. Memphis may be closer to their 7-10 mark in the last 17 games, but they are also maintaining a pretty impressive 9-5 road record in 2020-21.

19. Chicago Bulls (16-18, Last week — 20th)

The Bulls are beating the teams they are supposed to beat. That includes a 12-6 mark against teams with sub-.500 records but, as you can glean, they aren’t doing very well against “good” opponents. Following that recipe might be good enough to make the play-in, and it helps that Zach LaVine is still maintaining a 65.3 percent true shooting clip for the season.

20. Charlotte Hornets (17-18, Last week — 21st)

Charlotte is incredibly average, down to their 17-18 record and -0.5 net rating. They are a lot more fun than that, but it’s been a month since they won or lost two straight games. It’s rather fitting, really, but at least LaMelo Ball entertains the basketball world on a nightly basis.

21. Indiana Pacers (16-19, Last week — 18th)

This might be too high for Indiana this week, which seems crazy. The Pacers are 5-12 in the last 17 games, and their only victories came against Memphis, Atlanta, Detroit, Minnesota and Cleveland. Their net rating (-3.1) isn’t as bad as their record in that 17-game stretch, but Indiana doesn’t have a ton of quality depth right now, and it’s catching up to them.

22. Washington Wizards (14-20, Last week — 19th)

The five-game winning streak from February has stabilized to a 3-3 mark in the last six games. Honestly, Washington would probably take that .500 baseline moving forward, but two of the three late victories came over Minnesota and a short-handed Clippers team. The Wizards still own a -3.9 net rating and a bottom-five defense.

23. Oklahoma City Thunder (15-21, Last week — 23rd)

OKC continues to hang around. They were 4-3 in the last seven before the break, and their final contest was a good encapsulation. The Thunder went into San Antonio and won on the second night of a back-to-back. They aren’t very good on offense but, at this very moment, Oklahoma City is a top-10 defensive team, yielding fewer than 1.1 points per possession.

24. New Orleans Pelicans (15-21, Last week — 22nd)

Following a great win over Utah at the end of last week, the Pelicans lost to the Bulls and Heat at home on back-to-back nights. Neither loss was completely egregious, but they just have a hard time stringing wins together. Having the NBA’s second-worst defense for the season is a big reason for their uneven play.

25. Cleveland Cavaliers (14-22, Last week — 24th)

Things have been pretty weird for the Cavs. Cleveland lost 10 in a row in February, going from the middle of the playoff race to the absolute dregs. Then, they won four in a row before (narrowly) losing to Indiana in their final pre-break outing. For the team with the second-worst point differential in the league, they do have some very competitive moments, but the overall package is underwhelming.

26. Sacramento Kings (14-22, Last week — 27th)

A lot has changed since the Kings were 12-11. Sacramento did finish 2-2 in their last four games before the break but, before that, it was chaos, and not in a good way. It is pretty difficult to be a bottom-five team in the league when you have a top-10 offense, but the Kings are trying their best.

27. Detroit Pistons (10-26, Last week — 28th)

Detroit just keeps losing, even if their peripherals aren’t as bad as their record. The Pistons have the second-worst record in the league, with three more losses than any team other than the Wolves. Detroit is 23rd in net rating, and that might be more indicative, but they’ve lost seven of the last nine.

28. Orlando Magic (13-23, Last week — 26th)

The top line with Orlando is five straight losses to end the first half. That explains their demotion in the rankings, but the Magic left quite a negative mark with their final six-minute stretch before the break. Orlando led Atlanta by 16 points with six minutes remaining. From there, they missed 9 of the last 10 shots and allowed the Hawks to hit seven threes to pull off a win. Yikes.

29. Houston Rockets (11-21, Last week — 29th)

It’s really bad for the Rockets right now. Houston is on a 13-game losing streak (the longest in the NBA this season) and, over that time period, they are scoring only 100.8 points per 100 possessions. Yes, injuries are a big factor but, in this space, we have to judge the Rockets on what they’ve done (or haven’t done) and only the struggles of the Wolves keep Houston out of the basement.

30. Minnesota Timberwolves (7-29, Last week — 30th)

With the Rockets losing 13 straight, there is an argument for Houston here. However, the Wolves are just just 1-13 in their last 14 games and that includes an active, nine-game losing skid of their own. Minnesota has the worst record in the league by three full games and they now own the worst net rating (-8.4) on top of that. They aren’t necessarily that much worse than the rest of the NBA on paper, but the results are what they are.

The idea of a movie about an Asian-American basketball prospect is compelling enough, but Boogie is also saddled with the baggage of seemingly everything writer/director Eddie Huang thinks is cool. Some of it fits, some of it doesn’t, and lots of times his attempts at a fresh angle come off achingly corny.

Huang, the lawyer-turned-streetwear-designer-turned-chef-turned-memoirist whose book Fresh Off The Boat spawned a hit television show, made headlines back in 2015 for a Twitter feud with Black feminists, who’d called him a misogynist for comparing Asian men in the dating scene with Black women. The feud ended with Huang sarcastically asking one if they were dating.

Knowing that, it’s hard not to interpret Boogie, a movie written and directed by Huang, about a Chinese-American basketball prospect played by Taylor Takahashi, who falls in love with a Black woman played by Taylour Paige*, as a love story between Huang’s idealized self and his idealized partner — possibly an attempt to work through his Twitter spat in a story. Which isn’t a criticism; the best stories are personal, and can often grow out of an attempt to understand one’s self. Yet Boogie is so full of mumbly dialogue, stock phrases, and failed analogies that it’s hard to tell what insight Huang ultimately gained.

Takahashi plays Alfred “Boogie” Chin, an NYC basketball prospect who has joined a failing basketball team for his senior year, in order to prove to D1 scouts that he’s worthy of a scholarship — which he can do by beating his rival and already-star, “Monk,” played by the rapper Pop Smoke. Alfred tells his teacher “I prefer to go by my stripper name,” Boogie, and meets his love interest, Eleanor, in the school weightroom. When she catches him staring at her crotch, Boogie tells her that she has “a nice vagina.” As a character-establishing anecdote it makes sense enough — Boogie is a sought-after hoops prospect and maintains this cocky punk front to hide his insecurities. In terms of humor, it feels more brash than funny, like giving us set-up and treating it like punchline.

The elephant in the room: Takahashi is 28, Paige is 30, and neither look remotely like high schoolers. Generally speaking, I can overlook a director choosing acting competence over strict authenticity. In this particular case, Takahashi is clearly a competent basketball player, and presumably that’s why he was cast. Acting-wise he’s decent for a non-actor. Basically, the reverse is true of his rival, Monk, played by Bashar “Pop Smoke” Jackson, whose acting is on point but whose basketball scenes take more cuts than Liam Neeson jumping the fence in Taken 3. Over and over Monk takes two dribbles in the lane and then we smash cut to a tomahawk dunk. Pop Smoke was killed in early 2020, so perhaps there are logistical reasons for how hacked together the basketball scenes look. But without speculating, it’s not great when a basketball movie has bad basketball scenes.

Boogie and Eleanor eventually bond, allowing Boogie to drop the cool-jerk facade and open up. He explains that his dad “is irresponsible, but he clearly cares about me. My mom is responsible, but doesn’t seem to care about me.” Boogie is constantly getting caught up in their struggle to control his basketball destiny. There’s something there, but whatever it is tends to get lost in Huang’s sloppy metaphors and penchant for shoehorning internet speak into scenes. Like when Boogie’s coach, played by Dominic Lombardozzi (Herc from The Wire) benches Boogie and Boogie mutters “weird flex, but okay.”

Yep, that’s, definitely something people on the internet say.

Another scene set in English class sees Boogie taking issue with Catcher In The Rye, calling out Holden Caufield for his “inherently privileged perspective.” Boogie’s teacher praises this bold take and tells Boogie he should speak up in class more. Lord, are we still congratulating ourselves for privilege-checking the protagonists of a 50-year-old novels? Too much of this movie consists of Huang writing himself as the hero of five-year-old Twitter discourse, like the streetwear Aaron Sorkin.

In another scene, arguably Boogie‘s centerpiece, Boogie the character complains to Eleanor about broccoli beef. He points out that other immigrant groups like the Greeks and Italians all have their own versions of broccoli beef. And then sighs “Chinese people could be so much more if this country didn’t reduce us down to broccoli and beef.”

I rewound this scene two or three times and I still have no Earthly idea what this metaphor is meant to convey. Maybe I’m just not cool enough to “get it.” Maybe the point is that I don’t get it. Or maybe Huang, who has built a persona on being unique and provocative, often gets caught between analogies that are meant to explain feelings and ones that are strictly a branding exercise.

‘Boogie’ is in theaters now. Vince Mancini is on Twitter. You can access his archive of reviews here.

*How about that, I didn’t know they were both named Taylor until just now.

Bottles of bourbon whiskey coming in at just under $100 dollars are sure to be special. When you can get pretty darn good stuff for about $30, bottles priced at more than triple that had better be worth it. But these aren’t standard issue bottles — unique barrelling methods and craft techniques abound — which means that calling one dram “better” or “worse” is mostly a matter of taste. It’s all about where your palate is at, which flavors intrigue you, and what you find yourself reaching for.

Do you like to be a bit mystified or do you look for more classic bourbon whiskey flavors? Do you want high proof or something more simple to sip? Cask strength? Single barrel? Limited edition? The best we can tell you is that we vouch for the expressions featured below. Try them and see what you think.

The actual price of these bourbons is really going to depend on where you’re standing when you buy a bottle. Some of these are only going to be available in their local markets at these prices. A few might even be cheaper, depending on your state’s liquor taxes. Those are the breaks.

Now let’s get to it!

Jefferson’s Ocean Aged At Sea Wheated Bourbon

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $90

The Whiskey:

Jefferson’s Ocean is already crafted as a unique and very tasty dram. This expression uses a wheated mash bill (instead of high rye) that’s aged for six to eight years on land. Barrels are then loaded onto a ship and sailed around the world where the spirit and wood interact the whole time thanks to the choppy seas, creating an incredibly unique whiskey in the process.

Tasting Notes:

This has a very subtle nose, with hints of vanilla, dark salted caramel, and mild eggnog spice drawing you in. The palate holds onto those flavors fairly well, while adding in a touch of popped corn to the salted caramel as the vanilla becomes more of an eggnog spiced pudding that remains very airy and light. The end is slightly nutty with a touch of cedar as the spice and svelte vanilla slowly fade away.

Bottom Line:

This is an interesting sip that’s shockingly accessible. It really is well-rounded and delivers on classic bourbon notes next to an overall easy-drinking experience with a cool story to boot.

Remus Repeal Reserve Series IV

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $94

The Whiskey:

MGP makes a lot of the whiskey you love that’s bottled under different labels. They also bottle their own labels from their massive stock and this yearly limited release is their highwater mark. The juice is a blend of two 12-year-old rye’d bourbons — one with 21 percent rye and one with 36 percent rye. The married juices are then touched (just barely!) with the Ohio Valley’s soft limestone water and bottled in a classy Don Draper-era bottle.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a real sense of fresh maple syrup on the nose that leads towards a rich vanilla creaminess with hints of Christmas spices full of candied orange rinds. The palate zeroes in on the spices and becomes more sharpened and peppery with more creamy vanilla, dried dark fruits, and a touch of dry cedar. The end is very long and leaves you with a warming spicy tobacco chewiness with no rough edges whatsoever.

Bottom Line:

If you ever wondered what an MGP bourbon tastes like from the source, this is a great place to start. The dram really does benefit from a drop or two of water to open it up. Do so and you’ll find some coffee and chocolate bitterness and maybe a hint of Amarena cherry syrup.

This is essential drinking to get a better understanding of the power of MGP in relation to the wider whiskey world in general.

Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $95

The Whiskey:

Hillrock’s Solera Bourbon is a mingling of Spain, Scotland, New York, and Kentucky in the bottle. The bourbon (own-make from New York’s Hillrock blended, with sourced Kentucky juice as well) is aged in sherry casks from Spain (much like many a great scotch) using the Spanish “solera” method. That’s where a sherry barrel is never fully emptied before more fresh juice goes in for a maturation cycle. That process is repeated over and over again, creating a sort of heritage to the spirit that goes all the way to the first fill.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a hint of honey next to dried red fruits, a touch of cinnamon, and a very distant note of sweet spring flowers. The palate, on the other hand, has this sweet lightness that hints at plummy and nutty sherry wood while leaning into bright dark cherries and dried apricot with an underbelly of bourbon vanilla and Christmas spices. The end holds onto that spice and cherry, creating a cedar box full of cherry tobacco warmth that’s just pure velvet.

Bottom Line:

You really need to take your time with this bottle (if you can find it). Nose, sip, add water, nose again, sip again. Repeat. There’s a lot of depth in play and it’s worth going slow to find them in this dram.

Garrison Brother’s Small Batch

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $96

The Whiskey:

Garrison Brothers is a true grain-to-glass experience from Hye, Texas. The juice is a wheated bourbon made with local grains. That spirit is then aged under the beating heat of a hot Texas sun before the barrels are small-batched, proofed with local water, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a caramel apple note on the nose next to a bit of dry straw, worn leather, and … what feels like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. That cereal nature continues through the palate with a sugary and buttery shortbread note mingling with hints of vanilla cake frosted with lemon cream leading to a touch of orange oils. The end is very long and warm with a bit of cinnamon that ultimately leads back to the caramel apples plus just a touch of dry campfire smoke at the very end.

Bottom Line:

This is a bold bourbon that’s not going to be for everyone. There’s nothing subtle in play in this sip but you are getting exactly what’s advertised: A well-crafted whiskey that’s made with a lot of love and feels like Texas in a bottle.

Wilderness Trail Wheated Bourbon Aged 6 Years

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $98

The Whiskey:

The team over at Wilderness Trail continues to wow with last year’s 6-year-old Wheated Bourbon release. The juice is a mash bill of 64 percent corn, 24 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley and uses co-founder Dr. Pat’s (yes, he’s a real doctor) proprietary yeast. The juice is then aged in their main warehouse where it’s moved to a new floor every one of those six years, allowing a little extra magic to happen in the barrel.

Tasting Notes:

The nose draws you in with a cinnamon-heavy pecan pie with a lard-hewn crust next to hints of wet pine. The palate leans into the corn syrup of the pecan pie while the cinnamon draws you towards an apple tobacco chew with a touch of caramel and vanilla lurking in the background. The finish doesn’t overstay its welcome and holds onto the cinnamon and pie vibes, ending on a fruity tobacco buzz.

Bottom Line:

This is a very limited release (the bottles were initially only available at the distillery). Still, if you’re able to snag one, really let this one settle and breathe. There’s a lot of great, hidden notes in the dram that’ll take time to sort through.

If you’re feeling fancy, make a Manhattan with this after you’ve enjoyed it straight. You won’t be disappointed.

Weller Antique 107

ABV: 53.5%

Average Price: $98

The Whiskey:

Back in the day, this was Weller 7-year-old. These days, the expression from Buffalo Trace’s warehouses is named after the 107 proof of the juice in the bottle. The whiskey is the iconic and seminal Weller wheated bourbon that gets a lot of hype, hence its price tag ringing in at double its MSRP.

Tasting Notes:

This opens up with sweet summer florals with a rounded and almost meaty honey base next to vanilla beans. The palate adds in a clear dusting of cinnamon next to cherry with hints of wet brown sugar and cellared oak. The short-ish end holds onto the spice and warms up your senses, leaving you with a cherry tobacco chew and buzz that’s smoothed out by a vanilla creaminess.

Bottom Line:

This is a highly refined workhorse whiskey. It’s a solid sipper, especially on the rocks. It’s also a killer cocktail base, thanks to its defined flavor profile and higher ABVs.

Redemption 9-Year-Old Barrel Proof

ABV: 54.1% (varies)

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

This sourced whiskey from Indiana (MGP) is one of the best examples of how a unique shingle can make whiskey shine. Redemption’s team painstakingly searches the warehouses for just the right barrels to meet their taste requirements. In this case, that was a nine-year-old single barrel of bourbon with a mash bill of 75 percent corn, 21 percent rye, and four percent malted barley.

Tasting Notes:

The nose really gives you a sense of oily vanilla pods with touches of wildflower honey, rich and buttery toffee, and a hint of dark roasted espresso beans. The palate holds onto those notes as the vanilla and honey both become creamy while adding a slight black pepper spiciness with a hint of salty smoked bacon fat lurking way in the background. The end is medium-length and touches back on that vanilla, toffee, pepper, and bitterness on the fade.

Bottom Line:

This yearly limited release is yet another reason to stop bashing sourced whiskey. This juice really shines and has a unique taste that feels like classic bourbon with palate expanding depths.

Belle Meade Single Barrel

ABV: 54.65%

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

This is also a nine-year-old MGP single barrel of bourbon at cask strength. Is it anything like the above bourbon? Let’s find out.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with deep vanilla that mingles with hints of dark chocolate sugar cookies with a touch of mint. The palate centers the creamy vanilla while adding in a cinnamon bark vibe with notes of black pepper and floral honey moved into the background. The end is long-ish and carries more of that vanilla cream while that cinnamon becomes slightly chewy with a dried choco-mint tobacco buzz on the tip of the tongue.

Bottom Line:

You can definitely feel a few overlaps — namely black pepper and floral honey — between the two expressions above. But beyond that, this its own beast. And that’s the beauty of these barrel selections. Each team is going to look for flavors that suit their brand.

That’s also the beauty of aging whiskey: these two barrels could be from the exact same distillation, sit next to each other in a warehouse for years, and still end up being this unique.

Kings County Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

This small Brooklyn craft distillery uses New York-grown corn with English malted barley in its mash (80 percent and 20 percent, respectively). The juice is then aged for four years in small-format barrels (only 15 gallons) and then proofed down to 100 proof and bottled in flasks.

Tasting Notes:

With no wheat or rye, the corn really shines on the nose with a buttery and slightly salted caramel kettle corn feel next to a hint of vanilla frosting and strawberry shortcake. There’s a greenness to the body that feels like wet pine next to dark chocolate with a touch of vanilla and malt. The (fairly quick) end moves away from that green note and towards a dry pine with a dark and bitter cacao nib feel, as the vanilla and caramel provide a counterpoint to those flavors.

Bottom Line:

Bourbon rarely has 20 percent malted barley in the mix. That makes this an interesting dram that will remind you of Scotland (if only very subtly).

High West Bourye

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

This yearly limited release from Park City, Utah’s High West isn’t technically a bourbon (though that’s the only shelf you’ll find it on in a liquor store). It’s a blend between one MGP rye and two bourbons that have been aged at least ten years. High West’s team chooses the barrels specifically for their taste and marries them into this much-lauded blend of whiskeys.

The 2020 release was a marrying of MGP’s iconic 95 percent rye with a high-rye bourbon with 60 percent corn, 36 percent rye, and four percent barley, and a mid-range rye bourbon with 75 percent corn, 21 percent rye, and four percent barley. Again technically, that probably makes this an “American whiskey.” But we don’t really know since we don’t know how much of each barrel went into the batch — hence its categorization as a bourbon.

Plus, with no “Bouryes” on the market, we decided to give it shine here.

Tasting Notes:

The nose dances between cherry cola, grilled pineapples, rich salted caramel, and a touch of burnt sage. The palate has a Christmas cake vibe that leans into the nuts and candied fruits, which leads towards spicy orange chocolate with a slightly bitter black tea note. The finish holds onto those spices in the form of a chewy and buzzy spicy tobacco leaf with a touch of toffee and that cherry cola popping back in on the slow fade.

Bottom Line:

This is just interesting all around. There’s a lot going on that all seems to work well together. Again, this might not be for everyone but it’s definitely worth seeking out for a truly unique “bourye” experience that’s really unmatched out there.

Over the past few years, Phoebe Bridgers has convinced Jackson Browne to become a part of her extended universe (although Phoebe Bridgers is a horse very clearly worth hitching your cart to). In 2018, Browne backed Bridgers on her cover of “Christmas Song,” and a few weeks ago, he participated in her virtual Tibet House performance of “Kyoto.” Now Bridgers has busted out a new Spotify Singles release, and it once again features Browne backing Bridgers on “Kyoto.”

As is tradition, these Spotify Singles release usually also include a cover, and for hers, Bridgers went with John Prine’s “Summers End.” Bridgers previously covered the song in April 2020 during a livestream performance and said while introducing the song, “He’s one of the most important people on the planet to me. I was lucky enough to see him a couple times. This is from his last record, it’s one of my favorite songs ever.” A couple months later, she performed the song again for SiriusXMU Sessions.

Bridgers previously participated in Spotify Singles in 2018, when she shared a rendition of “Scott Street” as well as a cover of The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love.”

Listen to Bridgers and Browne’s rendition of “Kyoto” and Bridgers’ Prine cover below.

Eminem tends to drop controversial and/or inflammatory lyrics on a regular basis, and now young TikTok users are trying to get the veteran rapper canceled. Those efforts haven’t been fruitful so far, though, as it has just led people to poke fun at Gen-Z. Now Lil Nas X (a TikTok star in his own right with nearly 10 million followers) has joined in on the fun.

In response to a widely derided freestyle from a millennial TikTok user, Nas shared his own freestyle, in which he raps. “Generation Z wants to cancel Eminem? [laughs] / Generation Z wants to cancel Eminem? [laughs] / Yeah [laughs], listen up, Generation / Z, you’re a generation of Z / Z, generation of Z.” He ends by trailing off with laughter that increasingly lacks in confidence.

This comes a couple months after Eminem dismissed cancel culture, saying, “With me, it’s literally like every f*cking every other day. I’m canceled for whatever the f*ck it was. It’s funny because I see some of the same people or sites who b*tched about things back then that I said and then going back now and saying, ‘Why can’t he be that again?’ What the f*ck? When I was that you had a problem with that, too. I understand some of the sh*t, but for the most part, like for people who just sit online and they feel like they need to b*tch about whatever it is to feel like they’re a part of something. With cancel culture, it’s like no one ever really gets canceled, though.”

Watch Nas’ video above.

As expected, Jimmy Kimmel had a lot to say about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s very expensive, yet highly explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey. While Kimmel initially joked about how he only watched the interview because his wife put it on, he fully copped to being drawn in by the couple’s revelations about the Royal Family and called the whole event, “the most shocking gender reveal party of all time.” More importantly, Kimmel went out of his way to say that he believes Markle’s claims about being silenced and the racism that she experienced. Although, Kimmel did have some issues with Meghan and Harry’s choice for a new home:

You know things are bad at Buckingham Palace if they came to America to get away from racism. That’s like trying to get some peace and quiet at Chuck E Cheese.

Naturally, the late night host also blasted the Royal Family for raising concerns about the skin color of Meghan and Harry’s son Archie. “They should hope that the kid looks more like Meghan than Harry,” Kimmel quipped. “No offense, but I mean, Harry kind of looks like the guy who played Screech. May he rest in peace.”

Kimmel also fully roasted the ridiculousness of the Royal Family raising issues about Archie’s possible appearance considering the family’s known methods of preserving the bloodline, as it were.

“Imagine after centuries of inbreeding all of a sudden these people are concerned about the color of a baby’s skin.”

(Via Jimmy Kimmel Live)

While Fleet Foxes is of course a band whose members all contribute to the group’s creative output, Robin Pecknold is the most recognizable figure of the group and he’s been at the forefront of promotion for their latest album, last year’s Shore. The first livestream performance they gave since releasing the album was just Pecknold performing alone at St. Ann & The Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn, New York. The band later shared his rendition of “I’m Not My Season” from that performance as a standalone video.

Now the band has taken their turn participating in NPR’s at-home Tiny Desk Concert series, and once again, it’s just Pecknold (probably because the pandemic makes it easier for just one person to perform instead of a whole band). Armed with an acoustic guitar and sitting behind an appropriately minuscule desk, Pecknold performed “Going-To-The-Sun-Road,” “Sunblind,” “Featherweight,” and “I’m Not My Season.”

Pecknold previously compared the new album to the band’s previous one, telling Uproxx, “Crack-Up was a super personal album. I had a really specific idea of what I wanted it to be, and the songs were from a pretty specific emotional time. On this record, I wanted the first line I sang to be for someone else, like ‘For Richard Swift.’”

Watch Pecknold’s Tiny Desk performance above.

Piers Morgan, who is all ride-or-die for the British Royals, isn’t thrilled at all that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry spoke with Oprah Winfrey to tell-all. As a result, he ended up getting thrashed by a Black Good Morning Britain colleague after he bashed the couple and defended the Royal Family despite some racist remarks (about the color of Archie’s skin) by unidentified members. Never mind that Meghan and Harry were essentially muzzled for years, and they fled the U.K. for California to escape what they considered an unendurable situation. Nope, Piers was standing firm on his stance that Meghan is not to be believed, and Piers further argued that Harry is behaving in a “shameful” manner for co-signing the “vile destructive self-serving nonsense” from Meghan.

Let’s just say that the situation was primed for another colleague to come for Piers, and that’s what happened on Tuesday morning’s Good Morning Britain. Co-host Alex Beresford spoke about how Prince Harry was shaped by losing his mother at a young age and standing in front of her coffin while on the world stage. Alex suggested that this experience helps to inform Harry’s life decisions (including defending his wife), and then he accused Piers of having a very personal beef. “I understand you don’t like Meghan Markle, you’ve made it so clear a number of times on this program, a number of times,” Beresford said to Piers. “And I understand you’ve got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle, or you had one and she cut you off.”

Alex was making reference to how Piers has previously discussed (as detailed by THR) how he went on a “pub” date with Meghan in 2015 before she dated Harry. “Has she said anything about you since she cut you off?” Beresford asked in front of the Good Morning Britain audience. “I don’t think she has, and yet you continue to trash her.” And with that Piers had enough and fled the scene.

Piers’ grouchy exit didn’t stop Alex from accusing his colleague of “diabolical behavior.” Alex continued: “Piers spouts off on a regular basis, and we all have to sit there and listen, 6:30-7:00 yesterday was incredibly hard to watch.”

Well, it was clear from the beginning of the GMB episode that Piers was still ready to rumble over the Royals, and the tension in the studio was palpable.

And here’s Piers deciding that it’s proper to discuss a female co-host’s skirt.

Following Piers’ exit from the set, he continued to lash out on Twitter while attacking the BBC’s Dan Walker after he commented upon the situation.

The Royal Family’s cheerleader also tweeted a quote: “‘I would rather die of passion than of boredom.’ Émile Zola.” Very true: No one has accused Piers Morgan of being boring.

WandaVision gave us a series finale worthy of the Marvel Cinematic Universe last week, but we still have an entire multiverse-worth of questions that need answering. Luckily, the show dropped a few clues as to the direction of the Scarlet Witch’s future story arc, and the roles some of the supporting characters might play in future MCU movies.

So, put on a kettle of tea and project your astral form because we’ve got a lot of thoughts about where Marvel should go after the events in Westview and nothing but time — an entire year in fact — to theorize on how Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, and Spider-Man might fit in.

Bow Down To The Most Powerful Avenger

If Kathryn Hahn is telling us Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch is now the most powerful Avenger, stronger even than the Sorcerer Supreme, then that’s the MCU gospel and it’s above reproach. But even if Agatha Harkness didn’t spend the show’s finale harping on about Wanda’s limitless chaos magic and cackling over her chance to score some of that sweet red juice, what Scarlet Witch was able to do — reverting Westview back to its former glory, spelling runes to keep her enemy in check, crafting a sick-looking costume for herself, and retreating to the woods to do some Darkhold studying — proves there’s a new magic-user on top. (Sorry, Stephen Strange.)

The problem is, now that Wanda’s discovered what she really is, it’s likely other beings have to. Of course, chief among them should be Doctor Strange, whose whole job is to monitor threats from magical entities. There’s no way he didn’t feel that disturbance Wanda caused in Westview, and with Scarlet Witch in possession of one of the forbidden ancient tomes, it’s likely he’ll be seeking her out (or vice-versa) when the Multiverse Of Madness kicks off. We know Elizabeth Olsen is slated to appear in that movie, and we’re betting that her character’s recent embrace of her seemingly unchecked power might have stirred more interest from some seedy characters, ones that probably don’t come with their own cutesy theme song and aren’t as deliciously wicked as Agatha.

Yes, we’re talking about Mephisto, the Satanic villain who caused all kinds of hell in Marvel’s comic book series. We had good reason to believe he might pop up during WandaVision, but the show smartly stuck to giving us one baddie (Kathryn Hahn doesn’t need an evil sidekick anyways) this time around. That might be because Marvel already has plans to introduce Mephisto in the Doctor Strange sequel. After all, they’re going to need someone who can go toe-to-toe with both the Sorcerer Supreme and Scarlet Witch which means their roster of genocidal maniacs is severely limited. If Mephisto has been hanging around with nothing to do and no worlds to destroy, the battle between Agatha and Wanda might’ve landed on his magical radar which makes Agatha’s prediction that Wanda will need her help soon feel even more ominous.

Not The Baby (Arms)!

In the second post-credit scene of the WandaVision finale, while Wanda brews herself a cup of tea and gives us major cottagecore vibes, the astral form of Scarlet Witch is downloading all of the information the Darkhold has to offer. (Side Note: We know a bunch of college kids who would kill for this ability come finals week.) Before the screen cuts to black, the voices of Tommy and Billy (Wanda’s twins who she had to say goodbye to so that her spell over Westview could be lifted) can be heard begging their mother for help.

Marvel’s done some pretty awful things — killing Black Widow, making us suffer through Hawkeye’s mohawk for an entire movie — but getting rid of Tommy and Billy just when we were starting to really love the rascals is cruel, even for Kevin Feige and company. Our bet is that the boys are stuck in the multiverse somewhere, which might be what spurs Wanda to seek Doctor Strange’s help in rescuing them. That theory also ties into a comic book storyline that sees Mephisto (this guy, are we right?) absorbing their powers and using their tiny bodies as his new arms. Graphic novels can obviously get away with weirder plot points, but the idea that Mephisto might seek out Tommy and Billy, wherever they are, to not only gain their abilities but also lay a trap for Wanda — who’s the most powerful being in the MCU right now — isn’t that far-fetched. And really, who doesn’t want an encore of that “Boys, handle the military. Mommy will be right back,” scene, right?

Will The Real Vision Please Synthezoid Up?

It’s a rare thing when a climactic epic superhero battle can take a pause and give us a philosophical lesson using two synthezoids who like reading about ships but that’s exactly what WandaVision did when it had Wanda’s Vision and Hayward’s Vision square off in the town hall. The Ship of Theseus thought experiment asks the question: If an object has all of its parts replaced, does it remain the same object? The two bots ponder this for a bit while Wanda and Agatha throw hex bombs outside, but eventually, Wanda’s Vision is able to use some of the powers from his Mind Stone to unlock memories Hayward has kept from the being that’s now referred to as White Vision. As soon as he’s able to remember everything up until Thanos destroyed him, White Vision flies off to parts unknown but there’s no way the MCU is going to let Paul Bettany glide off into the sunset after he put so much work into making “attraction to synthezoids” a new sexual orientation.

This new Vision has popped up in both the West Coast Avengers comic series and in Tom King’s “The Vision,” so there’s material to pull from should Marvel want to give the character a completely new look. The biggest question will be this: how do you keep that suit clean?

Monica “Un-Grounded” Rambeau

WandaVision gave us one of the more compelling superhero origin stories when they introduced Monica Rambeau to audiences as both a kick-ass S.W.O.R.D. agent and Wanda’s unofficial, non-licensed therapist this season. Monica was the only character who could empathize with the overwhelming loss and suffocating sense of grief the young Avenger was feeling and she inadvertently gained some extraordinary powers when she broke through the Hex in an attempt to save her friend from herself. The finale’s first post-credits scene saw Monica being called to Westview’s abandoned theater by an unknown S.W.O.R.D. official who turned out to be a Skrull in disguise. She told Rambeau, “He heard you’d been grounded. He’d like to meet with you,” before pointing up to the sky. Monica gives her a little smirk, likely signaling she knows who this mysterious “he” is. We do too. It’s Nick Fury, who’s been chilling in space ever since Spider-Man: Far From Home’s end-credits revealed he’d swapped places with Skrull leader Talos for some intergalactic R&R. It’s likely Monica will head to the Skrull’s base where she’ll learn more about her new abilities and reunite with Auntie Carol aka Captain Marvel. Their current relationship seems a little strained but it’s nothing a good space battle and super-powered training montage can’t fix, right?

Pietro Fake-Out

Okay, we refuse to believe Evan Peters came back as Pietro Maximoff just for the payoff to be a pretty weak boner joke. Maybe this “Ralph” wasn’t the real Quicksilver, but that doesn’t take the X-Men tie-in option off the table entirely. In fact, it seems strange that WandaVision dedicated an entire episode to revisiting Wanda’s childhood trauma and revealing she had powers before her HYDRA experiment kicked off, to just nullify all that potential crossover work for some crude high school locker room humor.

Other Marvel works like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. have implied there are people with dormant abilities whose powers can be awakened, and Agatha referred to this herself when she said Wanda’s magic might have “died on the vine” if it hadn’t been charged up by an Infinity Stone. Maybe the key to bringing about mutants to the MCU isn’t the multiverse, but all of the energy released by the stones post-Blip?

Whatever happens in the future, WandaVision has been a worthwhile experiment for Marvel. It’s given fans a needed deep-dive into specific characters so that they could make emotional connections to these heroes — similar to what those early origin story films did for Captain America and Iron Man — and whether everything connects or some storylines are just contained to these spin-off series, this feels like a fresh, new future for the MCU.

We’re all tired of winter. Even though the first day of Spring 2021 isn’t until March 20th, we’ve already got that spring feeling when it comes to the beers we choose. But with the weather in much of the country still pretty chilly, we can’t dive directly from stouts and porters into IPAs, pale ales, and wheat beers.

We have to find a middle ground. And today that means reaching for the goat.

No, we don’t mean Brady or LeBron. We mean bock beers. Bock is the German word for goat and these darker, strong lagers have been brewed for centuries to be imbibed in the spring. While there are different versions, including doppelbocks, maibocks, and even weizenbocks, we’re going to stick to the classic, malty American craft bock this month.

Below, you’ll find ten of our favorite bock beers for spring sipping. Grab one and celebrate the changing seasons a few days early.

Genesee Spring Bock

ABV: 5.2%

Average Price: $10.49 for a 12-pack

The Beer:

This American take on the traditional German-style bock has been brewed since 1951. Sipping on this malty, rich, bold beer is the perfect way to bridge the gap between winter and spring.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find hints of sweet toffee and rich vanilla. The sip is filled with buttery caramel, toasted malts, and a nice, subtly hoppy backbone.

Bottom Line:

This easy-to-drink spring staple is well-suited for that time of the year when the weather outside can’t decide whether it wants to stay winter or move on to spring.

Shiner Bock

ABV: 4.4%

Average Price: $8.99 for a six-pack

The Beer:

There’s no American brewery known more for bock beer than Texas’ Spoetzl Brewery. Its Shiner Bock has been brewed the same way (using roasted barley and hops sourced from Germany) since its inception more than 100 years ago in 1913.

Tasting Notes:

Take a whiff and you’ll find yourself immersed in hints of brown sugar and toasted malts. On the palate, you’ll find sticky toffee, caramel, vanilla, and fresh-baked bread. It all ends with a nice, mellow, sweet finish.

Bottom Line:

If you only drink one American bock beer this spring, make it Shiner Bock. Its low-ABV makes it a highly crushable spring sipper.

Karbach Crawford Bock

ABV: 4.5%

Average Price: $8.99 for a six-pack

The Beer:

This malty brew from Houston’s Karbach brewing was made to pay tribute to the famed Crawford Boxes in the outfield at Minute Maid Park (home of the Houston Astros). It was created to pair with springtime, baseball, and everything that comes along with that.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, expect hints of toasted malts, caramel, and sweet yeast. The palate delivers flavors of toffee, sweet vanilla, fresh grains, fresh bread, and a nice, subtle tart finish.

Bottom Line:

The baseball season starts soon. There might be no better bock beer to pair with the “national pastime”.

Anchor Bock

ABV: 5.5%

Average Price: $3.99 for a 22-ounce bottle

The Beer:

Anchor is well-known for its Steam Beer and Liberty Ale, but its Bock is perfectly suited for spring drinking, especially on cooler days. This strong, dark German-style bock is brewed with specifically selected malts and whole-cone hops. The result is a robust, warming, dark bock that also has the fresh hop flavor of a spring beer.

Tasting Notes:

Take a moment to give this a proper nosing and you’ll find aromas of roasted barley and caramel. The sip is bursting with a combination of chocolate, vanilla, and a nice final hint of resinous hops.

Bottom Line:

Anchor is one of the oldest breweries in America for a reason. Its other beers are more well-known, but its Bock is not to be missed.

Rogue Dead Guy

ABV: 6.8%

Average Price: $11.99 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Rogue is fairly well-known in the craft beer world. But, its most popular beer is Rogue Dead Guy. This German-style bock is made with the brewery’s own Pacman yeast and a nicely balanced mix of malts and hops.

Tasting Notes:

This amber-colored brew begins with aromas of sweet honey, roasted malts, and butter caramel. The sip has hints of toffee, creamy vanilla, and a subtle, pleasing bitter finish.

Bottom Line:

This beer might have a spooky name and an even spookier label, there’s nothing intimidating about this easy sipping classic spring beer.

Troegs Troegenator

ABV: 8.2%

Average Price: $12.99 for a six-pack

The Beer:

This potent double bock is available year-round but is most suited for late winter/early spring drinking. Made with chocolate, Pilsner, and Munich malts, and German Northern Brewer, and Magnum hops, this robust spring brew packs a solid punch.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’re greeted by aromas of roasted espresso beans, sweet caramel, and rich malts. The palate is loaded with crisp hops, dark malts, and buttery vanilla. The finish is a perfectly balanced combination of bitter hops and sweet malts.

Bottom Line:

This bock deserves respect. This highly warming brew is double the ABV of most beers and should be treated as such.

New Glarus Cabin Fever

ABV: 5.5%

Average Price: $8.99 for a six-pack

The Beer:

This Wisconsin-style honey bock is the sweeter version of the classic German style. It’s lighter in flavor and appearance than most bock beers and it’s flavored with clover honey, along with Wisconsin sourced barley and hops from Germany.

Tasting Notes:

Take a moment to breathe in the aromas of sweet honey, subtle bitter hops, and roasted malts. Your palate will be delighted to encounter notes of caramel, clover honey, and sticky toffee. It all ends with a nice, final mix of citrus hops and sweet honey.

Bottom Line:

If you’re looking for a change of pace from the usual American-style bocks, this honey-laden offering will add a little extra sweetness to your day.

Pipeworks Genuine Bock

ABV: 6.66%

Average Price: $14.99 for a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

Pipeworks calls its offering “Genuine Bock” and keeps that promise. Made simply with malts, hops, and a respect for the German-style, it’s a classic example of the style.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find aromas of toasted malts, rich caramel, and just a hint of bitter, piney hops. The sip is full of dried fruits, rich malts, brown sugar, and a final kick of bitter, spicy hops at the very end.

Bottom Line:

If you’re looking for a classic, no-frills, fresh bock, this is the beer for you. Crack one open and sip it as you watch the snow melt outside your window.

Saint Arnold Spring Bock

ABV: 6.9%

Average Price: $9.79 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Every Spring, Saint Arnold releases this seasonal, German-style bock made with authentic German hops. This lager is brewed for its rich malty, subtly sweet, and easy-to-drink flavors.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find notes of raisins, toasted malts, and caramel apples. Take a sip and you’ll pick up notes of butter cookies, brown sugar, fresh bread, and a final finish of ripe, fresh fruity hops.

Bottom Line:

Saint Arnold is dedicated to making classic, European-style beers. Its bock, only available in the spring, is one of its best.

Stevens Point Bock

ABV: 5.2%

Average Price: $8.49 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Stevens Point Bock has been brewed the “old-time way” since 1938. From 1942 until the end of WWII production ceased. But, since then this seasonal, rich roasted, full-flavored brew has landed on shelves every spring.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find aromas of roasted malts, grass, and fresh-baked bread. The sip is a medley of caramelized sugar, vanilla, malts, and a final hint of subtly bitter hops.

Bottom Line:

If you’re a fan of bock beers, this is the classic, old-style brew you’ve been eagerly looking for. It’s made in a traditional way and sure to become a spring tradition for you.