These are the words, images, and beers that inspired the GBH Collective this week. Drinking alone just got better, because now you're drinking with all of us.
READ. // "If one looks at the Earth as a kind of living organism, as many biologists do, you could say that it was shot by a bullet and almost died." Maybe because it was 1 a.m., and maybe because it was a long weekend, and maybe also because I'd had 10 cocktails just prior, but this New Yorker article about dinosaurs, paleontology, and life-ending global cataclysms was...deeply moving? I might have gently wept while reading it?
LOOK. // Met Gala night is always one of the best nights on Twitter—even if this year's theme taught me that I truly have no idea what "camp" means—and this gallery includes all the best and weirdest and most questionable looks of the event. Scrolling through and heckling is even better when done in pajamas, on the couch, while eating fistfuls of chips. That’s camp! Maybe!
DRINK. // Empirical Spirits' Minor Threat (Helena)
A friend brought this minimalist, black can to a weekend barbecue, and I'm still not clear on what was inside of it. But that's okay: Empirical Spirits doesn't seem to know either. The boundary-pushing, Copenhagen-based distillery makes category-defying spirits using all kinds of unusual ingredients and fermentation techniques (they're big into koji). This—their second RTD can release—is sorta like a cocktail, though that's not a term they use. I can tell you that it's made with oolong tea and toasted birch, and has a savory, nutty edge. It's also soft, lactic, with a bit of gooseberry tartness and creamy froth. It was strange, unlike anything I've had before, and deeply beguiling.
READ. // “My father has been making these pickles for 47 years now. The recipe is now older than Richard lived to be.” If you've ever had a recipe from a deceased friend or a loved one passed on to you, then this piece by Mari Uyehara will be achingly familiar.
LOOK. // I get lost in each surrealist collage by @mattattack426—a true highlight of my Instagram feed.
DRINK. // Barco Reale D.O.C. di Carmignano Le Farnete
Over the past year, I've become obsessed with Alsatian white wines, to the point where I have to push myself to grab a bottle of red. Last fall, I absolutely fell for Italian reds, while spending a couple weeks eating and drinking my way through the central part of the country. This particular bottle is a Sangiovese and Cab blend that's pleasantly fruity, balanced with spice and subtle tannins.
READ. // "Since 2010, Arya has steadily risen in popularity to 135th place, with 2,156 babies born in 2017 taking the name." Many, including myself, have been glued to HBO the last few Sundays. But even after Game of Thrones ends, the characters will live on in the next generation of children. Fans of the show are naming their kids Sansa, Theon, Khaleesi—even Winter. [Editor’s note: what in the world.] And, of course, there’s Arya. Arya for President, 2060!
LOOK. // PostSecret is an ongoing community art project that invites participants to mail in their secrets anonymously from all over the world. Some, like one with a photo of Martha Stewart that reads, "Until recently I believed Martha's Vineyard belonged to her," are funny. Others are heartbreaking—like the postcard of a man with his face scratched off that reads: "We had plans! I trusted you with 25 years!"
DRINK. // Notch Brewing’s Fire Walk With Me
This month, Notch is celebrating nine years of brewing classic-style, session ales. To commemorate the milestone, the team made Fire Walk With Me, a smoky Rauchbier that paired beautifully with Schweinshaxen (pork knuckle served with potato dumplings).
Curated by The GBH Collective
