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.// “The disappearance of Black catchers specifically has particular importance as it pertains to the sport’s even more glaring lack of Black leadership. There are just two Black managers in MLB: Dusty Baker of the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Dave Roberts, who was born to a Black father and Japanese mother. None of the three managers hired this offseason is Black. Meanwhile, more than a third of the current managers are former catchers.” America's systemic racism has managed to invade its national pastime. Can't say I'm surprised, just angry and disappointed.
LOOK.// David Lynch's “TODAY'S NUMBER IS...” series is as odd as you'd expect from him. But when consumed habitually alongside his daily weather reports, the oddball nature starts to fade and you're left with a delightful 2+ minutes to start your day. And a new number to do with what you will, each and every day.
DRINK.// Noble Beast Brewing Co's Union Pils Bohemian Lager
So happy that one of my favorite Cleveland breweries finally started canning. Thrilled that they're distro'd in Columbus. This beer, in particular, is a gem. Brewed in the traditional style with a double decoction and then lagered for two months, it's crisp, with a slight chewiness to the malt, cut perfectly with a bit of zest from the Saaz hops. Just like Lynch's daily videos, this one's become a bit of a habit.
READ.// “‘Creating a vision for Treaty 4 territory aligns our food system vision with the process of decolonization and reconciliation between Indigenous and settler populations,’ wrote the Sacred Cow team in its proposal summary. ‘We believe that creating a just and sustainable agrifood system is dependent on the unity of the people who contribute to and depend on that system. Treaty Four is a space in which to envision the healing required—among people and with the land—in order to create a common vision for 2050.’” One of many repulsive truths of colonialism is the ability of the aggressor to manipulate longstanding indigenous traditions and describe those traditions as demonic. It's pleasing to see many seams in society on the verge of abandoning the mending plates of generational greed and racism.
LOOK.// I've been a little down in the dumps lately—COVID, that president, Clemson lost to Notre Dame—but listening to The Black Pumas gets me in a vibe.
DRINK.// Modern Times Beers’ Black House: Vanilla Latte Edition
I recently had a socially distanced rooftop hangout with a couple of my boys. There were tons of beers being thrown around, but this veritable sex symbol stood out from the pack. I'm usually disgusted with the overly adjunct-heavy Stouts, but damn this was fire.
READ.// “‘[t]he Republican Party has become a source of Cuban American identity.’ Having historically benefited substantially from government programs (which, ironically, have largely been enacted by Democrats) that grant them preferential immigration treatment and financial assistance, young Cuban Americans feel they can safely support Trump, because they have faith that he and the Republican Party will shield them from harm.” I’m Cuban, and I was both displeased and unsurprised by the number of Cuban-Americans who voted for Trump this year. This article pulls back the curtain as to why Cubans feel such an alignment to the Republican Party and demonstrates two things: One, ethnic groups are not a monolith, and two, access to power and status often means that instead of fighting for everyone to be free, you instead only fight for yourself. This article is a reminder that I need to work within my Cuban-American sphere to promote equity and hopefully the 2024 election will see more Cubans vote for policies that benefit all.
LOOK.// Anytime I’m down in the dumps I watch improbable sports moments. One of my favorites is this clip from the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. 2008 was the year that swimmer Michael Phelps was in the running to win eight gold medals. In most of his races he was the favorite by a long shot, but there was one race it was thought he could not win: the 4x100 freestyle relay. The heavily favored French team was far ahead by the fourth leg … and then Jason Lezak jumped in the pool. Lezak was the oldest person on the team, and if you listen to the clip, you can hear the commentators talk about his age and already resign themselves to a French victory. But in the last 25 meters, Lezak caught the star of the French team, Alain Bernard, and won the race by 0.08 seconds. It’s one of my favorite moments of all time, and Lezak’s efforts meant Phelps was successful in his pursuit of eight gold medals.
DRINK.// Margaritas in To-Go Coffee Cups from Every Takeout Place
When I was a barista, we’d call a beer in a to-go cup “a foamy latte.” If you’ve ever worked in service, you’ve probably had a moment when you were closing up and opted to indulge in something as you swept the floors and counted the register. With so many cities, including Chicago, relaxing rules on to-go cocktails in the wake of the newest lockdown, enjoying mixed drinks in to-go cups brings me back to my early barista days—the clandestine thrill of a drink sneakily sipped from your “coffee cup.”
Curated by The GBH Collective
