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 first cloud of gas erupted from amid a crowd of protesters across the street from the apartments, but grew and drifted with the wind. Within seconds, it enveloped the buildings.” No media outlet has done such a comprehensive, empathetic job covering the current unrest in Brooklyn Center following the killing of Duante Wright as Sahan Journal. Their recent coverage of how BC residents are being victimized by the police department’s military tactics is enough to bring home just how much is at stake.
LOOK.// I just rewatched Sharon Shattuck and Ian Cheney’s 2020 documentary, “Picture a Scientist,” for an assignment, and it’s still just as powerful as the first watch. Francis Crick, you absolute pig.
DRINK.// WarPigs Brewing USA’s Foggy Geezer
The 12-pack Hazy IPA is still a novelty because, damn, who can pull off a Hazy that you actually want 12 of? Well, Illinois-based WarPigs can, and that’s why I keep a twelver of Foggy Geezer in the basement fridge at all times. Sultry and with a sharp grapefruit flavor, it’s repeatable and totally weightless.
READ.// “If the Muse has nothing to say about the project that you’re working on, and you really are stuck, ask her what she wants to work on. Tell her it can be anything in any genre. Tell her you aren’t going to try to sell it and that it will just be between the two of you. She can say anything she wants and you will never tell anyone. She needs to know that she can tell the truth. And she needs to know that she can ask you anything and you will tell the truth.” I normally think lists of writing rules are subjective to the point of irrelevance at best and self-aggrandizing bluster at worst, but Hannah Gersen’s charming piece in The Millions, “How to Get the Muse to Visit” is more gentle encouragement than strict dogmatism.
LOOK.// I recently came across illustrator Sheila Sarti’s dreamy, sensitive works via her Instagram account. Her pastel color palette and whimsical subject matter feel like a soothing break for the brain, and I’m tempted to buy a print or two from her new horoscope series.
DRINK.// DEYA Brewing Company’s Steady Rolling Man
I have long thought that the Cheltenham-based DEYA Brewing Company’s Steady Rolling Man is the best contemporary Pale Ale made in the U.K. today—and having it on draft yesterday only confirmed that opinion. Pubs’ and restaurants’ outdoor seating areas opened across the country last week, after having been closed for many months, and downing a fresh, frothy pint in the company of other drinkers felt like a blissful novelty. Even more so in this case: The Steady Rolling Man was resplendent with a mango and tropical fruit character, all while balanced with subtle bass notes of earthy dankness.
READ.// “Sea moss has been used for health reasons by people native to the Atlantic coast of North America, the Caribbean and Europe since the mid-1800s.” I’m an advocate for both modern medicine and “living off the land,” using what’s naturally provided on our planet for the benefit of our bodies. Since COVID-19’s arrival, I’ve been investigating more of the latter—including sea moss, which offers a range of potential health benefits.
LOOK.// The more people try to double down on their unethical, archaic traditions, the more the progressive majority works to share ideas from a wider perspective. Yet, even within these progressive spaces, shit can still feel a little weird for the underrepresented. This talk by rapper, singer, writer, comedian, and actor Jean Grae touches on those tensions.
DRINK.// Calvert Brewing Company’s Black Is Beautiful Black Lager
I’ve had quite a few Black Is Beautiful beers over the past year. The issue with that: I’m more of a Czech Dark Lager fan than a Stout fan, and most of these limited-edition beers have been the latter. I was happy to see Calvert Brewing Company made its new Black Is Beautiful release a Dark Lager instead.
Curated by The GBH Collective
