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.// "Want to enhance sweetness? Use a red light bulb, make the food round rather than angular, or play high-pitched music—all of the above have increased the perception of sweetness in studies.” A few recent experiences in taprooms have got me super into how environmental conditions affect how we perceive flavor, and how much our opinions of a brewery or a beer have nothing to do with what's in the glass. Seeing the science behind it is startling, and anyone opening a pub, taproom or bottle shop should understand these variables.
LOOK.// I have to be honest, it wasn't the hype that first attracted me to Tree House Brewing Co. It was the cans—specifically, the cans by artist Dean McKeever. Most of his cartoon imagery is childish in aesthetic, but somehow always speaks to a contented solitude, a peaceful moment that most adults crave sometimes. His Instagram shows his wide range, and a more hand-drawn aesthetic that never makes it to the cans. His simple illustrations of houses with smoking chimneys never fail to draw me in.
DRINK.// Cotswold Brew Co.’s Nutcracker
I am a sucker for a Christmas beer—usually I get through De Dolle Stille Nacht or St. Bernardus Christmas Ale at a rate that scares the in-laws—but this year I'll also be enjoying the amazing Cotswold Brew Co.'s Doppelbock. Lagered for a full year and loaded with notes of burnt caramel, sweet nuttiness, and brown bread, it's the best match for a mince pie I've found yet.
READ.// “Taken from an unstable home. Terrified by their first contact with the state. Emotionally and cognitively damaged in care as they are moved from home to home. Robbed of an education equal to their peers. Turned out to the streets unprepared to stand on their own. And changed for life.” This investigation by the Kansas City Star shows how the U.S. is failing a population we promised to protect—foster children. The report found a strong tie between children who have been in the foster care system and rates of incarceration. Essentially, kids are taken from their family units, exposed to neglect and instability, and then spit out into society without proper skills or social networks.
LOOK.// I think most people are familiar with OK Go and their music video for the song “Here It Goes Again,” which features the band dancing on moving treadmills. However, I had no idea that OK Go pretty much always does something wild and highly choreographed for every one of their music videos. Their YouTube page is a vault of intricate and wonderfully whimsical dances, each of which has millions of views.
DRINK.// Middle Brow Beer Co’s Bungalow
Am I talking about the beer or the pizza place? In this instance it’s the beer—a wonderfully quaffable Lager that I opened my last can of last night. Luckily, this beer is available both on tap and in cans from Bungalow (the place with the pizzas), and I’ll take any reason to visit this warm and lovely neighborhood spot, which has quickly become one of my favorite places in Chicago. As they say on the can, “Drink when you’re craving a beer.”
READ.// “I first heard of Owe Bergsten in a pub in 2017, his story told like some kind of Swedish folktale. It was the story of a man, a lie, a video game handheld, and a business empire, and it was told with such breathless enthusiasm that I kept buying pints so that I could hear more.” This story looks at the foundational lie told by a Swedish businessman who effectively used that falsehood to build Nintendo as we know it.
LOOK.// I'm a sucker for games that are basically interactive graphic novels. Disco Elysium has it all: an incredible million+ word, pseudo sci-fi narrative; your brain as an active character; a sidekick who makes Shakespearean foils look amateurish; etc.
DRINK.// Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
I had this on draft for the first time in probably a decade. There's a reason this Cascade dream is a classic. ’Nuff said.
Curated by The GBH Collective
