Drizzy+ Whiskey = Drizzkey: Cultural behemoth, Degrassi star and occasional rapper Drake has announced the launch of his own whiskey line. According to the first look post on his Instagram, the whiskey will be called Virginia Black. The package is admittedly dope, but no word yet on how much you’ll have to drink before leaving your ex a rambling voicemail.
Cigar City Brewing In A New Humidor: Florida craft brewery Cigar City announced plans to be acquired by Fireman Capital this week. The purchase will technically be held by the Oskar Blues Holding Company, a wholly-owned division of Fireman that includes stakes of Oskar Blues, Perrin Brewing and Utah Brewers Cooperative. Beer geek reactions have been mixed, but most agree this is far preferable to the previous rumors of an Anheuser-Busch buyout. For the record, Jai Alai is yet to spontaneously combust on the shelves, so feel free to keep drinking it.
Bathwater Beer: Architect Russ Drinker– his real name– and Half Moon Bay Brewing Company have teamed up to design and release Mavericks Tunnel Vision IPA, a beer brewed entirely with reclaimed gray water to offer alternative water use in the face of California’s infamous current drought. Gray water is reclaimed from showers and sinks, so while it’s not as gnarly as sewage, the state still will not allow the beer to be sold just yet. Early tastings have been favorable, so there’s still a chance we’ll enter an era of slightly gross but sustainable brewing.
Beer Continues Reign As Wonder Drug: Homulones and lupulones, naturally occurring chemicals that arise from hops in beer, are on the scientific stage this week. Chemists from the American Chemical Society announced that they are close to synthesizing these compounds in a lab environment, allowing them to be harnessed for their anti-cancerous and anti-inflammatory purposes. Until they succeed, we’ll have to rely on the pint-by-pint delivery method.
Light It Up: Given humanity’s love of explosions, flaming drinks are not a surprising development in and of themselves. But who was the first to look at a refreshing beverage and say, “I’ll sacrifice my eyebrows for this idea?” Take a look at the history of blazing booze, then start practicing you own Blue Blazer tricks (with water, please.)
Paging Mr. Depp: The minds behind the Ron Burgundy-themed bar Stay Classy have said that they are developing another bar concept based around Tim Burton. There’s no word yet on what specific decor they’ll use to capture the director’s childlike-yet-creepy vibe, but we’re not discounting rumors of the team freezing Helena Bonham Carter in carbonite.