Becky With The Good Hair: If you’ve been on the Internet in the past week, you are at least somewhat aware of Beyonce’s new visual album Lemonade. In true trendspotting fashion, a bar called Canard in Austin, Texas has created a cocktail called Becky With The Good Hair, named for one of the more damning names for Jay-Z’s alleged side chick. (Everyone still following along? Google it if you have to.) The cocktail sounds good, but we’re frankly more interested in Beyonce’s actual lemonade recipe, which was also included on the album.
Bye Bye Birra: Anheuser-Busch snapped up Italian craft brewery Birra Del Borgo last week, furthering their international stranglehold on the beer market. Not much of the deal has been made public yet, but we’re hoping AB leaves their recipes in place instead of their customary practice of building a pyramid of skulls and demanding annual tribute. Come to think of it, that might’ve been the Mongols under Genghis Khan, but it’s close enough.
Have A Nice Day, Says Ancient Skeleton: Archaeologists uncovered a 2,400 year old mosaic in Turkey this week depicting a skeleton kicking back with a big ol’ cup of wine and a loaf of bread under the legend “Be Cheerful, Enjoy Your Life.” If it’s working for old Bones there, we can’t help but recommend the same course. The quicker we accept that we all die, the faster we can have some fun with it, you know? Hey, come back, we’re only halfway through the news.
Weight Loss Through Hops: Scientists recently released a study confirming the important role xanthohumol, a Scrabble-winning word and naturally occurring compound in hops, can be a massive help in encouraging weight loss and lowering cholesterol and blood-sugar levels. Unfortunately, to reap any benefit from beer, you’d have to drink 3,500 pints a day, which is pretty much impossible. Still, it’s a smart-sounding excuse to fling at your judgemental Crossfit friend the next time they throw shade at your third pint.
Numbers Are Made Up: A team of researchers brought on a bit of a buzzkill when they pointed out that different governments around the world have completely different definitions of what constitutes a “standard drink.” This leads to a worldwide state of confusion as to what can actually be considered a “healthy” amount to drink, as the guidelines and legal requirements in different countries vary so widely. To be honest, we mostly go with our skeleton friend’s advice from before– enjoy your life, and let the numbers folks worry about it.
A Little Bit of History: Yuengling Brewery is the oldest brewery in the United States, and has been in the Yuengling family for five generations. Just because they’ve been in business for over a century doesn’t mean that the family hasn’t had its tense moments. Dick Yuengling recounts an eleven year rift with his father that nearly sank the brewery entirely. Give the video a watch, then be thankful that your family’s arguments don’t risk millions of barrels of beer in the balance. Think of the beer!