It’s easy to overlook ergonomics when drinking a beer. That IPA’s taste and aroma might be front and center, but the drinking vessel is essential to the experience. Is it a clean pint glass? A crumpled 16-ounce can? If luck shines down, you’ll be drinking that beer from a stubby bottle. Stubbies, the classic, squat brown vessel, are the perfect size for a palm—deceivingly packing the usual 12 ounces of beer (or, occasionally, a Spinal Tap-inspired 11).
But unlike a common longneck bottle, the stockier glass feels more substantial, a nod to a bygone era of thoughtful beer-receptacle craftsmanship. And here begins the story of stubbies.
Emerging from Prohibition in the 1930s, breweries began experimenting with different packaging formats to deliver beer to thirsty drinkers. Gottfried Krueger Brewing of New Jersey sold America’s first canned beers to the public in 1935, ushering in our entrenched era of canned suds.
Not to be outdone, the glass industry responded by rolling out squat, sturdy, can-like shortneck bottles that were easy to stack and ship. Milwaukee’s Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company, makers of Schlitz lager, pioneered the practice with the introduction of its so-called “steinie” bottle, due to its resemblance to a beer stein. Bottles with stubbier necks got the “stubby” label.
The rise, fall, and rise again of stubbies
The low-rise bottles ruled until the 1950s, when bottle necks grew longer, slimmer, and increasingly commonplace. As the lager-loaded longneck entered its reign alongside cans, stubbies abdicated from store shelves—except (interestingly) up in the beer-loving North. In Canada, stubby bottles stubbornly held on for decades, remaining standard until the early 1980s, when a marketing-inspired shift to the taller, slimmer “American” bottles led to at least one fruitless, patriotism-fueled “Bring Back the Stubby” campaign.
Thankfully, all stubbies didn’t end up in the historic landfill. Today, breweries both big and small are embracing the nostalgia-fueled bottle—a point of packaging differentiation in a world full of whimsically labeled 16-ounce cans. Stubbies today are filled with throwback lagers, as well as modern IPAs dolled up with the latest hops.
Here are five glass acts that are great to grip and drink.
1. Full Sail Brewing Co. Session Premium Lager
ABV: 5%
The West Coast was once awash in stubby bottles filled with lagers such as California’s Lucky and Seattle-born Rainier. The format was essentially extinct until 2005 when Hood River, Oregon-based Full Sail packaged a full-flavored lager—the kind you might’ve found in pre-Prohibition America—in stubby 11-ounce bottles. Session Premium has since launched a line of Session beers sold in stubbies, including a hefeweizen and a hazy IPA.
First brewed in 1928, the classic Jamaican lager entered its iconic stubbies phase in 1965 and soon became a Caribbean vacay drinking institution. To this day, a cold, grippable Red Stripe goes great with hot jerk chicken and good times. Bottled Red Stripe is still brewed right in Jamaica. Meanwhile, its canned and drafted offshoots are now produced in the Netherlands.
Vermont is synonymous with hazy IPAs, but the state’s best-selling draft beer is its unfiltered Switchback Ale. The style-defying amber ale, rich in malt and redolent of fruit thanks to the brewery’s custom yeast strain, is an ideal fit for a stubby. Natural bottle conditioning (aka “refermentation”) creates a gentle fizz from first to final sip.
4. Molson Coors Beverage Company Coors Banquet Beer
ABV: 5%
Coors emerged from Prohibition with a bang-up idea: Why not package its popular lager, nicknamed “banquet beer” by Colorado miners, in stubby bottles? The Colorado mega-brewery-to-be first used stubbies in 1936, the label announcing the lager was “thoroly aged”—a whimsically simplified spelling that never stuck. Or did it? Coors revived stubbies in 2013, reviving the “thoroly aged” tag on its commemorative packaging.
Latin American culture and culinary traditions inspire the beers of Miami’s Veza Sur, where horchata-inspired cream ales are brewed alongside guava-infused sour ales and the ToronjIPA that’s packed with grapefruit. The brewery (owned by AB InBev) also packages many of its beers as stubbies, including a must-try sunny South Coast IPA that stars citrusy Amarillo and tropical Citra hops.
There’s no doubt when the weather turns colder as we settle into winter, stouts take center stage. And while we enjoy all its iterations: standard stout, imperial stout, and robust barrel-aged stouts, we think this malty, chocolate-filled beer’s close cousin deserves a little respect as well. Of course, we’re talking about the oft-overlooked porter. And the best porters, oh buddy, they’ll have you rethinking your seasonal bevvie of choice.
For those uninitiated, the porter style had its genesis in England like many other iconic beer styles. It first appeared in the 1700s and is (you guessed it) named after porters—individuals tasked with transporting luggage.
A confusing origin story
“Stout is the direct descendant of porter. In the 1700s, it was common to use the word ‘stout’ to refer to a bolder, higher-alcohol version of any beer style, much in the same way we use the word ‘imperial’ today,” says Zach Fowle, advanced cicerone and head of marketing for Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in Phoenix, AZ. “Porter was the most popular beer of the day, and over time, “stout porter” became a popular variant. But by the late 1800s, demand for regular porters evaporated, and stout porter shortened simply to stout.”
But more has changed between the 1800s and today than just our penchant for wearing top hats. “Today, most brewers seem to market beers as either stout or porter based on vibes, rather than on any notable stylistic differences,” he says.
Specifically, porters are known for their dark, almost pitch-black color and rich, sweet flavor profile. If you were to drink a porter and a stout side by side, you might even have difficulty discerning the differences between the two.
Stout versus porter is an enduring topic of discussion in the brewing industry. “While there’s no debating the porter came first—and stout used to be called stout porter, so it was a stronger version of a porter—the lines have become very blurred over the years,” says Rob Lightner, co-founder of East Brother Brewing in Richmond, CA.
“I would venture that even among professionals, a blind taste test would often yield inconclusive results,” says Lightner.
The difference between porters and stouts
Porters tend to be on the milder, more chocolatey end of the spectrum, Lightner says, whereas stouts are typically a little stronger and more roasty. Of course, this isn’t a hard and fast rule
Fowle agrees, “Porters tend to be fruitier, sweeter, and less bitter than stouts, with cocoa and caramel flavors in balance with dark malt bitterness. And stouts are usually hoppier, drier, maltier, and more coffee-forward—and may even have a touch of acidity.”
Whether or not they fit neatly into boxes, one thing’s for sure: both make for incredible cold-weather brews.
“As the nights grow longer, drinking a light, summery beer just doesn’t seem right,” says Fowle. “Porter is the perfect style for the transition to winter: warming and toasty yet not too heavy, with flavors of coffee, chocolate, and pie crust that correspond with autumn weather and holidays.”
It’s the perfect time to broaden your repretoire. Sweet, robust, warming, and well-suited to the season, here are the best porters to drink now.
1. Deschutes Black Butte Porter
There are few porters more well-respected than Deschutes’ iconic Black Butte Porter. It’s brewed with Cascade and Tettnang hops as well as 2-row, Chocolate, Crystal, and Carapils malts as well as wheat. This 5.5% ABV year-round offering is great for cold-weather drinking because of its mix of roasted malts, coffee, and chocolate. It’s a robust, subtly sweet beer perfect for imbibing on a crisp fall night.
The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.
“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.
If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.
Directions
Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.
Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength
Circuit 1
A. Barbell Back Squat
Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps
B. Renegade Row
Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side
Circuit 2
A. Dumbbell Bentover Row
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps
B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised
Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 3
A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Circuit 4
A. Pullup
Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top. Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 5
A. Dumbbell Pushup
Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
B. Biceps Curl
Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
If you haven’t picked up a jump rope since elementary school, you’re missing out on a fantastic cardio workout. Not only will you burn a ton of calories in a short amount of time—200 to 300 calories in 15 minutes—but jump ropes can also improve your coordination and agility. Better yet, jumping rope doesn’t require much space, so it’s easy to do at home, and it’s often more mentally stimulating than jogging or swimming.
Choosing a Jump Rope
When deciding which jump rope is best for you, it’s important to determine what your goals are. While lightweight speed ropes are popular for cardio-focused training, weighted or drag ropes will be best for those focused on strength training.
No matter what your training goals are, we’ve got you covered with this roundup of 10 jump ropes from top brands including Crossrope, TRX, Rogue, and more.
The Best Jump Ropes of 2022
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!