Last fall, Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert was playing the best basketball of his careeruntil November 12, when he dislocated his foot in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was an injury far too gruesome to show on replay, the kind involving a mangled extremity that causes teammates and opponents to collectively shake their heads in disbelief while the crowd sits in absolute silence. (Seriously, dont Google it.) Except, LeVert remembers, it didnt actually hurt that much. At first.

I was more mad than anything, he says. I wasnt even thinking of the pain, which was probably partially adrenaline and disbelief. It didnt hit me until we got in the ambulance 15 minutes after they carted me off the court, and my trainer was talking to metrying to distract me. Next thing I know, theyre jerking my foot, and thats when I realised, Oh, this is real. That moment was the worst pain Ive ever felt.

Remarkably, after doctors popped LeVerts foot back into place, no surgery was required. He missed three months, but returned to action in February. He had an (understandably) up-and-down remainder of the season, but capped it off with an impressive performance in the first round of the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers.

This offseason, LeVert prioritised strengthening his foot and ankle by employing a variety of balancing drills, while also squeezing in a healthy amount of hooping. LeVert logged four-a-days: two on-the-court workouts and two off-the-court workouts. Thats an encouraging development for Nets fans hoping hell emerge as the teams second star this season, behind Kyrie Irving (and third star next season when Kevin Durant presumably returns after suffering a ruptured Achilles.)

A few weeks ago, I spoke to LeVert about the full extent of his offseason routine, recent changes to his diet, and his affection for float tanks. At the time of our conversation, LeVert was gearing up for his first-ever trip to China as part of a preseason double-header against the Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey had yet to fire off his fateful tweet about Hong Kong. LeVert said he was looking forward to the overseas experience, which presumably became a bit more complicated than originally anticipated.

'As Ive matured and learned more about food, Ive stopped eating as much for taste'

GQ: Can you walk me through a normal day for you this offseason?

Caris LeVert: I took about two weeks off after we lost to the 76ers in the playoffs. After that, I started my workouts here in Brooklyn. First, Id get some breakfast inusually two or three eggs, some veggies like broccoli, and I love oatmeal in the morning, too. Id head to the gym around 9 a.m. to do a 30-minute lift. We call those correctives, where youre more working on balance drills, hamstrings, and core work. The Nets are big on that. The corrective workout isnt your typical lift, but it helps strengthen your little muscles.

Then, Id have an hour-and-a-half workout on the court, and after that is a bigger upper- or lower-body lift. Id get some treatment, do some more balance drills to strengthen my ankle back up. Then Id usually go home and take a nap, chill for a couple hours, and head back to the gym later that night and get a bunch of shots up.

Have you always stuck to a healthy-sounding diet?

No, thats been the biggest adjustment the past couple of years: I wasnt really very educated on what makes up a healthy diet. In college, I would eat a lot of Five Guys and burgers. Everybody eats differently, but thats not the best for your digestive system, and Ive learned that over the years. Now I stay away from pork, beef, and things like that. I stick to chicken a couple times a week, and I eat a lot of fish and veggies. I dont really like fruit, so I drink a lot of smoothies to get my fruit intake up.

Yeah, Ive seen that the Nets are big on pre-game fruit smoothies.

Weve got a couple smoothie-makers. Ill drink one on game days, and then any other day, if you ask for one, youll get it. I think as Ive matured and learned more about food, Ive stopped eating as much for taste. I eat and drink based on what I need in my body. Usually my smoothies have strawberries, bananas, some sort of vegetable, a protein powder, almond milk, honey, blueberries, and sometimes orange juice.

Whats the one thing you still sneak in when you can?

Chocolate chip cookies. I cant go too long without having one. Theyve gotta be homemade, straight out of the oven. I dont like the store-bought stuff. They need to be crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.

I read that you eat Chipotle five times a week. True or false?

True, though Im sad to say me and Chipotle have cut ties a little bit. I got sick eating while training in LA over the summer, and Im not positive, but I think it was Chipotle, so I havent had it since. It was definitely tough at first, but Im doing alright now, starting to get used to not eating it every day.

'I do things like the float tank, which helps me get into that mindframe of calmness. I take that really seriously'

I wrote a hot take essay for GQ where I proudly proclaimed that Qdoba is better than Chipotle, so this is an issue near and dear to my heart. Are you familiar with Qdoba?

I am, and wow, I disagree with that statement. I know a lot of people think that, though, so I dont know if its even a hot take. Maybe its a Midwest thing, but in high school and college, people really liked Qdoba more than Chipotle. To each their own.

You weighed 162 pounds when you arrived at Michigan in 2012. Were you getting thrown around at practice your freshman year?

Honestly, I wasnt. I was so used to playing at that size that I adjusted to it. People probably werent used to seeing someone that small. Playing in the Big 10 was definitely an adjustment though. Unlike a lot of other conferences, its very physical and defense-based. I feel like at a lot of other conferences, everybody scores 80 or 90 points a game, but Big 10 scoring was in the 40s when I was there. I definitely had to bulk up. Some of that happened naturally, but I had a great strength coach too who prepared me for the next level. Going into my sophomore season, I was up to 190, 195. I stayed at Michigan through the summers when people went home and dedicated all my time to my body and my game, and it paid off for me.

One of the many, many reasons I did not advance past high school basketball: I avoided the weight room like the plague. How was your workout regimen growing up?

My high school coach my junior and senior year was a man named Jerry Francis. He played basketball at Ohio State and is one of their all-time great players. He started to get us in the weight room, and I hated the weight room. Wed go in there and Id act like I was doing stuff, but I really wasnt. Id do a pull-up here, maybe a bench press there, but I wanted to play basketball. I was not dedicated to the weight room. He changed my mindset and pushed me on that, which I appreciate him for. But back then, I really didnt want to be there.

Youve had to deal with a couple annoying and painful injuries over the years. Do you practice any relaxation techniques or meditation so you dont go stir crazy during those rehab periods?

Ive been doing headspace stuff since before I had any of those injuries. [John Beilein, current Cleveland Cavaliers coach and former Michigan Wolverines coach] actually brought someone in who taught that stuff to us, and Ive carried it with me ever since. I do meditation and visualisation before every game. I do things like the float tank, which helps me get into that mindframe of calmness. I take that really seriously.

How long does a float tank session last?

As long as you want it to, but I usually do an hour. You go into a podits kind of like The Matrix. The first time I did it, I was a little skeptical, because Im claustrophobic. You put headphones on, you dont hear anything, and its pitch-black. Its just you and your thoughts. I use that time for meditation, focusing on breathing and visualisation. I do that once or twice a week during the season, and it relaxes me.

Steph Curry ranked the Nets popcorn selection second-best in the league. Have you tried it?

Nah, Im not a big popcorn guy. Ive heard its fire, though.

For a while, I know PB&Js were all the rage in the NBA.

I used to eat a bunch of those my rookie year. Charlotte had the best PB&Jsthey had them toasted or something like that. But I dont really eat that anymore. At halftime now Ill eat, like, pineapples. Just trying to stay consistent with it, you know?

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Real-Life Diet is a series in which GQ talks to athletes, celebrities, and everyone in-between about their diets and exercise routines: what's worked, what hasn't, and where they're still improving. Keep in mind, what works for them might not necessarily be healthy for you.

The hardcore fitness diary of a Strictly contestant

The nine-to-five workout of a world-class sprinter

The founder of F45 teaches you how to keep healthy on a long-haul flight

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The real-life diet of Caris LeVert, who swears by fruit smoothies - British GQ

According to a federal indictment, Mossimo Giannulli, Lori Loughlin's husband, admitted that he had to "work the system" to have his daughter admitted to USC. Giannulli and his wife both face multiple charges in the college admissions scandal, including conspiracy fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, and this marks the very first time that either one has come close to making any mention of wrongdoing. People reports that authorities found several emails mentioning the scheme involving falsified crew photos and more evidence that could be incriminating.

The indictment found that William "Rick" Singer, the man behind the scandal, emailed Giannulli and Loughlin, saying he needed Isabella Roses school transcript and test scores "very soon while I create a coxswain portfolio for her."

John Shearer/Getty Images

RELATED: Lori Loughlin Is Reportedly "Terrified" About Her New Charges

He added, "It would probably help to get a picture of her on an ERG in workout clothes like a real athlete." People notes that an ERG is an indoor rowing machine that crew athletes use to train when they're not out on the water.

"Fantastic," Giannulli allegedly responded. "Will get all." After procuring everything Singer had requested, Giannulli reportedly got a $200,000 invoice. In an email dated April 2017, he then sent that invoice to his accountant, along with a note that read, "Good news my daughter [...] is in [U]SC [...] bad is I had to work the system."

In April, the couple rejected a deal from federal prosecutors. They are now awaiting a trial after pleading not guilty to all charges, though they still have the opportunity to plead guilty to the latest bribery charge, which was added this week.

RELATED: We Finally Know the USC Enrollment Status of Lori Loughlin's Daughters

In a statement issued to People, U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lellling explained the new charges: "Today's charges are the result of ongoing investigation in the nationwide college admissions case. Our goal from the beginning has been to hold the defendants fully accountable for corrupting the college admissions process through cheating, bribery, and fraud. The superseding indictments will further that effort."

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Lori Loughlin's Husband Reportedly Admitted to Working the System - Yahoo Lifestyle

Many processed foods earn high marks for convenience but poor marks for health. But the truth is, the term processed spans a wide range of foods, from healthful pre-washed salad greens (some form of processing occurs to wash and bag the greens) to less healthful processed meats. When it comes to processed foods, the magic is in the minimal minimally processed, that is. Minimally processed foods can simplify prepping and cooking so you can enjoy nourishing and filling meals without spending too time in the kitchen. Its still a good idea to limit the overly processed stuff, but in the name of convenience, I rounded up the 19 processed foods nutritionists cant live without. Here are the items that deserve a spot in your kitchen.

Your goal, should you choose to accept it, is to select healthful, minimally processed foods that save time and enable you to eat well. Whole grain brown rice is a stellar example. It can take up to 45 minutes to make brown rice on the stovetop, but the pre-cooked, frozen brown rice is ready in just 3-4 minutes, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, author of "The Superfood Swap". She recommends adding it to burrito bowls and stir fries.

If youre cooking dried beans from scratch, the Instant Pot shaves some time. But the canned variety saves even more! I love the convenience of canned black beans versus cooking them from scratch, says Keri Gans, RDN, author of "The Small Change Diet" and creator of The Keri Report. Theyre a good source of fiber and plant-based protein and they make a healthy addition to my pasta Bolognese sauce, baked potato, or a bowl of sauted veggies and barley.

When youre using canned beans, be sure to buy no- or low-sodium varieties and if they contain any sodium, give them a good rinse under running water, which reduces the salt count considerably.

While were on the subject of beans, heres another healthy processed food to add to your cart. Roasted garbanzo beans are loaded with plant-protein and fiber so theyre an incredibly satisfying snack, says Jackson Blatner. You can make your own in the oven, but it takes about 30 minutes (and truthfully I can never get them the perfect texture). The pre-made ones come in lots of delish sweet and savory flavors. I love traveling with these in my purse and they also taste great on salads.

A typical bowl of pasta is high in carbs and low in fiber and protein. Since these two substances make meals filling, you may find yourself downing multiple portions to satisfy your appetite. You can balance out your pasta and boost the fiber and protein by tossing in foods like veggies and shrimp, but you could also swap it with some bean-based pasta to get a head start. When I don't have anything prepared for dinner and Im short on time, lentil or chickpea pasta is my go-to, says Angie Asche, RD, of Eleat Sports Nutrition. She points out that they're much higher in protein and fiber than traditional wheat pasta. One serving typically provides at least 20 grams of protein and the only ingredient in the product I use is organic chickpea flour or green lentil flour. Since pasta is always dressed up in sauce, its a nutritious upgrade thats hardly noticeable.

Vegetarians swear by this plant-based protein so whether youre a meat-eater or not, take note. As a vegetarian, I always have a block of tempeh in my fridge to add quick protein to my meals. Technically, tempeh is considered a processed form of soy because its made by fermenting cooked soybeans and then molding them into a dense block with some grains (typically rice). With that, it has a dense and chewy texture that I really like, as well as a nutty flavor, explains NYC-based registered dietitian, Natalie Rizzo.

For all you protein seekers, Rizzo also notes that a half block of tempeh has about 20 grams of protein and just 240 calories. Another bonus: The fermentation process creates beneficial probiotics, she says. If you arent sure how to make it, Rizzo offers this pro tip that doesnt require any skill: Just throw it in a pan with a marinade for a few minutes and add to a rice bowl.

Stocking up on frozen produce makes a ton of sense! A recent study found that people who eat these frozen gems consume more produce than people who dont keep their freezers stocked. The frozen fruit and veggie eaters also had higher intakes of fiber, potassium, calcium, and vitamin D nutrients that many Americans fall short on.

Im a big smoothie lover, so my freezer is always stocked with frozen fruits and veggies. And what I love about frozen produce is that its flash frozen at the peak of freshness, locking in great taste and nutrients, so you can eat it out of season, says Rizzo. Not only can you enjoy fresh fruit and veggies year-round, but buying frozen also makes organic produce more affordable.

Its a common misconception that canned fruit is loaded with added sugar and while it can be canned in heavy syrup, its often canned in juice. While I love fresh pineapple chunks, its challenging to get a sweet, affordable, fresh pineapple in the dead of winter in New England. Thats why I head to the canned fruit aisle for the canned variety packed in juice. A cup of canned chunks provides about 100 calories, over 2 grams of fiber, and almost 30 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C for the bargain price of about a buck, says Joan Salge Blake, RD, a nutrition professor at Boston University and the host of the hit nutrition and wellness podcast, "SpotOn!".

Canned pineapple chunks are a great way to sweeten stir fries without added sugar or you can try serving the drained chunks with some lower-sugar granola, chopped nuts, and a spoonful of creamy Greek yogurt for a delicious snack or dessert.

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Notice a theme here? When fresh tomatoes are no longer in season, I rely heavily on canned tomato products, like canned diced tomatoes and tomato puree, says Jackie Newgent, RDN, culinary nutritionist, author of "The Clean & Simple Diabetes Cookbook", and advisor to Lunch Unpacked. In other words, when you want the best out-of-season produce, frozen or canned may be the way to go. Nutritional speaking, tomatoes are canned at their peak of ripeness, nutritional value, flavor and color, says Newgent who also shares that they pack a nutritional advantage. Theyre loaded with lycopene, a health-promoting plant nutrient, which is actually enhanced by the processing.

Heres a fresh, pre-prepped veggie mix that will instantly boost the healthfulness of your next Taco Tuesday. Jackson Blatner points out that cabbage is a superfood thats in the same veggie family as kale and broccoli. Getting it pre-shredded is a major time saver. Plus, to make it from scratch, you need two heads of cabbage (green and red) which is waaaay too much to eat before it goes bad, she explains. The packed mix will minimize food waste. In addition to tacos, Jackson Blatner says she loves it in lunch bowls and stir fries.

Need something to go with that chickpea or lentil pasta? Jarred marinara sauce to the rescue! I have 3 kids and one of them doesnt eat meat, so we eat a fair amount of regular and chickpea pasta. While I love the idea of making marinara from scratch, its time-consuming and I usually only have 20-30 minutes to get dinner on the table," says Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, author of "Eating in Color" and creator of the FLR VIP program. She recommends choosing a marina sauce with no added sugars and a reasonable amount of sodium to make this convenience item a very healthy option. Jarred marinara sauce also offers the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to improving eye, skin and bone health and may help reduce the risk of prostate and breast cancer, she says.

Herbs and seasonings are one way to boost the flavor of wholesome foods, but hot sauce is another. When creating healthful cuisine, I love sneaking in ingredients to assure flavors are as good or better than not-so-healthful options. I find that adding a few drops of hot sauce to select dishes, especially soups and stews, provides that bonus oomph to create extra enjoyment, says Newgent. Hot sauces are vegetable-based usually with peppers making them versatile in cooking. Newgent recommends using one without sodium bisulfite or other preservatives.

Kudos to anyone whos making broth from scratch, but if youve got better things to do with your time (like binge watching two seasons of Killing Eve), theres no shame in taking this shortcut. While I'd love to make my own homemade broth from scratch, it's just not realistic with my work schedule. I always have a few containers of organic vegetable broth in my pantry to use in several last-minute dishes, soups, curries, or even just to boil quinoa and rice for additional flavor, says Asche.

Most Americans arent hitting the recommended two servings of seafood per week, yet its a simple (and tasty) habit that can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. To help you hit your goal, consider canned seafood. Hands down, one of the easiest ways to get more omega-3 packed fish into your diet is with canned tuna, says Largeman-Roth. You can find it in easy to open cans, pouches and more these days, she explains. Largeman-Roth says that three ounces of chunk light tuna packs 16 grams of protein and about 140 milligrams of DHA and EPA omega 3s per each 70-calorie serving. Its a great choice whether youre trying to boost your omega-3 intake or just looking for a lean source of protein, she says.

Maya Feller, RD, author of "The Southern Comfort Food Diabetes Cookbook" is another fan of canned and pouched seafood. There are times when we don't have access to wild or sustainably sourced salmon and wild salmon in a pouch is an economical as well as a convenient way to get your recommended two servings per week, she says. Sardines are also tops on her list of healthy processed foods. Theyre a delicious small fish, rich in protein, heart-healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D. Theres some compelling research around brain health and fatty fish consumption, says Feller.

Yes, you can make your own pesto (like you can make your own broth and stock), but you dont have to go the extra mile. Making pesto can take time that many people don't have, says Feller. Pesto in a jar is generally extra virgin olive oil, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, basil, which is rich in phytonutrients, garlic, which has been researched in relation to blood pressure regulation, and pine nuts, which are a good source of heart-healthy fats, she explains. According to Feller, the combination makes for a nourishing topping that can be used in a number of meals, such as a seasoning for baked fish or a dressing (when thinned with extra EVOO or warm water) for greens. Amy Gorin, RDN, says its also a great base for pizza if youre looking for something other than traditional tomato sauce.

Nut and seed butters check a lot of boxes: Theyre super healthy, really delicious, and offer a lot of versatility. Almond butter is a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and the antioxidant vitamin E, which may help protect our body from damage caused by free radicals, explains Gans. Its a go-to for me in my morning bowl of oatmeal or on a slice of 100 percent whole grain bread for added protein and fiber to start my day.

Largeman-Roth uses peanut butter for after school snacks and for adding a quick and delicious hit of plant-protein (7 grams per 2 tablespoons) at breakfast. We schmear it on frozen waffles (another great convenience item!), apple slices, muffins and more. Besides being totally delicious, I love that its economical and also shelf-stable, she says.

For those who are allergic to nuts (or those who want to branch out), sunflower seed butter is a great alternative. Its become a huge mainstay in my family's kitchen, says Lindsey Janeiro, RDN of Nutrition to Fit. I've had lifelong severe tree nut allergies, but my baby was recently diagnosed with peanut allergies, too. Thats why she uses sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter and other nut butters. Its full of healthy fats and also contains fiber and protein, making it a great addition to homemade sauces and baked goods. It can also be added to a basic apple or crackers for a more macronutrient balanced snack, she adds.

Though its a fan favorite in the fall, pumpkin puree is a processed food RDs love year-round. The puree adds a boost of immune-boosting beta-carotene to breakfast staples like pancakes, smoothies and waffles, says Largeman-Roth. You can certainly make your own pumpkin puree, especially at this time of year, but the fact that all the strings have been removed makes the canned variety so much easier! she says. I think we can all agree on that.

Canned fish scores high on the convenience meter, but dont rule out frozen seafood, which has the same good-for you omega-3 fish fats, DHA and EPA. Much of the fish you buy has been pre-frozen so buying it already frozen is almost like buying it at the fish counter. To make a quick, easy meal for either dinner or even lunch when Im working from home, I keep ready-to-cook salmon filets in the freezer. All I have to do is stick them in the oven! says Gorin.

Gorin suggests using the mercury wallet card from the Natural Resources Defense Council as a guide to choosing fish with less mercury and FishWatch.gov to see which choices are most sustainable. Spotting the MSC blue fish label is another way to identify sustainable seafood.

Plain yogurt and cottage cheese both fall in the camp of healthier processed foods. This often overlooked gem is one of my daily staples. Not only is it fabulous with fruit, on whole grain toast, waffles, oatmeal or salads, but the super high protein content helps to keep you full in between meals, Lauren Harris-Pincus, RDN, author of "The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club". "There are so many culinary uses for cottage cheese! Its the secret to creamy smoothies as its much less tangy than Greek yogurt. Mix it into eggs before scrambling for a cheesy, creamy texture, or use as a protein boost in pancake batter. Mix with goat cheese for a tasty base for a flatbread. The possibilities are endless, and you will benefit from about 13 grams of satisfying protein per 1/2 cup serving, she says.

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19 processed foods nutritionists swear by - NBC News

Islington topped the league table for local authorities taking action on food poverty

As many as 28 London boroughs are letting school pupils go hungry during the holidays because they havent invested in services that tackle food poverty.

The fifth London Food Poverty Profile report, which measures food poverty-busting efforts in the capital each year, showed that work across the capital to sustain vital lifelines like holiday hunger provisions and meals-on-wheels has been poor in most areas.

Only five boroughs out of 33 funded holiday clubs and other services that plugged the gap left by the loss of free school dinners for low-income families during the holidays, while just six were supporting elderly and housebound people with meals on wheels services.

The report also measured each boroughs promotion of Healthy Start vouchers and the Unicef UK s breastfeeding initiative, where there has been significant improvement.

Between April 2018 and March 2019 the Trussell Trust handed out 166,512 parcels in London, making the city the third highest in volume of emergency food received. Earlier research showed that nearly two million Londoners around 400,000 under-16s struggle to afford enough to eat.

The report was released by alliance for better food Sustain and the London Food Poverty Campaign (LFPC), backed by the Trust for London and Mayor of London.

Lailah Nesbitt-Ahmed, coordinator of the LFPC, said there have been some improvements in the approach to tackling food poverty, but that it remains a serious issue in the capital.

She added: This must serve as a stark reminder that a lot of Londoners lack the resources to meet their basic human needs. Nobody should have to go to bed hungry, and London councils can do much more to prevent this.

Researchers produced a league table which showed Islington, Croydon and Southwark were doing the most to fight food poverty in their areas.

Several boroughs, including Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea and Ealing did not respond to the survey. Of those that did, Wandsworth, Richmond upon Thames and Barking and Dagenham proved to be making the least progress.

Campaigners behind the report called for borough leaders to take action on worsening poverty with a list of recommendations including affordable childcare, council tax cuts for low-income residents and improve breakfast clubs.

DID YOU KNOW

If you pay for the magazine you should always take it. Vendors are working for a hand up, not a handout.

Meanwhile, experts at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen have released a concerning study that sets out the impact food poverty has on the long-term health of people in Scotland.

The research, carried out in conjunction with Community Food Initiatives North East, showed that most people who have to rely on food banks have three or more serious health conditions, dubbed an economic vulnerability health risk that GPs must be aware of.

Principle investigator Flora Douglas said:Peoples capability to self-care is being undermined by food insecurity in Scotland.

The individuals we interviewed have in-depth knowledge of the diet they need to follow. They just couldnt afford to do so, even if they were in work.

Most of our participants reported eating just one meal per day or going for several days without food, opting instead to put food on the table for their dependents or to pay bills.

The Trussell Trust distributed 210,605 emergency food parcels across its 50 foodbanks in Scotland between 2018 and 2019.

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Only 5 of 33 London boroughs helped children stay fed during the holidays - Big Issue

Lager is inarguably the most popular beer in the world, as the subtitle to Mark Dredges new book, A Brief History Of Lager, states. Its consumed all over the worldHeineken alone sells beer in 190 countriesyet its far from homogenous: Think of the variation between a smoky rauchbier from Germany and a clean, lightly sweet rice lager from Japan. American craft beer on the whole has been woefully slow to give lager its due, though, deriding it as fizzy, yellow, and boring for decades. Pilsners were beers your grandfather drank, the flawed philosophy went, and real beer drinkers drank flavorful beers like IPAs, stouts, and Belgian ales. Can we finally, in 2019, retire this weary oversimplification?

If theres any book that will help convince skeptics of lagers prominent place among the worlds greatest beverages, its Dredges. (Lager fans will find much to love, too, of course.) The book is more fun than 95% of non-fiction books out there, full of so many interesting facts that youll want someone nearby while youre reading so you can poke them and whisper Hey, did you know ? every few pages. Dredge is London-based, but traveled extensively reporting this book, from frigid caves to forested biergartens to stone castles, and from St. Louis to Tokyo to Mexico to Germany. Dredge approaches historical and contemporary brewing with curiosity and reverence, never disparaging the Budweisers or Heinekens of the world but instead revering them for their massive contributions to the global rise of lager.

I reached Dredge by phone to talk about lager misconceptions, his feelings about Budweiser, and where beer drinking might go in the next 10 years. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Takeout: Did writing this book change the way you view mass-produced lagers? How so?

Mark Dredge: It definitely did change the way I viewed those beers. Ive long been quite sympathetic to Big Beer, perhaps more than other beer drinkers. Im not sure entirely where that comes from, because my fridge isnt filled with Budweisers, but theres something about these brands. How many breweries can you name that have been around for 150 years? Theyve done something right to last 150 years. They started out really small, not at a million barrels a year.

The stories of Anheuser-Busch and Miller and Coors are so similar to the stories of modern craft breweries, but were blinded by the scale those breweries have today. Digging into the stories more, it really humanizes what are now enormous global companies. Germany was where lager came from, but I really believe it was America that made lager modern, taking it out of cellars and making it above ground. Between mass bottling, forced carbonation, and advertising, America modernized the beer industry.

TO: Lager is the most widely consumed type of beer on earth, yet Americas craft beer revolution staked its claim on ales. Why?

MD: Craft beer was built on flavor. I think at that time [craft beer was beginning], the only option was lager, and it was becoming lighter and lighter and more similar. The emergence of craft beer was really the emergence of beer with flavor. If we look back in practical terms, the craft beer styles that were around at the beginning really werent that revolutionary: pale ale, ambers, wheat beers. They werent the crazy flavored beers we have today. In many ways, they were just like lagers but with a slight yeast character or extra little bit of flavor; still, it was something that was very new.

It was also very small to begin with. Any brewery that wanted to start in 1980, it would be ridiculous to come out and brew a very tiny amount of light lager to compete with Miller. It just didnt really make sense.

TO: Do you think American craft beers focus on alesweve only recently begun to see interest in lagers from craft brewerswas to craft beers detriment?

MD: I think that was how it had to be. We had to go through a phase of having something else. Its very easy to look back and think craft beers been around forever, but thats a very recent jump. I think the beer industry had to go through that seeing something new to come back around [to lagers].

I often think about how theres a cycle to beer drinking, in a way. A person starts probably with lighter lagers because thats naturally what we see most. So then we taste around a bita sour beer, a porter, a pale alewe work around this cycle, then when we get back to lager again, we discover we want a better-tasting lager, or maybe a better-tasting pale ale.

There is a reason that people drink [mass-produced] lagers, and maybe its one of the reasons Im sympathetic to Big Beer. You cannot sell that much beer and be shit. I went to Anheuser-Buschs St. Louis Brewery, when I was writing a book called The Best Beer In The World. I wanted to look at Budweiser objectively: how its made and what it means to make that beer. What I concluded is that Budweiser is a perfect beer in that every time its brewed no matter where its brewed, it tastes the same. And thats their idea of perfection. It may not be the most delicious beer in the world, but its their idea of perfection. And their idea of perfection is very different from other brewers or drinkers feelings toward what beer can or should be.

TO: After writing this book, can you actually spell Reinheitsgebot, the 16th century German beer purity law, on first attempt?

MD: I think I can. Let me try it. R-E-I-N-H-E-I-T-S-G-E-B-O-T.

TO: Nailed it. Another history question for you: You write in the book that the first Pilsner Urquell imported to the U.S. was sold in Racine, Wisconsin. Why Racine?

MD: I have no idea. I wish I did. Ive known this in fact for quite a long time and when I worked for Pilsner Urquell, I wanted to chase it out. But I could never find anything. A lot of the Pilsner Urquell archives are around but a lot have been lost. We do know that, pre-Prohibition, Pilsner Urquell was the most imported beer into the U.S. When you look at the German Triangle and where German immigrants were in the U.S., it makes sense that it might have been there geographically. Perhaps there was a Czech importer or population there, but as for why Racine specifically, I still really dont know.

TO: In the book, you write about how 20th century shifts away from very difficult manual labor made drinkers less interested in high-alcohol, satiating beers. What does that bode for the types of beers well be drinking in the future? Its all going to be replaced by White Claw, isnt it?

MD: Actually when I was researching the book this was some of the most interesting things I found: how lifestyle changes impacted drinking and consumption and things like that. Moving from farm to factory, moving from working for yourself to working for someone else, those all had effects.

If you work for yourself, you can get pissed the whole time. If youre working for someone else in a factory of office for long hours, you cant really do that. As life conditions changed, working conditions changed, and peoples diet changed as well. As theyre eating a broader diet, makes sense theyd want something different to drink.

In terms of how that comes to today, we have such an excess of everything today, its interesting to think how drinking might go. Theres this opposition between something like Michelob Ultra and pastry stouts, but they can coexist. Its like youve got some people thinking I dont want too many calories or too many carbs, while others are saying I have no idea whats going on in the world, but I know I want this 400-calorie imperial stout. Its fascinating that two very different styles of beer can exist together at the same time. I dont know quite where that fits in in terms of a sociological change, but Im interested to see how that evolves.

TO: Maybe thats another book?

MD: The sociological side of drinking really piqued my interest a lot. One of the questions I went in with at the beginning of this book was: How did the specific taste of lager, specifically the kind thats yellow, cold, fizzy, simple, refreshing, and 5% [alcohol by weight], how is it specifically this beer that took over the world? Why not something else? Where exactly did that come from? What conditions made that beer popular instead of something like Guinness or a 10% barleywine? There must be some sociology involved in that, in how we socialize, how we metabolize alcohol. This book was A Brief History Of Lager; that could be for The Long History Of Lager.

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Lager is the most popular beer in the world, so wheres the respect? - The Takeout