We blame the industry for this… It used to be that when we wrapped up our Weekend Picks on Friday, we could coast through the weekend. There was little need to check in for updates – things were pretty much done. But clearly all that’s changed.

So here’s some of what’s happened in the world of craft beer while you were off enjoying yourselves.

ACB Looks Back At 2014 (Washington, DC) – Be sure to check in with us throughout this week as we look back at “the year that was” and take on all the major events that happened in 2014 and what it all might mean for us and the craft beer industry going forward. And while you’re at it, check out ACB’s Craft Beer Predictions for 2014 – Part I & Part II and see what we got right and wrong.

Craft Beer Jobs, Jobs, Jobs (Asheville, NC) – New Belgium Brewing announced last week that there are now actively hiring for their new brewery and distribution center in North Carolina. They are currently looking to fill 50 full-time positions (with benefits) in 2015 and they project that they’ll eventually staff-up to as many as 140 full-time coworkers. Additional sales positions will be hired in cities along the eastern seaboard as they expand. They’ll be kicking off their hiring phase this Wednesday, January 7^th, at Asheville’s 9^th Annual Homecoming Job Fair. You can find out more about the jobs and application process by going here.

Gandhi Image On Beer Can Creates International Uproar (Hyderabad, India) – The New England Brewing Company “has apologized for the use of Mahatma Gandhi’s image on beer cans and bottles” according to a report that surfaced in The Times of India. The image is being used with bottles and cans of Gandhi-Bot IPA, described by the company as an intensely hopped Pale Ale. A “petition was filed in a Hyderabad court over the issue alleging it had insulted the Father of the Nation. A company spokesperson has said that Gandhi’s granddaughter and grandson have seen the label and have expressed their admiration.” The company’s products are not sold internationally.

A Big Year For DC Craft Beer (Washington, DC) – 2014 was an awesome year for DC’s craft beer scene according to John Fleury at DCist. DC Brau, who now distribute their beer to five states, added six new 60-barrel tanks just to keep up with demand. 3 Stars Brewing brought in new fermenters and started a barrel-aging program. Fellow home-boys, Atlas Brew Works started canning their beers in 2014, and Denizens Brewing started generating some serious buzz with the beers that they’re now brewing in nearby Silver Spring. Right Proper is killin’ it in DC’s trendy Shaw neighborhood, as is Bluejacket down by Nationals Park.

Craft Beer Crime (Ogden, UT) – A Utah man is facing charges after an alleged beer run crime spree on New Year’s Eve. Fifty-one-year-old Matthew Howell was accused of stealing two cases of beer from a gas station in Ogden. Fox 13 is reporting that authorities found his truck in a nearby hotel parking lot and found the alleged “beer burglar” in one of the rooms with a women (of course) and cases and cases of beer. Howell is now facing theft, aggravated assault and robbery charges and could cop a plea claiming that he fell victim to serious beer. It happens.

Got Something You Think We Need To Know About? Send Your Press Releases to: pr@AmericanCraftBeer.com