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 enjoying yourselves.

Left Hand Brewing Ordered to Evacuate as Waters Rise in Colorado (Longmont, CO) – Floods ravaged Boulder and its environs at the end of last week and it’s so far unclear to what degree the region’s brewing community has been impacted. The Denver Post did report that the Left Hand Brewing Company, northeast of Boulder and right next to the surging St. Vrain Fiver, was put under evacuation orders for two days. Thankfully, damage to their facility was minimal.

“Best Beer Name of the Week” Awarded to Two Breweries (Salt Lake City, UT / Washington, DC) – This week’s American Craft Beer Name of the Week goes to both DC Brau and the Epic Brewing Company for a collaboration beer they just did together. Fermentation Without Representation is their experimental Imperial Pumpkin Porter brewed with 600 lbs of pure pumpkin puree and two lbs of allspice. It’s also a very clever take on the popular DC catchphrase “No Taxation without Representation” which graces the city’s license plates. This was a first “Best Beer Name” win for both breweries so we’re thinking they’ve got to be psyched.

Crux Breaks Even its First Year (Bend, OR) – Our friend Larry Sidor and his crew have got to feel good about how things are going with their new brewery up in Bend. Entrepreneur is reporting the Crux Fermentation Project “passed its break-even point in the first year – impressive considering the high start-up costs – and (that) traffic in the tasting room has more than surpassed the owners’ expectations.”

Air Travelers Get Their Own Bells This Week! (Grand Rapids, MI) – Bells Brewery will be opening a new pub at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport this week, according to mlive.com. The site goes on to report that the “new spot is fashioned to look similar to the Bell’s Eccentric Cafe in downtown Kalamazoo.”

Shocker – Wyoming Considers Raising the Beer Tax (Cheyenne, WY) – First the good news – Wyoming hasn’t increased its tax on beer since 1935. Now the bad – that’s all about to change if some state legislators have their way. “Members of the Wyoming Legislature’s Revenue Committee expect a full house when they discuss a proposed increase in the state tax on beer Friday,” reports Trib.com, and that the lawmakers “will decide whether the tax should be increased to raise money for substance abuse treatment.”

California’s Steelhead Brewing Closes (Irving, CA) – Steelhead Brewing Company lost its lease and will close at the end of October, according to the Orange County Register. The brewery issued a statement via their Facebook page confirming that their lease was not renewed and that they will be shutting down operations for good on 10/31.