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.

Rocky Mountain High  (Winter Park, CO) – We absolutely love this offer from Upslope Brewing and the High Lonesome Hut, a Rocky Mountain retreat in a beautiful setting surrounded by the Arapaho Forest and located more than 2.3 miles from the nearest road. This Saturday, September 19^th, they’ll be creating a special back country tap room out there to celebrate their new Tap Room Series release, Oktoberfest Lager. And if you hike on in, they will give you a complimentary 19.2-ounce can of this special seasonal just for making the trek. They are also offering up to two additional cans of any of Upslope’s year round styles as long as you’ve valid ID in your backpack. For more information on this one-of-a-kind backcountry tap room experience visit Upslope’s Facebook event page.

In Case You Care – MillerCoors Acquired Saint Archer (San Diego, CA) – Before you jump off that ledge note that Tenth and Blake (the craft and import division of MillerCoors), actually purchased a majority stake in Saint Archer Brewing – not the award-winning Saint Arnold Brewery over in Houston. Though hardly the big deal that the Lagunitas / Heineken partnership was – it’s still another brick in the wall.

 Words To Drink By (Los Angeles, CA) – “If you don’t have the chutzpah to ask for the unthinkable, you’re not dreaming big enough.”

Bob Lefsetz – the Lefsetz Letter

  Safety First (Boulder, CO) – As part of ongoing effort to increase brewery safety awareness the Brewers Association has launched the Brewers Association Online Brewery Safety Training course.Created in conjunction with Grand Valley State University, the free 10-part course includes videos, quizzes and other resources, focusing on the specific tasks that are performed in a brewery, including grain handling; mashing; transfer and boiling; whirlpool and cooling; fermentation cleaning and 

sanitizing; fermentation and cellaring; filtering and carbonation; keg cleaning; and keg filling and bottling. And, oh yeah, you probably shouldn’t drink and drive either.

The SweetWater World Domination Tour Continues (Atlanta, GA) –SweetWater Brewing continues its drift on up the East Coast with launches all over the northeastern corridor this fall.  In June, the brewery announced distribution into Northern New Jersey with Peerless Beverage Company (September) and the Philadelphia area with Muller Inc. (November) – the northeastern market development continues with Manhattan Beer Distributors in New York City (September), Star Distributors and A. Gallo & Co. in Western Connecticut (November), and Wilsbach Distributors in Central Pennsylvania (November).   

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