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 Opines (Washington, DC) – When legitimate news organizations like USA Today start asking our opinion about anything – you can’t help but be concerned. But that’s what happened over the weekend when Tom Bobak, our Editor-In-Chief and all around madman, got quoted in an interesting article by Mike Snider entitled Goose Island drafts new promotions and new beers. USA Today has done some great writing about the craft beer industry in the past and we can only pray that Bobak didn’t screw this up!

Controlled Chaos (Santa Rosa, CA) – That’s what some industry-watchers call the annual rollout of Russia River’s much-anticipated triple IPA. Pliny the Younger made its 2014 debut at Russian River’s newly renovated compound last Friday. As you can imagine, the place was swamped with Pliny pilgrims who politely waited in line for their opportunity to enter the 135-seat brewpub. Be sure to check out our exclusive with Russian River’s Natalie Cilurzo, where she delves into the origins and history of this near-mythicalbeer.

Brooklyn Brewery Joins the CIA! (Hyde Park, NY) – Okay, it’s not as clandestine as it sounds. What’s actually happening is that Brooklyn Brewery has joined with The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) to develop a small brewery on the college’s Hyde Park, NY campus that’s expected to open to the public in summer 2015.The operations at the brewery will be integrated into the curriculum of the college’s degree programs.

More Stupid Beer Laws (Augusta, ME) – Did you know that it’s currently against the law for pubs and bar owners in Maine to post a beer’s alcohol content on sign boards and menus? It’s incredibly unbelievable yet true! According to the Morning Sentinel, the “conflict highlights the occasionally counterintuitive nuances of state and federal alcohol laws, especially in light of the evolving American beer market and the rise of small-batch beers that can contain the same alcohol content as wine, or in rare cases, even distilled spirits.”

SF Beer Week Rockin’ It (San Francisco, CA) – One of our favorite craft beer week events in one of our favorite cities kicked off last Friday. Presented by the San Francisco Brewers Guild, SF Beer Week 2014 runs through the 16^th and has fast become one of the nation’s biggest and most enjoyable events. With a mind-blowing array of things taking place this week, the serious craft beer drinker needs to be strategic -and who better than ACB’s San Francisco Correspondent, Jessica Fender, to guide the way.DO SF BEER WEEK LIKE A BOSS WITH THESE PRO TIPS will give you the essential tips necessary to navigate this massive event like a craft beer playa!