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.

Register Now For the 2015 Craft Brewers Conference (Portland, OR) – Mark your calendars people, because on April 14^th-17^th, the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America is coming to the Oregon Convention Center. And if you work in the craft beer biz and you’ve never attended this event – this is the year that you need to. Not only is the CBC the largest yearly gathering of the industry’s professionals in the nation – it’s an essential educational and sharing opportunity like none other – a networking tsunami that will enable you to connect with our industry’s leading innovators. It’s also home to BrewExpo…

Exposing BrewExpo – One of the things that we enjoy most about the CBC is the industry trade show that accompanies it.  BrewExpo America^® is the premier trade show for craft brewers. With nearly 500 vendors all in one location, this is a great place to learn about new industry products and services and to meet leaders in the national and international brewing arena.

Hate Waiting For A Beer In A Crowded Bar? (Chicago, IL) – It’s a buzzkill for the consumer and it spells lost profits for any establishment that makes its living dispensing drinks. It was just this kind of situation that lead one young entrepreneur to come up with a better solution and an idea that was as ingenious as it was obvious – self-service beer taps. John Goodman is that guy, and PourMyBeer.com is the company he went on to build. You can read more about his journey in CNNMoney.

Beer Week Alert! (Miami, FL) – As part of our ongoing effort to help you plan were you need to be drinking each and every week, Quick Hits has introduced regular “Beer Week Alerts.” And last weekend, the South Florida Beer Week kicked off in Southern Florida and it runs through January 24^th.

Beer Ice Cream That Delivers Real Buzz (Larkspur, CA) – Traditionally beer ice cream delivers zero buzz because the alcohol is cooked away when making the custard base. But Food & Wine is reporting that Smitten Ice Cream has partnered with Marin Brewing to create a beer ice cream that delivers real buzz. Utilizing “a flash-freezing technique that employs liquid nitrogen,” Smitten has created a high ABV frozen treat that could actually get you drunk. But if you want to try them, you’ll need a ticket and possibly a designated driver.

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