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 out enjoying yourselves.

BrewDog’s Mashup (Elton, UK) – Leave it to the boys from BrewDog to lead on something like this. They are releasing a beer inspired and created by users of social media. Brew Dog has launched a drink that came out of fan votes that determined everything from its name and style to its ABV. According to reports that first surfaced in Mashable, “#MashTag is a 7.5% American Brown Ale, made with New Zealand hops and aged on hazelnuts and oak chips.”

We Suggest That They Stick With Rating Garbage Disposals (Yonkers, NY) – Shouldn’t someone have told them that maybe this wasn’t the greatest idea? In a world with already so many places that rate craft beers (including us), was it really necessary for Consumer Reports to enter the craft beer rating waters? Well they did and it is what it is…But what are we to think about a Best craft beers list that makes Shock Top a CR Best Buy?

How’s That Pilsner? (Marsberg-Westheim, Germany) – Fasten your seatbelts America because Westheim Brewery of Germany’s Fucking Awesome Premium Pilsner will soon be making its way to our shores. According to our friends at beerpulse, its label “is now approved for sale U.S.-wide thanks to the TTB though it still needs approval in some individual states before it can be sold there.”

Stone’s Greg Koch to Lead Tourism Summit (Sam Diego, CA) – Well they got the right guy for this…that’s for sure! The Voice of San Diego is reporting that Stone Brewing’s Greg Koch will be meeting with members of the “hospitality, tourism, and craft beer industries on Sept. 19 for an invite-only confab to discuss how to fundamentally integrate beer into the city’s tourism identity.” It appears that the city is concerned that it’s still possible to meet someone in San Diego who’s unaware of the city’s brewing prowess and they’re determined to reach those 5-7 people, who’ve spent their last twenty years in fallout shelters, and set them straight.

Russian River Goes Its Own Way (Santa, Rosa, CA) – The California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control recently reinterpreted an existing liquor law to say that breweries holding Type 23 licenses are now allowed to fill other breweries’ growlers with the proper legal information and state label approval. On Friday, we received an update from Natalie and Vinnie Cilurzo stating that Russian River, along with several other California breweries, have decided to continue to fill ONLY their own growlers at this time for reasons of quality, sanitation, logistics and branding. Seems reasonable to us!

National Homebrewers Conference Throws Down in Philly (Philadelphia, PA)– More than 3,400 homebrewers and beer enthusiasts gathered at the 35^th Annual National Homebrewers Conference this weekend where they attended seminars, bonded over brews, and had their beers judged in the world’s largest beer competition. The American Homebrewers Association is saying that this year’s National Homebrew Competition, which recognizes the most outstanding homemade beer, mead, and cider produced by homebrewers worldwide, did in fact rock! This year, there were 7,756 entries from 2,187 homebrewers located in 49 states and the District of Columbia, U.S. Military APO, Puerto Rico, three Canadian Provinces and Belgium in the competition’s first round. The first round took place at 11 regional sites in the United States, with each sending on the top three entries from 28 style categories to the final round of competition at this weekend’s conference – where 894 entries were evaluated by some of the top beer judges in the country. Among the highlights was Annie Johnson taking home the Homebrewer of the Year award for her Lite American Lager. She was the first woman in 30 years to have received this prestigious award.