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.

Crowds Look On in Horror as Greg Engert is Subjected to 5 Stupid Questions! (Washington, DC) – After years of chasing him around, we were finally able to corner Greg Engert, one of craft beer’s busiest rising young stars, and subject him to 5 of the stupidest questions he’s ever had to endure. Rest assured the kid’s a player. He knows his craft beer and he lives the industry – and talking with him was fascinating (even if much of it was over our heads.) All kidding aside, Greg is one of craft beer’s most informed and engaging voices – and you absolutely don’t want to miss our 5 Stupid Questions with him tomorrow!

Boston Beer Does The Right Thing! (Boston, MA) – Sam Adams and the Boston Beer Company will be sitting out today’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in support of a gay military veterans group that were reportedly banned from the popular Boston parade. The brewery, which has participated in the parade for almost a decade, pulled out on Friday as negotiations between opposing groups appeared to reach a stalemate.

Heineken Pulls Their St. Paddy’s Day Sponsorship In NYC (New York, NY) – Hot on the tails of Sam Adams pulling out of Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day parade last Friday comes news that another beer company is taking a stand. Heineken has pulled its sponsorship of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which prohibits LGBT families and organizations from marching. A company official at Heineken has confirmed to GLAAD that the company will no longer be a sponsor of Monday’s parade, saying “we are passionate about equality for all people.”

West Coast Drought Leads to Water Concerns for Many California Breweries (Petaluma, CA) – The Russian River is a “110-mile waterway that provides drinking water for more than half a million people.” It’s also the source of water for craft breweries such as Lagunitas Brewing Company, who now find themselves in the midst of a historic drought. NPR is reporting that “in the wake of 2013, the driest year ever recorded in California, Lagunitas’ owners say they’re nervous about shortages that could mean a switch from the river water to not-as-tasty well water.”

Shocker – Michigan Lawmakers Actually Do The Right Thing! (Lansing, MI) – After almost two years of sometimes heated discussions, Michigan legislators have passed a bill that we think will help the state’s craft beer industry and benefit its fans.MLive.com is reporting that the “legislation allows brewpubs to have an interest in five other brewpubs instead of two if the combined production doesn’t exceed 18,000 barrels of beer per year,” and also “lets brewers and microbrewers sell their beer for on-premise consumption at multiple brewery locations, depending on their size.”