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 enjoying your weekend.

Sucks to Be You (Nashville, TN) – In spite of continuing efforts by advocates such as FixTheBeerTax.com, Tennessee is still saddled with the dubious distinction of having the highest beer excise tax in the country. A shocking $1.17 is added to the cost of every gallon sold, according to our friends at beerpulse, who also tipped us to this nifty State Beer Excise Map.

Rogue Takes Seven in Chicago (Newport, OR) – More good news from our friends at Rogue Ales, who are seven-time gold medal winners at the recent World Beer Championship: British & North American Ale Styles in Chicago. Their Chipotle Ale won in the Herb Spice Beer category. Their American Amber Ale took gold in the Amber Ale division. Hazelnut Brown Nectar won in the English Style Brown Ale category, while their XS Imperial India Pale Ale took gold in the Imperial IPA division. Juniper Pale Ale won in the Amber Style Pale Ale category, as their Yellow Snow IPA did in the India Pale Ale division. And finally Brutal IPA destroyed, taking the brewery’s seventh win in the India Pale Ale category.

Bloomberg TV on Brooklyn Beer (Brooklyn, NY) – Bloomberg Television recently sat down with Brooklyn Brewery’s Steve Hindy to discuss the craft beer biz. You can watch the whole thing here if you want and here are some of the highlights. Domestically, Hindy explained that “Brooklyn is not adding any more markets beyond its current 25-state footprint for now and beyond France, which Brooklyn added six months ago, the company has no set plans to expand in further foreign markets.” Hindy confirmed that Sweden continues to be their second biggest market

Epic Beginnings in the Mile High City (Denver, CO) – Salt Lake City’s Epic Brewing Company will soon be launching their $2 million dollar expansion brewery in the Mile High City, according to westworld.com. Initial plans include a twenty-barrel brewhouse that will produce three Colorado-specific beers on draft and in bottles and a taproom, open seven days a week, that “will sell bombers to go.” Epic is looking to open their new Denver expansion in late May or early June.

You Give and You Give and You Give (Saint Paul, MN) – Yikes, this one’s scary. A Minnesota bill increasing the beer excise tax by 600% has passed in the state’s house and moves on to the senate. KEYC.tv is reporting that the tax will already be built into the cost, and then that increase will also be subject to sales taxes at the register. Beerpulse reports that Minnesota already ranks 10th in terms of highest excise taxes on beer, according to The Tax Foundation.

Mobile Canning Growing (Easthampton, MA) – In what should hardly be a surprise to anyone who reads us regularly, CraftCans.com is reporting that mobile canning operations have grown significantly over the past two years and that there are now “15 different mobile canning companies up and running across the country with more coming on board soon.”