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 yourselves.

Widespread Panic Devotee to Head Maui Brewing National Sales (Lahaina, HI) – Maui Brewing Company has just announced the hiring of Peter Schneider as the company’s National Sales Manager. Pete’s path to Maui Head began in Tennessee when he left college to follow the band Widespread Panic around the country, eventually touching down in Colorado. Connections made in Colorado lead to the job with Odell Brewing Company, a career in the craft beer biz, and his newest position. Nice work, Pete!

Shocker! Berlin Finally Gets Some Good Beer (Berlin, Germany) – We had almost given up any hope but we’re heartened to read that serious beer is now being brewed in Berlin. Yes, it’s true. The New York Times is reporting that craft beer is finally making welcome inroads in a country where most brewers adhere to ancient mandates and “purity laws.”

Easy for Him to Say (Boston, MA) – Boston Beer Company’s Jim Koch is reportedly dismissing the idea of a craft beer bubble. According to CNBC, Koch isn’t worried about too much growth going forward and sees “room for two or three, or maybe even 4,000 more craft breweries.”

Brooklyn Brewery Goes Bowling for Dollars in Sin City (Brooklyn, NY) – It appears that Brooklyn Brewery’s relationship with a local bowling alley has led to them expanding into Nevada. Beerpulse is reporting that they are going to Nevada because their neighbors at Brooklyn Bowl are building a mammoth new project on the Las Vegas strip and quotes the company’s president, Steve Hindy, as saying that “Brooklyn Brewery beers will be featured in Vegas, as they are in Brooklyn.”

Farm Breweries Flourish in The Empire State (Albany, NY) – With the recent passage of legislation that promotes the use of locally sourced agricultural products, farm breweries are thriving in New York State. Under the new farm brewery license, brewers do not need an additional permit to serve beer by the glass, which has the highest return for brewers in terms of sales. They are also allowed to have five branch offices, where they can sell their products and other New York State labeled beer, wine, and liquor, in addition to having tasting rooms, retail shops, and restaurants. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has remarked that farm breweries have opened since the legislation took effect in January and that a dozen additional applications were pending.

Pennsylvania Brewery Plans for Big-Time Growth (Allentown, PA) – If you’re a craft beer lover based in Eastern PA, you know Fegley’s Brew Works. The company was founded as a brewpub in Allentown and quickly built a rabid following. They’ve since then opened a second location in Bethlehem and have been bottling and distributing their beers for the last four years. Now Lehigh Valley Live is reporting that the company is in expansion mode and looking for a third location with the goal of tripling their brewing capacity.