Hey it’s Wednesday and it’s Rumor Mill Time…..With San Francisco Beer Week just around the corner, there’s a brand new brewery that will be throwing its own “coming out” party in the “City by the Bay.” We’ll be giving you everything that we know so far, plus we’ve got some fast-breaking craft beer news from our friends at Flying Dog as well as from the crew at Sun King. We also have a hot new release that you’ve got to get your hands on! So fasten your seatbelts everybody, because ….THIS WEEK’S RUMOR MILL IS ON!

Good People / Good Beer / Good Things (Frederick, MD) – Maryland’s largest craft brewer, Flying Dog, has just donated a portion of proceeds from its Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout to the Oyster Recovery Partnership. From 2012 sales alone, the Oyster Recovery Partnership will be able to replant 750,000 oysters back into the Chesapeake Bay. Oyster reefs in the Chesapeake are one of the most endangered habitats on the planet and are a cause essential to the brewery’s backyard in Frederick, Maryland. Brewed with Rappahannock River Oysters, Pearl Necklace became a year-round release for Flying Dog this past April. Proceeds from the sale of the beer will continue to benefit the Oyster Recovery Partnership in 2013.

Pine Street to Debut During San Francisco Beer Week (San Francisco, CA) – Pine Street Brewery , San Francisco’s newest craft beer venture, will be launching this month and it already has an almost cult-like following. The brainchild of Jay Holliday and Dave Alexander, Pine Street Brewery is a community-minded beer company focused on producing high quality, seasonal beers and they plan to make their big debut during this year’s San Francisco Beer Week.

Pelican Kicks Things Off! (Pacific City, OR) – Pelican Brewing Co. launched what appears to be the largest Kickstarter campaign to date for a brewery this past week. The company hopes to raise more than $100,000 to put toward a $1.3 million expansion, a tall order considering no brewery has ever raised more than $60k on Kickstarter!

Tennessee Legislators to Consider Reformation (Nashville, TN) – In what many consider a shocking departure from form, Tennessee state legislators are proposing a bill that would reform the state’s beer tax structure. “Tennessee beer drinkers are already paying more than their fair share, but this is getting out of control,” said Scott Turner, president of Ajax Turner Co. “We are completely out of step with the nation’s 49 other states. In addition to higher taxes, this is having a detrimental effect on economic development and consumer choice.”

Sun King Supports ReCycling (Indianapolis, Ind.) – Sun King Brewing Company will be co-sponsoring the inaugural reCYCLE pARTS Benefit, a community bicycle art project benefiting local charities. On March 1^st, the inaugural reCYCLE pARTS opening will take place at the Raymond James Stutz Art Gallery featuring 19 local artists.  The event coincides with 1st Friday art events around the city and is the first of its kind in Indiana.  Artists were given the creative license to construct art pieces out of recycled bike parts donated by sponsor ZIPP and the nonprofit organization Freewheelin’ Community Bikes.