Hey it’s Friday and we hope everybody had a blast welcoming in the New Year. But now you’re done with all that and ready to finish off the holidays with a little more fun. Well good, because we’re all about it and we’ve got all kinds of ideas for you. From the nation’s coolest beer events to movies, music, and cutting-edge TV – we’ve got your back big-time.  Plus we’ve a weekend beer pick for you too, because we know you’ll be drinking!

So welcome to our first Weekend Picks for 2015…

Check Out A New Brewery This Weekend – We always try to highlight one or two of the nation’s best craft beer festivals in our weekend picks but at this time of year, we tend to hit a wall. There are absolutely no noteworthy festivals happening anywhere during the holidays – so we’re taking a different strategy. Why don’t you check out some of the new brewery start-ups in your neck of the woods? Every major city has at least one or two new arrivals that are making some noise – and now’s the time to check them out. Nothing’s better than discovering a great new brewery in your own hometown – and with the craft beer festival scene on a temporary hiatus – this weekend’s a perfect time to do it!

On The Big Screen – The holidays are a great time to take in a flick or two with friends and there are several movies showing right now that you might want to check out…

Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken opened nationally on Christmas. This much-anticipated filmed version of Laura Hillenbrand’s bestseller tells the true life story of Olympian and war hero, Louis Zamperini who, along with two other crewmen, survived in a raft for 47 days after a near-fatal plane crash in WWII – only to be caught by the Japanese Navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp.

The filmed version of longtime Broadway hit Into the Woods also opened on Christmas Day. Directed by Rob Marshall, it is a modern twist on several Brothers Grimm fairy tales that intertwines plots from classic stories like Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel and throws in some song and dance. Yes we know, we know, it’s a musical – but with a cast that includes names like Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep, Chris Pine, and Emily Blunt – maybe it won’t suck.

There’s also Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which completes Peter Jackson’s trilogy as Bilbo and his dwarf companions square off against warring armies and dragons with vendettas.Reese Witherspoon’s Wild tells the true story of a self-destructive woman’s 1,100-mile solo hike on the Pacific Crest trail. And Benedict Cumberbatch stars as English mathematician and logician, Alan Turing, who helped crack the Enigma code during World War II in The Imitation Game.

Just Sail Away (Miami, FL) – With temperatures plummeting from the Midwest and into New England, we all need an exit plan – and we’ve got an idea (but you need to move on this). Jam Cruise 2015 is a musical voyage featuring artists as diverse as Galactic, The Word, and Snarky Puppy that will be heading out of Miami next Tuesday (Jan 6^th) for five days of sun, music, and hanging with your favorite artists. For more info, check out: Jam Cruise 2015

Our Weekend Beer Pick

When days grow colder – we like our beers darker and bolder – and there’s a good one coming soon from the Firestone Walker Brewing Company that’s scheduled for an early January release. Firestone Walker Sucaba is an award-winning 13.5% ABV true English-style Barleywine that’s both aggressive and nuanced at the same time.

Looking To Promote Your Next Regional Festival? We Can Help. Contact Us at: pr@AmericanCraftBeer.com