There are a lot of reasons why people drink beer. Clearly, a primary reason is because they find it enjoyable. They appreciate how beer tastes and enjoy its mood-enhancing qualities. One thing's for sure - people don't generally drink beer to get healthier. But with more and more research coming out almost daily to the contrary, we all might want to start rethinking that.

Hey it's Wednesday and that means it's Rumor Mill Time....It's not every day that one of American Craft Beer's own takes home a medal for her brewing skills. We've got the inside on last weekend's big win by our GWAR goddess! Plus we've some updates from our friends at Avery and all kinds of news from Deschutes and Odell Brewing.

So fasten your seat belts everybody because....THIS WEEK'S RUMOR MILL IS ON!

So many beers, So little time...From special collaborations and craft beer one-offs to exciting new fall and winter seasonals, Newbies is your essential map to the "best of the best" and the hottest new craft beers rolling out each week ...

So welcome to another edition of Newbies - your guide to great new craft beer releases!

It's hard to keep covering beer festivals that sell out so fast that even their most plugged-in fans have a difficult time getting tickets. It's hard to highlight hot craft beer events where demand far outpaces availability. People get pissed at us when we bring up these seemingly unattainable hot ticket events...And that's probably why we shouldn't mention the Michigan Brewers Guild Winter Beer Festival, which took place in Grand Rapids over the weekend.

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.

What could possibly lure away the chiefs of Russian River Brewing Company in the midst of the annual spectacle that is their Pliny the Younger release?

Hey it's Friday and work's been brutal and the weather not much better -so you're ready for some fun. Well good, because we're all about it and we've got all kinds of ideas. From the nation's coolest beer festivals to movies, music, and cutting-edge TV - we've got your back big-time. Plus we've a serious Weekend Beer Pick that you'll want to get your hands on.

Being an ACB correspondent definitely has its benefits: entry into festivals, abundant free samples, occasional brewery swag, a guilt-free excuse for (polite) public drunkenness. Yet when you're tasked with imbibing as many samples as possible within a defined time limit, things can get a little challenging... like social skills and such. Having survived my first summer of Oregon beer festivals, I now feel like a veteran and it was once again time to mercilessly punish my liver the best way I know how to: Zwickelmania 2014.

So many beers, So little time...Newbies is your essential map to the "best of the best" and the hottest new craft beers rolling out each week. From Saint Arnold Bishop's Barrel No. 6 to the latest from Victory and Funky Buddha - we've got all kinds of new releases you're going to want to chase down.

So welcome to another edition of Newbies -Your ultimate guide to great new craft beers! 

Hey it's Wednesday and that means it's Rumor Mill Time....Beer floods may come and Beer floods may go - but we should never forget The Great London Beer Flood of 1814. Plus we've some updates from Mission Brewery and a Rumor Mill Beer Pick that you'll want to chase down.

So fasten your seat belts everybody because....THIS WEEK'S RUMOR MILL IS ON!