John Gartner works the streets for New Belgium in Washington, DC, and like most of the people in this industry, he's a great guy. And though John can be passionate when it comes to all things New Belgium, he's not prone to hype. So when he calls to invite me out for "something very special"...he's got my attention.

"We felt like we were on the cusp of something really great happening in the Omaha metro area...We knew education and exposure were the keys to the growth of craft beer in Nebraska." Thanks to the efforts of passionate supporters and activists such as Kim Kavulak, owner of Nebraska Brewing Company and founder of the Great Nebraska Beer Fest (GNBF), Nebraska's craft scene has truly become something special. Now in its fifth year, GNBF stays true to its mission to provide the community with an amazing selection of world-class beer while giving fans countless opportunities to interact and learn from the brewers themselves.

When craft beer really began to take off in the 90s, the focus (beyond the obvious upgrades in flavor, texture, and variety) was the noticeable boost in alcohol content. Nowadays, craft beer is reaching herculean heights when it comes to strength, making the notion of a Session, or lower alcohol beer, especially attractive to those who love craft beer. Because sometimes some of us still have to look and act like responsible members of society.

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.

Hey it's Friday, the weekend's almost here, and you are ready for some serious fun. Well good, because that's where we come in. From the nation's coolest beer festivals to movies, music, and cutting-edge TV -we've got your back big-time. And we've got another of our weekend beer picks for you and we're going "old-school" this week - so you'll want to check that out. So welcome to this week's edition of our awesome Weekend Picks.

Take whatever you think you know about "girly" drinks and toss it out the proverbial window - the girls behind the Austin-based Bitch Beer site are here to set the record straight, in more ways than one. The seven-member team isn't afraid to tackle stereotypes, to speak their minds, and to assert their authority in the craft beer-o-sphere. That passion has led them to secure their biggest project to date - publishing the first definitive book about Austin's storied craft beer history.

So many beers, So little time ... With so many craft breweries, releasing so many beers, we thought it might help to provide a weekly update on all the new beers that are hitting the streets ... So welcome to this week's edition of Newbies - your guide to great new craft beer releases!

Hey it's Wednesday and it's Rumor Mill Time...Word has it that Kona Brewing will have a starring role on a new TV reality show! We'll be bringing you what we know so far. Plus we've got some fast-breaking news from our friends at the Brooklyn Brewery and an update from the New Belgium crew. We've also got an awesome new Rumor Mill release that you'll want to chase down. So fasten your seat belts everybody...THIS WEEK'S RUMOR MILL IS ON!

Whether he's rafting and camping on the Rogue River with local craft beer geeks, doing a 200-mile bike ride from Seattle to Portland for various charities, or just showing up at festivals to revel with the rest of us, it's clear that Christian Ettinger, the owner, CEO, and Brewmaster of Portland's Hopworks Urban Brewery, lives to create an environmentally conscious beer community.

Labels are the unsung heroes of the drinking world; they lure in customers who don't necessarily know what a saison or a stout is, beckoning with their bright colors, sharp designs, and bold graphics. We've got some great local talent slapping noteworthy art on bottles, which begs the question: who's behind these masterpieces?