District, is just one of the establishments that have been integral in turning a square mile of Jacksonville, FL into "craft beer central." So when I got word that they were throwing a release party for their Underdark, an Imperial Stout aged in oak barrels, my calendar was magically cleared and it was time to gas up the car to make the 2.5 hour journey.

So many new craft 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 craft beers that are hitting the streets...So welcome to this week's edition of Newbies - your guide to great new craft beer releases!

Prior to 2009, the last time Washington, DC could claim a native production brewery was way back in 1956. A lot happened in that 53-year period - we landed on the moon, the USSR crumbled, skinny ties went out of style, skinny ties came back into style, and Al Gore invented this internet thing we're all so fond of. Luckily for us, when Jeff Hancock and Brandon Skall started their brewery in Northeast DC, they ended the 50+ year brewery drought and put the nation's capital back in its rightful place as a beer producing pseudo-State of the Union (eat your heart out Guam).

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!

As a craft beer fan watching the Super Bowl, you couldn't have helped but notice all those big-budget Big Beer commercials that ran throughout the game. And if you're like us (not that that's a good thing), you might have found yourself reflecting on them, as well as what it would be like to see a craft beer commercial during the Super Bowl, or whether we should even want to...

We write for both the Industry as well as for its fans here at AmericanCraftBeer.com. And we try to cover the biz in a way that's entertaining without getting too geekish. Sure it's easier to write about beer festivals, new breweries and craft beers, rather than to delve into SKU concerns. But sometimes, there are less obvious industry issues that warrant discussion - especially when they affect all of us...And "disappearing kegs" is one of those issues.

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 with so much going down lately, all that's changed. So here's some of what's happened in the world of craft beer news while you were enjoying your Super Bowl parties.

In the heart of Los Angeles at Third and Fairfax is The Grove, which features several high-end stores and restaurants. The rich and beautiful clientele that frequently occupy The Grove practically make you feel like a Chimney Sweep from Mary Poppins. If you're able to resist the crowds ogling over Mario Lopez filming Extra, get past the Yorkie Terriers with monocles, and dodge people pushing around parrots in mesh cages, then you can discover the historic Los Angeles Farmers Market. In the middle of the market is 326 Beer and Wine Bar, which to my delight has a rotating tap of local LA craft beers. Open since 1986, 326 has served plenty of husbands trying to kill time and their livers as their wives shop.

Hey it's Friday and yes, we understand that it's Super Bowl Weekend and we'll get to that. But what about the rest of this weekend...You want to have some fun, right? That's where we come in! We're all about the fun (football and non-football) and we've got you covered. Plus we've got a special Super Bowl beer pick for you too.....So welcome to this week's Super Bowl XLVII edition of our Weekend Picks!

It's hard for me to pinpoint exactly when I became a serious beer fan. I think it had a lot to do with my post-graduation move to DC, where Brickskeller's massive draft list led to many evenings of picking first choices, second choices and backups just in case they were out of that, too. Later on, ChurckKey stole my heart with its indecision-friendly sampling sizes and strict adherence to appropriate glassware.