A drunk stumble away from the end of the metro Red Line, The Federal Bar in North Hollywood is much easier to find than the saloons during prohibition, but still gives off the vibe that you're in the prohibition era.

Trying to keep up with what feels like a new festival every week in this crazy town of craft beer weirdoes isn't always easy. From May to September, there are more events than there are weeks and it all peaks during the month of July, Oregon's Craft Beer Month. The Portland International Beerfest (or PIB) is considered by many to be the best brewhaha of the season and it's happening this weekend.

A new can design from Sly Fox Brewing in Pennsylvania has revolutionized the old...and tired...canned beer. Bailey Wiggle gives her take on the can of yesterday and introduces us to the new design of today.

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.

From introducing "crafty" beers to buying craft breweries, InBev, MillerCoors, and other macrobrewers have done a good job of blurring the lines of what truly defines a craft beer. Which begs the question - what are consumers really consuming?

Hey it's Friday and the weekend's almost here. We're almost halfway though summer and you're ready for some fun and that's where we come in! We're all about it and we've got your back big-time. Plus we've got a special weekend beer pick that you'll want to track down. So welcome to this week's edition of our awesome Weekend Picks!

Driving up a long winding road with witty, rhyming signs asking you to drive slowly, you're immediately struck by the scenic views of the Chimacum Valley on the northern Olympic Peninsula of Washington, views you may have missed if you hadn't turned off of Highway 19. At the end of this snaking path is a small gravel parking lot next to the anticipated red barn, with signs pointing to a craft cider tasting room.

Jack's Abby has come a long way since it began operations in Framingham, but one thing that hasn't changed over time is the terrible beer puns. If you haven't seen Private Rye or Hurts Like Helles on the shelves, keep an eye out; the brews are even better than the wordplay. I recently spoke to the man behind the puns, and the beer, to get his take on the last two years. Here's what Jack Hendler had to say for himself. 

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!  

It appears that registering for the opportunity to have your beers represented at the Great American Beer Festival has now become as difficult for brewers as it is for fans seeking admission tickets. Hosted by the Brewers Association and held every October in Denver, GABF is without question one of craft beer's biggest events. Last year's tickets sold out in mere minutes, leaving many a disgruntled patron disappointed and frustrated with the online process. And now that frustration with the process seems to be spreading to the industry's side of things...