They have urged Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government to block the tapping of shale gas by means of hydraulic fracturing (known as fracking). The Association of German Breweries said current proposals related to fracking are inadequate to protect drinking water.

“We are concerned that fracking endangers the brewing water that more than half of Germany’s breweries take from private wells,” Marc-Oliver Huhnholz, a spokesman for the group, told Bloomburg. “And that it threatens our absolutely pure beer.” The association has sent a letter voicing its concerns to six Cabinet ministers including Environment Minister Peter Altmaier, he said.

Merkel has agreed on draft legislation in her coalition that would outlaw fracking in some areas. It remains unclear whether a law can be passed before the election, Altmaier said.

Germany’s brewers point to what they say is the oldest food-safety regulation in the world to justify their concerns about fracking. The Reinheitsgebot was drafted in April 1516 at the instigation of Duke Wilhelm IV in the Bavarian city of Ingolstadt. The law states that only malted barley, hops and water may go into beer, with the later addition of yeast, which had not yet been discovered at the time.

Co-owner and brewer Matt Cole said Fat Head’s, which already has both a production brewery and a restaurants, signed a deal for a 13,000-square-foot space in the Pearl District about two blocks from Deschutes Brewery and Rogue Ales.

The brewery makes a wide range of assertive beers, led by Headhunter IPA.

“The Pearl District is a pretty hip area right in downtown Portland,” Cole told the Akron Beacon Journal’s website.

The brewpub will operate with a 10-barrel system. “We want to keep the batch size small so we can keep the beer fresh,” Cole said. He expects the new brewpub will open in the spring of 2014, offering 14 or 15 Fat Head’s beers on draft, along with about 25 beers from Portland breweries.

Fat Head’s also announced earlier this year that it’s looking to open a brewpub in Columbus.

“The U.S. Tettnanger hops availability, consistency and quality had started to become an ongoing issue for the past several years,” David Wilson, Quality Assurance Manager at Alaskan Brewing, said in a company press release. “With most hop varieties we are able to order based on the characteristics we are looking for in the taste and aroma, but because so few farmers are growing this hop, we have had a hard time coming up with the consistency we need to brew Alaskan Pale year-round.”

Hop geneticists have determined U.S. Tettnanger is an offspring of the English Fuggle hop, and it produces distinctly different odors than hops of American origin — such as Cascade, Citra, and Amarillo — that are currently very popular and more widely available.

Alaskan Pale is what’s generally known as a golden ale, but in 1987 was called Pale to offer a contrast to the only other year-round brew Alaskan was producing at the time, Alaskan Amber. The Alaskan Pale a loyal following, particularly in Alaska.

“We are always experimenting with different recipes, and we would love to find a similar flavor profile to the Alaskan Pale as many of us will miss this beer tremendously,” said co-founder Marcy Larson. “But we wanted to be honest in that without those specific hops, it will not be the same beer.”

Alaskan’s latest year-round release, the Freeride APA is quite different beer from Pale, with a citrusy hop-forward flavor profile.

Those who study The Brewers Association’s Guide to Starting Your Own Brewery by Dick Cantwell will almost surely have a better chance of success. The second edition of the guide has been completely rewritten and covers, among other things:

- Business plans
- Financing
- Quality assurance
- Site selection
- Flooring choices
- Branding
- Raw materials
- Distribution
- Regulatory requirements
- Equipment considerations
- Sustainability practices
- Wastewater

Cantwell is co-founder of Elysian Brewing, which has three pub locations and a production brewery. Cantwell recently talked about the book with Eric Gorski of the Denver Post.

Imperial Smoked Porter is the second in Deschutes Brewery’s Class of ‘88 collaboration series, which celebrates the 25th anniversary of craft breweries around the country that were founded in 1988. Deschutes and Great Lakes Brewing developed the recipe together, then made versions at their respective breweries. Their year-round porters, Deschutes Black Butte and Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald, are among the most highly regarded in the country.

The imperial collaboration is 9.5% ABV, with 50 bitterness units (IBU). The two breweries both distribute in Minnesota and Illinois, so those are the places to go for side-by-side tastings. Meanwhile the best way learn about the beer is this video.

- Firestone Walker Brewing used traditional German ingredients and West Coast dry-hopping technique to create Pivo Pils (5.3% ABV, 40 IBU). “Lighter beer styles like pilsner have been hijacked by industrial lager beer in the United States, and it’s time for craft brewers to take it back,” brewmaster Matt Brynildson said.

“A lot of pilsners have the malt element down, as well as the dryness and drinkability, and even the bitterness — but they lack hop aroma,” Brynildson said. Pivo Pils is brimming with aroma. He said he took inspiration from Birrificio Italiano’s Tipo Pils. “Ever since I first tasted it, I’ve been dreaming about making a dry-hopped pilsner.”

- O’Fallon Brewery in Missouri has launched a rotating series of 4-pack 12-ounce beers this week called the Brewer’s Stash. The first beer in the series, Sticke It To The Man, is a darker, hoppier, 7.5% ABV version of the traditional Dusseldorf Alt style, according to the St. Charles County-based brewery. “The beer has a medium to full body, notes of caramel and toasted, nutty malt complemented with floral German Noble hops,” O’Fallon brewmaster Brian Owens said.

- New Belgium Brewing’s newest Lips of Faith beers are now available: Paardebloem, the latest collaboration with Red Rock Brewing in Salt Lake City, and Pluot. Paardebloem brings together a diverse set of ingredients ranging from peach juice to dandelion greens. It blends Brettanomyces with New Belgium’s house Belgian ale yeast, and includes a touch of wood-aged sour beer and Grains of Paradise. Paardebloem pours a light, hazy gold and is 9% ABV. Pluot is a subtly sweet ale made from pluot juice, which is a hybrid of a plum and an apricot. Pluot is light golden and 10% ABV, delivering fruity aromas and distinct esters. It is also created with house Belgian ale yeast and Brettanomyces, bringing a hint of spice and a malty backbone.

The Small BREW Act seeks to recalibrate the federal beer excise tax that small brewers pay on every barrel of beer they produce. Under current federal law, brewers making less than 2 million barrels annually pay $7 per barrel on the first 60,000 barrels they produce, and $18 per barrel on every barrel thereafter. The Small BREW Act seeks to recalibrate that rate so that the smallest brewers and brewpubs would pay $3.50 on the first 60,000 barrels. For production between 60,001 and 2 million barrels the rate would be $16 per barrel. Any brewer that exceeds 2 million barrels would begin paying the full $18 rate. Breweries with an annual production of 6 million barrels or less would qualify for these tax rates.

“Small brewers have been anchors of local communities and America’s economy since the start of our history. In addition to making high-quality beers, craft brewers, including those in Maryland, create jobs and reinvest their profits back into their local economies,” said Senator Cardin, a member of the Senate Finance and Small Business committees. “The federal government needs to be investing in industries that invest in America and create real jobs here at home. With more than 2,400 small and independent breweries currently operating in the US, now is the time to take meaningful action to help them and our economy grow.”

“Maine is home to dozens of unique craft breweries and brewpubs that invigorate our economy by providing more than 1,000 jobs and drawing countless tourists into our state,” Senator Collins said. “In meeting with brewers across Maine, they always make clear to me how federal tax policy affects their businesses. This bill, which I support, would help reduce the tax burden placed on many small brewers across our country, allowing them to thrive, create jobs, and further grow our economy.”

The Alabama Senate gave final approval to a bill that will allow residents to homebrew limited amounts of beer, wine, mead or cider. Gov. Robert Bentley’s office is reviewing the bill, but is expected to sign it relatively quickly.

That means Alabama likely won’t be the last state to “officially” legalize homebrew. Alabama’s law becomes effective as soon as Bentley signs it. The homebrew bill passed earlier this year in Mississippi goes into effect 90 days after Gov. Phil Bryant signed the bill. So the Mississippi law isn’t official until July 1.

Although thousands of people in Alabama already homebrew, they’ve been breaking the law, in fact committing what legally a felony.

The soon-to-be Alabama law is more restrictive than many. It limits production to 60 gallons of beer, wine, cider or mead in a calendar year, compared to 200 gallons in some states. Those who live in dry counties or cities cannot homebrew at all. Small amounts (10 gallons or less) of homebrewed wine and beer may be transported to sanctioned competitions and craft beer shows.

“Homebrewing has been an integral part of the history of America, so it’s thrilling to know that soon all 50 states will support this growing hobby and long-standing tradition,” said Gary Glass, director, American Homebrewers Association. “We appreciate the backing of all of the homebrewers, the dedicated grassroots efforts of Right to Brew and the legislators who have worked so diligently to make homebrewing a reality in Alabama. We are especially grateful to Representative Mac McCutcheon who introduced this bill and has fought long and hard for its passage, along with Senator Bill Holtzclaw.”

“From the beginning, we’ve worked hard to give back to the community,” Jeremy Ragonese, director of marketing, said for a press released. “The 10% for KC program takes these efforts to a new level, and allows us – in an even more direct and meaningful way – to express our appreciation to the people who support us and the organizations that make this city a better place to live.”

At the beginning of each calendar quarter, three charities will be selected from a pool nominated by the public. The organizations will have several weeks to help spread the word about their selection before a ten-day online public voting period determines the results. The top vote getter will receive 60% of available funds, while the two runners up will each collect 20%. The process will repeat itself every three months, meaning that 12 worthy organizations will receive funding each year. Consumers are invited to visit boulevard.com/we-love-KC to submit nominations for future consideration.

Adam Oakley, vice president of import, craft and specialty brands at Anheuser-Busch, said the cider category is seeing 110 percent growth in the United States.

“Stella Artois Cidre is designed to be savored and is very different from sweeter, domestic U.S. ciders,” Oakley said for a press release. “Stella Artois Cidre has the potential to change people’s perceptions of cider here, offering a refreshing alternative to white wine.”

According to the press release, “Stella Artois Cidre is a crisp, distinctive European-style cider made with apples hand-picked from wine growing regions. Initially it will be available in 26 U.S. states, with further expansion possible in 2014.” Sales to retailers begin on May 13.

Stella Artois Cidre will be fermented in Baldwinsville, New York, using apples picked from wine-growing regions in North and South America. It contains 4.5% alcohol by volume.

To celebrate American Craft Beer Week (May 13-19) the Brewers Association has assembled this graphic map of the United States, using logos submitted by breweries in every state. (Click on the map to enlarge it.)