Weasel Boy Brewing Co., located just down the road from the confluence of the Licking and Muskingum rivers in Zanesville, is adding a pizza kitchen. Brewer Jay Wince says he hopes to have it up and running sometime this summer. The small brewery -- which won a bronze medal at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival for its Anatasia Russian Imperial Stout -- also is working on a paw paw beer to be released this spring.

Samuel Adams, which has a brewery in Cincinnati, has unveiled two new beers in its Summer Styles variety 12-pack. The sampler includes Rustic Saison, a Belgian farmhouse ale, and East-West Kolsch, which is aged on a bed of jasmine sambac blossoms. The 12-pack also includes Boston Lager, Summer Ale, Latitude 48 and Sam Adams Light. It retails for $13.99.

West Point Market, an upscale grocer and institution in Akron, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. And what better way to celebrate than with a beer? West Point is creating a special, limited release beer for its anniversary. The store opened Sept. 21, 1936. The beer will be brewed at Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. in Akron. West Point business folks will be at Thirsty Dog next week to start brewing. I'll also be there and will follow up with a full story.

Sierra Nevada's new Beer Camp variety pack has an Ohio flavor. One of the four beers in the 12-pack was developed with help from the Cleveland-based Heinen's grocery chain. A team from Heinen's traveled to the Chico, Calif., brewery last year for Beer Camp, when some special invitees get to create new recipes and some crazy beers alongside Sierra Nevada brewers. The brewery is now sharing some of those beers nationwide for the first time with the release of "The Best of Beer Camp" sampler. The Heinen's folks -- along with others there at that particular Beer Camp -- created Double IPA, described as a "classic West Coast-style India Pale Ale ... loaded with citrus and grapefruit-rind hop notes with a hint of sweet malt in the aroma." "It was just a great experience to do something like this at a brewery like Sierra Nevada," said Ed Thompkins, the beer buyer for Heinen's. "These guys are really a national treasure and a heritage brewery." Heinen's sold some of the beer last year on draft during Cleveland Beer Week. But it's now available in bottles in the sampler. The Beer Camp pack will be released May 2. It will be available at Heinen's, of course, along with other locations. The Winking Lizard also will have all four of the beers and Stamper's Grill Pub in Fairview Park will have the Double IPA on draft. For all things Beer Camp -- and details about how to win a contest to go -- check out the brewery's nifty website here.

The Acme Fresh Market in Coventry Township has joined the national trend of grocery stores selling draft beer. Customers can now buy a growler-to-go filled with one of four beers: Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, Great Lakes Dortmunder, Southern Tier IPA or Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. "It brings a different flavor to Acme," said Jon Albrecht, the beer buyer for the Akron-based chain. Acme plans to sell only craft beer on tap and the offerings will rotate. "Ideally, I want beers you can't buy off the shelf," Albrecht said. The growler program has just started -- Acme sold its first growler Monday. If the growlers are successful, the goal is to offer them in other stores. The reusable growler costs $3.99. The beer is extra and the cost depends on the brand. But Albrecht said he wants -- at least initially -- to sell the beer for less than $10. "It's a heck of a deal for fresh beer," he said. The store is located at 3235 Manchester Road. Albrecht said he's interested in getting suggestions about which beers to offer through the Acme beer and wine Facebook page. Whole Foods Markets in the Cleveland area also offer growlers.

The Wall Street Journal writes about a new Anheuser-Busch InBev product: Hoegaarden 0.0. It's an alcohol-free drink. According to the newspaper's tasting panel, the reaction was mixed. You can read the blog entry by clicking here.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Anheuser-Busch InBev brewery in Columbus picking up the top honor for the best company operation in North America. And, of course, I forgot to update how the Columbus brewery did as one of the six finalists for the best A-B InBev brewery worldwide.  Alas, Columbus didn't win. But plant manager Kevin Lee said the brewery finished fourth -- which is still a great honor given the competition. Breweries are judged on various criteria, including quality, productivity, safety, environment and management.

Troegs Brewing Co. will be featured at a beer pairing dinner at the Buckeye Beer Engine in Lakewood at 7 p.m. May 3. The cost is $60. The beers and food will include Dreamweaver Wheat with a shrimp roll and Troegenator Double Bock with braised leg of lamb gyro.

Christian Moerlein will release Moerlein Saengerfest Maibock with a ceremonial tapping on at 6 p.m. April 28 at Neon's Unplugged, 208 E. 12th St., Cinicinnati. The brewer describes Saengerfest as a well-balanced golden lager with spicy and floral noble style hops. Moerlein Saengerfest Maibock, which has 6.5 percent alcohol, will be available starting May 1st at participating retailers and be available in draft and six packs with a suggested retail of $8.99.  “It's a great day in Cincinnati brewing history when you can symbolically relive moments of our city's heritage in such an authentic way,” said Greg Hardman President and chief executive officer of Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. referring to the Moerlein Saengerfest Maibock keg tapping event in Over-the-Rhine with the Kolping Saengerchor a local German singing society. For more details, click here.

The Ohio Expositions Commission, which oversees the Ohio State Fair in Columbus, has agreed to sell Ohio-made beer and wine at select spots and events at the fair. "Staff members, the commission as well as the governor thought this would be a good way to promote Ohio's agribusiness while keeping it in a controlled area," fair spokeswoman Alicia Notestone told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. To read the newspaper's full story, click here.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and other attorneys general want Pabst Brewing Co. to change the formula and marketing campaign for its new fruit-flavored alcoholic beverage Colt 45 Blast. It's sold in 23.5-ounce containers and has 12 percent alcohol. The attorneys general -- who sent a letter to the company today -- complained that it appeals to young adults. "It is wrong, irresponsible, and dangerous to be marketing to underaged kids. Blast could easily be called a 'binge-in-a-can,' according to the standards set by respected public agencies," DeWine said in a prepared statement. "Drinking a full can of it would be like consuming the alcohol in more than four regular, 12-ounce bottles of beer. With prom season under way, it is especially important that we do all we can to protect our kids from the dangers of alcohol use." To read the letter, click here.

Marietta Brewing Co. in Marietta has brought back its popular Paw Paw Wheat, an American wheat beer with a hefty 9 percent alcohol. The beer is one of the most unusual in Ohio thanks to a generous helping of the native paw paw fruit. One pound of paw paw -- which has a flavor best described as a mix of banana and mango -- is added to each gallon. "It's been a hit and people have been enjoying it," brewer Mike Arnold said. Paw Paw Wheat used to be a regular at the brewpub but when new owners took over it became a seasonal offering. The beer returned about two weeks ago and Arnold said there are about six or seven kegs remaining. He added that he may make it again this year. Marietta Brewing will be at the Big Tap In, a beer festival on April 30 in Boardman, and Arnold is bringing the Paw Paw Wheat along.

The co-hosts of the Internet radio show "Brew Strong" and Draft Magazine beer editor Chris Staten will be among the headliners at the International Beer Fest on May 13 and 14 at the I-X Center in Cleveland. Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer, who also co-authored Brewing Classic Styles: 80 Winning Recipes Anyone Can Brew, will broadcast live from the event. Their show focuses on the technical and scientific aspects of homebrewing.  Other presenters are beer expert and author Lucy Saunders, whose books include Cooking with Beer, Grilling with Beer and The Best of American Beer & Food; and author and brew historian John Schlimm, who wrote The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Cookbook and Straub Brewery, which chronicles his family's brewer. The Internatinoal Beer Fest will feature three public tasting sessions with 200 breweries from around the world pouring about 800 beers. For more details and ticket information, click here.

The long-awaited Market Garden Brewery & Distillery is getting closer to opening. Brewmaster Andy Tveekrem may start brewing Wednesday. "Just working out the last details of the refrigeration system and when that's done to my satisfaction, we commence brewing," he said in an e-mail. "And with any luck, the restaurant will be open for business within 60 days-- things are shaping up fast around here." The brewery is located in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood near Great Lakes Brewing and right next to the West Side Market.

BrewDog in Scotland has created a Viagra-laced beer to celebrate the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Called "Royal Virility Performance," the beer label features the phrases "Arise Prince Willy" and "Celebrate Big Willy Style." This is the same brewery that caused a stir by releasing a special beer inside the bodies of taxidermied squirrels. To read a story by the Metro newspaper, click here.

Kelleys Island Brewery has opened for the season. The brewpub, located on Kelleys Island, has one of the most gorgeous brewery settings in Ohio thanks to its view of Lake Erie and the mainland. The brewery is a seasonal operation.

Mt. Carmel Brewing Co. outside of Cincinnati has started a new line of beers. The Snapshot series will feature bigger flavors and higher alcohol. The first one -- Hopton -- is out now. It's available only on draft and only in the Cincinnati market.

The Winking Lizard Tavern, a chain of bar-restaurants that stretch from Cleveland to Columbus, will open a new bar concept April 26 called Lizardville Beer Store and Whiskey Bar at 25380 Miles Road in Bedford Heights. (It's housed in the original Winking Lizard and next door to the current Bedford Heights restaurant.) Lizardville is both a retail outlet and sitdown place with more than 400 craft beers and 170 whiskeys. There also will be eight taps featuring limited releases. "The selection is going to be second to none," said John Lane, the Winking Lizard's so-called "beermeister" who runs the annual World Tour of Beers.

Customers can buy beer to go -- in both bottles and growlers -- or drink it there. People also will be able to buy a single bottle, as opposed to a six-pack. The beer will be organized by style, instead of by country or state. While there will be a selection of cheeses and meats to complement the beer and whiskey, Lizardville isn't a restaurant. It's small and will seat only about 30 people. "It’s more of a hangout place, a place where you're getting your beer for the weekend or a place you come before or after dinner and enjoy a good beer," Lane said.

Craft brewers in the United States continue to experience great growth. But not so much south of the border. The Los Angeles Times reports on how small Mexican brewers are struggling to get noticed in their country. The newspaper reports that for every 100,000 beers drunk in Mexico, only eight are craft beers. To read the full story, click here.

Molson Coors Brewing Chief Executive Officer Peter Swinburn's total compensation fell 13 percent last year, according to The Associated Press. Don't shed a tear, though. His pay package amounted to $7.1 million. His base pay rose to $941,667 but the value of his stock awards dropped 34 percent. The Associated Press used salary, bonuses, perks and stock awards to calculate his pay package.

Entries for the Ohio State Fair Homebrew Competition must be postmarked by June 20. The event is open to all homebrewers who live in the state or are a member of an Ohio homebrew club. The 2011 fair is July 27 to Aug. 7. For complete contest details, click here.

The Brewers Association, a Boulder, Colo.-based trade group, has released its annual lists of the top 50 craft breweries and top 50 breweries overall based on 2010 sales volume in the United States. “At more than 1,700, the number of breweries in the U.S. is higher than any time since the late 1800s,” association Director Paul Gatza said in a prepared statement. “Beer lovers’ appreciation for American craft brewers and their craft beers continue to grow.”

The craft list includes only one Ohio brewery: Great Lakes Brewing in Cleveland at 22nd. (Great Lakes moved up one spot from last year.) The top five craft brewers in order are: Boston Beer Co., Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, Spoetzl and Deschutes. Anheuser-Busch tops the overall list, followed by MillerCoors, Pabst, D.G. Yuengling and Son, and Boston Beer. Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors and Boston Beer have breweries in Ohio.

The Ohio Craft Brewers Collaboration Sampler will hit store shelves Thursday. I know. I know. This has been written a million times before. But Ed Thompkins, the beer buyer for Heinen's, and John Najeway, co-owner of Thirsty Dog Brewing, have confirmed the news. "I expect this to fly out of the stores," Thompkins said. In other words, he's urging folks who want to buy it to do so fast.

If you recall, 12 breweries in Northeast Ohio paired off last year and created special beers for Cleveland Beer Week. It was considered the largest such collaboration of its kind in the industry. Beer lovers will be able to find the 12-pack — retailing for $19.99 – starting Thursday at all Heinen’s locations except the Avon store. Then, other locations will receive their shipments: West Point Market in Akron; Acme Fresh Markets in Akron, Canton, Hudson, Kent, Montrose and Cleveland; select Giant Eagle locations in the Cleveland area; 101 Bottles in Kent; Buehler's in Medina; Primo’s Deli in Akron; Cork & Brew in Akron; and several other beverage stores in and around Cleveland. Superior Beverage Group is distributing the beer.

Would you pay $29.75 for a beer at a professional baseball game? That's how much a 22-ounce Hoppin' Frog Bodacious Black and Tan goes for at Progressive Field in Cleveland. And yes, apparently someone is buying them. The Sporting News reported today on the high cost of Ohio-made beer at the stadium. Hoppin' Frog isn't the only pricey brand. Buckeye Brewing's Hippie IPA goes for $19.75 while The Brew Kettle's 4 C's Pale Ale is $15.75. To read the story, click here.

Boston Beer Co. is expanding its "Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream" program, which will provide at least $100,000 this year to people who want to start or expand a brewery. Small brewers can apply for loans ranging from $500 to $25,000.  The program began in June 2008 with ACCION USA and has handed out $540,000 to more than 60 businesses. “Our goal with the craft brewing component of Brewing the American Dream is to support small business owners in our niche of the industry who are facing the same hurdles around starting or expanding their nano or microbrewery that I faced when I started brewing Samuel Adams in my kitchen in 1984,” said Jim Koch, brewer and founder of Samuel Adams. The brewery also is offering the opportunity for one brewer to spend a year learning the brewing business alongside Samuel Adams employees. For more details on the program, click here.

Americans are more likely to have a beer than any other alcoholic drink, according to a new Harris Interactive poll. People surveyed reach for a beer more often (34 percent of the time) than wine (22 percent of the time). Not surprisingly, nearly 50 percent of men opt for a beer. One in five Americans never drink alcohol at all. For the complete results, including all the statistics and charts, click here.

Akron-based Acme Fresh Market is boosting its social media presence to try to connect with beer fans and wine lovers. Jon Albrecht, the beer and wine buyer for the grocery chain, has started a Facebook page to interact with customers. (Do a Facebook search for the "Acme Fresh Market Wine & Beer Shop" to find the page.) Albrecht said he's more than willing to answer questions and even take requests about which beers to stock. He knows customers have questions and recommendations. It's not unusual for him to have a half-hour conversation with folks inside the store. "The goal is to get the customers what they want," he said. "If you have a favorite beer, we want you to buy it at Acme." The chain, especially the Montrose and Wallhaven stores, already offers a substantial beer selection. So what is the most requested beer? Albrecht said it's Yuengling, a Pennsylvania beer that's not available in Ohio. He also fields plenty of requests for Fat Tire, a beer made by New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins, Colo. That beer also isn't available in Ohio.

If you check out the Acme Facebook page, you also may spot an interesting picture. It's an "Acme Fresh Market Beer" growler. Yes, the grocery is getting into the draft beer business. Albrecht said the growler program is expected to start this year at the Portage Lakes store.

Black squirrels abound in Kent. So it should come as no surprise that Matthew Stroia and his unnamed business partner have decided to name their new brewing venture Black Squirrel Brewing Co. They are currently scouting locations in Kent and obtaining the proper state permits. "It just seemed like Kent is a perfect fit," Stroia said. "It's close to Akron and Cleveland, and the water quality in Kent and Ravenna is perfect for brewing." The Ravenna Record-Courier newspaper broke the news about the brewery a few weeks ago.

Stroia is a 36-year-old financial planner in North Canton. He's been homebrewing since graduating from high school. In other words, he was making beer before he was able to buy it at the store.

The second annual Big Tap In, a craft festival featuring more than 150 beers, will be held from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. April 30 at the Shepherd Event Center in Boardman. Organizers bill it as the biggest craft beer event between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The VIP event is already sold out, according to the website. But tickets,which cost $40, are available for the general session. No tickets will be sold at the door. For more details, click here.

Little Mountain Brewing, a brew-on-premise operation in Kirtland, will participate in the American Homebrewers Association's Big Brew from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. May 7. Owner Bob Weber said he wants to make as much beer as possible during the event, which celebrates National Homebrew Day. Little Mountain, which also makes its own beer, will offer discounts for homebrew club members, $4 burgers and chips and beer specials all day.

Two Pennsylvania breweries are feuding over their Christmas beer. Troegs Brewing in Harrisburg -- maker of the popular Mad Elf Ale -- wants Fegley's Brew Works in Bethlehem to stop using the name Rude Elf's Reserve. Too similar, Troegs says. The brewery has asked the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to cancel Fegley's trademark. Click here to read a story by the Patriot-News.

Bud Light -- the best-selling beer in the U.S. -- has re-upped its sponsorship deal with the mixed martial arts group Ultimate Fighting Championship. Anheuser-Busch InBev also plans to release a limited edition Bud Light aluminum bottle with the UFC logo. To read the news release, click here.

A private equity firm by the name of  Uni-World Capital LP has acquired the brands and assets of Iron City Brewing in Pittsburgh.  "Iron City Brewing Co.'s portfolio of brands are icons in Western Pennsylvania and beyond," said Edwin Lozano, the new president and chief executive officer. "My priorities are to concentrate on the core brands, Iron City and IC Light; to better support our wholesalers and to aggressively grow the business. Part of that growth means a personal commitment to adding jobs in Pittsburgh. I'm honored to be at the helm of a business that's a Pittsburgh institution. I firmly believe Iron City has tremendous potential, and I look forward to helping write the next chapter in the brewery's history." Terms of the deal weren't announced. To read the news release, click here and for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story click here.

The Ohio Craft Brewers Collaboration Sampler won't be available by this weekend, afterall. Superior Beverage Group, which will distribute the 12-pack to grocers and other beer specialty stores, says it's still waiting for one more final approval.

Barley's Smokehouse in Columbus will hold its ninth annual Mini Real Ale Fest from noon to 3 p.m. May 14. The event will feature firkins from breweries around the country. So far the lineup includes Flying Dog, The Brew Kettle, Southern Tier, Troegs, Avery, North Peak, Thirsty Dog, Ohio, Dark Horse, Bell's and Founders -- along with Barley's, of course. Tickets are $30. For more details, click here.

Iron City is Pittsburgh. At least it is for me -- someone who collected commemorative Pittsburgh Steelers beer cans and Olde Frothingslosh cans as a kid. The brewery, as most beer fans know, has languished for years and Iron City isn't even brewed in Pittsburgh anymore. Well, the Iron City brand apparently is getting a new owner, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Read the story here.

A new brewery and brew-on-premise business is set to open this year in Cleveland Heights. ClevelandHops.com, a website that covers the Cleveland craft scene, posted a report about the BottleHouse Brewery today. You can read the blog entry by clicking here.

The Ohio Craft Brewers Collaboration Sampler created for the second annual Cleveland Beer Week in October 2010 is finally going to hit store shelves. Really. At least that's the word from John Najeway, co-owner of Thirsty Dog Brewing in Akron. There have been many such promises in the past. But Najeway said all the wrinkles that led to the lengthy delay -- including issues with labels and who would distribute the beer -- have been worked out. The beers were worth waiting for, he said.

If you recall, 12 breweries in Northeast Ohio paired off last year and created special beers for the weeklong event. It was considered the largest such collaboration of its kind in the industry. Beer lovers will be able to find the 12-pack -- retailing for $19.99 -- by next weekend in all Heinen's locations except the Avon store; West Point Market in Akron; Acme Fresh Markets in Akron, Canton, Montrose and Cleveland; select Giant Eagle locations in the Cleveland area;  Primo's Deli in Akron; Cork & Brew in Akron; and several other beverage stores in and around Cleveland.