5 Stories Over Beer is a weekly recurring article that presents 5 stories about beer and the brewing industry from the week before that you should read. So sit down, grab a beer, and take a few minutes to read 5 stories while drinking a beer. Cheers!

5 Stories Over Beer – 2016 March 20-26 :

1. Beer and the Environment – If you consider yourself a beer lover, then it is time learn about the impacts climate change can have for beer. With the continuous negative impact of global warming, not only is our food production and supply threatened, but also production and supply of everything else–including beer. While we know that fermented grain is the beverage’s key ingredient, hops are also as important. Learn more about the impacts of climate change by clicking here. In a related story, read about how spraying pesticides in impacting wine by clicking here. Could this spraying also impact crops used to make beer?

Finally, here are a three stories about how some researchers and breweries are taking action.  Click here to learn about how hops can help save bees. Click here to read about a solar-powered microbrewery in the Caribbean. Click here to read about a new craft beer brand which will donate 100% of its profits to clean water projects.

2. Deschutes Brewery invests $85 million in first East Coast brewery – One of the West Coast’s largest craft beer makers, Deschutes Brewery, is opening expanding by building brewery production facilities on the east coast in Roanoke, Virginia. Read the details of this expansion and benefits to Virginia by clicking here.

3. Experts Predict the Next Big Trends in Beer – Find out what experts think will be the newest trends in beer and brewing by clicking here.

4. San Diego Brewers Get A Boost From Local Yeast Maker – These are heady days for the San Diego craft brewing industry. The region boasts more than 110 breweries and there are plans in the works for up to 40 more. Breweries like Stone, Ballast Point, and Green Flash may be familiar names to you. However, one San Diego company can claim significant to be a major contributor to why San Diego has such an active brewing industry. White Labs is one of largest yeast sellers in the country. For years, White Labs has worked with home brewers and the region’s largest beer makers, helping them find the best possible yeast for their brews. Learn about White Labs by clicking here.

5. Unprecedented U.S. Craft Brewery Growth – According to the Brewers Association, craft brewers reported a 13% increase in volume in 2015, the eighth consecutive year of double-digit growth as American beer drinkers continued to be lured by fuller-flavored ales. According to data released by the Brewers Association, there were 4,269 operating breweries in the country at the end of 2015. Read the Brewers Association summary by clicking here and a related Bloomberg Business report by clicking here. Fortune Magazine thought this trend important and wrote an interesting article you can read by clicking here.

Let me know your thoughts about these 5 Stories Over Beer .