As we’ve been threatening, we’re just about ready to throw the switch on an update to MNBeer.com’s layout. It probably won’t blow you away, per se, but it will allow us to organize information a little differently, and enable us add a few minor features to the site. I’m sure we’ll be fine-tuning even when the site launches, though I suppose that’s the nature of the web, eh?

We’re also in the really late stages of revamping the way we handle events on the site. There are a lot of positive things about the way it’s happening now, but it’s not perfect. We’ve been testing another system with more features for quite a while, as well though neither is perfect. Our current software doesn’t allow for recurring events, map integration and a database for event venues whereas with our best alternative events are essentially contained within their own database and don’t (without a little effort) become a part of the normal posting scheme. Most of you probably don’t care, though it begs the question: For events, do you consult the event list/calendar or do you rely on the daily postings of the blog?

You’ll probably notice some new authors on the site in the upcoming months as well. In fact, you’ve probably read stories from a few, already. Stories from 5+ new writers has made life a bit easier in MNBeer-world, though I’ve got to admit that I’m a little jealous! Look for more new features to come! We’ve got lots of irons in the fire!

Did you see MNBeerBlogs.com? We made that too. Check it out. It’s awesome to see that we’ve got lots of cohorts talking about beer in Minnesota.

We’re also turning seven in the fall. That makes us older than most of the breweries in town! I think it’s high time we celebrate once again. We’ll need a venue, we’ll need Minnesota beer, we’ll need Minnesota swag, a little rock-n-roll (if it allows) and perhaps your best toast to Minnesota beer (the concept, not the website). More on that in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, if you have ideas, please feel free to drop me a line – ryan AT mnbeer.com.

As always, thanks for reading. This site has always been about having great beer with great people, so know that we dig it every time one of you stops by a beer festival and says, “You’re the first site I read everyday” every time someone shoots us an email or likes what we share on Facebook. Thank you.