In a pre-event stroll around Founders’ ever-expanding brewery in Grand Rapids, Mich. on Tuesday, company co-founder Dave Engbers quipped at one point, “That wall wasn’t here yesterday.”

Elysian Brewing co-founder Dick Cantwell is going to work for the Brewers Association. Less than four months after Cantwell resigned from Anheuser-Busch InBev — the international brewing conglomerate that in January acquired the famed Seattle-based beer company he helped start – the former brewmaster will step in as the organization’s new “quality ambassador.”

North American Breweries (NAB) yesterday announced the permanent closure of its Berkeley, Calif. Pyramid Alehouse, a restaurant and brewery that had been operating in the Oakland suburb since 1997. According to a press statement from NAB, which purchased Pyramid Breweries in 2010 after its tie-up with Magic Hat, the shut down is part of a broader, company-wide strategy focused on consolidating production at its Portland, Ore., and Seattle, Wash. facilities.

In a hybrid management buyout and employee stock ownership transaction, Odell Brewing will sell 70 percent of the company to brewery employees, co-founder and CEO Wynne Odell told Brewbound. The deal, first announced late last night, will see 51 percent of the company transferred to three members of the executive management team — director of sales Eric Smith, COO Brendan McGivney and CFO Chris Banks. 19 percent of the company will be sold remaining brewery employees (currently 115).

New Belgium Brewing will begin construction on a new 10-barrel pilot brewery this summer in downtown Denver where it will focus on small batch, barrel-aged sour offerings, the company announced today.

Another Colorado craft brewery has turned ownership over to its employees. Fort Collins-based Odell Brewing tonight announced the establishment of an employee stock ownership plan, selling 19 percent of company stock into a newly formed trust in which all 115 employees will participate.

We’re just 24 hours away from our sixth Brew Talks meetup of the year and we’ve got one final program announcement to make. Brewbound has invited three insanely knowledgeable industry professionals, all of whom are deeply connected with the craft scene throughout Michigan, to discuss the opportunities and challenges that craft brewers face as they look to grow their brands at the local level.

Atlanta Brewing, Georgia’s oldest craft brewery, has promoted its brewmaster to the position of president, the company announced today.

Another top U.S. craft brewery is changing hands. As announced late last night, Duvel Moortgat will add to an impressive roster of American craft brands – one that already includes Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewing and New York’s Brewery Ommegang — by “combining” its U.S. operations with California’s fourth largest craft beer company, Firestone Walker Brewing.

A federal ban prohibiting the United States Postal Service from shipping beer, wine and liquor would be lifted, should a new bill makes its way through Congress.

Kent “Battle” Martin spent 11 years with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, holding single authority over the American beer label approval process, before retiring in June.

Firestone Walker and Duvel Moortgat have agreed to “combine their two companies” in the USA, according to a press release. Specific financial details were not disclosed. In a note posted to its website, Firestone Walker founders David Walker and Adam Firestone described Duvel Moortgat’s investment in the company as a “partnership,” and a “elegant solution that will enable us to grow within a framework that meets our standards.”

Ithaca Beer Company will triple production capacity at its Upstate New York facility as it expands into 24,000 additional sq. ft. of space over the next eight months, the company announced today. Ithaca, which made 24,000 barrels of beer last year, will eventually be capable of producing and packaging upwards of 90,000 barrels once the buildout is complete.

The year was 1997 and San Diego’s Stone Brewing had just rolled out its Arrogant Bastard Ale, taunting consumers with a challenge: “This is an aggressive ale. You probably won’t like it,” the label read.