Photos of the devastation from Mexico to Puerto Rico and California’s Wine Country are just heartbreaking. This follows horrible fires in Oregon and the battering that Houston already took earlier this year. If there is one good thing that you can count on, it’s that #independent beer will help out as best they can.

Breweries and distributors such as Stone Brewing are kicking in for cases sold so what we beer fans can do is twofold. Obviously, contribute to charities helping out the affected communities, but we can also use the power of the wallet to support those breweries that have helped out in ways large and small to giving a hand-up to those in need.

Oskar Blues Brewery – The Colorado brewer’s CAN’d Aid Foundation was started by founder Dale Katechis in 2013 after horrible flooding in their own backyard of Lyons and Longmont. From that point on, the foundation has shipped more than 600,000 cans of safe drinking water to communities including Flint, Baton Rouge, and Houston. What is even more impressive is that they stop canning their beer to do it.

Lagunitas Brewing Company – Despite poor air quality and being short staffed due to nearby fires, the main branch, Petaluma brewery opened and gave away brewery-quality water to people who needed it. With the Heineken money behind them, I fully expect that Lagunitas will be even more community-minded than they have been in the past.

Russian River Brewing donated pizza and salad to the firefighters of Santa Rosa. They also assembled enough staff to offer a place to get food and drink at happy hour prices. Wi-fi was also available because fire doesn’t spare internet connections. They are also going to brew a batch of Sonoma Pride beer with 100% of the sales staying local via the King Ridge Foundation. You can donate HERE to enter to win line-cutting privileges for Pliny the Younger.

Craft Beer Cellar / Eagle Rock held a Keg for a Cause event on October 7, where the revenue from a designated keg went to relief efforts. Keep on the lookout for these type of events. Sunset Beer Co. holds regular charity taps as well.

One last thing you can do is travel and take a beer-cation in cities and towns from Hood River to Houston and bring money directly to brewery taprooms. Sometimes a pint of beer can be more than just a pint of beer.

The BEER OF THE WEEK is a GABF (Great American Beer Festival) Bronze medal winner in a category that the name of the beer doesn’t suggest. Artifexican from San Clemente’s Artifex Brewing won in the Cream Ale category despite a name that would lend itself more to amber or lager. This beer pours a crystal clear bright yellow and really accentuates the malt and corn in a wonderful way. Perfectly sized for a 4.5% ABV beer in a 16-ounce can.

Your HOMEWORK is to head to Glendale on October 19 to visit the GT. The Glendale Tap will be celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a night of special stuff from their favorite breweries plus “a few gems” from their cellar. The jukebox will be humming and so will pizza. Check out their social media page for beer-y details.

Find more of Sean Inman’s writing on his blog, Beer Search Party.