RIP, PBS.

The Pittsburgh Beer Society, which started in January 2007 with 27 people and foamed up into nearly 800 members who enjoyed learning about and socializing with beer, is kaput.

The decision was announced at its two-year anniversary meeting last week at its hangout at D's SixPax & Dogz in Regent Square, after which organizers sent out a note to members and friends that stated, "It is with great sadness that we must announce the closing of Pittsburgh Beer Society."

The note said the decision was "based on a number of factors," but the big one was being "extremely limited in finding people who are willing and able to dedicate the time needed to continue the organization."

It was just too much work, with too little help, to properly execute the mission about educating people about beer and the brewing industry, said president Shaun Gilmour.

"I think some people are miffed about us ending it, but what can you do? We can only keep the party going for so long," said Mr. Gilmour, one of the co-founders who kept the club going from 200 miles away in Williamsport, where he moved about a year and a half ago, and where he's been increasingly busy with his job, family and musical gigs. He came back for most of the monthly meetings, but that got more difficult to do.

Other, local officers helped shoulder the organizational burden -- researching and picking beers for the tastings, talking with folks at D's and area breweries -- but it got to be too much for them and not enough other members stepped up, he said.

"Believe me, I felt extremely bad about doing this," he said. "But month after month stressing about it, it was starting to take a toll -- not just with me, but with everyone else."

Otherwise, the group was a big success. "They had something good going," commented Scott Smith of East End Brewing Co., one of the brewers who worked with them.

PBS' fun run inspired the formation of other groups around the country, from Tacoma, Wash. in the West to Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley to the far East Coast, where the Long Island Beer and Malt Enthusiast's Web site toasted the news of PBS demise with "And off to the celestial ale house they went…"

PBS also inspired the formation of at least one local group: The Pittsburgh BeerMasters, which also meets monthly, but in the West suburbs at the Sharp Edge Creekhouse in Crafton. (That group -- pghbrewmasters.com -- marked its one-year anniversary last night and is doing great, with about 200 members, reports founder Christine Span).

Not all is lost with the Pittsburgh Beer Society. As Mr. Gilmour put it, "I think the spirit of the group is going to be around for a while."

He said he'll maintain the Web site -- pittsburghbeersociety.org -- and the name and the mailing list. They'll no longer meet monthly, but, "Throughout the year, we might try to do some organized events."

At least one member vowed to continue to drink at D's on the first Wednesday of each a month, and "we just might get together as friends," Mr. Gilmour said. "That's the whole thing. It was about friendship."

So much area beer news seems to be negative: The shutdown earlier this month of the brewing operation at Penn Brewery, which, with its lease expiring at the end of next month, is now having its brews made in Wilkes-Barre. The news last week that Pittsburgh Brewing Co. is going to temporarily shut down its glitchy canning line in March and contract-brew canned Iron City and IC Light elsewhere. This on the heels of the closing last year of three area brewpubs -- John Harvard's Brew House in Wilkins, Hereford & Hops in Cranberry and the Johnstown Brewing Co. -- as well as Marzoni's Brick Oven and Brewing in Hampton (which served beer brewed at another location).

Well, going against the prevailing current is the Blue Canoe Brewery, which opened in August in Titusville, Crawford County. It's in the former Four Sons Brewery, which had been closed for more than a year and a half.

Once again helping to run it is Matt Allyn, who is brewing there (Flashlite Lager, Titusville Gold Lager, Classic 5 A.P.A., Heavy Kevy, Distorter Porter, Big Skye Special and Crazy Rye). The place also sells the brews from his Voodoo Brewery in Meadville (not yet a brewpub).

In the new kitchen is Mr. Allyn's business partner, Jeremy Potocki, who cooked at Four Sons.

If you ever made it to Four Sons, which abruptly closed on the first day of 2007, you know what a cool, cozy space it is.

The new incarnation has great touches, including blue canoes hanging from the ceiling, a painted river flowing down the bar top, even a canoe-shaped menu board. Locals who join the "mug club" sip from their own custom blue ceramic mugs ($11). I can't wait to get up there.

Blue Canoe, 113 S. Franklin St., is open 3 p.m.-midnight Tues.-Sat. and 12:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Sunday (phone 814-827-7181). Learn more at thebluecanoebrewery.com.

An imminent opening is that of the Hofbrauhaus, a big German-style beer hall at the SouthSide Works. The long-awaited opening, which initially had been planned for spring 2006, will start softly on Feb. 24, with a grand celebration set for April 29.

They'll be brewing several of their own beers -- that is, biers: a lager, weizen, light and dunkel -- plus bringing beer over from Germany, including a maibock for the grand opening.

At 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month, they'll hold tapping ceremonies for seasonal brews, which will include "Bergbock." In the meantime, you can check out the beer list, menus and more by visiting hofbrauhauspittsburgh.com.

The Hofbrauhaus at SouthSide works had planned to start its soft opening Feb. 24, but that's going to be delayed for a while longer, company officials said Feb. 20. For now, they're saying the doors will open sometime in March. An official grand opening still is set for April 29. Watch the Post-Gazette for more specific updates and more coverage on the German-style beer hall.

The latest word on the Fat Head's Brewery & Saloon in the Cleveland suburb of North Olmsted is that they're trying for a March opening.

Mark your beer calendars: The fifth "Hell with The Lid Off" Barleywine Festival is set for Feb. 21 and 22 at Kelly's Bar and Lounge in East Liberty (412-363-6012).

Venture Outdoors, which holds a variety of outdoorsy events entwined with food and drink, is holding another beer hike -- starting in Frick Park and winding up at Homewood's East End Brewing Co.

The easy, age-21-and-up trek, from 3 to 6 p.m. on Feb. 28, costs $38.50 or $22 for VO members, and includes a take-home "growler" of brew (ventureoutdoors.org or 412-255-0564).

They're already counting down the days -- 42 -- until the second Philly Beer Week. "America's Best Beer-Drinking City" lets out all the stops with more than 100 events already planned in the city and suburbs March 6 to 15. Check it out at phillybeerweek.org.