As we close out the first month of 2020, I’ve noticed quite a few interesting beer notes on my virtual desk, so let’s clear some of these briefs out:

First up is the story of a Brooklyn man who is attempting to register his beer as a support animal.

Floyd Hayes recently registered beer as an emotional support dog with USA Service Dog Registration, according to Ale Street News, which first ran this story. He actually received a registry number but it looks like it won’t do him much good when he attempts to bring a beer on the bus, which he states as a goal. Although the registry records data about emotional support animals, it doesn’t carry much weight against legal prescriptions. Even getting a real dog on public transportation usually require some sort of doctors note.

And I don’t mean to be a wet blanket, but although some people may find this stunt funny, all it really does is sort of mock the actual good that real support animals do. I know plenty of people like the idea of emotional support animals, but I don’t.

And while there’s nothing wrong with having a beer to relax after a hard day's work or when you’re tense. But if you get to the point where you need a beer as much as some people need emotional support animals, perhaps you might have a drinking problem.

You want to relax? Have a beer. You want an emotional support animal. Get a dog.

In other news, Beer Can Appreciation Day passed on Jan. 24 with little notice. The first recognized beer can came from the Krueger Brewing Co. of Richmond, Virginia, in 1935. That can was heavy and made of steel – a far cry from our light aluminum cans today.

And while cans were not seen as suitable at the beginning of the craft beer revolution (because of the tinny taste cans could impart), improvements over the decades made them the perfect vessels for good beer. So even though you may have missed Beer Can Appreciation Day, take a moment this week and raise a glass to the humble but beautiful beer can.

Last but not least is an item that will probably annoy a lot of New England Patriots fans, but it really shouldn’t.

Source Brewing of Colts Neck, New Jersey is honoring recently retired New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning with a beer named "ELIte TRIBUTE," an imperial New England IPA.

Manning, of course, engineered two Super Bowl wins over the Pats, including the Super Bowl XLII victory which cost New England the chance to go a perfect 19-0 that season. But that’s no reason for fans to hate the guy. But it is funny that this beer is a New England-style IPA.