The New York State Brewers Association is back for the holiday season with 24 beers from 24 New York state breweries for their 24 NYS Beers of Holiday Cheer, a beer advent calendar that features beers from all across the state.
Once the domain of chocolates and small toys, the advent calendar has evolved into a curated showcase of brewing creativity. At first glance, a beer advent calendar is simple: 24 individually sealed compartments, each hiding a different beer intended to be opened day-by-day throughout the month of December.
And this season, after years of waffling, I am pulling the trigger and grabbing one of these advent beer boxes for myself to help make my holidays bright. This marks the first time I will enjoy these 24 NYS Beers of Holiday Cheer after spending my holidays with craft beer advent calendars from Consumer’s Beverages and Magic Bear Beer Cellar. I’m most looking forward to this beer selection because there are numerous breweries in this collection that I have not yet tried, and I trust the judgement of the New York State Brewers Association.
Be sure you’re following the Buffalo Beer League on social media because I will be posting all about the 24 NYS Beers of Holiday Cheer leading up to Dec. 1 and all throughout the month of December.
The 24 NYS Beers of Holiday Cheer features a variety of styles, ranging from stouts, IPAs, lagers, sours and more from breweries such as Spotted Octopus Brewing, Big Ditch Brewing and more.
These calendars might guide you from a crisp pilsner to a barrel-aged stout; one day might introduce you to a brewery you’ve never visited and the next might bring you back to a trusted seasonal release. It’s a guided tour that’s equal parts education and celebration, all wrapped in recyclable cardboard. You can expect a curated lineup tested for quality and diversity, with no pressure to pick a single style or brewery on any given day.
Featured breweries:
- Apex Brewery (Monroe, NY)
- Ausable Brewing Company (Keeseville, NY)
- Big Ditch Brewing Company (Buffalo, NY)
- Birdhouse Brewing Company (Honeoye, NY)
- Brewery Ardennes (Geneva, NY)
- Finback (Glendale, NY)
- Kings County Brewers Collective (Brooklyn, NY)
- Kingston Standard (Kingston, NY)
- Newburgh Brewing Company (Newburgh, NY)
- Paradox Brewery (North Hudson, NY)
- Prison City Brewing (Auburn, NY)
- Roe Jan Brewing Company (Hillsdale, NY)
- Rohrbach Brewing Company (Rochester, NY)
- Round Table Brewery (Garnerville, NY)
- Spider Bite Beer Co. (Holbrook, NY)
- Spotted Octopus (Buffalo, NY)
- Strangebird (Rochester, NY)
- Take Two Brewery (Bay Shore, NY)
- Talea (Brooklyn, NY)
- Two Havens Brewing Company (Smithtown, NY)
- Union Street Brewing Company (Hudson, NY)
- Upstate Brewing Company (Elmira, NY)
- Whitman Brewing Company (Saratoga Springs, NY)
- Woodstock Brewing (Phoenicia, NY)
In addition to the beer, you will receive a tasting notes guide, NYS Craft Beer sticker bundle and a Think NY, Drink NY koozie. The beer box costs $149 and can be ordered online. Boxes will ship in time to arrive before Dec. 1.
“This year’s box includes a numbered insert (1–24), making each day’s beer a fun surprise! Plus, we’ve worked closely with each brewery to handpick a special beer for the box, making this our best lineup yet!” the Brewers Association said of the 24 NYS Beers of Holiday Cheer.
In a month dominated by obligations, a beer advent calendar offers a small moment that belongs entirely to you. So as the holiday season settles over Western New York once again, whether you’re a seasoned craft veteran or someone simply curious about exploring our region’s brewing landscape, a beer advent calendar might be the smartest, and most enjoyable, way to count down the days to Christmas.
Brian Campbell is co-founder and Brand Manager of the Buffalo Beer League, and writes the weekly Buffalo Beer Buzz column. If you have beer news that should be included in the Beer Buzz, Brian can be reached at brian@buffalobeerleague.com, on X (@buffbeerleague), Instagram, Threads and Untappd (@buffalobeerleague), and Facebook (@thebuffalobeerleague).
