Tickets Remain for KBC – Kegs, Barrels & Crafts
Tickets remain for the third annual KBC – Kegs, Barrels, and Crafts, April 7 at 500 Pearl (12-3pm), a beer, wine and whiskey event featuring more than 50 vendors from Western New York. In addition to craft beer from Steelbound, Hamburg Brewing, East Aurora Brewery, Ellicottville Brewing, and 42 North Brewing, KBC offers samplings of spirits, wine, cider, seltzers, canned cocktails and more from Hartman’s Distilling, Buffalo Distilling, and more. There will also be craft vendors and food available. Tickets are $17.85 (include taxes and fees) can be purchased here.
Wayland Brewing’s Spring Beer & Food Fest Nearly Sold Out
Wayland Brewing’s first Spring Beer & Food Festival, April 6 (1-4pm) in Wayland Hall, is nearly sold out with only a few tickets remaining. In addition to Wayland, there will be craft beer and cider from Strangebird, Frequentem, Mortalis Brewing, Dancing Gnome, Personal Best, Autark Brewhouse, Smoldered Society, BriarBrothers Brewing, Brazen Brewing, Fairweather, Godspeed, Brooklyn Cider House, Aurora Brew Works, and OSB Ciderworks, with more to be announced. There will also be food available. Tickets are $55 and include tastings, food and a commemorative glass. Tickets can be purchased online or at the taproom.
Sour Power Returns to Pizza Plant Transit
Pizza Plant’s Sour Power returns to their Transit Road location on April 7 (12pm). The event will feature dozens of sour beers on draft and in bottles and cans, including Thin Man Minkey Starburst (2023), Oude Quetsche Tilquin à l’Ancienne, Bellwoods Jelly King Raspberry / Blueberry (2021) and Hudson Valley Entremet, among many others, including their own Pod City Beer Labs Fruit Lab: Pomegranate Blood Orange. They will be 25% off bottles from Cascade, 3 Fonteinen, Firestone Walker, and more as well as a raffle for a bottle of 2017 Cantillon Cuvee Saint Gilloise (need not be present to win).
42 North Launches New Mango Wit, 42 At The Flats Opens
42 North is launching a new summer seasonal, Mango Tango Wit Ale, a new twist on a classic Belgian wheat ale with the addition of mango, orange, and passion fruit. Mango Tango Wit Ale will be available on draft and in 16oz. 4-packs at their East Aurora taproom and wherever great craft beer is sold beginning this week.
42 at the Flats, 42 North’s newest location in the Buffalo Theatre District, is now open for business. They will be open at 4pm on weekdays and noon on the weekends. Located at 674 Main Street, the new space occupies the 3,500-square-foot ground floor of the Wurlitzer Flats building. The taproom features an art deco, roaring 20’s theme with a lengthy white marble topped bar and food from Queen City Bistro, featuring all-American dishes with an elevated twist.
Hamburg Tapped Beer Fest Coming to Hamburg Fairgrounds
A craft beer festival is coming to the Southtowns as Hamburg Tapped – Hamburg’s Beer Festival comes to the Hamburg Fairgrounds on April 20. In addition to sampling beer and cider from your favorite local breweries, there will be live music throughout the day, artisan craft vendors, and a variety of activities and games. General admission tickets are $55 presale ($65 day of), but Hamburg Tapped is running an early bird special until April 8 with $10 off ($45) tickets. Designated driver tickets are $10. There will be two sessions – 2-5p and 6-9p. You can purchase tickets here. For more details, visithamburgtapped.com.
Four Breweries Team Up on Eclipse Themed Beer Pack
First Line Brewing, No BS Brewing, Windy Brew and Eli Fish Brewing have joined forces to create four different beers themed after the upcoming solar eclipse. The eclipse mixed packs will feature Eli Fish Deep Space Norm! Black Kolsch, brewed with cold steeped, dark huskless chocolate barley, Windy Brew Luminated Lotus IPA, brewed with Bravo, Lotus and Luminosa hops that features notes of orange creamsicle, peach lemonade and strawberry, First Line First Contact Lager, which is light and crisp, and No BS Lunar Shadow Berliner Weisse, brewed with cranberries and raspberries. These beers will be released in 16oz. 4-pack cans at each participating brewery.
Wingnutz to Close Location Inside Froth Brewing
Wingnutz is closing their North Buffalo location inside Froth Brewing in order to focus efforts on their new location, Wingnutz Bar & Grill, located on Millersport Highway in Williamsville. They also announced plans to be open seven days a week at the new location starting April 8. Froth says they plan to reopen the kitchen in a few weeks, running the kitchen in-house. “Looking towards the future, Froth is taking the kitchen back over and we have some really big culinary plans for you all!” Froth said on Facebook.
Local Eclipse Beers and Viewing Parties at Breweries
A number of local breweries are hosting special tappings and viewing parties for the upcoming total eclipse on April 8. Mystic Hills Brewing in East Concord is tapping Black Hole Sun Ale Blackened Pale Ale, a Vienna malt-based pale ale with dark malt and Warrior and Sorachi Ace hops and are hosting a viewing party with Catskills-based OHEÑ Healing. BriarBrothers Brewing will release Punch Bowl: Eclipse Bliss fruited sour at their viewing party, which will feature food from Hen House. Pizza Plant and Pod City Beer Labs will tap Starless French-Belgian Style Saison on April 4. Don’t forget your eclipse glasses! For a more comprehensive list, click here.
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 Twitter (@buffbeerleague), Instagram (@buffalobeerleague), and Facebook (@thebuffalobeerleague).
