Mr. Goodbar Rolls Out the Casks for Rest of 2025
There will be cask beer galore for the rest of the year at Mr. Goodbar. The annual VIP Cask Fest returns on Thursday, Dec. 4. Tickets include tastings of cask beers from 42 North Brewing, Flying Bison, Old First Ward Brewing, Smoldered Society, Big Ditch, Community Beer Works, Thin Man Brewery, Autark Brewhouse and Brickyard Brewing with more breweries to be announced, along with the official beer list. Tickets also include a tasting glass and food from Hanzlian’s sausage. Tickets can be purchased in person at Mr. Goodbar.
There will also be weekly cask tappings throughout November. On Nov. 7, there will be a cask of Britesmith Brewing Mind The Gap English IPA, Brickyard Brewing Thoughts on Eternity Dark Mild on Nov. 14, Brickyard Winter Ale on Nov. 21 and another cask (TBD) on Nov. 28.
The Winter Cask Festival, which features rotating casks all weekend long from local and national breweries, will return this year on Dec. 5-7. The beer and brewery list will be announced soon. The event is free and open to the public. Beer can be purchased ala carte.
Vendors Announced For Bottles & Bites at Statler Buffalo
Food and craft beverage vendors have been announced for Bottles & Bites, one of Western New York’s premiere food and craft beverage sampling events, which takes place at Statler Buffalo on Thursday, Nov. 13. There will be food tastings from Trattoria Aroma, Chef’s, Hanzlian’s Sausage, Mike’s Subs, Muscoreil’s and more, craft beverage samplings from Mystic Hills, Hofbrauhaus, Big Ditch, Shalooby Loofer, 1911 Established and Mead People 716. VIP tickets ($50 in advance, $60 day of) include early entry, exclusive VIP area, reserve beverage selection and commemorative glass and General Admission ($30 in advance, $40 day of) include all samplings and glass. The event runs from 6 pm to 8:30 pm with early VIP entry at 5 pm. You can purchase tickets here.
Buffalo Brewing’s Grand Opening of Hanai Hawaiian BBQ
Buffalo Brewing Company is celebrating the grand opening of Hānai Hawaiian BBQ, located inside their Myrtle Avenue taproom, on Friday, Oct. 31 with new expanded hours (Wednesday – Saturday, 12 – 8 pm) and special tappings of 36-month wood-lagered Refined Simplicity Czech Dark Lager and the traditional Refined Simplicity on LUKR side pull taps, as well as a gravity cask of cellar-fresh 1910 Czech Pils, at noon. Moving forward, Hānai Hawaiian BBQ will be available at Buffalo Brewing Company every week. They specialize in Hawaiian and Polynesian BBQ food. You can find more information here.
21th Annual Holiday Valley Beer & Wine Fest in Ellicottville
The Holiday Valley Beer & Wine Festival returns for a 21st year on Nov. 8 (3-7 pm, Main Lodge) will feature tastings from many of the region’s best craft breweries, wineries and cideries, including Ellicottville Brewing, Pressure Drop Brewing, 42 North Brewing, South Wales Brewing, Big Ditch, Frequentem Brewing, Brazen Brewing, East Aurora Brewing, First Line, Britesmith Brewing, Resurgence Brewing, Southern Tier and more. There will also be live music from Darkwater Duo, Mayday Buffalo, and Second Hand News. Tickets are $75 ($20 for designated drivers). You can purchase tickets here.
Wayland Brewing, Queen City Vintage Partner on New Beer
Wayland Brewing and Queen City Vintage have teamed up on a new beer for Buffalo Bills gamedays – Welcome to Buffalo, a 4% clean, crisp and crushable lager brewed with Citra hops. The beer will be available this weekend at Queen City Vintage at a special Wayland Brewing pop-up, which will feature cans of Welcome to Buffalo Lager, as well as new merch at the shop, located at 746 Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo. For more information, visit https://queencityvintage.com. The beer will also be available at the brewery.
New Fruited Sours From Thin Man Brewery, Southern Tier
Both Thin Man and Southern Tier have released new fruited sours in cans and on draft. Southern Tier Brewing Buffalo has tapped Strawberry Letter 32, a 4.5% sour that pours a vibrant pink color and features notes of ripe strawberry and bright lemon with a tart finish. The beer is available now at the taproom. All pints of BUF Brew’d beers are $2 off on Mondays.
Thin Man has released Uncrust-A-Boodle, a new 7% peanut butter and jelly version of their Minkey Boodle inspired by everyone favorite crustless sandwiches with notes of jammy raspberry and smooth peanut butter. Look for Uncrust-A-Boodle in 16oz. 4-pack cans wherever great craft beer is sold around Western New York.
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).
