Southern Tier Brewing Releases New Double IPA

Southern Tier Brewing is expanding their 2X series with the addition of 2XHop’d, a new 8.2% Double IPA that features notes of passionfruit, guava and stone fruit and is brewed with a custom blend of hops. The beer is available in 12oz. 6-pack cans or as part of Southern Tier’s new Double IPA mixed pack, 2XPACK’D, which also includes cans of 2XJuice Jolt, 2XCitrus and their flagship, 2XIPA. You can find 2XHop’d at Southern Tier’s taprooms in Lakewood and Buffalo, and wherever great craft beer is sold.

Pour Taproom Opens New Ellicottville Location

Pour Taproom Ellicottville is now open in the former Slopeside Restaurant at the Telemark Hotel. The new space features a full bar with 30 self-pour taps and food menu. Each beverage option features its own price per ounce. You receive a wrist band with a QR code that’s linked to your credit card, and then you pour as much, or as little, as you want. They will be open this week Wednesday and Thursday (4-9:30pm), Friday and Saturday (12am-12am) and Sunday (12-9:30pm). For more information, click here.

Thin Man, Lord Hobo Are Back With New Collab

As the Buffalo Bills prepare to take on division rivals, the New England Patriots, for the first time this season, Thin Man Brewery and New England’s Lord Hobo Brewing have once again linked up on a new beer, Welcome to Hell: New England, a 6.66% hazy IPA dry hopped with Galaxy, Citra, Motueka, and Strata hops, as well as Phantasm powder. Welcome to Hell: New England will be available wherever great craft beer is sold by the end of this week. The Bills-Patriots kick off at 4:25 p.m. this Sunday.

Spotted Octopus Brewing Expanding to Rochester

Allentown’s Spotted Octopus Brewing Company have announced plans to expand to Rochester at the former site of Roc Brewing, located at 56 S. Union St., which closed in Oct. 2023. The plan, at least initially, is to move all production to Rochester, while operating both two taprooms. The move will increase Spotted Octopus’ brewing capacity (the new space features a 7bbl system) and will give them a full kitchen to work with. They hope to open in the new space this coming spring. Spotted Octopus opened in early 2022.

Smoldered Society First Anniversary at Mr. Goodbar

Smoldered Society, a brewing imprint of Community Beer Works and Thin Man Brewery, will celebrate their first anniversary on Dec. 20 at Mr. Goodbar (9pm). There will be a limited amount of stubby glass bottles of Strike Anywhere Czech Pilsner and a new 9% triple IPA, Balrog, which was brewed with honey and double dry hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Citra Cryo, Nelson and Citra hop oil. There will be an ugly sweater party (9:30pm) on the first floor with live music from the Spin Wires and a X-mas party on the second floor (9pm) with live music from Confound in Sound.

42 North Brewing Launches New Tom & Jerry Stout

It’s the holiday season in Buffalo and that means it’s Tom & Jerry season. 42 North Brewing has taken their love for the popular cocktail and has put its own spin on it with a special release, Tom & Jerry Barrel Aged Stout. This 10% stout was aged in American Oak barrels and dosed with nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, and lactose sugar. 42 North collaborated with The Delaware Pub & Grill on recipe development. Tom & Jerry is available at both 42 North taprooms, as well as The Delaware Pub & Grill in Kenmore.

Ellicottville Brewing, Canisius University Introduce New IPA

Canisius University and Ellicottville Brewing are teaming up on a new IPA, Canisius Fan Zone IPA. Canisius Fan Zone IPA will be available beginning the third weekend in December in 16-oz. 4-pack cans. The beer will be available at Canisius Fan Zone Den & Pub on campus (previously known as the ‘Griffins Den’), as well as Tops, Wegmans, Dash’s, Consumer’s Beverages  locations and select area bars. Canisius Fan Zone IPA will also be available for purchase online to New York residents at ellicottvillebrewing.com.

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, Threads and Untappd (@buffalobeerleague), and Facebook (@thebuffalobeerleague).