Big Ditch Brewing Plans Month of Beer Releases
March is gearing up to be quite the month for Big Ditch Brewing. Starting with the release of Hayburner IPA in 19.2oz. stovepipe cans, the brewery will release another beer each week this month. Flow Rider, a citrus blonde ale with a portion of proceeds benefitting Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, will make its return mid-month, Little Waves, a crisp and clean Helles lager balanced with light bready malt character and floral hops, will debut later this month and Space Donkey, Hayburner brewed with Galaxy hops, returns March 31. Clear some space in your beer fridges now.
For their Innovation Thursday this week, Big Ditch will offer a new pilot batch Dry Irish Stout and Pickleback chicken wings.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at a Local Brewery
Our craft breweries take St. Patrick’s Day seriously and this year, anyone can be Irish for a day! Eli Fish Brewing is celebrating all week with beer, cocktail, and food specials, Steel Leaf Brewing will have traditional Irish food, beer, prizes, contests and live music Friday and Saturday, including the “Giant Luck Wheel” for prizes, indoor cornhole, Kanjam and giant beer pong, Rusty Nickel will take part in the St. Patrick’s Day Music Fest, Brazen Brewing will tap green Lancaster Lager, a traditional Irish Red and dry Irish Stout on Friday (3pm), 12 Gates Brewing will have live music from Jennifer Rose (acoustic, 6pm) and Cairde Irish Music (7-10pm) on Friday, Hamburg Brewing will host St. Patrick’s Day Under the Tent with $5 Irish Red’s and live music from Emerald Isle Band and Almost Seamus, Buffalo Brewing tap a cask of cask of 1841 Irish Red Ale on Friday at 4pm, and more. Slainte!
Southern Tier Brewing to Release Vanilla Scoop Imperial Ale
Southern Tier Brewing has partnered with Perry’s Ice Cream on Vanilla Scoop Imperial Ale. For this release, they wanted to capture the flavor of Perry’s Vanilla Ice Cream in a bottle by using Perry’s signature vanilla and milk sugar and crafted an 8.6% imperial ale to deliver a creamy, full-bodied beer. Vanilla Scoop is available now in 12oz. 4-pack bottles.
Genesee Ruby Red Kolsch is Back, New in 16oz. Cans This Year
Genesee Brewing’s annual summer staple Rudy Red Kolsch is back for 2023 and new this year, the iconic brew will be available in 16oz. cans. You’ll still be able to find the grapefruit kolsch in traditional 12oz. can 12 packs, but now you’ll be able to find the beer in bigger cans as well, including at various event venues. Ruby Red Kolsch is a crisp and refreshing, bright-golden ale with tart grapefruit flavors, bready malt body and mild hop bitterness. Look for Ruby Red Kolsch wherever great craft beer is sold soon.
Celebrate Buffalo’s Robust Bar Culture History With Buffalo Bar Chips
If you’ve been to a bar, brewery or most any watering hole, you’ve no doubt come across a drink, or bar, chip – most likely to cover a future drink. One local outfit is looking to celebrate Western New York’s rich bar history with those little tokens. Buffalo Bar Chips, a new venture from lifelong Buffalonian Ed Bailey, preserves bar chips and turns them into art, from shirts and posters to plaques, puzzles and more. Visit www.buffalobarchips.com to view their inventory and check out the Chip Map. Buffalo Bar Chips has mapped out every open bar in Erie/Niagara County. The icons are color coded as well, making the map easier to use. They are also always looking for new bars. Email buffalobarchips@gmail.com for more information.
Second Annual KBC – Kegs, Barrels, and Crafts at 500 Pearl
On April 8 (4-8p), the second annual KBC – Kegs, Barrels, and Crafts, a beer, wine and whiskey event featuring more than 40 vendors from Western New York, will take place at 500 Pearl. Vendors in attendance this year include BriarBrothers Brewing, Sprague Vineyards, Nickel City Rescue, H&H Entertainment, Buffalo Dapper Paws and NY Candle Co. There will be live music and all attendees are eligible to win an overnight stay at Aloft Buffalo Downtown with a $50 gift card to w xyz Bar + Lounge/Patrick’s Rooftop and a $50 gift card to Spare Lanes. Tickets can be purchased 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).
