New York Beer Project Wins Gold at Great American Beer Festival
Hazy Crush, New York Beer Project’s flagship hazy IPA at the Orchard Park Beer Lodge, took home a gold medal at this year’s Great American Beer Festival, the largest beer festival in the country. Hazy Crush won gold in the experimental IPA category, making New York Beer Project one of the three gold medal award winners in New York State. Hazy Crush IPA is available at NYBP Lockport, Victor and Orchard Park. Hazy Crush also won a gold medal at the NYS Craft Brewers Competition earlier this year.
Hartman’s Bourbon Dinner with Ellicottville Brewing at Rationales
Williamsville’s Rationales is hosting a special bourbon pairing dinner with Ellicottville Brewing and Hartman’s Distilling on Oct. 24. The 4-course dinner, which will feature a brand new collaborative bourbon from Hartman’s Distillery and Ellicottville Brewing, a Barrel Select Bourbon aged in EBC Chocolate Cherry Bomb Imperial Stout barrels, includes 2 bourbon and 2 beer pairings, including Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque, Spicy Caesar Salad, Braised Short Ribs and Parkside Candy chocolates. Limited tickets remain and one attendee will win a bottle of bourbon. Tickets can be purchased online.
Celebrate Halloween This Year at a Brewery
There are a number of options if you’re looking to don your best Halloween costume and grab a fresh locally brewed pint this year. Happening this weekend around Western New York is a free beer and candy pairing at Magic Bear Beer Cellar (Oct. 25, 3pm), King-O-Ween at Southern Tier Brewing (Oct. 26, 11am), including $1 Off Pumking pours, live DJ, costume contest with prizes, 3rd annual Holloween Bar Crawl (Oct. 26, 7pm) at Shalooby Loofer Brewing, Halloween Party at Spotted Octopus Brewing (Oct. 26, 2pm), featuring costume contest, pumpkin painting and carving and drink specials and The Crawling Dead: Halloween Bar Crawl (Oct. 26, 7pm), a choose-your-own-adventure style bar crawl on Hertel Ave. at participating bars and restaurants with drink and food specials, costume contest and more.
Annual Cask Fest at Mr. Goodbar Returns Dec. 5
Mr. Goodbar’s annual Cask Fest returns on Thursday, Dec. 5 (7:30pm). Tickets are $30 and include unlimited tastings of limited edition cask beers from Flying Bison, Old First Ward Brewing and Brickyard Brewing with more breweries to be announced. The cask beer list will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets also include a complimentary tasting glass and food from Hanzlian’s sausage. Tickets can be purchased in person at Mr. Goodbar.
Bottles & Bites: Flavors of Fall Returns to Statler Buffalo
Combine the best of local food, craft, wine, cider and more at Bottles & Bites: Flavors of Fall, Nov. 14 (5pm) at the Statler Buffalo. Food will be available from The Hawk Bar & Restaurant, Trattoria Aroma, Arriba Tortilla, Fresh Catch Poke and more, beer will be available from Big Ditch, Genesee, Mystic Hills, Shalooby Loofer and Belt Line, mead from Bee Spit and The Mead People, live music from Busted Stuff – Dave/Cyn and more. VIP tickets are $60 and include early entry, sampling, $25 Santora’s gift card, exclusive beer selections and complimentary tasting glass, while general admission is $35 and includes tasting glass and samples. You can purchase tickets here.
Ellicottville Brewing x Platters Chocolate Affogato Tasting Party
On Oct. 30 (6pm), Ellicottville Brewing and Platters Chocolate Factory are celebrating the release of their latest collaboration, Affogato Dessert Ale, at Fattey Beer in North Tonawanda. Affogato is brewed with Platter’s espresso coffee beans, vanilla, caramel, lactose, and Belgium malt to resemble Platter’s Chocolate Factory’s Affagoto – a scoop of vanilla ice cream “drowned” in a shot of hot espresso. They will be pairing the beer with a selection of Platter’s chocolates and there will be a prize wheel you can spin to win. This event is free to attend.
WNY Beer Trail Announces 2025 Trail Pass
The WNY Beer Trail 2025 Trail Pass will be available starting Oct. 24. The 2025 Pass features 75 locations across Western New York offering buy one, get one discounts on craft beer and beverages, as well as numerous other discounts and promotions. New for this year is that the pass will be valid immediately upon purchase, along with a discount on brewery tours at Resurgence Brewing and a guide to pet friendly locations. 2025 Trail Passes and other WNY Beer Trail merchandise will be available online at www.wnybeertrail.com and in person at Totally Buffalo stores and Buffalo Gift Emporium.
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).
