Spotted Octopus to Relocate and Expand in Buffalo

Spotted Octopus Brewing has announced plans to move to a new, larger location in Buffalo. According to the brewery, the new venue will accommodate up to 120 guests and will feature a full-service restaurant operated by Flow Food. It will also include an outdoor patio and dedicated parking. “We are thrilled to be relocating to a larger venue that will allow us to enhance our offerings and create a welcoming environment for everyone,” said Domenic Nicotera, co-owner of Spotted Octopus. “Our customers can look forward to enjoying their favorite brews along with an upgraded dining experience.” The new taproom is expected to open early August 2026.

Hamburg Brewing Introduces The Cluck Bucket

It’s no secret that beer and wings are a perfect pairing, and Hamburg Brewing is celebrating that holiest of unions with the Cluck Bucket, a new taproom special that pairs twenty chicken wings with a bucket of five Lil Guy IPAs, a light bodied 3.9% session IPA ($45 plus tax). Hamburg offers a number of wings flavors, including Hot, Medium, Mild, Carolina BBQ, Chipotle Lime Dry-Rub, Buffalo Lemon Pepper Dry-Rub, General Tso, Mango Habanero, Garlic Parm, and Spicy Honey. The Cluck Bucket Combo is only for on-site consumption at Hamburg Brewing.

Southern Tier Teams With National Comedy Center To Fight ALS

Southern Tier Brewing is joining the fight against ALS and is teaming up with the National Comedy Center on Bit by Bit Blonde Ale, a collaboration to support Ales for ALS. This 5.1% blonde ale is available at all Southern Tier taprooms and will be rolled out with a series of special events across all taprooms this month. The beer’s name, the brewery says, “draws inspiration from the comedy ‘bits’ that have brought people together for generations while also reflecting the incremental progress being made every day in the fight against ALS.” On June 16, Southern Tier Buffalo will host a special screening of John Candy’s “Canadian Bacon” in the taproom. A portion of the proceeds from every pint of Bit by Bit Blonde Ale will support Ales for ALS and help fund critical ALS research. Southern Tier will donate $1 from every pint sold and $1 from every four-pack purchased to-go to ALS research efforts. The beer is now available at Southern Tier taprooms, the National Comedy Center, and select local retailers.

Burgers and Beers on the Patio at The Ridge Giveaway

Step Out Buffalo and The Ridge West Seneca are teaming up to give away a $100 Burgers and Patios on the Patio experience. This prize includes a $100 gift card to The Ridge West Seneca. All you have to do is click here and enter your name and email address. The contest runs through Friday, June 12. You can also head to @stepoutbuffalo on Instagram for more chances to enter. When you win, you can order any number of burgers from The Ridge’s menu, including the Bacon Jam Smash, Rustler Burger, Classic, Sunrise Smash, Turkey Burger and more. You can also grab beers from the main bar or at the self-pour tap wall.

Three New York Beer Project Releases This Week

In honor of the World Cup kicking off this week, New York Beer Project is releasing a pair of new beers on Thursday, Emperor Japanese Rice Lager and Brazilian Hurricane Sour, as well as Baby Crush Hazy IPA, a session version of the brewery’s award-winning Hazy Crush IPA, which returns after a limited initial run. Emperor is crisp, smooth, and light-bodied at 4.7%, with a floral hop note and a dry finish. The Brazilian Hurricane Sour is 6% and brewed to mimic the popular Hurricane cocktail and features passion fruit, Valencia orange and tart cherry. Both Emperor and Baby Crush will be available at all NYBP New York locations (Lockport, Victor, Orchard Park), while Brazilian Hurricane Sour will be released at all taprooms, including Orlando.

42 North Brewing Drops New Hazy IPA

42 North Brewing has released a new hazy IPA, Trailhaze, brewed with Citra, Mosaic and Idaho 7 hops, “perfect for outdoor adventures and getting lost in nature.” The 6% IPA features notes tropical fruit, soft citrus and a well-balanced finish. The beer recently made its debut at Sprague Brook Park for National Trails Day and will be featured this Saturday, June 13, at the Heart of Music Festival at 42 North’s East Aurora taproom, an all-day event that will feature live performances from the West Falls Kids Group (1 pm), Doug Yeomans & Friends (2 pm), Leroy Townes (4 pm) and Uncle Bens Remedy (6:30 pm).

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).