Beer, Bourbon & Wine Tasting at Tonawanda Winterfest
There will be a special beer, bourbon and wine tasting at the Tonawanda Winterfest, which takes place Jan. 15-18, at the Paddock Chevrolet Golf Dome. The tasting event will take place on Jan 16. (7-9:30 pm). Tickets are $30 in advance ($35 at the door) and include 10 drink tastings, including craft beer and spirits from Resurgence Brewing and Hartman’s Distilling, finger foods from the Grill at the Dome, mini golf, live music from Miller & the Other Sinners, and more. This is a 21+ event and tickets can be purchased here.
Brazen Brewing Tap & Trap Wild Game & Beer Pairing Dinner
Brazen Brewing are pairing the best of their craft beer with fresh wild game at Tap & Trap, a special wild game and craft beer pairing dinner, which will take place Jan. 14 (6 pm). The dinner will feature a five-course menu with wild boar, venison, elk, and other prepared game, each paired with a specially chosen Brazen Brewing beer. “This exclusive ticketed event celebrates the hunt, the harvest, and the art of pairing exceptional food with handcrafted beer. Seats are limited—secure yours and taste what happens when the wild meets the tap,” Brazen says. Tickets are $80 and can be purchased here.
Southern Tier Brewing Drops New Citrus IPA
In may only be January, but Southern Tier Brewing is thinking of warmer weather with the release of their latest beer, Daybreak Citrus Burst IPA. This 6.5% IPA features notes of citrus and yuzu. “As winter’s chill lingers, we’re bringing a burst of brightness to your glass. This IPA layers sunny citrus with the aromatic punch of yuzu, delivering a zippy, refreshing kick that hints at warmer days ahead. It’s the spark to start your year,” Southern Tier says. Daybreak Citrus Burst IPA is available at Wegmans and select retailers throughout Western New York.
Participating in Dry January? Drink Local With These NA Beverages
The non-alcoholic craft beverage sector has undergone quite the glow up as of late. It’s now a fast-growing segment of the beverage industry, featuring everything from NA craft beer and ciders to hop water, seltzers and mocktails. The sober curious movement is in full swing, and a number of local breweries are taking notice.
New York Beer Project is getting in on the action with a pair of hop waters – crisp and refreshing sparkling water infused with aromatic hops and bright fruit. Tropical Hop Water is brewed with Galaxy and Idaho 7 hops with passion fruit and guava. It’s fruit forward, dry, clean and crisp. Citrus Hop Water is brewed with Motueka and Citra hops with combination with lemon, Lime and grapefruit. It’s hop forward, dry, clean and crisp. In addition to no alcohol, hop water has no calories, carbs, sugar or gluten.
Other options available locally include Pearl Street NA Trainwreck Amber and NA Sabre’s Edge Double IPA, Riverworks Brewing Hella Fresh Hop Water, Ellicottville Brewing NA Blueberry Wheat, Big Ditch NA Burner, Butera’s Hop Falls Hop Water and Southern Tier Brewing, Downshift IPA.
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).
