Western New York Beer Week Starts September 25
The 2026 Western New York Beer Week, presented at the WNY Brewers Guild, will take place Sept. 25 – Oct. 4. The weeklong event celebrates our local craft beer scene and is headlined by Harvest Fest at Rusty Nickel Brewing (Oct. 3), which features samplings of seasonal brews from 15 area breweries, as well as live music from Todd Mertens, Porcelain Train, The Funkensteins, and more, BBQ, seasonal beer releases, including the Apple Fritter Amber Ale, family-friendly fall activities, stein hoist competition, apple cider slushies, local vendors and more. A full event guide will be released soon. You can find more information at wnybeerweek.com.
Big Ditch, Bar Bill Tavern Team Up For Great Cause
Big Ditch Brewing and Bar Bill Tavern have once again teamed up to give back to the P.U.N.T. collective in honor of Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. For every pint of Big Ditch’s No Punts Intended sold at any Bar Bill location throughout the month of September, $5 will be donated to P.U.N.T and for every pint sold at both Big Ditch taprooms, $2 will be donated. No Punts Intended is an easy drinking American pilsner brewed with Cascade hops.
Pressure Drop Brewing Releases New Bills-Themed IPA
Pressure Drop Brewing is paying homage to the Buffalo Bills with a new IPA affectionately named for the former nickname of their current home, the new Highmark Stadium, The Pit. The Pit is a soft and fluffy 6.5% hazy IPA with a light body with bright notes of lime zest and melon with a clean, refreshing finish. The beer is brewed with Celeste™ hops from Oregon’s West Coast Hop Breeding Program, which impart tropical notes of passionfruit, honeydew and pine. The Pit is available at select retailers around Western New York.
The Lock Tender Beers of Oktoberfest Sampling
The Lock Tender is celebrating all things fall beer on Sept. 12 (1-5 pm) at their Beers of Oktoberfest Sampling. There will be Oktoberfest lagers, Festbiers, German classics, pumpkin beers, cider and more from dozens of craft vendors, including Hofbräuhaus, Paulaner, Warsteiner, Grow Brewing, Strangebird, Beer Tree, Mortalis, Lucky Hare, Downeast Cider, Steuben Brewing, Rushing Duck Brewing, Night Shift, Shipyard Brewing, Southern Tier, Upstate Brewing, Big Ditch and DSSOLVR Brewing. Tickets ($30) include 10 six-ounce samples, $5 draft after your tasting, 15% off food & to-go purchases (over $30) and two Lock Tender App points. There will also be an Oktoberfest food menu. You can purchase tickets at thelocktender.com/events.
Lager Village Comes to Other Half Buffalo
Lager Village is coming to Other Half Buffalo this weekend as some of the world’s best lager breweries will be in town to pour their best crispy concoctions. Among the breweries and beers are pFriem Family Brewers (German Pilsner), Parish Brewing (Pescador – Mexican Lager), Zillicoah Beer Company (Pils – German Pilsner), RAR Brewing (Chessie’s Oktoberfest – Marzen), Mortalis Brewing (Itsumi – Italian Pilsner), Oxbow Brewing (Smoked Helles), Saltfields Brewing (Nodogoshi – Japanese Rice Lager), Halfway Crooks Beer (Farina – Kölsch, Ada – German Pilsner), Suarez Family Brewery (Mini Pils – German Pilsner), Human People (Piknik – Pilsner) and more. All kegs will be tapped Sept. 12. The event is free and open to the public.
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).
