As I write this, I’m indifferent. Sure, it’s Friday, which is awesome and we have Fruity Funky Friday at Coles and Goodbar and Funk Fest at New York Beer Project on tap for tonight, but that also means there is only today, then the weekend, left for Buffalo Beer Week. While I won’t entirely miss just how freaking busy I have been on the daily, I look forward to being able to take naps again. Yes, I’m old.
Regardless, there are tons of events going on today. From beer festivals and sour beer events to tap takeovers and beer walks, there’s something for everything tonight. If you want to go out and just grab a beer and listen to some live music, then that’s on the docket for today as well. Take a look for yourself.
Today is also the final day to win some free beer from my friends at Buffalo Brewing. And it’s easy to get in the running. They are giving away a case of beer – fresh cans of 1932 Oat Cream IPA and 1906 New England IPA – now through 11pm tonight. All you have to do is visit them on Instagram (@buffalobrewingcompany), follow them and tag three friends in the comments. If you win you can pick up your beer on Saturday during retail hours. It’s just that easy. A few clicks and you could be one case of beer richer.
Woodcock Brothers is gathering up over 20 New York State breweries serving all fall seasonal style brews at their Wilson headquarters, along with live music (Experimental Sandwich, 7pm), food trucks, distilleries, ciders and lawn games at the third annual NY Fall Beer Festival (6pm). $3 per drink ticket, good for a 5oz pour.
Celebrate the 10th Anniversary Buffalo Beer Week in the beautiful Village of Lewiston. Start at Brewed & Bottled Craft Beer Shop (5pm), where you’ll taste beer and learn about history of craft beer in the area. Sample beers at select village establishments from there. Pay as you go.
In honor of Sour Beer Day, New York Beer Project are funking up the taps (in a good way) at the first ever Funk Fest: A Celebration of Sours (5pm). They are pulling out all the sour stops as, not only are they returning four of their most beloved sours, they are debuting half a dozen new brews, including a sour take on a classic refreshing beverage, four Berliner Weisse variants born out of a friendly competition between NYBP brewers, and a barrel aged sour.
Pizza Plant Transit are tapping a few Mortalis Brewing beers (5pm). They are featuring Orion Double IPA (Mosaic, Citra & Nelson hops) and Venus Strawberry Fig Newton Milk Stout.
Osborn Nash will be performing at Big Inlet (6pm), Tommy Link will take to the stage at Four Mile (6pm) and Qwister will perform at 12 Gates (8pm).
Are you a sour beer lover? This day is perfect for you! Enjoy a selection of session, fruity and barrel aged sours at Mr. Goodbar and Coles in honor of Sour Beer Day at Fruity Funky Friday (5pm). Mr. Goodbar will tap Gun Hill City Island Gose, Discord Disconnected Sour IPA, DuClaw My, My, My Key Lime Pie Sour IPA, Almanac Cherry Sournova and more, while Coles will tap Upstate Lemonade Sour, LIC Beer Project Gal Friday (Cherry & Vanilla) Berliner Weisse, Sixpoint Firecracker Sour IPA, Thin Man Minkey Boodle and bottles of Crooked Stave. Free entry. A la carte pints.
Elsewhere during Buffalo Beer Week, as has become custom, Buffalo Brewing Company will be open every single day. Pearl Street (seasonal beers with Beer Week booklet) and Lafayette Brewing are offering $3.50 pints all Beer Week long, and score $2 off pints at Pizza Plant (both locations) and $4 pints at Riverworks Brewing with coupons you can find in the official Beer Week book. Also, Blackbird Cider Works have daily specials, Hamm & Fattey’s and Fattey Beer Co. are running select $3 pint specials (check Buffalobeerweek.com for more details) and Five & 20 will be donating a portion of the proceeds from their specially priced Beer of the Month to Habitat for Humanity during the entire course of Buffalo Beer Week.
If you’re drinking something local during Buffalo Beer Week, post it on social media and tag the BBL – @Buffalobeerleague (Instagram), @Buffbeerleague (Twitter) and @Thebuffalobeerleague (Facebook). Also, use the hashtag #Buffalobeerweek.
Keep it locked to www.buffalobeerweek.com for more daily blog posts regarding all of the beers, all of the events and all of the happenings going on throughout Buffalo Beer Week. To see all the events that are happening over the next 10 days and to read the official Buffalo Beer Week book, visit http://www.buffalobeerweek.com. The theme this year is ‘ten years of craft beer.’ For more information, please visit Buffaloniagarabrewersassociation.org and Facebook.com/BuffaloNiagaraBrewersAssociation.
These next 10 days are about beer yes, but above all else, drink responsibly and be safe. If you need a ride home, try Lyft, Uber or Liberty Cab’s Ride Local. There are plenty of options to both drink and get home responsibly.
Brian Campbell is a co-founder/Brand Manager of the BNBA’s enthusiast arm, Buffalo Beer League, and writes the weekly Buffalo Beer Buzz column for Step Out Buffalo. If you have beer news that should be included in the Beer Buzz, Brian can be reached at buffalobeerleague@aol.com, on Twitter (@buffbeerleague), Instagram (@buffalobeerleague) and Facebook (@thebuffalobeerleague).
