Big Ditch Brewing Company has launched Jest Hard Tea, a bold new vodka-based beverage that marks the first non-beer brand in the brewery’s 12-year history.

Since opening in 2014, Big Ditch has defined itself by balancing innovation with hard work. After more than a year of intensive R&D, Jest Hard Tea arrives as a vibrant and refreshing alternative, crafted specifically for today’s evolving palate.

“We’ve always been about bold flavor and high drinkability,” said Matt Kahn, president and co-founder. “With Jest, we’re bringing our obsession with quality to the hard tea space. It’s not just another basic beverage—it’s a unique, spirit-based experience that pushes the envelope of what people expect from us.”

While best known for its flagship beers such as Hayburner American IPA, as well as its strong presence in the New York craft beer market, Big Ditch sees Jest as a natural extension of its  innovation pipeline and a response to growing consumer interest in ready-to-drink beverages beyond beer.

Jest Hard Tea features a clean vodka base blended with real tea and fun fruit flavors. At 4.2% ABV, only 85 calories per 12-ounce can, and containing no bubbles, it’s built for backyard parties, beach days, tailgates or wherever good times call for something a little different.

The Jest lineup includes four exciting flavor profiles:

• Raspberry & Elderflower, made with vodka and real black tea
• Half & Half, made with vodka, real hibiscus tea, and pink lemonade
• Peach & Blueberry, made with vodka and real white tea
• Mango & Yuzu, made with vodka and real green tea

Jest Hard Tea will be available in 12-ounce four-packs of Raspberry and Half & Half, as well as in a “Varietea” eight-pack featuring all four flavors.

Jest Hard Tea is available at Big Ditch’s Buffalo taproom (55 East Huron St.) and Lockport location (1 East Avenue), as well as select liquor stores and bars across New York State shortly thereafter.

For more information, visit www.jesthardtea.com or follow the journey on social media at @jesthardtea.

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Tickets Remain for This Weekend’s Brewer’s Invitational

Tickets are still available for the seventh annual Brewer’s Invitational, which returns to the New York Beer Project Beer Lodge on Saturday, Feb. 28 (2-5 pm). Some beers that will be poured at the event include Mortalis Brewing’s Beholder | Yogurt Parfait Fruited Smoothie Sour, Oldmanbearma | Nectaron Double IPA and BA Eos (Metallis Purple Wax) Imperial Stout, as well as Other Half’s Dankest Dad Imperial IPA, Big Ditch’s Boysenberry White Water and Ellicottville Brewing’s Barrel Aged Chocolate Cherry Stout, to name a few. Tickets are $50 and include a commemorative tasting glass, a $5 food voucher, and access to over 50 brews from 30 local breweries, cideries and meaderies. Designated driver tickets are also available. You can purchase tickets here.

Big Ditch Brewing, The Ridge West Seneca Giveaways

Step Out Buffalo is teaming up with Big Ditch Brewing and The Ridge West Seneca for a pair of giveaways – Big Ditch Taps & Apps Experience, which includes a $100 gift card to Big Ditch, and The Ridge Beers & Bites Experience, which includes a $100 gift card to The Ridge West Seneca. To enter for Big Ditch, click here and enter your name and email, and to enter for The Ridge, click here. The deadline for the Big Ditch Taps & Apps Experience is Thursday, Feb. 26 and the deadline for The Ridge Beers & Bites Experience is Monday, March 2.

Resurgence Brewing Another Caucasian, Gary Release Party

Resurgence Brewing is throwing a release party for Another Caucasian, Gary, a White Russian-inspired stout created by homebrewer Scott McMillan that won the 2019 Dude Hates Cancer Homebrew Contest and a silver medal at the 2025 NYS Craft Beer Competition. Drop by the taproom on Feb. 26 at 6 pm to sample the beer, meet Scott and more. “The Big Lebowski” will be playing in the taproom, there will be Wii bowling contests for prizes, White Russian drink specials and special cask versions of the beer – Maple and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. “Yeah, well. The Dude abides.” The event is free and open to the public.

Steel Leaf Brewing Liquidation Sale, Drain The Bar Party

Steel Leaf Brewing Company will close this weekend on Saturday, Feb. 28 and need your help to drain the bar before they turn the lights off. The event will feature live music from DJ Looney Tunes and more. “Cheers to the good years and help us drain the bar one last time,” the brewery says. “We’re raising our glasses to every memory, every pint, and every one of you who made Steel Leaf what it is.” Steel Leaf Brewing will host a Liquidation Sale on Feb. 27 (10 am – 7 pm) and will be selling select furniture, fixtures, décor, and brewing-related items as we wind things down. According to the brewery, everything must go.

Ellicottville Brewing Announces New Line of Hard Teas

Ellicottville Brewing has introduced a new line of flavored hard teas, EVL Tea House, brewed with real tea. These 4% hard teas include flavors such as Half & Half, Raspberry, Original, Blueberry and Chai Tea Lemonade. “Introducing a new family of hand crafted hard teas – EVL Tea House,” Ellicottville Brewing says. “Four distinct flavors, brewed amongst the scenic rolling hills of Ellicottville, NY – often colloquially referred to as “EVL”. Brewed to transport you to wherever your “happy place” may be. Take the scenic route. Try EVL Tea House today.” Cans of EVL Tea House can be found in all EBC pubs as well as select local beer retailers soon.

Ticket Giveaway for Golf Expo at Pearl Street Brewing

Golf Buffalo and Tap & Craft are teaming up to give away two free tickets ($70 value) to the Golf Buffalo Expo at Pearl Street Grill & Brewery on March 14 (3-6 pm) with a beer and spirits tasting, a market of local golf brands and a Players Championship Viewing Party. To enter the giveaway, click here. Tickets are $35 and include beer and spirits tastings from 10 craft brands, commemorative tasting glass, local golf market and more, and can be purchased here.

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).

The post Buffalo Beer Buzz: Brewer’s Invitational, Steel Leaf Closing, Resurgence Another Caucasian, Gary, Big Ditch, The Ridge & Golf Expo Giveaways, Ellicottville Brewing Hard Teas appeared first on Buffalo Beer League.

The date has been set for the sixth annual CollaBEERation Festival – April 25, 2025. The event will return to the Powerhouse (140 Lee St, Buffalo), the festivals home for the past few years.

Participating breweries, meaderies and cideries, as well as ticket information, will be announced at a later date.

If you don’t know how CollaBEERation works, here’s the premise – the event features craft beer, cider and mead created by members of the Buffalo Beer Geeks community, who team up with over 50 Western New York craft venues to create one-off, small batch creations, many created exclusively for this event. They are involved in every step of the creative process.

Festival goers vote for their top collaborations, with the winners taking home the Buffalo Beer Geek Championship Belt. Canandaigua’s Frequentem Brewing are the new defending champions, thanks to Miami Vice, a heavily fruited sour inspired by the beach cocktail. They dethroned Bloomfield’s Noble Shepherd Craft Brewery, who won the belt in 2023 and 2024.

“CollaBEERation was created to bring together local beer enthusiasts and local breweries to create one off beers, ciders and meads that you’ll never be able to taste anywhere besides the event,” event organizer Joe Yager from the Buffalo Beer Geeks said. “You will get unlimited 4oz. pours from over 40 Buffalo and Rochester breweries. We will also have many beer and non-beer related vendors for shopping and multiple food options. The event is at The Powerhouse in Buffalo, a beautiful spot with plenty of parking and space inside.”

There will also be food and craft vendors on hand.

Erik Coleman, proprietor of Beer By Coleman Beer Concierge, who is presenting the event, says CollaBEERation is an event by the brewing community that’s for the community.

“CollaBEERation is a unique festival because you have a chance come and taste some unique, one-off specialty beers that you can’t get anywhere else and aren’t out of tap yet, brewed exclusive for this event,” he said. “You also get a chance to meet the actual people who are brewing the beer. The people behind the taps are the brewers, the owners and the people who can tell the story of the brewing company, the meadery, the cidery, as well as the product that they are pouring for you.”

For more information, click here.

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1927 Brew House at Walden Galleria Closes

Santora’s has closed the 1927 Brew House at the Walden Galleria, opting not to renew their lease after five years. Owner Paul Santora made the announcement via social media citing recent changes in his personal life. He added that they are also choosing to not move forward with their planned brewery location in Clarence Center, citing life changes and rising costs. With the closure, Santora’s will move all brewing operations to their Transit location. Head brewer Rob Haag says he is grateful for his time spent brewing at the Galleria, which allowed him to dial in beer recipes.

Big Ditch Teams Up With YMCA on Turkey Trotter

Big Ditch Brewing has teamed up with the YMCA Buffalo Niagara for the fourth consecutive year to release Turkey Trotter, a beer brewed for the Buffalo Turkey Trot, the world’s oldest consecutively run footrace, a race that has been a Buffalo tradition since 1896. Turkey Trotter, described as a ‘perfect finish-line beer,’ is a blonde ale featuring crackery malt flavors and light fruity hops. Turkey Trotter is available on draft and in 6-packs of 12oz. cans at both Big Ditch taprooms, as well as wherever great craft beer is sold in Western New York. All cans feature a QR code that allows consumers to register for the race.

Buffalo Olde Brewery Releases Pumpkin Spice Mafia

Buffalo Olde Brewery has released Pumpkin Spice Mafia, a new beer that celebrates two of Western New York’s favorite seasons – football and fall. Pumpkin Spice Mafia is a Pumpkin Spiced Ale featuring a seasonal blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and clove, with caramel and toffee notes. “In addition to the traditional pumpkin spice flavors that everyone enjoys during the fall season, our Pumpkin Spice Mafia offers customers another beverage option that complements Buffalo Bills football, changing leaves, and the crisp fall air,” said Buffalo Olde Brewery co-owner Bill Anderson. Pumpkin Spice Mafia is available now.

Bottle Rocket Beer Mile Back For 2025

Bottle Rocket’s annual Beer Mile returns on October 12. What is a beer mile? It’s pretty simple – drink 4 beers and run 4 laps in alternating fashion as quickly as you can. It’s a 1-mile drinking event that combines running and speed drinking. It will take place on a 1/4 mile course surrounding Bottle Rocket. Space is limited and participation costs $30.26 (tax and fees included). There are three heats – 10 am, 10:30 am and 11 am. Beer served during the event will be Genesee Cream Ale. You can sign up for the Beer Mile here. The event is limited to a total of 90 participants.

Ellicottville Brewing Introduces New Hard Seltzers

Ellicottville Brewing has released a trio of new 4.8% hard seltzers, Cherry, Blueberry and Grape White Shark (concord grape), modeled after some of their popular beers. These pub-exclusive seltzers are all gluten free and are available at all EBC locations. These will also be available this weekend during Fall Fest, which includes live music, shopping, vendors, arts & crafts shows, and more. This year at Ellicottville Brewing, there will be live music from Darkwater Duo & Company on Friday, Tim Britt Band, Nerds Gone Wild, MayDay Buffalo, Vinny & The Mudflaps and DJ Gilroy on Saturday, then The Yachtfathers and The Strictly Hip on Sunday.

Pour Taproom Ellicottville 1-Year Anniversary Parking Lot Party

On October 11-12 (11 am), Pour Taproom Ellicottville are celebrating their 1-year anniversary with live music from Travis Happoldt, Kaley Lynch and Rico & the Stickman, food, craft beer, cocktails and wine, apple cider cocktail and mocktail station, games, crafts, champagne toast and more. Pour Taproom Ellicottville is located in the former Slopeside Restaurant at the Telemark Hotel. The space features a full bar with 30 self-pour taps and food menu. For more information, click here.

Woodcock Brothers Closes Wilson Location For Season

It’s that time of year, and with the colder weather and snow on the horizon, Woodcock Brothers Brewery has closed their Wilson location for the season and will reopen the taproom in March. “This isn’t goodbye forever, just our last night open in 2025 before we take a break until March,” the brewery said. “If you’ve got ideas for how we can make 2026 our best season yet, we’re all ears.” Woodcock Brothers will continue normal operations in North Tonawanda.

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).

The post Buffalo Beer Buzz: 1927 Brew House Closes at Galleria, Woodcock Wilson Closes, New Beers From Buffalo Olde & Big Ditch, Bottle Rocket Beer Mile, New EBC Seltzers, Pour Taproom Ellicottville Anniversary appeared first on Buffalo Beer League.

The fourth annual festival has something for every drinker. There will be craft beer available from West Kill Brewing, Other Half Brewing, Talking Cursive Brewing, BriarBrothers Brewing, Brewery Ardennes, Nomxd Brew, Mortalis Brewing, Eli Fish, Imprint Beer, Heavy Reel Brewing, Urban Artifact, Trillium Brewing, Drekker Brewing, Dancing Gnome, Resident Culture Brewing, Maine Beer, Strangebird, Rising Storm Brewing, The Drowned Lands, Evil Twin Brewing, Brazen, Spotted Octopus, Pearl Street Brewing and more.

There will also be cider from Tree Hugger Cider, wine from Vieni Estates, spirits from Hartman’s Distilling, Shankys Whip and Lock One Distilling, canned cocktails from Lake Hour and Long Drink and mead from The Bull and Bee Meadery.

There will also be live music from Buffalo Dead Alliance (3-6:30 pm).

VIP tickets ($45, pre-sale only), include a tasting glass, four hours of sampling, VIP-only tastings, a pretzel necklace, a Lock Tender sticker, and more, and General admission tickets ($35 pre-sale, $50 day of) include a tasting glass and sampling. Designated Driver tickets are also available for $10.

Paper tickets can be purchased, without fees, at the Lock Tender in Lockport until October 3.

You can purchase tickets and find more information here.

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).

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Buffalo Craft Invades Rochester’s Flour City Brewers Fest

A number of Buffalo-area breweries and cideries are set to invade the Flour City Brewers Fest in Rochester, including 42 North, Big Ditch, Ellicottville Brewing, Brazen Brewing, Eli Fish, Lilly Belle Meads, Hamburg Brewing, Rusty Nickel, Johnson’s Landing, Resurgence, Spotted Octopus, Southern Tier and Thin Man. The event, hosted by Rohrbach Brewing Company, takes place Friday, August 22 at the Rochester Public Market. There will also be food, craft vendors and more. A limited amount of general admission ($55) tickets are still available, which include samplings, tasting glassware and $5 food voucher. For more information, visit https://www.flourcitybrewersfest.com.

Pumking Family Reunion at Southern Tier Brewing

The Empty Pint at Southern Tier Brewing in Lakewood will host the Pumking Family Reunion on Aug. 23, featuring live music from Sandra & Alex (11 am), Tim Bartlet Experience (3 pm) and Queen City (7 pm), along with the annual release of the full Pumking family of beers, including Pumking, Warlock, Maple Warlock, Caramel Pumking and more. There will also be food, including black bean burgers, burgers, hot dogs, sausage sandwiches and more. The event is free and open to the public.

Local Brewery Lineup for Borderland Music & Arts Festival

The Borderland Music & Arts Festival has announced that local beermakers 42 North, Ellicottville Brewing, Community Beer Works and Southern Tier Brewing will serve as the official breweries this year. A full beer list will be made available soon. Borderland Festival takes place Sept. 12-14 at Knox Farm State Park in East Aurora with performances from Vampire Weekend, Mt. Joy, Khrungbin, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Khruangbin, Robert Randolph, Band of Horses and more. You can purchase tickets and find more information here.

WNY Brewers Guild Annual Charity Golf Tournament

The WNY Brewers Guild Charity Golf Tournament returns Aug. 25 at Chestnut Hill Country Club, an annual event that offers golfers and craft beer enthusiasts an opportunity to play a round of golf, in addition to enjoying food, local beer, hole challenges, raffles and more. You’ll get a chance to meet and play with brewers and raise money for local charities. The cost to participate is $150 per person ($525 per foursome) and includes golf, breakfast, lunch, steak dinner and food and drinks on the course. The 4-person scramble tournament will start at 10 am with a light breakfast and registration at 9 am. Register at www.WNYBrewersGuild.com.

Drink Pink For a Cause at Resurgence Brewing

On Sunday, August 24 (1-4 pm), you can drink all things pink and help give back to a worthy cause at Resurgence Brewing. There will be pink beer, pink cider, pink cocktails and pink mocktails with partial proceeds from the event going to benefit Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, which provides a supportive community for breast cancer survivors and metastatic breast cancer thrivers, caregivers, and families alike.

Buffalo Maritime Center, Big Ditch Announce New Beer

The Buffalo Maritime Center and Big Ditch Brewing have teamed up on Long Haul, the official beer of the 2025 Bicentennial Voyage of the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief. Long Haul, inspired by the epic “long hauls” of 19th-century Erie Canal travel, is a honey lager brewed with 6-row barley, New York State hops, clover honey and spruce tips, ingredients historically used in 1800s brewing. In September, the Seneca Chief will set out on a 33-day, 500-mile journey from Buffalo to New York City and Long Haul will travel with the boat and be available at select stops along the route. Long Haul will be available soon.

New York Beer Project World Beer Awards Wins, New West Coast IPA

New York Beer Project took home four medals recently at the World Beer Awards, one of the World Drinks Awards’ biggest competitions, that took place at The Great Hospital, a historic event space in Norwich UK. NYBP’s Hazy Crush won gold in the Specialty IPA category, Baby Crush won gold in Session IPA, Lakehouse Pils won silver in Classic Pilsener and Goddess Kolsch won bronze in Kolsch.

NYBP has also released Déjà Vu West Coast IPA, an homage to old-school West Coast IPAs with a modern tropical twist. This IPA features bright citrus, peach, pineapple, dank cannabis, strawberry, and passionfruit. Déjà Vu is brewed with hand selected US Pacific Northwest hops. Déjà Vu is available in cans at all New York Beer Project locations in New York.

Wayland Brewing Introduces NA Hoppy Seltzer

Wayland Brewing has introduced a new Hoppy Seltzer, which features no alcohol, no carbs, and no gluten. The seltzer is brewed with Strata and a hint of pineapple. Hoppy Seltzer is lightly and pleasantly flavored. Hoppy Seltzer is available on draft only and served over ice for $4. The brewery might can the seltzer in the future. “We particularly love this 0.0% option to wrap up your Wayland visit when you prefer something other than beer,” Wayland says. “We’re thrilled about this new addition.”

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).

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This new 4.8% craft beverage is brewed with real fruit juice and cane sugar and will be available in two variety packs. The standard variety pack includes Blackberry/Lime, Pineapple/Passionfruit, Raspberry/Lemon and Tangerine/Strawberry, while the Tailgate Pack includes Tailgate Crush (Peach/Clementine), Blackberry/Lime, Pineapple/Passionfruit, and Tangerine/Strawberry.

Blackberry/Lime is based on Resurgence’s F.U. Awesome cocktail, the top-selling cocktail in their taproom. The brewery plans to keep releasing more flavors moving forward and already has new flavor combinations in mind for 2026.

Resurgence owner Jeff Ware says that Brightside Vibes is something the brewery has been working on for several years in an effort to offer everything taproom consumers and drinkers want.

“The idea behind it is we wanted to make a vodka soda seltzer, like a High Noon or a Nutrl, that actually tastes like a real cocktail instead of just a flavored soda water,” Ware said. “So we went on a journey of trying to figure out how to do that, which took us longer than was anticipated. We all went back and forth on a lot of renditions, trying to get the right flavor combos, mouthfeel, carbonations, packaging, all that stuff. It took us longer than we anticipated, but we’re pretty happy with the product and branding that came out of it.”

“I’m excited to finally get Brightside Vibes to the finish line. We thought that we could do better than High Noon and none really is playing in this space locally, except for your national players in the Buffalo market. If you go into other markets, you see a lot of craft brewers playing in this space. With Brightside Vibes, we’re competing with the national brands, which is why we really took our time because this product has to look the part, taste the part and feel the part. It’s got to stand up to national competitors and we have to appeal to the consumer. Yes, we’re a local company that is making these, but the real selling point is that they just taste better.”

Ware explains that the vodka used for Brightside Vibes is local and comes from Batavia from a neutral grain spirits manufacturer. He adds that the name came from Resurgence’s efforts to capture the true energy and the feel of Buffalo.

“We wanted something that was really Buffalo-centric and there is no better energy than when everybody sings “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers in Highmark Stadium and we wanted something that gives off a real Buffalo, exciting and happy vibe,” Ware said. “We wanted a name that gave off that Brightside vibe and someone just said, ‘that’s the name right there, Brightside Vibes,’ and that’s kind of how the name came to be.”

You can find Brightside Vibes at Resurgence’s taproom (Ware says that it will replace High Noon and other canned cocktails and seltzers), as well as liquor stores around Western New York, wherever great craft canned cocktails are sold.

“We started with beer, and if you would have told me 10 years ago that we would be making cider and RTDs, I would have said ‘you’re nuts, we have no interest in that,’ but the beer consumer is changing and nowadays it seems like the consumer drinks a little bit of everything. The Bud Light consumer is also a High Noon consumer and is also a craft beer consumer. The average drinker is now more of occasion drinker, where they drink different things on different occasions and they aren’t against trying anything. So as our customers are changing, we need to change what we are making to make sure we are fitting into the needs of the consumer,” Ware said.

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).

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Buffalo On Tap Returns This Weekend

Buffalo on Tap will return to the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center on Feb. 8 (12-4pm, 5:30-8:30pm). Participating breweries include Big Ditch, 42 North, Cigar City, Industrial Arts, Lawson’s, Jack’s Abby, Prison City, Sloop, Community Beer Works, Sweetwater and more. The event will also feature live music, craft vendors, food and more. VIP tickets ($66.30, including taxes and fees) include 4 hours of sampling, access to VIP area with exclusive beer, souvenir glass and more, and General Admission tickets ($46.80, including taxes and fees) include 3 hours of sampling and souvenir glass. Tickets can be purchased here.

Clarksburg Cider Releases New Spring Varietal

Clarksburg is willing on the arrival of spring with the release of their new seasonal cider, Cherry Lavender. This 5.5% cider is closer to dry and is brewed with Morello cherries and lavender. “Cherry with a kiss of lavender,” Clarkburg says. “As spring approaches, we all have our favorite signs that better weather is around the corner. For some, it’s the buds on the trees. But for us, it’s our Cherry Lavender Hard Cider. Celebrate this year’s thaw with a rose-colored potion of Morello cherries and lavender that bloom in our classic hard cider for a delicate flavor and floral nose.” Cherry Lavender will be available until May wherever great craft cider is sold in 4-pack 12oz. cans, or online at https://buff.ly/4fMS3bw.

Spotted Octopus Brewing Releases Pair of New Beers

Spotted Octopus Brewing has released a pair of new beers – Fruit Basket and Kuitbier. The former is a 5.8% fruited sour with lychee and pineapple, while the latter is a 5.2% historical Dutch beer. It’s a three-grain beer brewed with malted oat, barley, and wheat that was most commonly consumed in the Netherlands. Kuitbier features a straw to amber-color with a natural cloudiness reminiscent of Weizen, but with its own fruity aroma and flavor. The brewery describes it as something of a cream ale mixed with a saison. You can find both beers on tap right now at Spotted Octopus in Allentown.

Smoldered Society Drops New Illusion of Safety DIPA

Smoldered Society has released a new version of their double dry hopped hazy Double IPA, Illusion of Safety. This is the third release in the series and features a double dry hop of Bru-One, Mosaic Cryo, Alora and Cashmere hops, along with hoppy aromas, medium body and notes of cantaloupe, melon and tropical fruit. It clocks in at 8.5%. You can find the new version of Illusion of Safety now at The Beer Keep, Moor Pat, Allen Burger Venture, Bottle Rocket, Cole’s, Colter Bay, Mr. Goodbar, and the Lexington Co-Op (Elmwood, Hertel).

Stein Fest 2025 at Hofbrauhaus Buffalo

Stein Fest returns to Hofbrauhaus Buffalo, Feb. 7-8. This two-day celebration of German heritage features exclusive Stein Club offers ($149 fee for new Stein Club memberships), live German music from Die Haus Band and Bergholz German Band, merchandise sales (10% off for all guests, 20% off for Stein Club members and investors), Stein Club members and Investors Perks ($10 stein refills) and German food specials. Stein Fest runs 5:30-8:30pm on Friday and 1-8:30pm on Saturday. The event is free and open to the public.

Other Half Buffalo Grand Opening, 11^th Anniversary

Other Half Buffalo is celebrating the opening of their new taproom on Feb. 8 (1pm) with a full selection of their 11^th anniversary beers, food and drink specials and live entertainment. The event is free and open to the public. The new taproom, located directed across from their former taproom at Seneca One, offers more seating, loads of televisions, including a massive projection screen, pinball, foosball, darts, 18 taps, outdoor beer garden, beer cooler featuring cans and bottles to go and a full food menu featuring vegan and vegetarian options.

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The Art of Beer Returns to Niagara Arts & Cultural Center

The 2025 Art of Beer will return to the Niagara Arts & Cultural Center on March 7. The 17^th annual event will feature beer, wine and cider tastings, along with culinary pairings, live entertainment on multiple stages and more. Tickets are $40 and include a commemorative beer glass, all beer, wine and cider samplings, food from a number of Niagara restaurants, free parking, local hotel discounts and after-party access. The Art of Beer also serves as a fundraiser to support the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here.

Monster Beach Brewery & Tiki Bar to Open in January

Monster Beach Brewery & Tiki Bar will open in Fredonia at the site of EBC West on Jan. 17. Monster Beach, a brewery, brewpub and Tiki bar with a classic movie monster theme, is the creation of Robert Turley Jr., Mandi Shepp and Christoph Shepp, who plan on creating immersive theming with bamboo walls, large sculptural installations, atmospheric lighting and classic movie monster scenes. Beers will include Surfin’ With Fred lager and Attack of the Green Tomatoes tomato herb wheat, in addition to traditional Tiki drinks and Modern Polynesian-style cocktails and a food menu full of small plates inspired by ingredients from Asia, the Caribbean islands, and Polynesian region. For more information, visit https://www.monsterbeachbrewing.com.

Buffalo Brewing Company Beer Sale Continues

Buffalo Brewing Company is continuing to blow out their beer stock this week with deals on most of their 4- and 6-pack cans for $9.99. Among the beers included in the sale are Simon Pure Beer, Old Abbey Ale, Bellweiser, 1910 Czech Pilsner, Pineapple Cream Ale, 1842 Vienna Lager, 1976 Gordziskie, Paisano Italian Pilsner, Blanc, 1856 Cran Raz wheat, 1813 Porter, 1963 Altbier and more. You can also get $5 pints of most beer, including both side pull Lukr taps (currently – Paisano, Czech Pils), Old Abbey Ale, Simon Pure, 1826 Oktoberfest, 1890 Loganberry Ale and more. This sale is available at Buffalo Brewing’s Myrtle Street taproom.

Celebrate WNY Craft at Kenan Wine & Beer Bash

The Kenan Wine & Beer Bash, formerly known as the Niagara Wine and Beer Festival, is coming to the Kenan Center Arena on Jan. 17 (6-10pm). The event will feature samplings from local craft breweries, wineries, distilleries, cideries and restaurants, along with live music from Handsome Jack and Welcome Distraction, games and more. The $10 entry fee ($15 day of) includes admission and souvenir tasting cup. Additional sampling tickets can be purchased. Non-alcoholic options will also be available, along with N/A beer and mocktails. You can purchase tickets here.

Hofbrauhaus to Tap Dunkelweizen

Hofbrauhaus will tap their Dunkelweizen on Jan. 9 (6pm) with a traditional parade and barrel tapping. The event will benefit Beyond Support Learning Network, an organization dedicated to helping children and families achieve educational success through personalized learning solutions and resources. If you mention them when dining, 10% of your check (before tax) will be donated to their cause. Dunkelweizen offers notes of roasted malt, coffee, cocoa, toffee, and dark fruit. Hofbrauhaus recommends pairing it with Brotzeitteller, Sauerbraten or Apfelstrudel mit Schokolade Eis.

Southern Tier New N/A IPA, Strawberry Shortcake Ale

Southern Tier Brewing is wading into the non-alcoholic beer sector with the release of Downshift Non-Alcoholic IPA. This beer features all of the hallmarks of a traditional American IPA, just without the alcohol. “Shift gears into Southern Tier’s first non-alcoholic IPA,” the brewery says. “Downshift has all the big, hoppy flavor of a classic American IPA, with none of the alcohol. With less than 0.5% ABV, Downshift brings the flavor and lets you bring the party.” Downshift N/A IPA is exclusively available on draft at all of Southern Tier’s taprooms.

Southern Tier are also unveiling their new Strawberry Shortcake Imperial Ale, an 8.6% dessert-style ale that features flavors of fresh strawberries, sweet whipped cream and notes of flaky shortcake and biscuit balance. The beer is available in bottles wherever great craft beer is sold and on tap at Southern Tier Brewing’s taprooms right now.

Ticket Prices to Increase for Buffalo On Tap 2025

Buffalo on Tap will return to the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center on Feb. 8 and ticket prices increase on Jan. 1. Participating breweries include Big Ditch, 42 North, Cigar City, Industrial Arts, Lawson’s, Jack’s Abby, Prison City, Sloop, Community Beer Works, Sweetwater and more. Find a complete list here. The event will also feature live music, craft vendors, food and more. VIP tickets ($66.30, including taxes and fees) include 4 hours of sampling, access to VIP area with exclusive beer, souvenir glass and more, and General Admission tickets ($46.80, including taxes and fees) include 3 hours of sampling and souvenir glass. Tickets can be purchased here.

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).

The post Buffalo Beer Buzz: Art of Beer, Kenan Wine & Beer Bash, New Beers at Southern Tier & Hofbrauhaus, Buffalo On Tap, Monster Beach Brewery to Open appeared first on Buffalo Beer League.

Small business owners and brewery owners are one in the same, hence the need for, and the importance of, Small Business Saturday, Nov. 30, and Small Brewery Sunday, Dec. 1, a weekend that encourages support for local breweries, brewpubs, taprooms, and small businesses that contribute to local communities and economies during the holiday season and beyond.

And in a holiday shopping season dominated by Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Shop Small Weekend shines a light on the importance of supporting smaller, independently owned businesses. By choosing to shop local, you’re making a positive impact that extends well beyond the transaction.

Why shop and support local? It’s simple. In short, money spent local, stays local. It creates jobs, pays wages and local taxes, all while supporting our community.

The idea of Small Brewery Sunday is to spotlight the contributions of craft breweries and small businesses to their communities and the economy while promoting their unique and high-quality beers. Many small breweries rely heavily on community support, and this day provides an opportunity for beer enthusiasts to show appreciation. By participating, you’re not only enjoying fresh, locally crafted beer but also contributing to the sustainability of small businesses in your community.

Small breweries contribute to local economies by creating jobs, sourcing local ingredients, and attracting tourism. Supporting them ensures that money stays within the community, fostering economic growth. And after challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, these small businesses need customer support to recover and thrive. This weekend highlights the importance of continued patronage.

According to the Brewer’s Association, craft brewer volume sales declined by 1% in 2023, raising small and independent brewers’ share of the U.S. beer market by volume to 13.3%. Despite the overall decline, small and independent brewers contributed $77.1 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023 and provided nearly 460,000 total jobs, with almost 190,000 jobs directly at breweries and brewpubs, including serving staff at brewpubs.

It has been another tough year for closures in Western New York. From Pressure Drop Brewing closing their taproom and brewing facilities after being purchased by Ellicottville Brewing  to Marquee Brewing in Olean, BTR Brews in Angola, 12 Gates of EVL and 42 North Brewing Outpost in Ellicottville and Windy Brew Batavia closing, keeping your dollars local has never been more vitally important.

“Supporting your local brewery is important every day, however, Small Brewery Sunday is a great day to highlight the importance of those local breweries to every community in New York State,” Paul Leone, executive director of the New York State Brewers Association, said. “It’s been tough for [some of] those breweries, this year’s Small Brewery Sunday is more important than ever.”

The economic impact of small businesses cannot be overstated. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses create two out of every three new jobs in the United States. The bottom line is, your dollars help create jobs when you choose to shop local.

Shop Small Weekend, Small Business Saturday and Small Brewery Sunday offer a chance to slow down and savor the things that matter: conversation, friendships, community — and finely crafted concoctions of malt and hops.

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).

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