By: Brian Campbell
Farm to Pint is more than some marketing gimmick or sales ploy and it’s not a passing fad either. It’s a lifestyle, a locavore movement that affects more people than perhaps you might realize. From farmers and maltsters to hopsters and brewers, the farm to pint ethos permeates all levels of the brewing supply chain.
And what a simple concept this is – supplying local ingredients to local breweries. Why not use what’s grown here to brew ‘local’ craft beer? From local farms to local breweries to local patrons – the farm to pint idea is maddeningly simple and nonetheless important. While this ideology creates fresh, locally sourced beer, it also creates jobs, revenue that remains in our area and also, and perhaps most importantly, it creates a sustainable and viable infrastructure for future generations.
And what better way to celebrate the idea of thinking local and drinking local than at the 3rd Annual Farm to Pint, presented by the Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association and Hamburg Brewing Company, which takes place Sunday, May 15, 12-8pm, at Hamburg Brewing (6553 Boston State Road, Hamburg). 2016 marks the third consecutive year the brewery will play host to Farm to Pint.
The free event features nearly 20 beers from Western New York breweries, which effectively shine the spotlight squarely on our area’s farmers, maltsters and hop farmers alike, such as Niagara Malt, NY Craft Malt, East Prairie Hops and Domoy Farms. A number of specialty beers, including many brewed specifically for Farm to Pint, will be available for purchase from 12 Gates Brewing, 42 North Brewing, Big Ditch Brewing Company, Community Beer Works, Ellicottville Brewing Company, Five and 20 Spirits & Brewing, Flying Bison, Four Mile Brewing, Gordon Biersch, Hamburg Brewing, New York Beer Project, Old First Ward, Pearl Street Brewery/Pan Am Brewery, Resurgence Brewing Company, Rusty Nickel Brewing, Southern Tier Brewing Company and Woodcock Brothers.
Locally raised meat and vegetarian grilled skewers will also be available for purchase throughout the day.
From goses and wild ales to saisons and pale ales, the 3rd Annual Farm to Pint is shaping up to be the best yet. Here is a look at what beer awaits you on May 15:
Hamburg Brewing Blackberry Gose (3.8% ABV): A traditional German-style sour featuring primarily NYS grown wheat and 2 row malt, brewed with blackberries, coriander and Mediterranean sea salt.
Community Beer Works Frank (4.6%): Zeus, Centennial and Zythos hops are used to maximize hop aromas and flavors such as zest, pine and citrus in this pale ale.
Resurgence Brewing Cucumber Saison (4%): A saison dry-hopped with Sorachi Ace, which imparts notes of green tea and dill pickles. It’s aged on cucumbers and made with wheat and Munich malt from NY Craft Malt in Batavia.
Flying Bison Seneca Saison (5.3%): Made with 100% NY Craft Malt (2 row, malted wheat and rye), homegrown Chinook hops and Newport hops from Niagara Vines and Bines.
42 North Brewing F2P Berliner Weisse (3.5%): An all-NY beer made with wheat and barley malt from NY Craft Malt and Erie County-grown Newport hops. Expect light sour tartness and lemonade-like citrus flavors.
Four Mile REAP Vol. III Wheat Ale (4.4%): A hoppy wheat ale brewed with locally sourced red wheat.
Pearl Street Brewing / Pan American Brewing Lackawanna Lager (5.2%): A light lager brewed with Niagara Craft Malt pilsner malt, which adds a cracker character to the beer.
Old First Ward Therapy Pale Ale (4.8%): This aggressively hopped pale ale features cascade hops and malt from Niagara County.
12 Gates Brewing Sweet Orange Summer Ale (4.7%): Made with 90% from NY Craft Malt, Sweet Orange Summer Ale features orange peel that adds a refreshing splash of citrus.
Woodcock Brothers N 425 Pilsner: A light pilsner made with locally grown Newport and Czech Saaz hops.
Ellicottville Brewing Sky High Rye IPA (5.5%): Rye IPA featuring rye from NY Craft Malt that utilizes a variety of hopping methods to obtain a juicy Mosaic-forward blend.
Southern Tier Brewing Back Burner Barleywine (10.5%): A barleywine-style ale made with local blackstrap molasses and maple syrup.
Big Ditch Brewing Niagara Wild (4%): Belgian-influenced wild ale featuring local pilsner malt and hops from Niagara Malt and as well as wild yeast and bacteria collected from WNY.
Five and 20 Spirits and Brewing Rye Pale Ale (5.2%): Brewed using rye malt for a spicy grain character with moderate hop additions using American hop varietals for a spicy, citrus flavor and aroma.
Rusty Nickel Hard Red Saison (6%): A French-Style saison with malt from NY Craft Malt blended with wheat and pilsner malts from Niagara Malt.
New York Beer Project Saison With Cherries: A saison created with malt from Niagara Malt and a healthy dose of sour cherries.
Gordon Biersch Pilsner (Cask): Traditional Czech-style pilsner hopped with Cascade hops from Niagara Hops.
