Spotted Octopus Brewing Company will open at 56 South Union Street in downtown Rochester. Ken Shaw, Domenic Nicotera, and Barbara Priore will offer rotating flavors and styles along with flagship choices. The brewery has twelve taps available.
The original Spotted Octopus opened in Buffalo 3 years ago and quickly built a reputation for great beer and friendly service. Head Brewer Evan Flury joined the company a few months after its opening and contributed to the development of several flagship beers, including “Call the Kraken,” a hazy IPA, “Just a Beer” Rice Lager, and “Paxton’s Pale,” a hazy Pale Ale named after Ken and Dom’s pitbull.
Not long after opening they realized they had started too small and the need to expand has been a challenge. A 2024 article on Rochester beer writer Will Cleveland’s Substack, “Cleveland Prost,” highlighted a fully equipped brewhouse at the former Roc Brewing Company. A site visit was all it took for them to decide the facility would be a perfect home for the expansion of Spotted Octopus Brewing Company.
Spotted Octopus’ Buffalo taproom does not have a kitchen, and they were unfamiliar with managing such an operation. But good fortune smiled when Brendon Zugibe offered to step in and run things.
The brewery hired “FLOW” Food Rochester for unique Mediterranean and pub-style dishes.
The brewery operates under a NYS Farm License and has had a great relationship with Zugibe Vineyards, who provide NYS farm wine to the Buffalo, and now Rochester, taprooms. Additionally, the brewery will offer spirits and fermentations from other NYS farm businesses like OSB Ciderworks, Lilly Belle Meads, Buffalo Distilling Company, Ellicottville Distillery and Black Sheep Distillery.
The opening lineup of beers includes “Art Deco” White IPA, “Paxton’s Pale,” “Just a Beer,” “Call the Kraken,” “Rumplestoutskin” Oatmeal Stout, “Chase the Snakes” Red Ale, a collaboration with Brazen Brewing, and “Hef the Dark Dragon,” a collaboration with Swiftwater Brewing. They also offer a hard seltzer in multiple flavors.
Hours are Monday and Thursday, 11am – 10pm, Fridays and Saturdays, 11am – 11pm and Sunday, 11am – 6pm.
Spotted Octopus can accommodate 100 patrons inside and another 30 on the patio. A private space is available for small parties. Parking is available behind the building.
