Community Beer Works, Thin Man Brewery and Smoldered Society, collectively known as Chandler Street Breweries, have ceased operations, effective immediately.  All three breweries operated under one taproom at 166 Chandler Street, which has closed its doors.

In a statement, the breweries say the business has failed to become financially sustainable, because, as they put it, “the world around us changed. Craft beer declined. Costs continued to rise. Consumer habits changed. Distribution became more difficult.”

“After years of working to find a sustainable future for Community Beer Works, Thin Man Brewery and Smoldered Society Beer Company, we’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to wind down operations,” the statement read. “There’s no single thing that brought us here. For several years, the business has operated at significant losses. We’ve continued to invest, change and rebuild because we believed there was a path forward.”

CBW bought Thin Man in 2024, the same year they launched their imprint brewing label, Smoldered Society. They combined forces to open Chandler Street Breweries earlier this year at the former home of Thin Man in Black Rock.

“Chandler Street didn’t create the challenges we’re facing. It was an attempt to solve them,” the statement continues. “Eventually, we had to acknowledge that despite everything we’ve tried, the business has not become financially sustainable. That is the truth of why we’re closing.”

I seem to report on beer-related closings at an alarming clip these days, a part of this that I truly hate, and this one stings. It cuts deep. Say what you will about present day CBW and Thin Man, and yes, I’m painfully aware that the breweries ended up as a shell of themselves over the years and they lost pieces of themselves along the way with each move – CBW going from Lafayette Street to 7th Street to Chandler and Thin Man going from Elmwood Avenue to Chandler and eventually back to Chandler again. But CBW will always hold a special place in my heart. Those days down on Lafayette behind that green door felt truly special. We were part of something. The Buffalo Beer League was forged at that bar. I made lifelong friends in that garage and drank some of the best locally crafted beers I’ve ever had (Mr. Superfantastisch Berliner Weisse and Rutherford Brett Haze are two of the best beers I’ve ever had). At one point, CBW was my favorite brewery in the world. I will always cherish those days and the memories I made over countless pints there. It’s really hard to correctly put into words. And if you’re reading this saying, ‘it’s only beer’ – you clearly don’t understand and no explanation will do. You had to be there. From beer releases, anniversary parties and CBW Book Club to The Stouting (hi Drew), Friends of Frank Fundraisers and Snow Days and literally everything in-between, CBW on Lafayette was perhaps my favorite period in local beer. I don’t think that’s an overstatement. Again, you had to be there.

Like I said, this one cuts deep.

When CBW moved to 7^th Street, the good times kept rolling, at least for a while. The COVID pandemic had something to say about that, but I made lasting memories in that space. If you want to read more, I reflected on that chapter on my beer life here. The space produced such memories as Thee Barleywine Classic, an actual barleywine festival in Buffalo, the Buffalo Beer League’s first-ever Buffalo Bills tailgate and watch party (we beat the Kansas City Chiefs that day), lunch beers, pinball and darts, One-Eyed Cat Brewing pop-ups, shotgunning beers with friends at KCBC for Lager Appreciation Month, countless beer releases, collecting weekly Bills gameday releases and many more I’m sure I’m forgetting. If I listed everything here, I’d never stop writing and I have to go to bed at some point.

Another golden period in Buffalo beer lore was Thin Man’s Elmwood location. I loved that place. I was there the day they opened and the day they closed, ironically enough with a Bliss Double IPA both times. They closed their doors in 2023 after 7 years and it was yet another crushing blow to the scene. But it was great while it lasted – Summer Solstice, Oktoberfest, Minkey Day, Zwanze Day, anniversary parties, beer releases, and numerous others – Thin Man on Elmwood was a vibe. But the COVID pandemic had other plans, just like it did for many others. But I will always cherish those times.

And all of this isn’t even to mention my love for Smoldered Society. Say what you will, but I was perhaps the brewing imprints biggest fan. They brewed fire beer, plain and simple. I should know – I drank nearly every beer they brewed. They made great lagers (long live Strike Anywhere and Do A Kickflip) and even better hazy IPAs (Illusion of Safety and Mass Delusion were bangers). The Smoldered Society anniversary party at Mr. Goodbar was a blast too (did someone say stubby bottles of Strike Anywhere?). Like I said, I was a fan.

“The beer didn’t fail. The people who made it didn’t fail. But great beer, awards and people who care deeply about what they do aren’t always enough to make the economics of a business work,” the statement concludes.

I wrote in my retrospective of CBW’s Lafayette tenure – “as 80’s hair metal merchants Cinderella famously sang, you don’t know what you got till it’s gone.” Rest in power, Chandler Street Breweries. To everyone at Community Beer Works, Thin Man and Smoldered Society, past and present, thank you for the memories. I’ll see you down the road.

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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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.

Flying Bison Aviator Red To Return At Hamburg Brewing

Flying Bison’s flagship brew, Aviator Red, is making its return to taps at Hamburg Brewing’s 13^th anniversary party on Oct. 3. It will be available for a limited time as a draft-only release at Hamburg’s taproom. The beer, which debuted in May 2000, was first brewed by Buffalo beer godfather Tim Herzog and business partner, the late Larry “Red” Mrozek, in 1995, originally as a cask ale. Aviator Red pours ruby red, with a strong malt flavor, medium body, and a spicy hop signature that balances it all out. Hamburg’s anniversary party will feature live music from Gimmie Buffet, AllyKat and Mayday Buffalo. Admission is $10.

Wayland Brewing Drops New Hazy IPA, Spectra

Wayland Brewing has released a new “extra hazy, extra pale IPA,” Spectra, in cans and on draft. This new IPA clocks in at 7% with aromas and flavors of candied citrus, strawberry, tropical fruit and a little background note of dank hops. “We made this slightly stronger hazy IPA with heavy doses of our selected Citra and Strata hops, then layered in some thoughtfully chosen, citrus-forward Columbus from our friends at Yakima Chief Hops,” Wayland said of Spectra. Spectra is available at both Wayland Brewing locations.

Oktoberfest Events Continue This Weekend

Oktoberfest celebrations and parties continue this weekend all across Western New York. Oktoberfest is coming to Chandler Street Brewing on Sept. 26, featuring a cask of Oktoberfest, liter tankard and first fill for $25, bratwurst eating competition (winner takes home a Buffalo Bills Game Day watch party package and Thin Man swag bag). Pumkingfest 2026 at Southern Tier Brewing Lakewood and Buffalo features Pumking doughnuts, all Pumking variants on draft, live music and more. Wayland Brewing is hosting Oktoberfest and Pugtoberfest this weekend – Oktoberfest features stein holding competitions, German food and beer, live music and more, while Pugtoberfest features German beer, basket raffles, 50/50 and dogs with all proceeds benefitting the Buffalo Pug and Small Breed Rescue. Prost!

Other Half, Parish Brewing Collabs Return To Buffalo

Other Half has again teamed up with Parish Brewing Company on a trio of collaborative brews – TDH Space Ghost Imperial IPA (8.6%), brewed with Galaxy, Mosaic, Nelson Sauvin and Motueka hops for notes of passion fruit, white wine, tropical fruit and gooseberry, Ghost In The Code (8.0%), an extra hazy Imperial IPA with notes of tropical fruit, peach concentrate, citrus and passionfruit, brewed with Citra Incognito, Nectaron Cryo, Nelson Sauvin and Riwaka hops, and Beignets with Cream (8.0%), a hazy Imperial Oat Cream IPA brewed with milk sugar oats and a blend of hand-selected Citra, Citra Cryo and Nelson Sauvin hops for notes of candied orange and ripe tropical fruit. There beers are available on tap and in cans to go.

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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Steelbound to Open Niagara Falls Location on May 12

Steelbound Brewery & Distillery are expanding their Western New York footprint with a new location in Niagara Falls at the Sheraton Niagara Falls on Old Falls Street, which is set to open May 12. The brewery and distillery will take over the former TGIFridays space with indoor seating for more than 120 and patio seating for 80 outside on Old Falls Street. Steelbound plans to hire 80-100 employees for the new space. While they will feature wings, burgers and other handhelds, on-site brewing isn’t expected to begin in time for its first season. Steelbound has locations in Ellicottville, Dunkirk, Springville, Williamsville and Las Vegas.

Buffalo Beer League CollaBEERation Ticket Giveaway

The Buffalo Beer League has teamed up with the Buffalo Beer Geeks to give away a pair of general admission tickets (a $140 value) to the sixth annual CollaBEERation Festival, which takes place April 25 at the Powerhouse. To enter, simply watch or listen to the latest WNY Brews podcast, a CollaBEERation preview episode hosted by Buffalo Beer Geek Scott Panfil, and answer this question – what two breweries did Paul and Scott collaBEERate with for 2026? Post your answer in the comments to the contest post on BBL’s social pages and a random winner will be chosen on Monday, April 20. The deadline to enter is noon. If you don’t win, general admission tickets ($70, including unlimited pours and a commemorative glass) can be purchased here.

Farmcraft Brewery Releases First Beer

Strykersville’s Farmcraft Brewery has finally released their first beer – Ripe IPA. This 6% hazy IPA features notes of fresh-squeezed citrus, ripe peach, melon, and tropical fruit. It’s brewed with oats and wheat for a soft mouthfeel, then double dry-hopped with Citra Cryo, Mosaic, Riwaka, and Simcoe hops. Ripe IPA is available in 16oz. 4-packs cans to go and on draft at the taproom.

Flying Bison Homecoming at Mr. Goodbar

After a successful relaunch at Hamburg Brewing, Flying Bison is bringing their Homecoming Tour to Mr. Goodbar on April 23 (4pm). Flying Bison’s Buffalo Lager and Rusty Chain Vienna Lager will be available on draft, there will be an exclusive cask feature, a limited, brewery-exclusive pour, at 4 pm, free pint glasses to everyone who orders a Flying Bison draft beer (while supplies last) and a prize raffle for a Flying Bison Prize Pack, which includes a Flying Bison cooler, 5 Buffalo Bisons flex tickets, gift card, t-shirts, pint glasses, koozies, and stickers. The event is free to attend and open to the public.

Brickyard Brewing Brews IPA, Lager for Wingnutz

The next time you stop into Wingnutz Bar & Grill (1402 Millersport Hwy., Williamsville) for a few orders of chicken wings, make sure you grab pints of Wingnutz IPA and Lager, both brewed by Brickyard Brewing, to go with them. Wingnutz IPA is a hazy IPA that features big notes of juicy tropical fruit and sweet citrus and Wingnutz Lager is crisp and bready with herbal, citrusy hop notes. Both beers are brewed to pair with wings. Wingnutz IPA and Lager are available on draft and in cans to go.

Perry’s, Southern Tier Sip & Scoop Cheat Day Giveaway

Perry’s Ice Cream and Southern Tier Brewing are joining forces on the Sip & Scoop Cheat Day Giveaway, which features prizes such as six pints of Perry’s Cheat Day Ice Cream, Perry’s ice cream scoop, two Perry’s pilsner glasses, $50 Southern Tier gift card and Southern Tier merchandise ($100 value). Entering is free and all you have to do is follow Perry’s and Southern Tier on Instagram, like the contest post and tag a friend. The contest ruins through April 21 and the winners will be notified on or after April 22 via the official Perry’s Instagram account. Cheat Day is the latest collaboration between Perry’s and Southern Tier – an 8.6% dessert beer that features notes of vanilla, brownie batter, cookie dough and brown sugar.

New Thin Man Lager Benefits New York Waterways

Thin Man Brewery has teamed up with Trout Unlimited-Northeast on River Bank Lager, a collaborative new beer brewed with New Zealand-grown Waimea and Motueka hops, to “raise awareness and encourage action in making our water cleaner, our communities healthier and our fisheries stronger.” The beer will be released April 18 (3 pm) at Chandler Street Breweries with raffles for fishing gear, guided trips, books and more, and proceeds supporting the conservation efforts of WNY Trout Unlimited. River Bank Lager is “incredibly light and drinkable,” according to the brewery.

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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In the spirit of March Madness, Thin Man Brewery is hosting a special tournament to choose the next variant of their popular Minkey Boodle fruited sour.

Minkey Boodle clocks in at 7% and, despite being on the higher end of the ABV spectrum, it features an approachable body. It’s definitely a tart beer, but that’s something fans have loved. Tasting notes? Raspberries on raspberries. Tart raspberries with a dry finish. Drinkable and easy.

We are down to the Elite Eight. There are eight possible raspberry-led contenders left to square off in a bracket-style tournament – new polls will be published each week and the winning flavor will be brewed after the tournament ends. Stay tuned to Thin Man’s social channels for updates.

Remaining contenders include Blue Raspberry, Raspberry Vanilla, Raspberry Blackberry, Raspberry Lemon, Raspberry Peach, Raspberry Plum, Raspberry Strawberry and Raspberry Mango.

For me, I could go a few different ways. My favorite is Raspberry Plum, but Raspberry Vanilla, Raspberry Blackberry or Raspberry Peach would be fun too. If you ask Cameron Frank from Chandler Street Breweries (he’s also the brand manager for one of my favorite local beer imprints, Smoldered Society), he’d love to see Blue Raspberry or Raspberry Strawberry take home the gold. Ironically, my frontrunner (Raspberry Plum) and Cam’s frontrunner (Blue Raspberry) are doing battle in the next round. May the best Minkey win.

Minkey has long been one of Thin Man’s most beloved brews, leading some to call it Buffalo’s favorite sour throughout the years. And when you boil it down, a lot of it has to do with timing.

“I think Minkey Boodle has garnered its popularity for several reasons,” Frank explains. “Minkey Boodle came out during the peak of the craft beer boom, a time when consumers were willing and able to get their hands on the newest innovations from breweries near and far. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard bar patrons as “what is that?” when seeing it in a glass — that alone has led to countless conversions.”

You can vote for your favorites via the link in the bio on Thin Man’s social media channels.

Once thought of as just another version of a line of Thin Man fruited sours, it was clear early on that Minkey Boodle was far more special than that.

At its core, craft beer is meant to be fun and Minkey is certainly evidence of that. You don’t have to look much further than the beer name itself – taken from an old Space Ghost skit you’ve probably seen before. And if you don’t remember it – ‘I’ve got a doodle in my noodle, and it’s name is Minkey Boodle, Minkey Boodle! Minkey Boodle! I got my mojo risin,’ there’s a poodle in my strudel. Minkey Boodle! Minkey Boodle!’

“Few people are aware that Minkey Boodle is actually a reference to the old cartoon show, “Space Ghost.” The name is quirky, fun to say, and memorable by virtue of being unique,” Frank says.

I have one last thought – if we can vote on a new member of the Minkey family, can we bring back Minkey Day?

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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Chandler Street Breweries is open at 166 Chandler Street in Buffalo’s Black Rock neighborhood.

The newly renovated space is a shared taproom for Community Beer Works, Thin Man Brewery, and Smoldered Society Beer Company that features 24 draft lines, wood-fired pizza, a full bar and table service, and a dedicated retail program.

“We wanted to create a destination rooted in Buffalo,” said Yvon Paul Pasquarello, director of sales and
marketing. “By bringing three brands together under one roof, we’re able to offer more variety, more
creativity, and a stronger overall experience, whether you’re stopping in for a pint, a meal, or spending time
in a space built for this city.”

Gone are the colorful murals adorning the walls (I will forever miss Space Ghost, Zorak and Brak), replaced by an upscale, yet cozy and welcoming, feel. With a massive bar, lots of exposed brick, tons of seating and huge garage doors, the reimagined Chandler Street Breweries feels like an industrial lounge, if that’s even a thing. Or as my friend Ryan Demler puts it, it’s ‘Buffalo fancy.’

All the beer served will be brewed in the adjacent Chandler St. facility, where the breweries are consolidating their operations.

“This a bold step forward,” said Pasquerello. “We’re consolidating into a much larger facility that will allow us to operate more efficiently and deliver a truly unique experience for beer lovers in Buffalo and beyond.”

They are open Wednesday through Saturday, 12-10 pm, and Sunday, 12-9 pm.

You can find more information on Chandler Street Breweries 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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A new era of Buffalo craft beer is on the horizon as Community Beer Works, Thin Man Brewery and Smoldered Society have announced the launch of Chandler Street Breweries, a shared taproom experience in Buffalo’s historic Black Rock neighborhood.

The new taproom will be housed in the former Riff City space located at 166 Chandler Street, which is being fully redesigned. Hosting three unique brands, Chandler Street Breweries will have 24 draft lines, exclusive beer releases, and a diverse menu featuring wood-fired pizza, and numerous other entrees and appetizers.

All the beer served will be brewed in the adjacent Chandler St. facility, where the breweries are consolidating their operations.

“This a bold step forward,” said Yvon Pasquerello, Director of Sales at Community Beer Works. “We’re consolidating into a much larger facility that will allow us to operate more efficiently and deliver a truly unique experience for beer lovers in Buffalo and beyond.”

Community Beer Works, which was founded in 2012, recently completed the acquisition of Thin Man Brewery, bringing together two of Buffalo’s most recognized craft breweries. The company also launched Smoldered Society Beer Company in 2024, a brand that quickly gained industry recognition for its creative and unconventional approach to brewing.

The new taproom, Chandler Street Breweries, is the catalyst for bringing together the best of the three unique brands.

With renovations currently underway, the taproom is expected to open in late summer.

“We know people are eager for our new taproom—we hear it every day,” said Pasquarello, “and we’re just as excited, but we also want to get it right. This is a big, collaborative project and a real opportunity to redefine what a brewery taproom can be.”

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