42 North Announces Barrel Jam IV Lineup

42 North Brewing Company has announced the brewery, cidery and distillery lineup for this year’s Barrel Jam, set to take place Saturday, January 27. The festival celebrates the art of barrel-aging beers. In addition to 42 North, the line-up includes Wild East, Eli Fish, Prison City, Meier’s Creek, Jack’s Abby, Brewery Ardennes, Community Beer Works, Buffalo Distilling, Ellicottville Brewing Company, 1911 Cider, Clarksburg Cider, K2 Brothers, and Boulevard Brewing. Tickets start at $35 and include three hours of beer tasting, live music, and a complimentary tasting glass. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here.

Old First Ward Brewing Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary

Gene McCarthy’s is celebrating ten years of Old First Ward Brewing this weekend (January 6, 11am) with the release of a new limited edition beer, Ten Years After. This 10.6% imperial stout, brewed with a base of Floor Malted Maris Otter Malt along with specialty English crystal malts and numerous types of roasted and chocolate malts from the U.K and Netherlands, features notes of slightly bitter dark chocolate, deep molasses, and a hint of chocolate covered raisins, ending with a touch of hop bitterness to compliment the booze. For $10, while supplies last, the new beer will be available in a 10oz. commemorative glass that is yours to keep.

Hofbrauhaus Buffalo to Tap New Schwarzbier

Get your New Year started right with Hofbrauhaus on January 4 as they hold their first keg tapping of 2024, Schwarzbier. A parade and barrel tapping will be held at 6pm with celebrity keg tapper, Hofbrauhaus’ new Chief Operating Officer, George. This is a dark German lager that balances roasted, yet smooth, malt flavors with moderate hop bitterness. The lighter body, dryness and lack of a heavy aftertaste helps make this beer quite drinkable. All guests will receive a complimentary pour of Schwarzbier after the barrel is tapped. For reservations, call (716) 939-2337 or visit www.hofbrauhausbuffalo.com.

11th Annual Niagara Wine and Beer Fest at Kenan Center

The Niagara Wine and Beer Fest, which features more than 30 wineries, cideries and breweries, returns on February 3 (6-9pm) for an 11th year at Lockport’s Kenan Center. In addition to beer, cider and wine tastings, the festival will feature live music by North End Revival, specialty food vendors, and basket raffles. The Annex will serve buffet-style catering with Western New York classics. Tickets are $40 for general admission or $65 for VIP. VIP tickets grant you preferred parking, early admission (5pm), and $5 off of food. Designated-Driver tickets are $10, or free with a $30 food ticket purchase.

Buffalo on Tap Returns January 12-13

Buffalo on Tap will return to the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center on January 12-13, 2024. Session 1 will take place on Friday (VIP 6-10pm, GA 7-10pm) and Session 2 will take place Saturday (VIP 12-4pm, GA 1-4pm). Participating breweries include 12 Gates, 42 North, Belt Line, Big Ditch, Community Beer Works, Pressure Drop, Resurgence, Southern Tier, Woodcock Brothers, Steelbound, and more. VIP tickets ($86.65, including taxes and fees) include 4 hours of craft beer sampling, live music, souvenir sampling glass and more, and General Admission tickets ($61.35, including taxes and fees) include 3 hours of craft beer sampling, live music and souvenir sampling glass. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. Designated Driver tickets are also available for $10.

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 (@buffalobeerleague), and Facebook (@thebuffalobeerleague).

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