With the opening of their Buffalo location currently on hold due to the pandemic, In the Mix Brewing and Creamery, Barker’s craft beer and frozen custard hybrid, are doing the next best thing to get their beer in the hands of thirsty Western New York beer drinkers with their first ever can release. And when you’re making your introduction to the can game, one release simply won’t do. Hell, even three won’t do. In the Mix are planning four can releases on January 24 (timing subject to change due to the Buffalo Bills game) at their brewery in Barker.

For the release, there are no limits on cans, and there will be a limited breakfast sandwich menu available as well.

Among the beers set to be released are:

  • Drip Stout Series: Maple Snickerdoodle – A 12% latte stout brewed with milk sugar, coffee, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla beans. ($7/single $25/4-pack)
  • Illemonati Series – Lemonade sour with Concord grape juice, raspberry puree, and lemon zest. ($18/4-pack)
  • Four Layer Stout – Milk stout brewed with marshmallow, graham cracker, and chocolate malts. ($14/4-pack)
  • Specialtea Blonde Ale – Blonde ale conditioned on black tea, peach tea, and lemon tea. ($12/4-pack)
  • Mixed Pack (1 of each, $18)

“[We’re] excited to have everything come together at the end of a tough year,” Owner Jared Mesiti says, “putting in long hours canning by hand to try to make it through this second shutdown. For people who have never tried our stuff, make the trip out for this release.”

When it came time to select what beers filled the cans for their debut release, Mesiti says the decision was easy because two of the beers they chose are two of their most popular beers, and the other two are new, so the brewery is excited to get them out into the populous.

“We decided to can so we could reach more people and adapt to this never ending cycle of indoor dining restrictions. We chose these styles because the Illemonati and Four Layer have always been some of our more popular choices. Drip and Specialtea are two of our newest styles that we are excited to share with our customers,” Mesiti says.

In the Mix is planning to open a second taproom in the former Black Button Distilling space at 149 Swan Street in Buffalo, but, as Mesiti explains, they are still waiting for approval. The location is furnished with 12 taps and an outdoor patio, which can fit up to 20 people.

“Our plan is up in the air for the initial opening of the taproom. With current restrictions on capacity and social distancing, it makes it a little harder…Our main hold up is licensing, since everything is moving a little slower right now. And boy, did they not move fast in the first place.”

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/336157807435271. Follow In the Mix on Facebook, Instagram, or at www.inthemixbrewing.com for updates.

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).