This article is a paid promotion by one of our advertisers. With these paid articles our goal is to share valuable information with our readers that we think you’ll find useful and interesting.
Photo courtesy of Village Beer Merchant
Craft beer lovers, welcome to your very own hoppily ever after. Yes, we went there.
Walking inside this local bottle shop (they have two locations – Elmwood and Hertel) is like love at first sight. Village Beer Merchant opened its doors back in 2007 – one of the first of it’s kind, and has been a go-to spot for craft beer drinkers ever since.
If you’re unfamiliar, the shelves and coolers are consistently lined with local labels, including new releases from Buffalo breweries. As soon as a new release drops, you can almost always find it here the very next day. Plus they offer growler fills at both Buffalo shops.
If you love to drink local and/or try new beers, this shop is for you. Shopping here is always an enjoyable experience because of the staff. If you’re a first-timer, give ‘em a heads up and they’ll gladly show you around. If you’re shopping for a gift, tell ‘em about the giftee’s drinking preferences and they’ll share a few recs.
Here are 5 staff faves that will make any beer-lover happy to get you started:
Photo courtesy of Village Beer Merchant
- Hermit Thrush (Brattleboro, VT): This brewery is known for its oak aged sours. If you enjoy your beer with a pucker-inducing punch, put this brand on your radar. These American sours are unlike any you’ll find anywhere else.
Photo courtesy of Village Beer Merchant
- Mikkeller (San Diego, CA): If you like your beers super fresh and super hoppy, this brand may interest your taste buds. Mikkeller merges craft beer traditions from Europe and Southern California to create brews that are definitely different. Think Imperial Sweet Stout with raisins & cinnamon aged in orange liqueur casks kinda different.
- Allagash (Portland, ME): You’ve heard of Allagash White. Did you know Allagash is all about oak barrel aging too? If a silky, fruit-forward stout, aged with vanilla beans or a dark ale aged on fresh raspberries appeal to you, you may be interesting in this brand’s experimentations.
- Prairie (Krebs, OK): If you prefer a pint that’s rich, dark, and silking, this brand is a must-try. They are known for crafting some of the richest best tasting stouts in the country. Look out for an imperial stout by the name of Bomb! This brew is aged on coffee, chocolate, vanilla beans, and ancho chili peppers. Intrigued, yet?
Photo courtesy of Village Beer Merchant
- Omnipollo (Sweden): An award winning beer producer that was founded in 2011 with  an ambition to change the perception of beer — forever. Try this brew without leaving the country. No passport stamp required thanks to Village Beer Merchant.
They also specialize in occasionally offering rare and hard to find beers like Cantillion, the only one lambic brewery left in Brussels. You never know what you might find at this local shop.
Photo courtesy of Village Beer Merchant
Village Beer Merchant’s selection is unlike anything else you’ll find in the city. And this is only a tiny taste of what you’ll find inside, including a space to sit down at the Hertel location and enjoy all of these beers and more thanks to their tavern license.
The beer lovers on your holiday shopping list will absolutely adore a gift from Village Beer Merchant. And if you happen to treat yourself too, we won’t judge. BTWs there are growler fill up stations at both locations. So, if you’re head over heels for a brand, you can bring it home by the jug.
Village Beer Merchant
547 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo
1535 Hertel Ave., Buffalo
facebook.com/TheVillageBeerMerchant
This article is a paid promotion by one of our advertisers. With these paid articles our goal is to share valuable information with our readers that we think you’ll find useful and interesting.
