Each week we round up the best and biggest Buffalo beer news, releases, and events happening in Buffalo and Western New York. Here’s what’s trending:
Want to share your Buffalo/WNY beer news with us? Email buffalobeerleague@aol.com!
1. 42 North Brewing’s Full Circle Festival Returns May 20
On May 20, 42 North Brewing will be joined by over 20 regional craft producers with each sampling a beverage that features New York State ingredients, at their annual Full Circle Festival at Knox Farm State Park. Tickets ($50 in advance, $55 at the door) include samplings of craft beer, mead and cider, live music from The Brothers Blue, as well as agriculture vendors, souvenir tasting glass, and pig roast. Tickets for the Full Circle Festival are now on sale at 42 North or via EventBrite. The event runs from 2 to 6 pm. This is a rain or shine event.
The event will include a number of small batch beers made with all New York state ingredients, including 1927 Brew House Tropicana IPA, brewed with malts from Batavia’s NY Craft Malt, New York Beer Project NYS Hazy IPA, featuring NYS Mackinac and Cascade hops and organic Pilsner malt from Niagara Malting, Community Beer Works DDH Frank, brewed with NYS Cascade hops, 42 North Cherry Vanilla Pop Gose, brewed with NYS Pilsner malt & wheat malt from NY Craft Malt and NYS tart cherries, Brazen Brewing Try As We Might, brewed with a NY sourced trial blend of hops from NY Hop Guild and malts from Niagara Malt, and more.
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2 & 3. Community Beer Works’ Meyer Lemon Let’s Go Pils, Pride Ale Return
Community Beer Works is bringing back their favorite warm-weather crusher, the Meyer Lemon version of their house lager, Let’s Go Pils. This beer is brewed with flaked corn, pilsner malt and German hops to create a light and clean lager with a pleasurable lemony kick. Meyer Lemon Let’s Go Pils is available in 6-pack 12oz. cans and wherever great craft beer is sold.
CBW’s Pride Ale, a juicy and haze ale for all, also makes its returns on May 19 (5pm). Pride Ale will be available in 4-pack 16oz. cans and $1 from each pint sold and $1 from each 4-pack sold in the taproom will be donated to the Pride Center of WNY.
Both are available on draft at the brewery as well.
4. West Shore Brewing Closes Clarence Taproom
West Shore Brewing’s taproom in Clarence, their home for the past six years, has closed. The brewery announced that their lease was coming to an end and they decided not to renew. Rest assured, they are not shutting down the business, they are just altering their business model, so West shore Brewing will continue to exist in the future. Owner Josh Dziomba says that he will announce their next steps for the brewery in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to West Shore’s social media pages for further announcements and updates.
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5. Belt Line Brewery to Hold First Ever Loop Fest
In what they are calling a celebration of love, life and Loop, Belt Line Brewery’s inaugural Loop Fest is happening May 19 (2pm). There will be five versions of Loop IPA, including First Loop, Inverted Loop Double IPA, Tropical First Loop (Orange/Pineapple), Experimental Loop and Looper’s Wheat (wheat ale aged on sweet Valencia orange peel), food specials including a smoked brisket sandwich with First Loop BBQ sauce and charred First Loop BBQ wings, discounted Loop flights, Loop merchandise raffles, freshly canned First Loop 4-packs, and more.
6. Five & 20 Day, 10th Anniversary at Five & 20 Spirits and Brewing
On May 20, Five & 20 Spirits and Brewing will celebrate their 10th anniversary, fittingly enough, on Five & 20 Day. They will celebrate with the release of a new wave of Whiskey Expressions, Cluck Truck Food Truck will be on hand, and there will be live music from The Fractures (12-3pm ) and The Julia Hamilton Trio (4:30-7:30pm), as well as facility tours, lawn games, and spirits, beer, cocktails, and wine from Mazza Chautauqua Cellars. The event is free and open to the public, and all seating and service is first come, first serve.
7. Avon’s Mortalis Brewing to Open Taproom in Buffalo
Mortalis Brewing Company, a popular brewery located in Avon, NY that’s known for their fruited sours and imperial stouts, have announced plans to open a new taproom in Buffalo this summer, located at 1250 Niagara Street, next to Twin Petrels Seltzer Company. For updates, follow them on Instagram at @mortalisbuffalo. Mortalis Brewing was founded in 2016 and have gone on to garner recognition at a number of beer competitions, which has gained them a dedicated fanbase worldwide.
8. Resurgence Brewing’s Hops 2 Pints Event
Not only does Resurgence want you to help them make a beer, they want you to help grow the hops that get used in the brew. As part of the Hops 2 Pints event, the brewery will give out baby hop plants, which you’ll plant, and then you’ll be invited back to make a beer using those hops. Once the beer is brewed, your friends and family are invited to have a party and drink the beer. For $50, you’ll gain access to the Hop Plant Party, Beer Decision Day, Hop Harvest, and Beer Release Party. For more information, and to purchase tickets, click here.
