Every brewery’s story starts somewhere. This one starts with a vacant lot and a request from a winery.Â
Casey Rohring built Schulze Winery back in 2007, and they later approached him about building a brewery next door. Casey built a pole barn, and together Casey and Kate Rohring created Live Edge Brewing.
This brewery’s name has a story too.
Live edge is a woodworking term. If you look around, you’ll notice just how fitting the name is. From the tables and chairs to the bar, a lot of the wood in here is taken directly out of nature which gives this place a very live edge look.
“It was a labor of love. I look at the lights, we made them. I look at the tables, and my dad made them. This place will always be a legacy of both of our dads,” said Kate.
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Live Edge Brewing is located in Burt which is just a 50-minute drive from Downtown Buffalo. When they opened, there was a demand for more food destinations in this rural area.
“We wanted to have snacks and beer. But in this area right now, there are three restaurants. It’s us, Woodcock Brothers, and Wilson House,” explained Kate.
So they started with a small chalkboard menu and their own beers in 2017.
“The day we opened, we had our own beers. That was really important to us. They are my husband, Casey’s, recipes. We started with 5 of our beers,” Kate explained.
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The Beer
Since then the brewery has continued to grow.
Right now they have 24 beers on tap. This includes their own Irish Cherry, Saison, and Double IPA as well as guest taps, including hard-to-find-beers by breweries like Fiddlehead.
“Part of the draw isn’t about our beers. It’s about giving people access to beers they can’t get anywhere else,” explained Kate.
Live Edge Brewing doesn’t brew on-premise (yet) but brewing small-batch is a future goal of theirs. Right now, they are working with Rusty Nickel Brewing Co. in West Seneca to brew a few of Casey’s recipes.
If you try the Irish Cherry, and it tastes familiar it may be because it’s on tap at Rusty Nickel too. This red ale has been one of Live Edge’s staple since the beginning, and it’s an easy drinking beer that’s approachable for all types of beer drinkers.
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The Food
Even though their kitchen is the size of a food truck, you’ll find a lot of options on their food menu.
They have eclectic mix of classic pub-style favorites like hot pretzels, mozzarella sticks, onion rings, and mac & cheese bites as well as their unique creations.
My favorite has to be their Taproom Dippin’ Chips. It’s made with their in-house beer cheese, their own crema, fresh cilantro, sriracha, pico de gallo, and topped with smoked chicken.
According to Kate, customers love their beer battered fried pickles, buttermilk soaked chicken tenders, smoked wings, and different types of burgers.
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The Vibe
The vibe at Live Edge is very welcoming and casual.
“Our goal is to be accessible to everyone,” said Kate.
Live Edge can be a place to meet for happy hour, a stop on the Niagara Wine Trail, or a destination for a family birthday party. They even have juice boxes stocked for kids.
Live Edge is all about supporting local musicians, including high school students. You can expect live music here on most Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
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Outdoor Seating
The outdoor seating really puts this place over the top. The patio overlooks the vineyards, and it feels like you’re really immersed in wildlife.
“It’s a place that’s not that far away, but you feel far away. You feel like you’re on vacation when you’re here if you’re coming from the city,” explained Kate.
Plus, they recently built a covered heated patio which is handy for Buffalo’s unpredictable weather.
This summer Live Edge plans to take reservations inside and have open seating available outside.
Live Edge Brewing
2100 Coomer Rd, Burt, NY
liveedgebrewingcompany.com / Instagram
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