{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/64c555b0c501f600111763a8/69fb73157272023359b13b8c?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"70 CollaBEERation Recap","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/64c555b0c501f600111763a8/1778086359320-890daccf-2d71-4bb2-8416-fa2c8a28c4f7.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>This week, Brian isn't just picking one beer—he’s recapping the entire <strong>CollaBEERation 6</strong> experience. This past Saturday, April 25, 2026, the Buffalo beer community descended upon <strong>The Powerhouse</strong> in Larkinville for the ultimate showcase of Western New York’s creative brewing spirit. </p><h3><strong>The Champions &amp; Fan Favorites</strong></h3><p>The competition was fierce this year, with nearly 40 collaborative brews vying for the coveted <strong>Buffalo Beer Geeks Championship Belt</strong>.</p><ul><li><strong>1st Place (The Winner):</strong> <strong>Eli Fish Brewing – <em>Diddy Kong: The Reckoning</em></strong></li><li><strong>Style:</strong> Banana Root Beer Seltzer</li><li><strong>Brian’s Take:</strong> This blew the roof off the place. It’s root beer forward with a smooth banana finish that tastes exactly like those old-school root beer barrel hard candies. A rare win for a non-beer/non-sour!</li><li><strong>2nd Place:</strong> <strong>Quentin</strong> (Collaboration beer)</li><li><strong>3rd Place (Tie):</strong></li><li><strong>BriarBrothers Brewing – <em>Bananas Among Us</em></strong> (Banana Maple Nut Brown Ale) </li><li><strong>Mountain Roads Brewing – <em>Double Jump Juice</em></strong> (Double Dry Hopped IPA)</li></ul><h3><strong>Brian’s Highlight Reel</strong></h3><ul><li><strong>The \"Throwback\" Play:</strong> <strong>Pod City Beer Labs (Pizza Plant)</strong> set up a full water-pong table for their <strong>Beer Pong Pils</strong>. In a sea of wild adjuncts, this \"beer that tastes like beer\" was the perfect refreshing palate cleanser. Brian admits to going back 7 or 8 times before the keg finally kicked!</li><li><strong>The Sabres Spark:</strong> <strong>BriarBrothers</strong> tapped <strong>Warpath Lager</strong>, their new Sabres-themed brew. Brian credits this beer for the Sabres' massive <strong>6-1 win</strong> over the Bruins in Game 4 of the playoffs the very next day.</li><li><strong>Most Visually Stunning:</strong> <strong>New York Beer Project</strong> brought back the \"glitter beer\" with <strong>Rainbow Road Gummy Glitter</strong>, a pineapple blonde ale that looked incredible under the Powerhouse’s floor-to-ceiling windows. </li><li><strong>The Cask Comeback:</strong> <strong>Hamburg Brewing &amp; Flying Bison</strong> teamed up for a re-brew of the legendary <strong>Brindle Porter</strong>. Seeing a cask at a festival always warms Brian's heart, and the version aged on rum chips and coconut was a standout.</li></ul><h3><strong>Special Shout-outs</strong></h3><p>A huge thank you to the organizers: <strong>Paul Marco, Joe Yeager,</strong> and <strong>Eric Coleman</strong> (Beer by Coleman). The VIP section was the best it’s ever been, featuring incredible guest pours like <strong>Human Robot’s 666</strong> (a West Coast Pilsner collab with Widowmaker).</p><h3><strong>Connect With The League</strong></h3><ul><li><strong>Website:</strong> <a href=\"https://buffalobeerleague.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">BuffaloBeerLeague.com</a></li><li><strong>Hotline:</strong> 716-486-BEER (2337) — <em>Call us with your favorite collab from the fest!</em></li><li><strong>Watch:</strong> Look for full video recaps and interviews on the <strong>WNY Brews</strong> YouTube channel soon.</li><li><strong>Bonus Episode:</strong> Don't miss this week's other episode featuring <strong>Spotted Octopus – <em>Billy’s Smoking Jacket</em></strong> (Smoked Maibock).</li></ul><p><br></p>","author_name":"The Buffalo Beer League and WNY Brews"}