Buffalo Beer Buzz

It is a heavy, bittersweet week in Western New York craft beer as we reckon with major shifts in our local brewing landscape. With the shocking news that Chandler Street Breweries, which houses Community Beer Works, Thin Man Brewery, and Smoldered Society, has ceased operations, alongside the news that Craig Altabello is closing the doors at Larkin’s beloved Magic Bear Beer Cellar after five wonderful years, we take some time this episode to share our memories, lament changing industry trends, and reflect on what these spaces meant to all of us. But even amidst the heartbreak, there are still reasons to gather, support local, and raise a glass. We toast to Buffalo Brewpub as they celebrate an unbelievable 40 years of Buffalo brewing history, map out where to don your costumes for Halloween pints, and look ahead to holiday beer traditions with the return of the NYSBA craft beer advent calendar. Catch the full video edition, live discussion, and screen shares on the Buffalo Beer Buzz Playlist on YouTube. Here is what is happening across the local beer scene:Chandler Street Breweries Shuts Down: In a devastating blow to the Buffalo craft beer scene, Community Beer Works, Thin Man Brewery, and imprint label Smoldered Society have ceased operations and closed the doors at 166 Chandler Street in Black Rock. Citing rising operational costs, changing consumer habits, distribution hurdles, and an overall industry decline, the collective confirmed the business was no longer financially sustainable, bringing an abrupt end to some of Buffalo’s most influential brewing names.Magic Bear Beer Cellar Closes After Five Years: Another staple of the local beer community is saying goodbye as Larkinville's Magic Bear Beer Cellar pours its final pints on Friday, October 30th. Owner Craig Altabello announced he chose not to renew the lease in order to prioritize spending time with his young family, thanking the Larkin Development Group, the Zemsky family, and loyal patrons for supporting the craft bottle shop and bar since December 2021.Buffalo Brewpub Celebrates 40 Landmark Years: Standing tall as one of America’s oldest continuously operating brewpubs, Main Street’s Buffalo Brewpub marks its 40th anniversary on Thursday, October 29th. Founded in 1986, the institution is celebrating four decades of local beer history with half-priced draft pours, house wines, and half-priced appetizers starting at 4:00 PM.NYS Brewers Association Holiday Beer Boxes Return: The 24 NYS Beers of Holiday Cheer advent calendar is officially back for the season, packaging 24 distinct craft beers from 24 independent New York State breweries spanning stouts, lagers, sours, and IPAs (including local representation from Big Ditch and Spotted Octopus). Boxes cost $149, include a tasting guide, stickers, and a koozie, and ship in time for December 1st.Halloween Bashes Across WNY: Looking to dress up and sip something fresh this weekend? Wayland Brewing is throwing their Spooky Skelebration featuring a costume contest and tunes from DJ Spooky Stephen; Buffalo Riverworks is hosting A Very 90s Halloween with Nineties By Nature BFLO and DJ Jammin’ Janice benefiting Variety – the Children’s Charity; and Hofbräuhaus Buffalo welcomes the XOXO Pop Band for drink specials and late-night costume competitions.Connect with us:Web: Buffalo.BeerHotline: 716-486-BEER (2337)Shopping Portal: buffalobeerleague.com/amazonSocials: @BuffaloBeerLeague / @WNYBrews

This week's Buffalo Beer Buzz has stories on who's pouring at Friday's Tap & Craft Festival, Bottles & Bites returning to Statler Buffalo next month, the 22nd annual Holiday Valley Beer & Wine Festival and Halloween parties at Farmcraft Brewery, The Lock Tender, Southern Tier Brewing and Beer Justice Brewing.

This week, Brian and Scott get into:Boos & Brews at local Hollow, Simon Pure Giveaway at buffalo Brewing, New Buffalo Hockey-themed Beer at BriarBrothers, First Line & Butera’s Pumpkin Ale Collab, Tap & Craft Fest on October 23rd. Tickets at TapandCraft.comCollaBEERation 7 announced, & 42 North's 11th AnniversaryFollow on Instagram, YouTube, or right here every week!

This week's Buffalo Beer Buzz has stories on this weekend's Fall Beer Fest at Rusty Nickel Brewing, Consumers Beverages' Hamburg location closes after a fire, the return of Resurgence Brewing Kegs & Eggs, a date for this year's VIP Cask Fest at Mr. Goodbar, an exclusive Wildflower Meadery mead at 42N at the Flats and First Line Brewing seeking veterans to take part in a special brew day.

We are back together on a Friday evening to kick off the weekend and toast to 9-to-5 day! Brian is officially back from a whirlwind family trip to Disney World—nursing sore joints like any respectable 45-year-old who attempted rope-dropping across four parks—and cracking open his last can of Wayland Brewing’s Split Rail Lager from the Borderland Festival stash. Scott is pouring his own homebrewed Festbier/Oktoberfest, hitting its absolute sweet spot at eight to nine weeks in the keg just in time for week three of Bills football. Between sorting out game day beer plans, discussing family connections at Borderland, and sending love and support to the team at the Mayhew Drive Consumers Beverages in Hamburg following their recent fire, there is a ton of Western New York craft beer news to dig into. Catch the full video edition, glassware views, and screen shares on the Buffalo Beer Buzz Playlist on YouTube. Here is what is happening across the local beer scene:WNY Beer Week Kicks Off (Sept 25 – Oct 4): Presented by the Western New York Brewers Guild, the week-long celebration highlights the importance of drinking local across the region. The festivities are headlined by Harvest Fest at Rusty Nickel Brewing on October 3rd, featuring seasonal pours from 15 area breweries alongside live music and food.Flying Bison's Aviator Red Returns to Hamburg Brewing: Aviator Red, the legendary flagship amber ale first brewed by Tim Herzog and Larry Red Mrozek back in May 2000, returns to draft for Hamburg Brewing's 13th anniversary party on Saturday, October 3rd. Admission is just $10 and includes live sets from Give Me Buffett, Alley Kat, and Mayday Buffalo.Oktoberfest & Fall Celebrations Roll On: Chandler Street Brewing hosts their Oktoberfest on Saturday, September 26th, complete with 1-liter steins, a bratwurst eating contest, and a Bills game day watch package. Southern Tier is running Pumking Fest across both Lakewood and Buffalo locations with pumpkin donuts and specialty variants. Meanwhile, Wayland Brewing is hosting Oktoberfest and Pugtoberfest with stein hoisting and raffles benefiting Buffalo Pug & Small Breed Rescue.Other Half & Parish Brewing Collabs Return: A massive trio of hazy collaborations has landed at Other Half’s Buffalo taproom, including TDH Space Ghost Imperial IPA, Ghost in the Code, and Beignets with Cream, available on draft and in 4-packs to go.Wayland Brewing Releases Spectra: Wayland drops an extra hazy, extra pale 7% IPA packed with hand-selected Citra, Strata, and citrus-forward Columbus hops from Yakima Chief.Support for Consumers Beverages Hamburg: Following an early morning fire at the Mayhew Drive store, the location is temporarily closed while repairs get underway. Be sure to show love to their nearby locations in Orchard Park and Lackawanna while the Hamburg team works on reopening.Connect with us:Web: Buffalo.BeerHotline: 716-486-BEER (2337)Shopping Portal: buffalobeerleague.com/amazonSocials: @BuffaloBeerLeague / @WNYBrews

It is a solo flight for Scott on this midweek edition as we shuffle the recording schedule to make way for Thursday night Bills football. Coming to you live from the home studio in front of the Bills glassware, Scott is pouring his own homebrewed Festbier/Oktoberfest—a malt-forward lager that attenuated cleanly with just enough noble hop crispness to cut through a big batch of smoked and flash-fried wings seasoned up with Q42 rub. Between setting fantasy lineups with Josh Allen, looking ahead to half-way to St. Patrick's Day gigs, and debating whether running a four-lap, four-beer race is a great idea or just a surefire ticket to an immediate afternoon nap, there is an absolute avalanche of autumn beer releases and Oktoberfest bashes hitting Western New York. Catch the full video edition, live pour, and screen shares on the Buffalo Beer Buzz Playlist on YouTube. Here is what is on tap across the 716:Oktoberfest Blowouts Across WNY: Autumn celebrations are in full swing this weekend. Eli Fish Brewing in Batavia hosts their party on Saturday with steinholding, cornhole, Hammerschlagen, and traditional German tunes. Belt Line is tapping their Märzen alongside a full spread of German food specials, while Mystic Hills kicks things off with an 11 AM fest featuring a ceremonial 1 PM keg tapping, stein hoisting heats, and food from Under Fire Pizza. Gowanda Brewing joins in at 4 PM with polka favorites from Hocus Polkas, hair braiding, and commemorative glassware, while Gene McCarthy's hosts their annual Harvest March and O-Fest celebration in the Old First Ward with a neighborhood parade, a blessing of the beer, and live music.Fall & Oktoberfest Beers Arrive on Tap and Shelves: New seasonal brews are landing all across town. New York Beer Project has tapped a draft-only Coffee Cake Stout brewed with brown sugar, spice, and notes of cinnamon. Eli Fish drops cans of their 5.6% Amber Oktoberfest, a 5.8% Blonde Festbier, and a traditional 5.3% Dark Rye Roggenbier. Hamburg Brewing introduces their seasonal Pumpkin Spice Cider, while BriarBrothers releases their "Octobrofest" Märzen collab with Autark, Dandy Dunkel, and Trinity Festbier. Meanwhile, Southern Tier brings a brand-new Nitro version of their Imperial Warlock Pumpkin Stout, and BlackBird Cider Works drops their Ghost Lantern variety pack featuring original, Hawaiian, and hot honey mango variants.Local Hollow Brewing Celebrates Grand Opening: The newly rebranded space at 10737 Main Street in Clarence Hollow (formerly Schalubilufer) marks its official grand opening starting Thursday with a ribbon cutting, a Bills watch party, family activities on Friday with the Clarence Youth Bureau, and a full Saturday celebration featuring food trucks, local wine and spirits, and live tunes.The Bottle Rocket Beer Mile Returns: Bottle Rocket Beer Reserve's annual Beer Mile returns on Saturday, October 11th. The format is simple: drink four Genny Cream Ales and run four laps around their quarter-mile course as fast as you can. Space is capped at 90 runners across three heats, with registration available through RunSignUp and winners taking home fresh running gear from Brooks.Connect with us:Web: Buffalo.BeerHotline: 716-486-BEER (2337)Shopping Portal: buffalobeerleague.com/amazonSocials: @BuffaloBeerLeague / @WNYBrews

This week's Buffalo Beer Buzz has stories on Western New York Beer Week 2026, the official tap list for Lager Village at Other Half Buffalo, The Lock Tender's Beers of Oktoberfest sampling event, a new Buffalo Bills-themed hazy IPA from Pressure Drop Brewing and Big Ditch Brewing and Bar Bill Tavern teaming up to give back to PUNT Pediatric Cancer Collaborative.

See the video on YoutubeThursday slipped right past us, but we could not let the week wrap up without diving into the latest Western New York beer news. Scott is bringing along an early sample of his homebrewed Festbier. It has been lagering for four weeks and is still working on its carbonation, but the countdown is officially on to have it in peak drinking shape for the Bills' kickoff. On the other side of the screen, Brian is staying classic with a fresh pour of Resurgence Brewing’s Flats & Drums Pale Ale. Between planning for the upcoming Bills opener, dodging accidental spoilers for next week's Best Beer I Drank This Week, and mapping out some Friday evening hangs out in Gowanda, we have a stacked lineup of local happenings to share. Here is what is on tap across the 716:Spotted Octopus Sets Sights on Seneca Street: Big moves are happening for Spotted Octopus Brewing as they prepare to open their new Buffalo home at 500 Seneca Street, the former Dobutsu space. The setup boasts room for roughly 120 people inside, an initial eight-tap bar with plans to expand to sixteen, and food provided by Flow Food Buffalo—complete with their famous Rochester-style garbage plates. Look for them to open their doors by late September.Habitat for Humanity BOGO Beer Tour Cards: If you want to drink great local craft while supporting an incredible cause, Habitat for Humanity’s 2026 Craft Beer Tour Cards are currently buy-one-get-one-free. For thirty bucks, you get a card good for a free drink at twenty-eight participating local breweries, cideries, and distilleries, with all proceeds going to help Habitat Buffalo build homes for families in need. Purchase LinkThe Arc of Erie County Ale Trail: Mark your calendars for Thursday, September 24th, as The Arc of Erie County hosts its 6th annual Ale Trail fundraiser along the wooded walking trails at 30 Wilson Road in Williamsville. From 4:30 to 9:00 PM, guests can stroll through the grounds sampling local craft beverages from over a dozen Western New York makers alongside food trucks, live music, and artisan vendors. Ticket LinkThe Great Pumpkin Chug Returns to Resurgence: If drinking beer directly out of a hollowed-out gourd is on your fall bucket list, Resurgence Brewing has you covered on Saturday, September 26th. Their annual Oktoberfest celebration features the return of the Pumpkin Chug alongside stein hoisting competitions, pumpkin smashing, seasonal food, and live tunes from the Polka Boys. Reserve a PumpkinTap & Craft Festival Heading to RiverWorks: Buffalo RiverWorks will host the Tap & Craft Festival on Friday, October 23rd, featuring pours from over thirty breweries, cideries, and distilleries. Ticket tiers range from general admission to the VIP experience with extra festival perks, and in-person tickets can be grabbed fee-free over at The Lock Tender in Lockport. Ticket LinkConnect with us:Web: Buffalo.BeerHotline: 716-486-BEER (2337)Shopping: buffalobeerleague.com/amazonSocials: @BuffaloBeerLeague / @WNYBrews

This and every week you can find the Buffalo Beer Buzz at Buffalobeerleague.com. Find out about what's happening this weekend and further in the Buffalo beer scene.This week stories are The National Buffalo Wing Festival, Hop Harvest Festival, Seneca Sips Beer & Wine Festival, EBC Stuff Your Trunk Sale, Rusty Nickel & The Ridge Giveaways, Hofbrauhaus Barrel Tapping