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27. 87 Chandler Street Breweries
22:50||Season 3, Ep. 27In the wake of the heartbreaking news that Chandler Street Breweries has closed its doors, shuttering Community Beer Works, Thin Man Brewery, and Smoldered Society Beer Co. for good—Brian sits down for a special, cathartic retrospective. Instead of spotlighting just one pour, Brian cracks open the Untappd archives and goes down a 20-minute rabbit hole celebrating the iconic beers, milestone releases, and unforgettable memories that helped build modern Buffalo craft brewing. Over at Community Beer Works, looking through check-ins dating back to the garage on Lafayette behind that famous green door brought back a rush of classics: the Mosaic-hopped Singularity IPA (their highest-rated beer on Untappd); vintages of Heatrays American Barleywine (2013 and 2017); taproom staples like De Maas, Rutherford B. Haze, and Stout Affective Disorder; historical pours like Pantomime Horse and The Snow Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout; and two all-time desert-island favorites in Mr. Superfantastisch Berliner Weisse and Rutherford Brett Haze. There were also game-day memories tied to the Bills 2022 can series, Party Mountain IPA with Big Ditch, Double Interrobang DIPA, and cask pours of The Whale with espresso. Moving over to Thin Man, it was no shock to see Bliss DIPA standing tall at the top of the list—the first beer Brian ordered when the Elmwood taproom opened, and the very last one he drank the day it closed in 2023. Other unforgettable standouts include Grapefruit Pills, Filthy Flow IPA with Mikkeller, The Golden Tear (brewed with Brewed & Bottled for Flogging Molly at Artpark), Sci-Fi Hamster Wheel with Galaxy, Das Schutenfest Rye Barrel Imperial Märzen, and barrel-aged juggernauts like Blend-o-Tron, Forever Cordial, Awesome Jenkins, and Splunkenheimer. And who could forget Brewer's Cheese, the Bellwoods collab DIPA brought home from an early "Brewcation" to drink during the 2018 NFL Draft when the Bills picked Josh Allen? Finally, Brian pays tribute to Smoldered Society, the short-lived but fiercely loved imprint where he drank nearly every release. The highlights include Strike Anywhere Czech Pilsner (and its Czech Dark Lager counterpart, Into the Dark); Do a Kickflip light lager with yuzu (collab with Frequentem); two killer versions of Mass Delusion DIPA; Balrog Triple IPA; and favorites like Illusion of Safety, Automotive Sentience, Better Lagers, and Battery in a Sock. While seeing three pillar brands disappear hurts deeply, the community, the friendships, and the liquid legacy they built in Western New York will never be forgotten. For Brian's full personal reflection on the closures, be sure to check out his latest column over on the website. Connect With the Buffalo Beer LeagueWebsite: BuffaloBeerLeague.com Hotline: 716-486-BEER (2337) Email: Brian@BuffaloBeerLeague.com Socials: @BuffaloBeerLeague (IG/Untappd/Threads) | @BuffBeerLeague (X) Dedicated Show IG: @thebestbeeridrankthisweek
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26. 86 Tap and Craft Festival Recap
12:55||Season 3, Ep. 26We’re closing out a massive double-drop week as we march toward episode 100! Alongside our regular episode featuring First Line Brewing's Fest, Brian is recapping all the action from this past Friday’s Tap & Craft Festival at Buffalo RiverWorks. A huge shout-out goes to Seth and the entire crew from The Lock Tender in Lockport and Tap & Craft for hosting the Buffalo Beer League en masse and putting together hands-down their best festival experience yet. With The Brass Machine bringing the energy all night long and a layout that seamlessly mixed craft brewers, cideries, distilleries, and artisan vendors together in the aisles, RiverWorks proved once again why it’s a premier festival venue. Brian’s pour list ran long, but a few heavy hitters stole the show. That includes a crisp, killer West Coast IPA and a Munich Festbier on side-pull from Frequentem; an absurdly good 8.6% Motueka DIPA alongside a rare bottle pour of "There Is No Dana" (a 10% peanut butter, cacao nib, and marshmallow imperial stout that tasted like a melted candy bar) from Mortalis; Hop Butcher for the World's Citra, El Dorado, and Mosaic-hopped "The Mild Giardiniera" hazy IPA; a clean, true-to-style pilsner from Departed Souls; and a 13.5% barrel-aged "kitchen sink" pastry stout from Imprint Beer Co. loaded with birthday cake, walnuts, and pretzels. Even the cider game brought the heat—Awestruck Ciders' 6.8% bourbon barrel-aged pumpkin pie cider, "Hometown Homicider," was a runaway crowd favorite among the crew. Connect With the Buffalo Beer LeagueWebsite: BuffaloBeerLeague.com — Drop your email in the box on the right rail to catch our upcoming weekly newsletter! Hotline: 716-486-BEER (2337) — Call in, leave a voicemail with what you're drinking, and we'll mail you out some stickers! Email: Brian@BuffaloBeerLeague.com Socials: @BuffaloBeerLeague (IG/Untappd/Threads) | @BuffBeerLeague (X) Dedicated Show IG: @thebestbeeridrankthisweek — Follow along as we approach Episode 100!
25. 85 Fest - First Line Brewing
07:57||Season 3, Ep. 25We’re officially past the midway point of October, but Brian isn’t letting go of fall lager season just yet! For episode 85, he pops the top on a can live on the mic to revisit one of his favorite local autumn seasonals: Fest from First Line Brewing. After picking up a mix-and-match six-pack of fall beers from Wegmans and running through a side-by-side tasting at home, this Orchard Park staple stood out as a clear top contender alongside Ellicottville's Fall Festival. Coming in at 5.6% ABV, Fest is an approachable, ultra-clean take on a traditional Märzen. It pairs a lightly sweet, bready, and toasted malt backbone with a crisp, subtle herbal hop finish, making it a crushable lager that won’t weigh you down. Head Brewer Russ continues to dial in their lager program, and alongside their Everyday Lager, Fest is easily one of the best brews First Line puts out all year. Winter warmers might be right around the corner as we approach Thanksgiving, but there's still plenty of time to enjoy fresh fall lagers. You can grab Fest on draft and in cans to-go at the First Line taproom in Orchard Park while supplies last! Connect With the Buffalo Beer LeagueWebsite: BuffaloBeerLeague.com — Drop your email in the box on the right rail to catch our upcoming weekly newsletter! Hotline: 716-486-BEER (2337) — Call in, leave a voicemail with what you're drinking, and we'll mail you out some stickers! Email: Brian@BuffaloBeerLeague.com Socials: @BuffaloBeerLeague (IG/Untappd/Threads) | @BuffBeerLeague (X) Dedicated Show IG: @thebestbeeridrankthisweek — Follow along as we march toward our 100th episode!
24. 84 The G.O.A.T. Hazy IPA - New York Beer Project
07:43||Season 3, Ep. 24After taking last week off, Brian is back in the saddle for episode 84! He headed over to the New York Beer Project Beer Lodge in Orchard Park for a round of trivia and a burger, and walked away with a familiar favorite: The G.O.A.T. Hazy IPA. Originally born out of NYBP’s rotating "The One" IPA series (likely batch 60 or 61), this recipe was so good they made it permanent and named it accordingly. Clocking in at 7.2% ABV and brewed with hand-selected New Zealand Nelson Sauvin and Oregon Citra hops, this is an absolute banger of a haze. It's soft, pillowy, and packed with juicy white grape, passion fruit, and bright citrus that lets the hops shine without any lingering bite. The timing couldn't be better, either. Just as Brian was sitting down with his pint, NYBP took home a bronze medal for The G.O.A.T. in the Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale category at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival! It's currently draft-only at the taprooms, so make sure you pop into Lockport or the Beer Lodge in Orchard Park to taste award-winning local liquid fresh from the source. Also, don't miss Brian this Friday, October 23rd, down at Buffalo RiverWorks for the Tap & Craft Festival! Connect With the Buffalo Beer LeagueWebsite: BuffaloBeerLeague.com — Drop your email in the box on the right rail to catch our upcoming weekly newsletter!Hotline: 716-486-BEER (2337) — Call in, leave a voicemail with what you're drinking, and we'll mail you out some stickers!Email: Brian@BuffaloBeerLeague.com Socials: @BuffaloBeerLeague (IG/Untappd/Threads) | @BuffBeerLeague (X) Dedicated Show IG: @thebestbeeridrankthisweek
22. 82 Fall Festival Märzen - Ellicottville Brewing Company
09:26||Season 3, Ep. 22Autumn is in full swing, and Brian is leaning all the way into his favorite beer season of the year. After picking up a mix-and-match six-pack of local autumn offerings from Wegmans, one seasonal completely stood out from the pack: Fall Festival from Ellicottville Brewing Company. It’s a recurring classic that Brian has enjoyed for years, but tasting it fresh side-by-side with other local fall beers reminded him just how exceptional this brew really is. The Featured BeerBrewery: Ellicottville Brewing Company (Ellicottville, NY) Beer: Fall Festival Style: Märzen / Oktoberfest Lager ABV: 5.6% Brian’s Verdict: Incredibly balanced, smooth, and crisp. Brewed with imported German Hallertauer hops and Munich malts, it hits the sweet spot with a rich, well-rounded malt bill featuring toasted bread crust, biscuit, and cracker notes, finished with just a touch of residual sweetness. At 5.6%, it’s dangerously drinkable and arguably EBC’s best all-around annual release. Every year, Ellicottville brews this "royal brew" to celebrate the local village Fall Festival, and it remains a masterclass in classic German lagering. While flavored pumpkin ales like Pumpkinville have their fans, Fall Festival is the superior, approachable autumn crusher that lets the quality of traditional malts and noble hops do the talking. The best part? You don't have to hunt far for it. It’s widely available across Western New York in cans wherever great local craft is sold, as well as on draft at Ellicottville Brewing taproom locations. Connect With the Buffalo Beer LeagueWebsite: BuffaloBeerLeague.com — Drop your email in the box on the right rail to catch our upcoming weekly newsletter!Hotline: 716-486-BEER (2337) — Call in, leave a voicemail with what you're drinking, and we'll mail you out some stickers!Email: Brian@BuffaloBeerLeague.com Socials: @BuffaloBeerLeague (IG/Untappd/Threads) | @BuffBeerLeague (X) Dedicated Show IG: @thebestbeeridrankthisweek — Follow along as we approach Episode 100!
23. 83 Fall Beer Fest at Rusty Nickel Brewing - WNY Beer Week Recap
13:13||Season 3, Ep. 23It’s a double-drop week on the feed! Alongside our regular seasonal episode, Brian jumps on the mic for a special bonus recap of the Fall Beer Fest held at Rusty Nickel Brewing Co. in West Seneca. Serving as the headlining festival for Western New York Beer Week (organized by the Western New York Brewers Guild), this tight two-hour session brought together over a dozen local breweries, live music, and incredible autumn weather. The Featured BeersFirst Line Brewing – Yellow Jacket American Lager & FestbierStyle: American Lager / Festbier Verdict: The beers Brian drank the most of during the afternoon. Yellow Jacket is super light, crisp, and clean with a pleasant bready malt kick, making it (along with their Everyday Lager) a top-two favorite from the Orchard Park crew. Rusty Nickel Brewing – Garden of EdenStyle: Pumpkin Ale Verdict: Light in color but loaded with flavor. Brewed with fresh pumpkins from Zittel’s, it throws a massive bouquet of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and a silky touch of vanilla on the finish. 1927 Brew House – Orange Cream AleStyle: Cream Ale Verdict: Bright, citrusy, and ridiculously refreshing. A standout palate cleanser that broke up the sea of rich fall malts. Brickyard Brewing Company – Center Street Oatmeal StoutStyle: Oatmeal Stout Verdict: A rare dark beer sighting at the fest. Clocking in around the mid-5% range, it’s light-bodied, highly approachable, and easy-drinking. Britesmith Brewing & Brazen Brewing – Oktoberfest / EdelbräuStyle: Märzen / Festbier Verdict: Both avoided the heavy residual sweetness that Brian has noticed creeping into some local fall lagers this season, delivering dry, toasty bread notes and exceptional drinkability. Western New York Beer Week wrapped up in style, and Jason and Katie Havens deserve huge credit for transforming Rusty Nickel's outdoor grounds. Tucked into a private wooded grove just off the main beer garden behind Ebenezer Alehouse, the setup was seamless, intimate, and packed with great local energy. With $20 tickets, live music floating across the patio, and a lineup of fresh wet-hop IPAs, barrel-aged Oktoberfests, and session lagers, it was the perfect blueprint for a community-focused fall festival. Connect With the Buffalo Beer LeagueWebsite: BuffaloBeerLeague.com — Drop your email in the box on the right rail to catch our upcoming weekly newsletter! Hotline: 716-486-BEER (2337) — Call in, leave a voicemail with what you drank this week, and we'll mail you out some stickers! Email: Brian@BuffaloBeerLeague.com Socials: @BuffaloBeerLeague (IG/Untappd/Threads) | @BuffBeerLeague (X) Dedicated Show IG: @thebestbeeridrankthisweek — Check out the three video reels from the fest and follow along as we approach Episode 100!
21. 81 Ocktobeerfest Märzen - Spotted Octopus Brewing
11:14||Season 3, Ep. 21Brian is officially back from a two-week sabbatical (including a quick reset in Disney) just in time for his absolute favorite beer season of the year: fall. To kick off the cooler weather, Brian stopped into the brand-new Spotted Octopus Brewing taproom at 500 Seneca to grab the very first pour off their new draft lines: Oktobeerfest. The Featured PourBrewery: Spotted Octopus Brewing (Buffalo, NY) Beer: Oktobeerfest Style: Märzen / Festbier Hybrid ABV: 5.8% Brian’s Verdict: An absolute standout and easily one of the best beers Brian has ever had from Spotted Octopus. Falling gracefully between a traditional malty Märzen and an easy-drinking Festbier, it drinks light and crisp with a distinct crackery, bread crust malt backbone. Smooth notes of caramel, toffee, and a whisper of vanilla round out the profile without weighing it down, making it dangerously drinkable for a ~6% fall seasonal. Head Brewer Evan Flurry considers this annual fall release his personal "white whale". Every year, he tweaks the recipe aiming for more elegance and drinkability, and this batch nails the mark. Oktobeerfest is built using 100% New York State ingredients, featuring malt from Batavia’s Murmuration Malting Co. and Glacier hops from Upstate Hops. Plus, it marks an exciting new era for Spotted Octopus. Moving from their quaint, homey original space on Edward Street, the new spot at 500 Seneca offers a massive upgrade: two long bars, tons of parking, an outdoor patio overlooking the courtyard, and upcoming food service from Rochester’s Flow Food (bring on the garbage plates!). Connect With the Buffalo Beer LeagueWebsite: BuffaloBeerLeague.com — Drop your email in the box on the right rail to catch our upcoming weekly newsletter!Hotline: 716-486-BEER (2337) — Call in, leave a voicemail with what you're drinking, and we'll mail you out some stickers!Email: Brian@BuffaloBeerLeague.com Socials: @BuffaloBeerLeague (IG/Untappd/Threads) | @BuffBeerLeague (X) Dedicated Show IG: @thebestbeeridrankthisweek