The Growing Craft Beer Movement

     There are a few nice craft breweries and brewpubs in Buffalo/Western New York but if you compare to Rochester or even Erie, PA, both which have smaller populations, we are lagging behind our geographic area.

    On the plus side we are quickly catching up as the craft beer movement sweeps not just our geographic area but the United States. In recent years, many groups have pushed the "buy local" movement. Instead of buying from a major chain store or restaurant shop at a local business or restaurant . Let's take the same premise and try it with local beer.

    It's true you could get more beer cheaper when going with a big beer like Labatt. These beers do have their place but the way to think is people will always buy those no matter what. When your at the beer store, Wegmans or even a bar why not try and buy local? But what are the benefits?

I'm not saying buy the beer just cause its from your locale. If you don't like it, don't buy it. If you find a beer or brewery you like drink it! Craft beer is often more expensive per pint at a bar or 6 pack(or 12) at the store but you will get a higher quality brew. Why not mix in a nice local beer from time to time at the bar? A nice local 6 pack to treat yourself?

We don't have any "Big Breweries" in Buffalo. Rochester has Genesee and I believe do produce some Labatt. Most breweries you buy from locally are small, craft breweries which care about there beer constantly working to draw in more customers and further perfect their product. They pay taxes on the site they brew out of, sales taxes and income taxes from profits so money goes to the local, state, and federal government. Also craft breweries has been shown to help neighborhoods as discussed in a recent article in the Buffalo News.

Here are a few breweries that are in various stages of start ups.

Big Ditch Brewing

  The name comes from a reference to the a nickname for the Erie Canal, the western terminus being here in Buffalo. They are waiting on their federal gov't oks and once those come through(in the next few months), their location is already ready and waiting across from the newly opened Tappo Restaraunt on the quickly re-surging Ellicott Street. Below are the facebook page and website.

Facebook Fan Page

Website


Nickel City Brewing
   The name comes from a nickname for Buffalo. The "Nickel city" is reference to the old Nickels that used to have a Buffalo on them for over two decades in the early part of the 20th century(1913-1938). Currently they are setting up shop in a building at the Ebenezer Ale House in West Seneca. Links below:

Facebook Fan Page

Website

New Buffalo Brewing
Of all the new breweries these guys have the slickest logo and marketing. New Buffalo Brewing is currently
in the early stages working to secure funding for its projects. He has a kickstarter account. If you have an Amazon account you can create a Kickstater account and contribute through this. Please help grow the local beer market. Every dollar counts. I've already contributed and await the Grand opening party (a hint on how much I contributed).

Kickstarter

Facebook Fan Page   

Website






Hamburg Brewing Company
The last brewery I have very little information on. The Hamburg comes from the the one of the Southern

suburbs of Buffalo called Hamburg which it'll be located in. Based on Facebook pictures from their site, they seem to be nearing their opening but the I have little info to go on. They will be participating in the Ball Park Brewbash in a few weeks which I can't wait to attend and hope to learn more about them.

Facebook Fan Page

To quote my favorite local brewery "Embeer Buffalo".