Buffalo Beer Week 2016 by Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association

10 Days!

Sept. 23rd October 2nd

SATURDAY

SEPTEMBER 24 @ COCA-COLA FIELD

All the Best Breweries & Bars!

Check the Website for Featured Daily Events!

2016 Buffalo Beer Week Event Guide

Table of Contents

EW! R B E W D E T I N U

2 4

6-8

Table of Contents Preface – “A Big Tent Beverage Made in Buffalo” - by Willard Brooks A Woman’s Place is in the (Craft Beer) Revolution - by Christina L. Vair

12-14 The BNBA Turns 4 years Old - by Willard Brooks 16-18

Reflections from a Transplanted Buffalo Brewer - by ClayKeel

22-24

The Glorious History of Beer A Brew and a Backstory - by Brian Campbell

28-30

The Paradoxical Community of Homebrewing - by Erik Wollschlager

37-38

Become a Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association Enthusiast!

The Unbearable Whiteness of Brewing 44-46 - by Geoff Kelly

48-50

Beer & Cheese – Diverse Symbols of Cultural Identity - by Michael Chelus

60-82

Beer Week Events Listings

YDAY. R E V E . U O Y R O MAKING BEER F

- Events Happening All Week - Event Listings By The Day

In Memoriam – Kevin Wise The largest brewery collaboration in Buffalo history in his honor

A Big Tent Beverage Made in Buffalo

– Willard Brooks

“I speak the password primeval, I give the sign of democracy, By God! I will accept nothing which all cannot have their counterpart of on the same terms…” – Walt Whitman, Song of Myself Walt Whitman’s famous collection of poems, “Leaves of Grass,” was written in the mid-to-late 19th century in free ranging verse that celebrates everything about America, from the endless diversity of our landscapes to our people and wildlife. Whitman wanted to be the voice of all Americans, from Native Americans to immigrants, from factory workers to farmers, from slaves to citizens. He wanted to speak for every American and was unwavering in the inclusiveness of his expression in “Leaves of Grass.” For Whitman America is a multicultural nation and his poems celebrate that. As such Whitman is often held up as the “poet of democracy.” If Whitman were the poet of democracy, certainly beer would be it’s beverage. Beer is afterall the front porch beverage served widely at public events, it’s the beverage that presidents drink to mend wounds, it’s the beverage that is served at church fundraisers, after marathons and with football through and through. It is the beverage that levels classes at bars. It may seem after reflection that beer is really more of a social platform than a beverage made from local agricultural inputs like water, malt, yeast, and hops. Drinking beer brings many things together. Craft beer is a David and Goliath story that began in the 70s when beer in America underwent a large consolidation and small local breweries essentially vanished. In the wake of this pioneers out West the likes of Anchor Steam and Sierra Nevada took on the corporate megaliths one pub at a time. Fast forward 35 years and the US has over 4000 breweries, the largest number since the late 19th century when beer was an industry of German immigrants producing light lagers for the thirsty masses. Craft beer is now a multi-billion dollar business. It would seem now that with such growth that craft beer has won the war and that Goliath has been toppled. Not so. Getting from 12% market share to 20% or even 30% is going to be profoundly more difficult as the multinational brewing industry has taken note of craft brewing and are actively fighting their loss of marketshare to craft through merger and misdirection. As such the industry needs all of the help it can get. One way to do this is to take note that craft beer tends to appeal to a rather narrow demographic range and address this by opening up the tent in the widest possible fashion. If it were not for the authentic openness that craft beer culture embodies, this would seem like an empty marketing ploy. So come out Buffalo, say hello to your neighbors and invite them out for a locally made beer. WNY now has over 20 breweries and it’s full fledged industry here again that providing jobs and inspiring tourism. Tear down walls and come under the big tent of the 7th Annual Buffalo Beer Week. And while you are there don’t forget to drink a beer and smile at the person standing next to you! Willard Brooks President, Buffalo Beer Week

A Woman’s Place is in the (Craft Beer) Revolution – Christina L. Vair

proudly supports

Check our Events page on HamburgBrewing.com for a list of events during Buffalo Beer Week 2016 and be sure to come out for our Anniversary Party on Saturday, October 1st!

Let’s start by calling out the above title as a misnomer. While women play a crucial role in many a social upheaval, this conjecture ignores the fact that our current craft beer climate isn’t necessarily revolutionary and the inclusion of women as an integral part of the art and science of fermentation is certainly not subversive. In the not-so-distant past, all beer was craft; produced in small quantities, utilizing locally sourced ingredients, tied inextricably to the season, and created to be shared in communal settings. With the advent of beer as commodity, the corporate, cash driven industry controlled by beer barons bent on homogenizing and producing lagers for the masses largely resulted Ninkasi – in females being pushed away from a process with Sumerian Goddess deep roots in “woman’s work.” Among other forces, of Beer the corporatization of beer created a centralized hierarchy benefitting a few elite, at the cost of neglecting longstanding tradition and devaluing women’s contributions. Reaching back into ancient history, many cultures saw beer as feminine. From the Sumerian hymn to Ninkasi, the first known written beer recipe, to the Egyptian myth that humanity was spared from total annihilation when the goddess Sekhmet overimbibed, beer was a divine gift, the creation of which was largely overseen by women. Fast forward a few years, digging deep into history books may lead one to Saint Hildegard, the first to document the preservative role of hops in beer, or alewives in colonial America who brewed special “groaning ales” to relieve women laboring through childbirth and the midwives assisting them (with the new born babe oft washed in the brew). Beer helped many a civilization survive and thrive, with the women chewing and spitting the grains for chicha and brewsters stirring the kettle to thank. So, back in the day, ladies were well-represented in beer. Good information to know for pub trivia night or impressing your beer nerd friends, however, what about women in beer now? As in many facets of society, women are often treated inequitably in the beer world just as they are on Wall Street, in board rooms, and STEM-related fields. But women are increasingly positioned to become the majority of the nation’s workforce. The number of craft breweries has finally surpassed pre-Prohibition Era levels, and a growing number of women are participating in diverse roles within the industry. Simply taking a look in our own backyard provides a snapshot of what’s happening across the globe. While recent survey data suggests the average homebrewer is a 40-something, suburban white guy, more women are taking an interest in making their own brew. Several local breweries employ women in the brew house, and the Pink Boots Society is a formidable national organization dedicated to growing the professional role of women in beer. The sales force for craft beer both locally and nationally includes many female faces, as does the roster of trained Cicerones and other beer education 6 programs. There are a number of women at the helm of breweries and brewpubs of various sizes, not to mention the countless women

HAMBURGBREWING.COM

continued on page 8

Buffalo Beer Week @ Pearl St. & Pan-Am continued from page 6

in brewery labs, marketing and design, and those managing innumerable other tasks behind the scenes. Women create and sell beer, but clearly they also drink it too. The topic of the female beer consumer can be a minefield laden with sexism and gender bias, however, women in the 21-34 year old age bracket are drinking craft beer at a rate above the national average, consuming roughly 15 percent of total market share. It’s well known that craft beer sales have exploded in recent years, with craft’s growth far surpassing that of domestics. Groups such as the Buffalo Beer Goddesses, and other women’s beer appreciation societies across the country, are in no small way helping

3rd annual “Tapping of the Pumpkin” Thursday, Sept. 29th $4 featured pints. Enjoy a Pumpkin beer directly from the Pumpkin! Plus, Spicy Hot Pumpkin Bomb “Beer-Tail” Drinks too!

unkelweizen D l e k n u D m u r Club Sc Plus – Try ouroration with The Buffalo Roubgebryfest!

llab St. Oct brewed in coN t malt & Pearl af r C YS h it w – made

391 Washington Street (716) 856-0062

drive such sales. Though a trip down the aisle of a well-stocked beer section will undoubtedly uncover both blatant and subtle messaging that will rile even the Buffalo Beer Goddesses brewing together most closeted feminist, female consumers are increasingly being tapped and emboldened within the market so as to harness their buying power. Rather than being a world in revolt, craft beer is in a time of renaissance. By embracing ideals such as cooperation and equality, beer communities such as our own have the opportunity to welcome any and all comers to celebrate in what is ultimately a way of life, rather than simply a commodity. Beer crosscuts history, culture, business, and politics, holding a vaunted position that permits it to both unite and divide. Recognizing the important role that women play in this community, as opposed to seeing our participation as somehow novel, is a big step towards fostering a hospitable environment. As we consider ways to welcome all with interest to the table, to join us under the Big Tent and celebrate tradition, we have the opportunity to retread a well-worn path into the future.

Christina is a beer evangelist, homebrewer,

Oktoberfest Beer Release @ Pan-Am Tuesday, September 27th It’s time to raise a giant mug of traditional German Oktoberfest Brew! Only $4 per pint!

beer server certified Cicerone, and founding member of the Buffalo Beer Goddesses.

BUFFALO BEER BUZZ PROFILE Dan Kaufman As General Manager of Aurora Brew Works, Dan surely has a passion for all things food and beer. “My love for being behind a bar didn’t start with beer, but rather watching the flair bartending competitions on Food Network and self-teaching myself how to cook,” he says. “I’d go grocery shopping at Wegmans and just start picking up different beers to try. It was like a scavenger hunt. Eventually I would start home brewing, which for me is a mixture of cooking and science, putting my knowledge of flavors into beer, and messing around.” In addition to running the show at the revered East Aurora bottle shop, Kaufman is also the host of the WNY beercentric “Your Brain On Hops” podcast.

FILE

PRO Z Z U B R E E B O L A BUFF Jeannie Alexander

Jeannie, assistant brewer at Community Beer Works, is one proud Buffalonian. “Buffalo is one of the few places where people actually smile and greet each other on the street, hold doors for strangers; Buffalonians are considerate and care for their neighbors and communities,” she says, adding that the welcoming nature and inclusiveness of the Buffalo beer scene is indicative of Buffalo itself. “In the Buffalo craft beer community, there are so many people participating at breweries, bars, distributors; folks who are consumers, maltsters, farmers, etc. We are constantly engaging with each other for various collaborations and events, to seek advice, offer support, to mourn losses and celebrate pretty much anything. That’s sort of the gist for communities in general, but here we have beer, good beer, and lots of it.” Alexander started working as an intern at 10 CBW after spending time at Village Beer Merchant.

Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association Enters its 4th Year The Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association (BNBA), a collection of Buffalo craft beer brewers and industry professionals, promotes the growth of the craft beer industry in the entire Buffalo-Niagara region. The core mission of the BNBA is to unify the Buffalo Niagara craft beer community in order to increase regional sales of craft beer through promotions, marketing, public awareness and consumer education, as well as to both monitor and assure a thriving craft beer and brewing industry within the region. The BNBA Board of Directors is made up of Willard Brooks (President), Tim Herzog (VP; Flying Bison Brewing Company), Cory Van Deusen (Treasurer; CPA with Lumsden McCormick), Dan Giacomini (secretary; Entercom Communications), Brian Melber (ex officio, General Counsel, Personius Melber), Ted Hawley (Program Chair; New York Craft Malt), Jeff Ware (Membership Chair; Resurgence Brewing Company), Clay Keel (42 North Brewing Company), Kelly Krupski (New York Beer Project), Jaye Beattie (Four Mile Brewing), Matthew Kahn (Big Ditch Brewing Company), Dave Rivers (Kegworks), John Russo Jr. (Hamburg Brewing Company), Dan Syracuse (Pizza Plant), Dave Giczkowski (Southern Tier Brewing Co.), and Brian Campbell and Scott McMillan (Enthusiast Membership CoChairs; BNBA’s Buffalo Beer League). “There is a renaissance in cities across America, including Buffalo, in re-discovering the heritage of craft beer making,” said Willard Brooks, Chairman of the BNBA Board of Directors. “Making beer locally by using local ingredients and local products was how beer historically was made in our country since colonial times. Beer making is just going back to its natural roots and in turn is creating a new economy not only in supply chain and locally grown products, but also as a tourism draw bringing beer enthusiasts to Western New York, especially from Canada.” In 2017, the BNBA will present five annual marquee events that will anchor our calendar: 1. 1st Annual Canadian-American Beer Festival & Competition (February 24-25): Two-day collaborative cross border beer festival taking place in both Niagara Falls, USA and Niagara Falls, Canada. to Pint Farm

F2P B uf

tion falo Niagara Br ers Associa ew

2. 4th Annual Farm-to-Pint Fete (mid May): Beer from local breweries made from locally grown and produced malts and hops. It takes place Sunday, May 14 from 12pm - 5pm at Hamburg Brewing Company.

12 continued on page 14

continued from page 12

3. 4th Annual Buffalo Brewers Festival @ Outer Harbor (June 24): Festival with 40+ New York State and guest breweries, local chefs, and a Meet-the-Brewer tent.

4. 7th Annual Buffalo Beer Week (September 22 - October 1): A ten-day celebration of craft beer in the Buffalo Niagara region featuring beer related events at breweries, craft beer venues and at the Ballpark Brew Bash. 5. 2nd Annual Buffalo Niagara Brewers Invitational (late December): local breweries and guest breweries present rare and one-off beers at Pettibones Grille. “Successful growing festivals like Buffalo Beer Week and the Buffalo Brewers Festival highlight how strong an impact local craft brewing has on the revitalization of Western New York,” Brooks says. “The BNBA was formed as a way to showcase Buffalo’s rich beer-making history and to stimulate further interest in the local beer industry from surrounding counties in the region, as well as Rochester and especially Southern Ontario.” New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has recognized the positive impacts of the craft brew industry through initiatives such as Taste NY. The Governor and the State Legislature have passed legislation that supports craft breweries, increases demand for locally grown farm products and expands industry related economic development and tourism. The BNBA’s mission is to advocate for the craft brewing industry on behalf of the local industry and supply chain partners in Western New York. “Legislative action such as ‘Taste NY’ further reflects the growing demand and interest in making craft breweries part of New York State’s many tourist attractions,” said BNBA board member Tim Herzog, general manager of Flying Bison. “Harnessing the opportunity to further develop the industry through the BNBA is key to making this movement an integral part of Buffalo’s evolving economic landscape.”

For more information about the BNBA, including info on individual enthusiast memberships, see pages 37 &38 and visit us on-line at: www.BuffaloNiagaraBrewersAssociation.org The BNBA can also be reached on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BuffaloNiagaraBrewersAssociation and on Twitter – @BfloNiagBrewers.

Proudly Serving Buffalo, NY (585) 427-2880

1100 Elmwood Avenue

Buffalo, NY » 716.882.4000

Reflections of a Transplanted Buffalo Brewer – Clay Keel Observing something grow and develop over time is a beautiful thing. We often boast glowingly about such events. The bourgeois have garden walks to show off how their seedlings sprouted into an amazing garden for instance. The Buffalo brewery scene exists today like a young garden, thriving and growing tall in preparation for fruiting or flowering but still vulnerable and maturing. While the growth and track record thus far is impressive, there is still much development to go, challenges ahead, directions to take, things to learn about ourselves, and new faces still to join the effort along the way.

BUFFALO BEER WEEK 2015 Mr. Goodbar features 2 ﬂoors with 41 taps and over 40 bottles of craft beer with rotating casks on our 2 beer engines. » Monthly Beer Club every 2nd Wednesday of the month » Weekly Beer Tastings every Thursday with Alternative Buffalo 107.7 » Watch the Bills and Sabres on one of our 13 TVs, as well as the NFL Sunday Ticket, NHL Center Ice, and MLB Extra Innings Packages » Daily Entertainment featuring Live Music, Karaoke, Comedy Shows & More!

BUFFALO BEER WEEK EVENTS: Friday 9/23: Sunday 9/25:

8pm, 2nd Floor, Comedy Show Pub Crawl Featuring CBW 12pm-3pm, 1st Floor, Parkinson’s Foundation Fundraiser Featuring Flying Bison Thursday 9/29: 6pm, 2nd Floor, Beer Goddesses Anniversary Party – 10pm, 1st Floor Remarkable Liquids Head to Head Tasting Friday 9/30: 7pm, 2nd Floor, Queen City Roller Girls Fundraiser Featuring Custom Brewcrafter’s selections For a detailed list of beer week events check us out at:

www.MrGoobarBuffalo.com

Being a Buffalo transplant as of 2014, I grew up in Tampa, Florida from birth through college. After college, joining the Army allowed me to live in quite a few places including Texas, Washington, Colorado, and Michigan. I filled my first growler at Bristol Brewing Company in Colorado Springs in 2005 and spent weekends visiting the likes of New Belgium, Oskar Blues, and Wynkoop Brewpub. From afar, I watched the Tampa Bay area go from 3 breweries in 2002 to about 60 by 2015 and almost 80 today, all within 20 miles of downtown. Is that where the Buffalo-Niagara region is heading? Maybe my diverse background can provide a unique perspective on the Buffalo brewing scene as I discuss where we are, where we’re going, and how we get there. So let us talk numbers. In the Buffalo-Niagara region, from the PA border to Lake Ontario and West of Rochester, there are currently 20 breweries, and more coming on line very shortly. That area includes about 1.3 million people, or about 65,000 people per brewery. The beer destinations, or “brewery prolific” cities, like Tampa or Asheville, have closer to 1 brewery per every 20,000 – 30,000 people. Much like these towns did nearly a decade ago, Buffalo has exploded quickly, with a dozen breweries going up in just the last few years. There is room to grow, but the existing breweries are already doing incredible things. This year Buffalo breweries collectively received dozens of awards from around the country, had beers lauded in national magazines, and made political waves in Albany and D.C. The breweries worked together very well for the betterment of the entire brewing community like never before. Through teamwork and the efforts of many tireless volunteers, the Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association and Buffalo Beer Week are stronger than ever. Recently, after the sudden passing of one of the Buffalo beer scene’s best assets, Kevin Wise, the breweries came together for a tremendous fundraising effort by collaborating on a beer to raise money for the Wise family. The beer will be released at all local breweries during beer week with all proceeds going to the Wise family. This type of collaboration continued on page 18

Proudly Serving

WNY For Over

85 Years!

continued from page 16

can turn a good community of breweries into an amazing one. The Buffalo brewing scene is growing, maturing, working together and starting to get noticed. In addition to giving us more great beer options, the payoff of having this great brewing culture is substantial. Buffalo can look forward to economic, environmental, and cultural impacts on our community and the world. The amazing natural and man-made resources needed to make it happen are already here. On the economic side, tourism and job creation at the breweries themselves are just the beginning, as every brewery needs an immense amount of business to business support to produce and sell its product from tradesmen to suppliers, distributors and retailers. When you buy a local beer your dollars stay local and go to these supporting industries. On the environmental side, beer is over 90% water so consuming local beer keeps that liquid in your hand from traveling in a truck, train, and/ or boat for thousands of miles. On the cultural side, we all grow when we create instead of just consume. Craft breweries give an outlet for talented brewers, as well as budding artists, hard-working musicians, great chefs, and amateur beer writers like me. The Great Lakes area does not have a dominant beer city among them to include Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, or even Toronto. Why not Buffalo? We have hop farms going up daily, great colleges and universities to assist with training programs and technical assistance, abundant space and resources with good economic development programs. The benefits of a thriving beer community are endless. To grow our scene the key is to be proud but not arrogant about what we have and what we could be. Buffalo sits at about 10% craft beer sales as compared to the big brewers and less than half that is local beer. Nationally that number is 13% and Rochester amazingly is 20%. First, all breweries, distributors, and retailers must continue to focus on quality above all else. Buyers deserve and will seek out the best and we have no business giving them anything but that. This philosophy will guarantee Buffalonians buy more local beer. Next, we need a focus on local beer and food pairings at our eateries. Restaurants that can’t tell you why a porter is better with a grilled steak than a pilsner haven’t done their homework and are drastically limiting the customer experience. Next, we need more local beers on tap. There are world class beers made in Buffalo and there have been for many years, so ask your local retailer to offer more. Finally, lets trade in a few beer festivals for educational experiences. Instead of going to another beer buffet hosted by a profiteer that cares little about beer, lets spend an afternoon at a homebrew class, a beer and food pairing, or just go to a brewery and let the bartender explain everything about their beer and their brand; they damn sure better be able to! This is the time to commit to your local breweries, revisit all of them this week, or at least, before the end of the year and help them develop further. Let’s have our own “sour only” or “barrel-aged only” breweries right here in Buffalo. Let’s all come together as a community and challenge ourselves to make local breweries part of our unique identity that other cities envy and out of towners look forward to visiting. Let’s finish developing these young, fledgling plants into a fruitful orchard for decades to come.

Clay is the Chief Brewing Officer for 42 North Brewing, is a graduate of the Siebel Brewing Institute and is a Certified Cicerone.

To learn more about these brands, visit: wwwTryItDist.com

BUFFALO BEER BUZZ PROFILE Stephanie Crean A Western New York native, Ellicottville Brewing Company’s Sales Lead Stephanie Crean first fell in love with the craft beer world while working at Jack Astor’s during her years at Buffalo State College, where she earned a BA in Public Communication. Beginning back then, she developed a personal connection to local breweries, always looking for Ellicottville, Southern Tier Brewing, Flying Bison Brewing or CBW beers on tap, all while doing her part in introducing the crowd to her favorite samples at a time when the market was new. Later, she joined the event staff at Pearl Street Grill & Brewery, learning a great deal about the brewing & operations aspects of the business. The experience solidified her decision that craft brewery sales was the perfect career path for her. “I’m extremely grateful that I get to work for a company that paved the way for the local craft beer scene,”she says. “EBC is a family, and furthermore, the Buffalo craft beer scene is a family.” Crean now leads Ellicottville Brewery Company’s growing sales team, where she uses her experience and passion to promote all the beer she loves while connecting with new people every day.

ILE

ROF BUFFALO BEER BUZZ P Christina Vair

UNITING THE BEER COMMUNITY

Hailing from Kalamazoo, MI, Christina came of (drinking) age in the early days of the craft beer scene in Asheville, NC before heading off for graduate school adventures in Colorado Springs, CO. While in the Rockies she honed her homebrewing knowledge and immersed herself in the industry working for a small craft brewery, earning her Cicerone beer server certification along the way. Though a nonbeer day job brought her to Buffalo, she has embraced a role in the local community as an “overeducated consumer,” always up to spread the good word about great beers to anyone who will listen.

The Glorious History of Beer: A Brew and a Backstory – Brian Campbell When people joke that beer is the ‘nectar of life,’ that statement isn’t as grandiose as you may think.

DIG IT.

While beer is a living thing, making it difficult to nail down when exactly the first batch of beer was truly concocted, the art of brewing beer dates back thousands and thousands of years, all the way back to ancient Babylon, Mesopotamia and Egypt, where beer played a vital role in Egyptians’ diets and their religious lives. According to reports, ancient Egyptians even held beer in such high regard that they would bury their dead with beer ingredients and recipes written on the walls to ensure they wouldn’t spend the afterlife beer-less. So, yes, beer is history. During the early years of beer, it was primarily women who made it, hence the term the “ale wife,” and in Europe the wife was esteemed in the community if her ales were good. The homes of the ale wives were local meeting points, essentially becoming the first brew pubs. Since hops had not yet been used in beer, early ales were simply made from the fermented sugars of grain malt with the addition of gruit – a mix of herbs, plants and spices for flavor. Fermentation occurred naturally and was considered to be magical as it wasn’t until the mid-1800s that scientists documented the role of microscopic yeast in fermentation.

COMING SOON BEER WEEK TAPROOM EVENTS • Buffalo Brewer’s Shuffleboard Tournament - 6pm - 9.22.16 • Nittany Epicurean presents Vines & Bines featuring Leonard Oakes Winery - 6pm to 9pm - 9.26.16

CELEBRATE BEER. CELEBRATE BUFFALO. 55 East Huron St. • Buffalo, NY 14203 bigditchbrewing.com • 716.854.5050

Before the introduction of lagering during the Industrial Revolution, all beers were fermented at warm temperatures and were a murky brown color. Enter cold fermentation, which changed the course of history for beer as we know it. Along with better storage techniques, beer could now be brewed year round (brewing in the summer had previously been banned in many locations across Germany). The first large-scale refrigerated lagering tanks were developed for Gabriel Sedelmayr’s Spaten Brewery in Munich by Carl von Linde in 1870. Today’s beer styles are more than mere words on a chalkboard at your favorite brewery. They have a rich and important backstory to them. For instance, lambic beer, which has since become a staple of Belgium’s Pajottenland region (located southwest of Brussels) and in Brussels itself, can trace its roots back to the year 3000 B.C. The kolsch style of beer was born out of Cologne, Germany in the late 1300’s and Berliner weisse dates back to at least the 16th century. While production of the style has certainly diminished in the area over the years, the style has been given Protected Geographical

continued on page 24

continued from page 22

Indication within the European Union, where it may only be applied to beers brewed in Berlin. The history of stouts and porters, mentioned as early as 1721 according to some historical texts, are intertwined. The name stout as a reference to dark beer is believed to have come about because strong porters were marketed under such various names as ‘extra porter,’ ‘double porter’ and ‘stout porter,’ which would later be shortened to just ‘stout.’ A stout was initially defined as a strong beer, not a dark beer. Saison, French for ‘season’ and its alternative title, Farmhouse Ale, refers to the tiny farmhouses that dotted the landscape of the Wallonia region in southern Belgium, where the style originated (the beer was also served to those who worked at said farms). The beer was brewed during the cooler months of the year and stored for consumption by the seasonal workers (“saisonniers”). Bock was first brewed in the 14th century by German brewers in the Hanseatic town of Einbeck and the style has long been associated with special occasions such as Christmas, Easter or Lent. Pilsner takes its name from the city of Pilsen, a city in Bohemia in the then-Austrian Empire, where it was first produced in 1842. The world’s first-ever blond lager was Pilsner Urquell, a popular beer that is still brewed today. India Pale Ale, one of, if not the most popular style among craft beer drinkers today, was first brewed in the late 1700’s as a means to find a beer that could stand up to the long voyage by ship from England to India, a trip of at least six months. The higher alcohol and higher hop content of IPAs managed to hold up to the long trek. Among the first ever brewers of the style was George Hodgson, who brewed at the Bow Brewery in London. Given where beer has been when compared to where it is now, it goes without saying that there is no better time to be a fan of beer than today. So the next time you wrap your hands around a fresh pint, take a second to think about all those who worked so diligently throughout the years, decades, centuries and millennia so that you can enjoy that beer.

Brian is the Co-Founder/Social Media Coordinator of the Buffalo Beer League and can be reached at buffalobeerleague@aol.com www.facebook.com/thebuffalobeerleague Twitter/Instagram: @buffbeerleague Untappd: @buffalobeerleague

BUFFALO BEER BUZZ PROFILE Experience the rich cider making history of Western New York. Visit our rustic tasting room to sample the area’s largest selection of craft hard ciders. Learn about various styles of hard ciders from our knowledgeable staff as you sample our bottled and draft ciders. Enjoy our ciders in a tasting flight or by the glass. Bottled and draft ciders available for purchase. Orchard tours available by appointment. Available in draft and bottle throughout the Rochester, NY area.

Brittney Prunty A Western New York native, Brittney was introduced to the craft beer scene in 2013 as Southern Tier Brewing Company’s first ever intern. While finishing up her BA at the University at Buffalo, she had the opportunity to learn about every aspect of a brewery, from brewing the beer to giving tours to local beer lovers! Soon after her internship was over, Prunty realized that the craft beer industry was something she needed to stay a part of. She joined Hamburg Brewing Company’s sales team, where she made connections with those that are part of the beer community in Buffalo. “As a lover of craft beer, live music and good people, Buffalo is the perfect place to be for a 24 year old. Everyone in the craft beer scene is a family and anyone is welcome. I love that!” she says. Prunty currently represents Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits in WNY where she continues to be a part of the Buffalo beer community.

FILE

RO P Z Z U B R E E B O L BUFFA Paul Marko

Paul entered the world of craft beer appreciation largely through a professional relationship with one of the leading beer importers in the USA (Shelton Brothers) starting over 20 years ago. Under Shelton guidance (along with countless bottle shares, festivals and a crazy trip to Europe) he was able fully immerse himself into the ethos of what “handmade” craft beer truly is. By visiting the breweries he was designing bottle labels for and meeting the old world style brewmasters, he gained a thorough knowledge and appreciation of the varied beer styles that we all now love. Through this fortuitous relationship, Paul has designed beer labels for such noted breweries as Cantillon, 26 Fantome, Kulmbacher, Haand, Panil, Thiriez and more. Although you can call him a Euro snob (he actually embraces it), you’d be hard pressed to find a more enthusiastic supporter of local breweries and beer bars in Western New York.

The Paradoxical Community of Homebrewing – Erik Wollschlager Homebrew Tasting & Brewing Demo! Saturday, September 24th • 12:00 - 4:00 pm

Serving Homebrewers in Western New York Since 1992

Store Hours Mon-Fri: 11am-7pm • Sat: 10am-4pm

The history of nomadic pastoralism predates the common era by as much as four centuries. As humanity began to form into small communities, it became increasingly difficult to provide resources for their growing numbers by remaining stationary. In order to create an environment of abundance, groups in infertile regions such as steppe, tundra, or ice and sand, adapted to a way of life where mobility is the most efficient strategy for exploiting scarce resources.

1296 Sheridan Drive Tonawanda, NY

There is a tundra joke in that paragraph, of course. Whether it is a sternly narrated NFL highlight reel or a cheap reference on a national morning show, Buffalo’s reputation for weather-based desolation is perhaps only second to its losing sports teams.

www.nthomebrew.com (716) 877-8767

This is a beer story, of course, and at this point, you’re probably wondering what all of this has to do with beer. I’m getting there. I promise.

» Check our website and Facebook page for Buffalo Beer Week Specials «

Buffalo’s Newest Brewery! We will be open every day during Buffalo Beer Week!

The point, before I get to the beer, is how eternal this entire experience is - how encapsulating our existence with beer has become. Each time we gather over a pint or a boil kettle, we are carrying out an ancient ritual of unification. We come together for community and for peace. We come together to celebrate on a sacred plane that is delightfully profane. In homage to our millennia-old history, we gather in the name of the most basic human instinct; to share our bounty with those who have become our extended family. The Niagara Association of Homebrewers is fantastic example of nomadism in the 21st century. The NAH is joined by several other groups; Buffalo Beer Goddesses, Sultans of Swig, and Das Hausbrauers von Buffalo, to name a few. Every year, members gather at Flying Bison Brewing - the source of one of beer’s most necessary resources: water.

– Tasting Room Hours – Mon.–Thurs. 5pm–8pm Friday: 4pm–8pm Sat. & Sun.: 2pm–8pm

www.Buffalo-Brewing-Company.com

314 Myrtle Avenue » Buffalo, NY 14204

Like the nomads of ancient times, brewers flock to the Larkinville area to take advantage of near-perfect water. A balanced pH level and mash-ready temperature are key to these experienced homebrew clubs, and so they come in shifts with their tents and their coolers and their pots and their burners. On brew day, the lot behind Flying Bison is equal parts workspace, trade show, and social gathering - as it once was in the days of our ancestors. A diverse mix of people come together with the common goal of brewing great beer. Each group experiences cyclical periods of busy, intense work and relaxed, social consumption. The parties wandered between stands, offering pours of past success, sharing a moment 28 and a sip. continued on page 30

Harris Beach is a proud supporter of the

Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association Helping Breweries, Cideries & Distilleries protect their brands and grow their businesses

continued from page 28

Setups ranged from simple to complex. Communities helped each other to unload and assemble their equipment. As the sun moved on its perpetual trek from east to west, the groups came in waves to draw water and begin steeping their grains, though water was not the only resource to be shared that day. In the age-old nomadic tradition, these homebrewing tribes gathered to share their equipment, as well as their experiences, some tips, and especially some of their own homebrew.

Contact Robert Murray or Pietra Lettieri Larkin at Exchange 726 Exchange Street, Suite 1000 Buffalo, NY 14210 716.200.5050 | www.harrisbeach.com

Contact Brendan Palfreyman 333 West Washington Street, Suite 200 Syracuse, NY 13202 315.423.7100 | www.harrisbeach.com

The almost ceremonial gathering of these tribes is as close as one might come to a religious experience. Brewing itself is an incredibly meditative experience. There is a certain peace of mind that comes as the wort begins boil and the grains begin to steep; the scents change as each ingredient is added, and it blankets the brewers in a quiet calm. With all of the beer in proper fermentation containers, the tribal diaspora began, with an agreement to meet again in two months time and once again share in their bounty. The celebration took on the form of a harvest party, with bountiful food and drink. The festivities included a ‘favorite beer’ competition, where those attending chose the best from the beers brewed at Flying Bison. As the families broke bread and once again communed over the most unifying of beverages, there was also a swap meet, where brewers traded their superfluous equipment and ingredients for that which they were lacking. As the celebration came to an end, the tribes once again parted ways. The coming autumn and winter would keep them tethered to their settlements until the harsh weather passed and the world came alive again. Once the spring returns, the communities will reunite to share their beer and their stories.

WORLD OF BEER WALDEN GALLERIA

In a time when communication has become flashing cursors on a computer screen, and face-to-face conversations occur over airwaves and not in person, our world is short on the kind of unifying rituals like that of the nomadic groups of homebrewers. It is quite reassuring that on the planes of Buffalo’s tundra, celebrations like this still find our most basic of our needs - the need for community - alive and well.

Come inside and find over 550 craft beers, perfectly paired Tavern Fare and craft cocktails. 550 BEERS I TAVERN FARE I CRAFT SPIRITS I LIVE MUSIC

1 Walden Galleria Cheektowaga, NY 14225 worldofbeer.com/waldengalleria

Springville native and South Buffalo resident Erik is a writer, beer enthusiast, and proud member of the growing community that Buffalo beer 30 has become.

PERSONIUS | MELBER | LLP

From

General Counsel of the Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association since 2013

Whether you’re brewing, storing, chilling, dispensing, or serving beer, KegWorks has you covered. VISIT THE STORE OR CALL TODAY

KegWorks.com/store | 716.929.7570 | 1460 Military Road, Kenmore, NY

GATHER WITH FRIENDS

THE CRAFTSMAN LOUNGE in The ROYCROFT Inn Offering hand-crafted beers on tap

light menu and live music every Friday night During Buffalo Beer Week check out our daily food and beer pairing special 40 South Grove Street East Aurora, NY 14052 716-652-5552 || roycroftinn.com “Serving well crafted brews in a historic setting”

Buffalo beer week... but you don’t make beer. i know mom, thanks

41 Columbia St Buffalo NY

Friday Sept. 30th 5pm

CASK FOR A CAUSE over a dozen casks from wny breweries portion of the proceeds to benefit Evergreen Health

THE

150% AMAZING! 8398 w. main rd. (rte 20) westfield, ny 14787 716 793 9463 enjoymazza.com/wonder

THE EXCLUSIVE PRINTER FOR

Cheers to another Buffalo Beer Week!

(716) 876-9798 | 2320 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, NY 14217 | www.IdentityInk.com

BUFFALO BEER BUZZ PROFILE Shawn Patterson Though Buffalo born Shawn left for North Carolina at the age of 9, he relocated back to Buffalo in 2013, inspired by the redevelopment and growth happening in the city and wanting to be part of the blooming creative community. As the cofounder of Haute La Vie in 2o16 (HLV), he has worked in the entertainment industry in various capacities including facilitating brand partnerships, event coordination, artist management and marketing campaigns. Patterson has worked with Sony Pictures Entertainment, RocNation (Annie 2014) and has experience in brand management for LoveRenaissance/Columbia Records artist Raury. “The AntiVenue Tour” was the first series of events HLV curated, a unique sensory experience designed to be anything but traditional, uniting creative talents and community members in unconventional spaces. The event’s main focus is music but wishes to immerse you in other types of creative outlets such as visual arts, poetry and dance. The craft beer movement happening right now is another creative outlet growing in our city and as such is a perfect companion for the AntiVenue and the spirit it represents to Buffalo.

FILE

RO P Z Z U B R E E B O L BUFFA Kelly Krupski Great beer.

Visit our tasting room at

840 Seneca Street Buffalo, NY

New York Beer Project, of which Kelly is coowner, have long been supporters of Buffalo Beer Week, well before they opened the doors to their Lockport beer destination. “Prior to opening our establishment last year, our Buffalo Beer Week program advertisement read “let the journey begin,” though we never had a clue what a wild journey it would be,” she says. “Fast forward one year, and we are out of our comfort zone every day, but that’s totally cool. So many wonderful Western New York brewery and bar owners have gone out of their way in terms of advice and support and we’ll always be thankful.” Krupski also has a message for the Buffalo beer scene… a humble thank you. “To the Buffalo beer lovers, your passionate, ongoing pursuit of fresh, 36 creative local craft inspires us every day here at the Beer Project.

10 Reasons to become a Member of

Did you know some of your FAVORITE Buffalo/ WNY breweries have formed a brewers association? Better yet, did you know that YOU can become a member?

the Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association

1. You’ll get a Buffalo Niagara Brewers

Association Membership card with special invitations to MEMBERSONLY TOURS & TASTINGS at member breweries.

About the Association … The Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association (BNBA) is dedicated to educating the public about the great American tradition of craft beer and its rich brewing culture in Buffalo, New York.

2. You’ll be entitled to GROWLER FILL

With over 20 established craft breweries within the region, the BNBA strives to bring the public visibility and knowledge of the rich and constantly growing brewing culture present in WNY. Established in 2013, the Association aims to:

• Educate the public of the benefits of locally made beer • Promote the interests of breweries located within WNY • Participate in and create local community events to raise funds for the BNBA and other charities • Increase public awareness of locally available craft beer

BUFF

ALO

E N T H U S I A S T N

BUF

FALO

NIAG

RA IAGA

ent this UesS card T Hto receive memb E N ershipe bene r

Your

DISCOUNTS at participating local breweries and retailers.

ARA

Your N a T me Here I A S Pr

Name

fits

QR CODE

card t this ip Presen membersh ive to rece nefits be

3. You’ll help the Buffalo-Niagara beer community continue to GROW.

BUFFALO BEER

4. An invitation to join the BUFFALO BEER LEAGUE. 5. Opportunity to buy a VIP TICKETS during

ENTHUSIAST PRE-SALE for all BNBA festivals. You’ll get a cosy ENJOY BUFFALO BEER BNBA TEE SHIRT with the names of all the local breweries.

As the organization continues to develop and expand, it hopes to cultivate a passion for craft beer in the general community and inspire the public to seek out their local artisan breweries.

7. You’ll help BNBA craft brewers make our region a WORLD CLASS CRAFT BEER DESTINATION.

8. You’ll provide SUPPORT FOR SMALL, LOCAL BUSINESSES in your neighborhood.

9. You’ll show new brewers that WNY IS A GREAT NEW HOME FOR THEIR BUSINESS.

10. Beery proof that LOCAL BREWERS LOVE YOU and want you to be happy!

Registration for the all new BNBA Enthusiast Memebership begins in December via the BNBA website at BuffaloNiagaraBrewersAssociation.org

Canadian American Beer Festival BUFFALO BEER BUZZ PROFILE Parrish Gibbons-Herzog

February 24, 2017

February 25, 2017

Crowne Plaza Niagara Falls, Ontario

Niagara Falls Convention Center Niagara Falls, New York

Two Days. Two Sessions. 20 Breweries from Each Country. Look for Details at www.BuffaloNiagaraBrewersAssociation.org

An ardent member of the Buffalo beer scene, Parrish, a founding member and cochair of the Buffalo Beer Goddesses, has seen exciting changes recently. “Since joining the Buffalo beer scene in 2007, I have seen vast changes. I started by helping with events at Flying Bison and it was great to see people flock to the back side of an industrial building in Black Rock in search of good beer. Soon after I spent 5+ years working at the Village Beer Merchant educating people about different beer styles and slowly had the opportunity to promote and sell more locally made beer as the years went on.” Herzog adds that through the Goddesses important changes have also been achieved throughout the years. “Fast forward to today, the Buffalo Beer Goddesses, a group that I helped to establish, will be celebrating our 4th Anniversary of promoting inclusion of women in the beer industry, and I must admit, Buffalo has embraced our mission. Almost every brewery in Buffalo has female staff serving, brewing or in sales. Buffalo breweries have not only embraced diversity in the workplace, but have embraced each other. We are so lucky to live in such a collaborative beer scene that supports one another and our community and the community sure shows their support right back.

LE I F O R P Z Z U B R E E BUFFALO B Becky Dyster “It’s always been our philosophy that “a rising tide lifts all boats” and that all the businesses in the “better beer movement” fare better operating in a spirit of cooperation,” Niagara Tradition Homebrewing Shop’s Becky Dyster says. “That philosophy has served us well and we’ve developed many long lasting friendships as well as business partnerships, where we support and promote one another.” Dyster adds that “it’s been really exciting to see the growth of the craft beer businesses in the area, especially since most of the brewers and their employees started out as homebrewers.” And what does Buffalo Beer Week mean to her? “The best part of Buffalo Beer Week to me is that it’s a reaffirmation of the revitalization of Buffalo and Western New York there are too many things to do and that’s a good thing!”

Z BUFFALO BREWERY BUZ

Flying Bison » The Old Guard Expands The brewery that basically started it all for us over 16 years ago has expanded yet again – increasing capacity by 25% at its facility in Larkinville. “The expansion is proof that craft beer is not a zero-sum game… people are putting down the big national beers and picking up those with more flavor.” – Tim Herzog

BUFFALO BREWERY BUZZ

Thin Man » The New Kids on the Block The tanks are in, the brewing equipment is installed and the kegs are all lined up and waiting to be filled at Thin Man brewing on Elmwood Avenue! All we need now is for the paperwork to clear so we can start enjoying the latest creations from head brewer RudyBob Watkins. Soon, people, soon…

Hundreds of Events in Dozens of Locations!

All the Best Breweries & Bars!

The overarching theme for the 2016 Buffalo Beer Week is “Big Tent Buffalo” and aims to celebrate the inclusiveness and diversity of craft beer in Buffalo. We have encouraged venues to plan events that highlight and promote inclusiveness across a broad range. Hopefully this makes it clear that craft beer itself is the true big tent. All are welcome and there’s plenty of room in the big tent of craft beer for all of us! The featured events below highlight aspects of Big Tent theme like acts in a circus – we hope you will visit all of them!

Featured Events! Beer Week Eve! Thursday, Sept. 22nd @ Big Ditch Brewing

Cheese & Beer Pairing! Wednesday, Sept. 28th @ Flying Bison

Buffalo Brewers Shuffleboard Tournament. 6:00pm

Presented by Buffalo Cheese Traders & Premier Gourmet. 6:00pm

Official KickOff! Friday, Sept. 23rd @ Adam Mickiewicz Library

FemALE Beer Release! Thursday, Sept. 29th @ Rusty Nickel Brewing

Featuring the debut of “WisePA”, fundraiser beer to benefit the family of Kevin Wise

Meet the Brewers » 15 WNY Breweries on Tap » Live Music. 7:00pm

Benefit fundraiser for SOLE Buffalo

Debut of their first all female brewed beer – Estrogen Ale! 6:00pm

This fundraiser for Torn Space Theatre is always the best way to start Beer Week!

Fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Resource Center at Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Clams & Corn! Saturday, Sept. 24th @ Gene McCarthy’s

Casks for a Cause! Friday, Sept. 30th @ Lockhouse Distillery

Dunk BNBA Willard Brooks! Enjoy clams, corn and your favorite pints from Old First Ward Brewing. Benefits the Old First WardCommunity Center. 1:00pm

Ballpark BrewBash! Saturday, Sept. 24th @ CocaCola Field The granddaddy of Buffalo Beer Fests – bigger & better in 2016. 4:00pm

Cigar & Beer Pairing! Sunday, Sept. 25th @ Hamburg Brewing Co. Beers expertly paired with Arturo Fuente cigars. 1:00–5:00pm Fundraiser for the Cigars for Warriors Foundation

Vines & Bines! Monday, Sept. 26th @ Big Ditch Brewing Presented by Nitany Epicurean with Leonard Oakes Winery. 6:00pm Benefits Slow Food Buffalo Niagara

German Brewmaster’s Dinner! Tuesday, Sept. 27th @ Gordon Biersch 4 Courses & 5 beers! Presented by Spring Garden Association. 6:00 Fundraiser for the Dortmund Sister City Committee

Over a dozen specially prepared casks from WNY breweries. 5:00pm Fundraiser benefit for Evergreen Health

Harvest Fest! Saturday, Oct. 1st @ Rusty Nickel Brewing Packed full of family & kid-friendly events, with farm-fresh foods, campfires, S’mores, apple cider, a drink contest & fall Beers. 2:00pm

Zwanze Day! Saturday, Oct. 1st @ Thin Man A new Cantillon framboise makes it’s debut at only 75 locations in the WORLD, and one is right here during Buffalo Beer Week. 1:00pm

Anti Venue Tour! Saturday, Oct. 1st @ Resurgence Brewing A unique sensory experience for the unconventional music lover. 10 bands! 8:00pm

1st Annual Meatball Street Brawl! Sunday, Oct. 2nd @ Osteria Over 15 local restaurants compete to be the meatball champ of WNY. • 11:00am

The Unbearable Whiteness of Brewing

– Geoff Kelly

Or, how to make a big tent of Western New York’s growing craft brewing industry. File this under obvious truths: The world of craft beer is overwhelmingly white and male. How white is it? It’s whiter than Iowa. It’s whiter than a hockey rink. It’s so white the term witbier is redundant. In 2014, the Brewers Association commissioned a Nielsen study that found that African-American drinkers compose 11.2 percent of the US population but consume only 3.7 percent of the country’s craft beer. White drinkers, who compose 60 percent of the US population, consume 80 percent of the country’s craft beer.

New York Craft Malt & NY State Farmers

Together, We Grow Beer!

~ BASE & SPECIALTY MALTS AVAILABLE ~ To request samples, including our Crystal & Smoked Malts, contact us today: Patty @ 585.813.8399 or email patty@nycraftmalt.com

The same study found that Asian-American drinkers consume craft beer roughly in proportion to their share of the population, while Hispanic-American drinkers consume slightly more than their share—and, according to Bart Watson, an economist for the Brewers Association, Hispanics are gravitating toward craft beers at a faster rate than the US population of drinkers as a whole. These numbers were parsed last year by Dave Infante in an article for the Thrillist, in which Infante posits several explanations for the underrepresentation of blacks in craft brewing. The most disturbing of these is that the beer industry, prior to the craft beer revolution that began in the 1970s and caught fire in the 1990s, had a long history of racism. Infante quotes these figures from Thomas J. Sugrue’s The Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit: In 1950, he writes, just 39 out of 3,300 brewery employees in a five-brewery survey were black. In 1962, fewer than 120 of the industry’s 12,000 workers were black, though blacks constituted nearly 30 percent of the city’s population. The macrobreweries engineered an industry that was nearly entirely white, so it is no surprise that the microbreweries that sprung up in reaction to it should be mostly white also. Infante cites other explanations for the dearth of diversity in the industry, too, most having to do with access to capital. He ends by quoting Allison McKim, an assistant professor of sociology at Bard College, and 44 J. Nikol Beckham, an assistant professor of communication studies at Randolph College, on the importance and possibility continued on page 44

of addressing this homogeneity: “If you shut out parts of the population—particularly groups who have been historically excluded—from the opportunity of this expanding industry, then craft beer works to perpetuate racial inequality that exists well beyond itself,” McKim, the sociologist. Beckham, the beer scholar, expanded on this point. “Craft beer is one small area where we can make an effort to take a chunk out of racism, rather easily” because it is a relatively progressive enclave. “If we can’t do it here—when everyone’s feeling good and giving high-fives—then we’re in trouble.” It’s a relatively small enclave, too, in which everyone knows one another, especially here in Western New York. That makes inclusiveness easier to realize, but it requires a conscious effort, not only to make room under the tent but to invite newcomers into it. The relative prevalence of progressives in the industry can be a trap, however, an invitation to passivity: It’s easy to excuse the industry, to say, “I’m not exclusionary, so how can my industry be?” Believe me, the same is true in the world of alternative media.

9/24 CLAMS & CORN

& WILLARD BROOKS DUNKFEST

2 DOZEN STEAMED CLAMS, CORN AND A PINT FOR $20. DUNK BNBA PRESIDENT, WILLARD BROOKS IN OUR DUNK TANK! PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT OFW COMMUNITY CENTER

9/27 TRIVIAL TUESDAY! SPECIAL BEER CATEGORIES

Happily, beer-drinking, like newspaper-publishing, is an exercise in communitybuilding. Once they have experienced it, people will leave their houses and neighborhoods to seek out good beer. They will sit beside strangers in a pub or beer garden and become not-strangers to one another. If you put craft beer in the people’s hands, you stand a good chance of making them enthusiasts. Enthusiasts become hobbyists, and hobbyists go pro. To change the profile of an industry, you need to find the people you want under that big tent with you and market to them—not crassly, but by making yourself present in their communities, at their events, in their institutions. Find a spot for yourself under their big tent, and they’ll find a spot for themselves under yours. In recent years, some of the craft beer industry’s maleness has been diluted somewhat. In Western New York, for example, the Buffalo Beer Goddesses have carved out a prominent spot for themselves in the craft beer landscape, and this week Rusty Nickel is bringing out the first in in its FemALE series of made by women brewers. That’s good news: Once a door is opened, it doesn’t close again. And it is evidence that the craft beer industry’s unbearable whiteness is surmountable, too.

9/30 FIRKIN FRIDAY SPECIAL CASKS OF GRAPEFRUIT NOTA AND COFFEE STOUT

10/2 OFEST! HARVEST MARCH

TAPPING AND BLESSING OF THE CEREMONIAL CASK OF OKTOBERFEST. PARADE THROUGH THE STREETS OF THE OLD FIRST WARD WITH YOUR BEST GERMAN GARB, GERMAN FOOD SPECIALS ALL DAY!

73 Hamburg Street • Buffalo, NY 14204 • 716-855-8948 genemccarthys.com

Geoff Kelly is editor and co-founder of The Public, Buffalo’s alternative news source

Beer & Cheese – Diverse Symbols of Cultural Identity – Michael Chelus CONCORD GRAPE WITBEER

a bipartisan collaboration 5.5% ABV • 18 IBU

Symbols of cultural identity are as diverse and numerous as the cultures they represent. For some, the flag of their country is a symbol of their culture. For others, ancient buildings and structures represent what they consider to be their identity. While not as commonly cited in the same context are two things that do as much, if not more, to symbolize a culture – beer and cheese. Both beer and cheese are products that are reflective of the people who made them and the localities in which they are produced. When they combine with tradition and history, they transcend their consumptive qualities and represent the distinct localities and cultures that have created them. There are many renowned beers that immediately make you think of the region in which they were produced and the cultures that produced them. Bamberg in Upper Franconia, Germany is famous for its rauchbier or smoked beer. Made from malted barley dried over an open flame, rauchbier is known for its smoky flavor. While this style of beer nearly died out when kiln drying of malt become more prevalent in the 1800s, the tradition of rauchbier from Bamberg was kept alive by two small brewpubs – Schlenkerla and Spezial – that continued to make it in the traditional way. Today, more brewpubs and breweries in the region have began to make rauchbier in the traditional way and this style of beer continues to thrive and represent the people of Bamberg. Like rauchbier in Bamberg, English Bitters are synonymous with Great Britain and its tradition of brewing this style of beer for hundreds of years. In order to make their beers stand out from traditional ales, brewers in England began adding more hops and pale malts. The resulting bitters became so wildly popular that bitters dispensed from a cask became a hallmark of the British pub experience. Cheese, like beer, is an artisanal product with a rich history. The making of certain types of cheese can be so specifically regulated that the end product distinctly represents the locale of its origin. Parmigiano Reggiano from Emilia-Romagna and Lombardia in Northern Italy is a hard cheese, heavily regulated by Italian law. To be called Parmigiano Reggiano, the cheese 48 must be made in a handful of provinces (such as Parma) from milk from cattle raised in the region. Sometimes referred to as continued on page 50

ALPACA NIGHT IN THE BEER GARDEN THURSDAY, SEPT. 29TH “ALPACA PORTER” RELEASE 4-10PM WITH LIVE ALPACAS IN THE GARDEN!

continued from page 48

the “King of Cheeses”, parmigiano reggiano is one of the many edible symbols that represent the people of Emilia-Romagna and Italy. Gouda is similarly representative of the Netherlands. Named after the city of Gouda, this cheese is famous world-wide. It’s classified by age and offers unique flavor profiles in each of its seven categories. The “young” category only aged for a few weeks offers flavors that are much more developed in the “very old” category. Not only is gouda one of the oldest cheeses in the world, it’s also one of the most popular. This distinctive cheese symbolizes the Netherlands and its people throughout WNY’S CRAFT the world.

BEER DESTINATION

“99”

Larkinville 716 SWAN STREET • BUFFALO, NY » HYDRAULICHEARTH.COM

« 2016 BUFFALO BEER WEEK SPECIALS! »

Unlike other symbols of cultural identity, beer and cheese offer a tangible, delicious /100 way to experience another culture. During Buffalo Beer Week 2016, you’ll have “world-class” the opportunity to enjoy artisanal cheeses paired with a – Beer Advocate diverse selection of beers. Buffalo Cheese Traders, LLC, Premier Gourmet and Flying Bison Brewing Company OVER 1,500 BEERS ON SALE up for an event that will pair eight beers have teamed with delicious cheese. This event will take place at Flying STATE-OF-THE-ART GROWLER SYSTEM Bison Brewing Company, 804 Seneca Street in Buffalo on September 28, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. Four of the beers featured will be E FOOD N FI SINCE S from Flying Bison, with the remaining four coming from PREMIER other areas of the world. The cheese pairings were selected GOURMET by Michelle Stevens of Buffalo Cheese Traders, Amanda 1974 & S PR Taylor of Premier Gourmet and Annie Levay-Krause of OVISION SOLE of Buffalo. Michelle aimed at putting together a 3904 Maple Road Amherst, NY 14222 “classic” beer and cheese pairing with the event. She has selected a reserve aged gouda, an aged Gruyère and an Italian blue as the featured cheeses for the pairings. There will be other specialty cheeses as well, in addition to foods from local vendors like Mazurek’s Bakery. This year during Buffalo Beer Week, take the opportunity to enjoy these symbols of cultural identity. Learn an appreciation for how cultures, including our own, express themselves with both beer and cheese. Take a moment to reflect upon the history and tradition that the beers and cheeses represent.

All Week » Specially priced “Wet Hop Session Ale” “Cocktoberfest Party Weekend” Fri., Sept 23, 6-9pm: Featuring WNY Fall beers from local breweries. Sat., Sept 24, 12-Noon: Featuring our Cocktoberfest Lager and Germanstyle food, with German-American Musicians and the Frankfurters. 638 Lake Street, Wilson, NY 14172 • 716-333-4000 www.WoodcockBrothersBrewery.com

Michael Chelus writes for The Public & blogs at Nittany Epicurian where he posts about beer, wine, home cooking, recipes and restaurant reviews.

SEPTEMBER 23rd

Friday Night Firkin Tapping

Open Mic Night!

Estrogen Ale Release Party

5-8pm. Showcase your talents. All performers receive a free pint!

DJ Trivia

6-10pm First brew in the FemALE Brew Series. Live music, food and more. 20% of proceeds from the ALL female brewed beer will be donated to Roswell Park.

Exciting fast paced trivia Go solo or bring a team.

RNBC Beer Dinner

Brew Demo Includes beer flight & beer-ducation session with head brewer Dave Johnson. Register on-line

Hues and Brews Enjoy a Buffalo themed paint nite with friends! Register on-line. Space is limited

4350 Seneca STreet

Several courses of beer and food pairings. Register on-line

HARVEST FEST Live music, fresh food, local produce, several beer releases made with farm fresh ingredients, kids activities, adult fun, games, competitions and more.

BIGGER and BOLDER than last year!

west seneca NY 14224

716-608-6155

JOIN US FOR 10 DAYS OF BUFFALO BEER WEEK!

SEPTEMBER 24th Ballpark Brew Bash

SEPTEMBER 25th

Bills Buffet- $20 per person (2 Beers, Food & Jersey Raffle Tickets)

SEPTEMBER 27th

German Brewmasters Dinner – 4 courses paired with 5 beers! Partial proceeds to benefit Buffalo Dortmund Sister City Committee. $50. Reservation required » (716) 683-0050

SEPTEMBER 28th

$8 Growler Fills » All Day

SEPTEMBER 30th Friday Night Firkin

(Cinnamon Ginger Festbier)

OCTOBER 2nd

Bills Buffet- $20 per person (2 Beers, Food & Jersey Raffle Tickets)

GB BUFFALO

Store P102 Galleria Drive Cheektowaga, NY 14225

Clarence NY’s 1st Brewery & Taproom Opening Soon!

Check facebook.com/westshorebrewing for beer releases and special events

www.WestShoreBrewing.com • 9992 Main St. • Clarence, NY

“Where German Heritage is Celebrated” 2017 Events:

Maifest May 28th Waldfest July 16th German-Polish Aug. 12th Schlachtfest Sept. 10th

Buffalo Beer Week Sponsored Event

Tue., September 27 $50.00 German Brewmasters Dinner 4 courses & 5 beers. Reservation required. Call (716) 683-0050 proceeds to benefit Buffalo’s Dortmund Sister City Committee

Hall Rental available for Weddings and Corporate Events

Spring Garden Association 3838 Two Rod Rd. East Aurora, NY 166 Franklin St., Buffalo, NY 14202 || 716.858.3118 || OsteriaBuffalo.com

www.SprinGarden.com

HELP CREATE BUFFALO’S OWN BEER! MYCITYBREW.COM/VOTE

INSPIRATION.IN A LIQUID STATE. Fall 2016: 12 line rotation of innovative, premium house-brewed craft beers | Flights and guest taps | Take-home fresh Crowlers® House-made charcuterie | Local farm-sourcing | Kitchen Specials

CELEBRATE “BEER WEEK EVE” CATCH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH SINGLECUT BEERSMITHS. PREMIER LEAGUE GAMES.

We’re kicking off a big week with one of our favorite guest breweries.

How will you #DrinkBuffalo?

ZWANZE 2016 Saturday the 1st of October, 2016

4 9 2 E L M W O O D A V E N U E , B U F F A L O , N E W Y O R K 1 4 2 2 2 … 7 1 6 . 9 2 3 . 4 1 0 0 … T H I N M A N B R E W E R Y. C O M

TMB_16039 Beer Week ad_4.5 x 4.5_mec.indd 1

8/31/16 4:29 PM

- AN AMERICAN TRADITION -

It’s All Treats & No Tricks with McKenzie’s “Pumpkin Jack” Fall Seasonal Hard Cider! This selective Seasonal uses only the ﬁnest real pumpkin and fall spices to enhance and excite both your nose and your taste buds! NOW AVAILABLE FOR A LIMIT ED TIME!

Market Watch Magazine 2016 Impact Hot Br and Award! MCKENZIESBEVERAGES.COM | 716.912.5020

Proudly Distributed throughout WNY by Try-It Distributing www.tryitdist.com

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 28TH “Geeks Who Drink Trivia”

THURSDAY, SEPT. 29TH