Beer in The City: The Wisdom of Jack Handey
Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed - Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, 'It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver. -Jack Handey
Apparently, others are just as compassionate as Saturday Night Live's Mr. Handey- craft beer is a growth industry, even though overall beer sales have been stable for the past decade. More and more people are drinking craft brews every year, and it's no wonder- the difference in quality is well worth the extra dollar or so you may spend (I say “may” because it is not uncommon to pay four dollars for a mainstream pilsener at a dining establishment).
So many quality craft breweries have started up in the past decade- Ommegang, Russian River, our own Flying Bison... the list goes on. It's an exciting time to be a beer drinker. As the industry continues to grow and gain support, the beer can only improve. Let's keep up the trend!
And now, the real beer talk!
If you ever reach total enlightenment while drinking beer, I bet it makes beer shoot out your nose. -Jack Handey
I'm not there yet, but it ain't from lack of tryin'! A recent trip to Mr. Goodbar netted me a pint of Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale. If you've read my previous articles, you may have noticed a trend- I'm a huge fan of dark beers with robust, malty flavors (and Dogfish Head Brewery). This selection didn't disappoint. The taste is dominated by three major flavors: dark chocolate, coffee, and grape/raisin. The latter was the most surprising, but is also a distinguishing trait that will likely bring me back to this beer. Even so, the malts aren't too overpowering, and are well balanced by a strong hop presence. The 7.2% ABV is apparent, but there is low carbonation, making it easy to drink despite the higher-than-normal alcohol content.
Ellicottville Brewing Company has a popular summer beer called Blueberry Wheat, which is a must-try for those of you who enjoy lighter beers with fruit flavors. I've tried it on tap both at EBC West (in Fredonia) and Buffalo Barbecue & Brew. Generally, I'm not a big fan of beers of its kind (such as Saranac's Pomegranate Wheat), but I did enjoy this one. It's crisp, light, highly carbonated and refreshing. The blueberry smell and taste is very strong, which makes it interesting at first but also relegates it to a one-a-night beer. Because of my personal taste I won't have it often- but it's well done, and you will probably enjoy it if you like the style.
I hope you get a chance to check out these brews! Mr. Goodbar and Buffalo Barbecue & Brew have them on tap, and both places are worthy of a trip. I'm unsure if they are on tap anywhere else locally- feel free to comment if you know of any other places.
Mr. Goodbar
1110 Elmwood Ave, 14222
716.822.4000, call for hours
Buffalo Barbecue & Brew
1680 Elmwood Avenue, 14207
716.362.2602
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Comment Options
Sexy_Beast
Can't do the blueberry beer thing. I've tried. I've heard good things about Dogfish. I've never even heard of a pomegranate beer.
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platt4
No offense to our new corporate residents Labatts, but what this town needs is a few more brew pubs. Just not in the Market Arcade, we've seen that come-and-go twice.
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ChristaSeychew
Make that 3, platt4. The Breckenridge, Empire and Ya-Ya. I liked the beer and the crowd at The Breck and the menu at Empire. I never visited Ya-Ya.
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platt4
Breckenridge was some time ago- but if I recall correctly they had $2 pints. Before Sabres games it used to be a madhouse. Park for free near the Theater District, drink, and then take the train free to the game. Those were the days....We used to call it 'BreckenBrew'
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salamooch
Fruit in beer kinda scares me, but I'm down for whatevs....Rohrbach had a blueberry ale that was BANGIN, now that I think about it. BUT...good for EBC, though. Why not experiment a bit? What am I thinking? I love citrus in beer! So, just disregard my comment.
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Jas
I love the craft beers, but does anyone know of where I might be able to find Strongbow Cider on draft in Buffalo?
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eac
Actually,
Ya-Ya's never brewed a drop; they had a beer from Custom Brewcrafters on tap and the old equipment sitting around to give the impression of active brewing. The food was good, though.
As far a Breckenridge goes, they shut down all their non-Colorado locations when they decided not to be a national brew-pub chain after all. I don't know how their business in Buffalo, specifically, was going, but I'm not sure I'd consider them a failure at that location, only because I know they made a decision to shut pubs in Tucson and in Florida at the same time.
Empire made crappy beer for a short time, and then the owners tried to make off with the equipment after they were shuttered- they owners were actually busted by the cops dismantling the equipment. The equipment, by the way, belongs to the city (for complicated reasons, but worth remembering when you think about BassPro). So, that's at least some of the reason Ya Ya's wasn't brewing.
I've never seen Strongbow on tap in Buffalo, but you do see Woodchuck sometimes- Colter Bay, I think.
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Niteman
The Sterling Tavern on Hertel has a nice assortment and may still carry Woodchuck. Also, Ullrich's tavern does monthly drinking tours about town.
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AdamFIx
sexybeast, if you don't like EBC's blueberry wheat, chances are you won't like Saranac's pomegranate wheat, either. Here's some more info, though, if you are (or anyone else is ) intrigued by the idea: http://www.saranac.com/beers/beerdescription.cfm?id=13FDBCA0-C4FE-A977-E9F68068A796B65C
I will second, as a former employee, that the cost of remedying Empire's gaffes and just the overall hassle of re-starting the brewery were definitely the reasons behind Ya Ya's non-operating brewery. Even so, Custom Brewcrafters had some nice selections on tap there. A shrimp po-boy w/ a Bourbon Street Stout... mmmm.
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