Buffalo Rising Online

Aug 27th 2007, 1:44pm By Adam Fix

A palpable sense of excitement filled the air as thousands of people formed lines that were Golden Spiral in appearance. When the doors finally opened at 2 PM, the mass of humanity unraveled itself and rushed headfirst into what is quickly becoming one of the biggest (and happiest) events in the city’s Broadway-Fillmore district: The Buffalo Brewfest.

I prepped for the event (for me, a momentous affair) by waking early and walking to the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmer’s Market to procure breakfast for myself and my companions. As per Christa’s sage-like advice, I returned home with fresh fruit and White Cow Dairy yogurt. So, by the time the cab arrived at my house to ferry me to my Mecca, I had eaten a healthy meal AND exercised--both proving vital as the day progressed.

Hosted by the Central Terminal and benefiting both the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation and Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center, the 2007 Brewfest was definitely a success. “This is so much better than last year,” your writer overheard one festival-goer remark to her friend, “it’s bigger and better organized.” There was some truth to her statement; aside from the initial waiting period (doors were advertised to open at 1 PM, but actually opened at 2), lines moved quickly and everything was fairly easy to find.

Just outside the Terminal, the food vendors set up shop under a tent, and business was steady all day. There were plenty of Johnny-on-the-Spots lining the borders of the event, as promised. Inside the Terminal, though, is where the real action took place.

Naturally, as the day progressed, it became harder and harder to keep track of where I had been and where I still needed to go. Nevertheless, the following is a rundown of a few Beer highlights:

I started the day by sampling Harpoon’s IPA- and it was a solid choice. It is crisp and refreshing with a sharp hop finish, as a good IPA should be. Brooklyn’s East India Pale Ale, sampled later in the day, proved to be a little more interesting however, with a more pronounced malt flavor and fuller body.

Of course our hometown brewery, Flying Bison, represented with their favorites (such as Aviator Red), but the real treat was their Cask Special, a dark Belgian Dubbel with a smooth and milky mouthfeel resembling that of Guinness. After letting it settle for a few minutes, the Cask Special quickly became one of my favorite selections of the afternoon--for its rich flavor--which never felt too heavy (a common complaint of casual Guinness drinkers).

After the Cask Special I began to return to lighter brews, as I sought refreshment from the heat of the crowd. I returned to one of my old acquaintances- Victory’s Prima Pils, a tasty, hoppy, delight of a beer. Now that I think of it, I’d say this is my current favorite (for what it’s worth). The noble hops and bread-y malt aromas are, well, intoxicating (I need to think up some more adjectives!).

Erie Brewing Company’s Presque Isle really impressed, as well. As I professed my love of Prima Pils to one of my companions (a Brewery employee), he responded with a counter-argument that amounted to “I like Presque Isle better.” I couldn’t argue; it’s hard to fight about loving beer!

Since we’re on the topic of old favorites, Brewery Ommegang had a strong lineup present- Rare Vos, Hennepin, and Ommegang. I went for the namesake brew, which is spicy and fruity. Don’t confuse it with a Hefeweizen, though, because it is a dark maroon ale that clocks in at over 8% ABV. It was served perfectly- from the bottle and likely around 45 degrees (from my then-impaired estimation). Also, their employees seem to favor mutton chops, a decision which I support fully.

The real star of the ‘fest, however, was clearly Ellicottville Brewing Company. They showed up with an impressive lineup of their favorites, and despite having consistently long lines, they were the last brewery to pack up and leave, prompting rousing cheers of “Long live EBC!” among the many cries of “Let’s go Buffalo!” Their Hefe, my final tasting of the night, was awesome--but I won’t lie, I can’t objectively review it at this point. Get at me later, after I’ve had it as my FIRST beer of the night!

As the event ended, I walked the few blocks to Corpus Christi Church, where the Dozynki Festival was taking place. A few polka tunes and one absentee cab later (which is a discussion in and of itself--do cab companies purposely ignore your calls when requesting a pick-up in that area?), my companions and I hopped into a kindly friend’s car and made it home to tell the tale.

And here we are. How much fun did you have? What was your favorite beer? Did I "cheer" to the Bills with you?

Hope to see you all at Oktoberfest!