Big Ditch Brewery recently underwent a significant expansion of its brewery and taproom in Downtown Buffalo. The expansion tripled brewing capacity to 15,000 barrels a year. Along with the increased yield, the brewery also added a canning line, which will allow for the canning of three of its top selling beers – Big Ditch Brewing’s Hayburner American IPA, Low Bridge Golden Ale, and Excavator Rye Brown Ale. The 12-ounce cans of beer will be available at regional supermarkets, retail outlets, convenient stores, bars and restaurants, starting today.
“Our brewery was operating at full capacity and barely keeping up with demand, which is a nice problem to have,” said Matt Kahn, President of Big Ditch Brewing Company. “We’re humbled by the success of the brewery thus far and pleased that we were able to undertake this expansion to meet the growing demand for our craft beer.”
This is significant news for the brewery, which only began brewing in October of 2014. The expansion effort was made possible via partial funding in the form of a loan from Buffalo and Erie County Regional Development Corporation. This announcement came on the heals of a significant award bestowed upon Big Ditch – 2016 “Best Craft Brewery in New York State” at the TAP New York Festival in Hudson Valley.
To celebrate the launch, both the Electric Tower and the rooftop sign at Big Ditch Brewing Company will be illuminated in the signature colors of each of the three beers being released on both Wednesday 9/28 and Thursday 9/29: orange (Hayburner), blue (Low Bridge), and maroon (Excavator).
“It has not quite been two years since Big Ditch brewed its first batch at the Huron Street facility,” said Corey Catalano, Vice President & Head Brewer. “We opened with one brewer and now have 8 brewers (and 80 full time and part time employees overall) brewing craft beer 24 hours a day and 5 days a week. It has been remarkable!”
Part of the expansion effort included added kitchen space and an updated beer hall that now has its own dedicated service bar and restrooms.
“The emerging vitality of the Electric District neighborhood in downtown Buffalo continues to surprise me,” commented Paul Iskalo, co-founder of Big Ditch Brewing Company and President & CEO of Iskalo Development Corp. “We have been an active real estate investor in this neighborhood since 2004 and are pleased to be a part of its renaissance.”
Big Ditch Brewing Company | 55 E Huron Street | Buffalo, NY 14203 | (716) 854-5050