While still in the throes of the pandemic, we saw the reopening of The Draft Room and Room 120 in The Cobblestone District at Canalside, by Select Pour Ventures. Now, the Labatt Brew House – a 3,000 square foot brewery and tasting room (adjoining The Draft Room) – will also be reopening, coinciding with the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
The Labatt Brew House first opened in the fall of 2019. The 3,000-square-foot brewery and tasting room consists of a 10-barrel, four-vessel brew house with 11 fermenters.
In preparation for the opening, Labatt brewmaster Ryan Brady is rolling out three new beers that are being brewed on site. Beer aficionados can look forward to a Mango Guava Sour, Hazy IPA, and a Chocolate Stout. Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light will be served on tap, along with Labatt Blue Light Seltzer in cans.
This is the first time in two years that the brewery and tasting bar will be fully functioning, due to the pandemic closures. At the same time, the operation will only open for major events in the area, for now.
“We are excited to re-open the Labatt Brew House for the upcoming NCAA Tournament,” said Ryan Brady, Labatt brewmaster. “I’ve been having some fun creating a few new beers to serve to basketball fans on Thursday and Saturday. And of course, we will always have Blue and Blue Light available for Labatt loyalists. Looking forward to seeing everyone again.”
About the Labatt Brew House Beers
Mango Guava Sour – 5.2% ABV
A light and slightly tart ale with 300 pounds of fruit added in the fermenter, Mango Guava Sour appears a cloudy orange color from the addition of the fruit. The sweetness from the mango and guava comes forward, which is balanced with the tart finish.
Hazy IPA – 7.1% ABV
Brewed with pale, pilsner, wheat, and oats, this Hazy IPA is hopped with simcoe, galaxy, and citra. The slightly Hazy IPA has tons of fruit forward aroma and taste. Gooseberry, citrus, and peach are present in the aroma and taste, with a small hint of pine underneath.
Chocolate Stout – 6.8% ABV
A light bodied Chocolate Stout with a nice balance of chocolate and roasted flavors, this beer was aged on Ecuadorian Chocolate nibs imparting it with a nice smooth chocolate flavor and aroma. In addition to the chocolate nibs this beer was brewed with caramel malts for a bit of sweetness, and roasted malt for that classic stout flavor.
It’s good to see more of these types of destinations opening in and around Canalside. Last week we posted on the Heritage Point project that is now underway. In recent years we’ve also seen the opening of Explore & More Children’s Museum, the Buffalo Heritage Carousel, Southern Tier Brewing Company, and the The Longshed, not to mention Hofbräuhaus Buffalo not far away. The Labatt Brew House (& Tasting Room) and The Draft Room are both key components of the waterfront renaissance – it’s good to see them up and operational.
To start, The Labatt Brew House (Tasting Room) at 79 Perry Street will be open on the following days: Thursday, March 17 and Saturday, March 19 from 11 am to 7 pm). It will be closed Friday and Sunday, although The Draft Room will be open throughout the tournament (see Draft Room on Facebook for details).
Moving forward, the Labatt Brew House will open for major events in the area. An updated calendar of events is posted on the Labatt Brew House website.