Head down to the waterfront and celebrate all things local craft beer at the third annual Buffalo Brewers Festival, which takes place Saturday, June 18, 3-7pm at the Outer Harbor. The marquee event is sponsored by the Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association. 

The festival will feature more than 40 breweries, including all 20 local breweries compiled under one large central tent—so you can enjoy your beer while staying dry in case it rains. The breweries include 12 Gates Brewing (who will tentatively have their West Coast IPA and Water Mills Pilsner), 42 North Brewing, Big Ditch Brewing (Hayburner and Squeezer), Community Beer Works (That IPA,  Amazing Larry, Rutherford B. Haze), Ellicottville Brewing Company (Blueberry Wheat, Just Peachy), Five and 20 Spirits and Brewing, Flying Bison (Down by the River Belgian-style IPA, Lemon Drop Lager), Old First Ward (Not a Pale Ale, Mango Hefe), Gordon Biersch, Hamburg Brewing Company (Sweet Tang, Hoppenstance), Pan Am Grill & Brewery (Cheaters IPA, Centennial XPA), Pearl Street Grill & Brewery (Trainwreck, Gin Spiced Saison), Rusty Nickel Brewing Co. (Not Yo Grandpa’s Cream Ale, Pedal Pusher), and Woodcock Brothers Brewing Company. 

Four Mile Brewing will be bringing a limited edition one-off beer in addition to their Allegheny IPA; New York Beer Project will have their Craft Hyper Juice and a white IPA; Resurgence Brewing will have their Cucumber Saison as well as a special IPA; and Southern Tier Brewing Company will have their Imperial Cherry Gose and Hop Sun.

In addition to all of the Buffalo-Niagara breweries you know and love, the 2016 Buffalo Brewers Festival will also play host to a New York State Cider Tent (featuring Blackbird Cider Works, Cider Creek, McKenzies Hard Cider, Steampunk, and Bellwether Cider), a Farm to Pint tent (all beer included in this tent was brewed with 100 percent New York State ingredients—Hamburg Brewing’s Blackberry Gose, Four Mile Brewing’s REAP Vol. 3, EBC’s Sky High Rye, Woodcock Brothers’ N 425 Pilsner, OFW’s Therapy Session) and an Ontario Beer Tent spotlighting some of the best breweries north of the border (Muskoka Brewing, Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company, Mill Street, Nickelbrook, Flying Monkey).  

There will also be a Guest Brewery tent, featuring beer from Ommegang Brewery, Smuttynose, Abandon Brewery, De Ranke, Dark Horse, and New Belgium.

A full beer list can be found soon at buffalobrewersfestival.com.

“The Buffalo Brewers Festival is more than just a beer fest,” Resurgence Brewing’s Jeff Ware says. “It’s really a celebration of Buffalo. Great beer, great food, and a great new venue at the Outer Harbor this year.  What better way is there to enjoy a summer day?”

The Brewers Festival celebrates all things local, not just beer. Local farmers and chefs and food trucks will also be on hand. Food will be available from Oshun Seafood, Allen Burger Venture (ABV), the Whole Hog Truck (roasting a T-Meadow Hog), Gourm-Asian Bistro, the Cheesy Chick, Pizza Plant, Frank’s Gourmet Hot Dogs, Krista’s Carribbean Kitchen, Black Market Food Truck, Chow Chocolate, and Buffalo Cheese Traders. There will be vendors selling  beer-centric wares, and the BNBA’s Buffalo Beer League, WNY Brews podcast, NY Craft Malt, Niagara Malt, and Domoy Farms will also be on hand.

This year’s festival will feature a pair of special Meet the Brewers sessions. Local cheese purveyor Michelle Stevens of Buffalo Cheese Traders, along with the cheesemakers from Vermont Farmstead, will present a cheese and beer pairing with CBW, Flying Bison, Four Mile Brewing, Old First Ward Brewing Co., and Big Ditch. There will also be a beer and chocolate tasting with Scott Wisz of Chow Chocolate and beer from Hamburg Brewing, New York Beer Project, Woodcock Brothers, Rusty Nickel, and 42 North Brewing. Tickets for each session are $5 (75 available for each session).

There will be plenty of free parking available at the Buffalo Brewers Festival, both on the street and at the old Pier site.

“The main reason to come out to this fest is that is the only festvial that is both by and for local breweries,” BNBA president Willard Brooks adds. “The food and beer is local—the brewers, chefs are here and this is a focused example of awesome events that on the Buffalo waterfront.  This highlights the dynamic and scenic aspect of re-energized Buffalo’s beer culture at a very fair price.”

Tickets can be purchased at BuffaloBrewersFestival.com and at Aurora Brew Works, Consumers Beverages, Kegworks, Premier Gourmet, and the Buffalo Bisons Box Office. There are various types of tickets available, including Brewer’s Fest GA Ticket ($40, includes all beer tastings, 4-7pm), Brewer’s Fest Ticket (early admission, $49, includes all beer tastings, 3-7pm), and Designated Driver Ticket ($15, available at gate, 3-7pm, includes admission and a free bottle of water. Tasting glasses are not provided to designated drivers).