Big Ditch Brewing Company

Our fall seasonal, Cinnamon Apple Amber Ale, is now available in cans and on draft at our tap room and at retailers around Western New York. The story of how this beer originally came to be is pretty great...!

Back in 2011, when co-founders Matt and Corey were just learning how to homebrew, there were a ton of pumpkin beers already on the market. They wanted to do something different than what everyone else was doing. They had this idea to use the official fruit of New York State - the apple - in an autumn beer. That first batch was actually the third batch of homebrew they ever made. It was brewed by steeping real apples with cinnamon sticks in a heated pot and blending the mixture with an American Amber Ale.

That first batch - was awful. (And the photo of it wasn't much better) Corey hated it. His words were "Oh - we can't ever make this again." But, Matt saw the potential - "No, I can fix it!" he said. And thus became the long standing Big Ditch tradition of tweaking recipes until they are just about perfect. (And then usually tweaking them some more.)

This is now the TENTH consecutive year we've released our fall seasonal, Cinnamon Apple Amber Ale. It's our longest running seasonal by far. There's still no other beer on the market quite like it.

We now use locally pressed cider from New York state apples (from Mayer Brothers) and locally grown 2-row barley (from NY Craft Malt) to create our fall seasonal. This beer also incorporates (powdered) cinnamon, allspice, oatmeal and brown sugar. The aroma immediately reminds you of autumn. Upon sipping there is more spice, but also a rich malty base and a subtle tangy apple finish. The hops add just enough bitterness to keep this spiced fruit beer very much a beer.

We've continued to tweak this recipe over the last 10 years; it tastes better than ever today. Savor this beer and enjoy autumn in Western New York. 🍎🍻

We are very excited to announce the release of OPEN CURTAIN Kolsch, a collab between the Theatre District Association of WNY and Big Ditch Brewing Company! OPEN CURTAIN will be available starting this Friday at Curtain Up on Main St! It is also the official beer of the Theatre District Association of WNY ‘24-’25 Season! Look for it at Curtain Up and at theatres and restaurants in the Buffalo Theatre District all season, and of course, at Big Ditch Brewing Company.

About the beer:
The Theatre District in Buffalo has a vibrant history of entertaining people from all over WNY and beyond. When you settle into your seat in anticipation of the upcoming performance, we want you to have a beverage that pairs wonderfully with drama, comedy and everything in between. Open Curtain Kolsch, the official beer of the Theatre District Association of WNY 2024-2025 season, is an easy drinking, slightly fruity, slightly bready, and completely refreshing German-style lager/ale hybrid. 5.3% ABV.

Here we go!

PSA: Hayburner 19.2 ounce cans are back at the stadium this season and will now be available at many more concession stands!

Sort of big news: after operating our tap room in downtown Buffalo for 9 years, we're taking steps to make it even easier (and less expensive) for you to visit us.

Our next door neighbors were kind enough to let our guests use their outdoor lot - FOR FREE - on evenings and weekends! 🎉

🕓 Here’s the Deal:
- Weekdays: Free parking after 4 PM
- Weekends: Free parking after 10 AM
- 7 days a week: Be sure to get your car out by midnight before the gate locks!

We're very happy to be able to do this for our tap room guests. We hope to see you soon. 🍻

We know you're not going to wait until kickoff to crack a beer, so start your Sunday morning off right! MAKE ME WANNA STOUT Coffee & Cream Stout is back!

We released a limited batch of Make Me Wanna Stout this week. Pick some up at our tap room or wherever you buy Big Ditch beer!

Great News! Our "Summer Inflation Buster Menu" has been extended through Fall!

When we launched our "Summer Inflation Buster Menu", we aimed to provide a high quality option at a more affordable price just about every day of the week, without compromising the quality and tap room experience you've come to expect from Big Ditch. Based on the overwhelming response and the positive customer feedback, it's safe to say that we were successful in doing that.

Join us and enjoy the same great experience at a great price, all season long. Hope to see you soon.

Our tap room is always closed on Labor Day so our staff can enjoy a day off.

The tap room is such a different place when it's empty. It's normally such a busy and bustling place that it's easy to overlook what an interesting space it is visually.

We work hard all year and don't take many days off. But this is one of those days that we're happy to relax and enjoy a quiet day, as the quiet days really make us appreciate the busy ones even more.

We hope Western New York has had a nice, quiet day as well. We'll be back at it tomorrow.

If there's ever a perfect day to burn, this is it. Happy Labor Day, friends.

Our tap room is closed today to give our crew a chance to unplug. We'll be back on Tuesday at 11am!

We rarely brew beers on Sundays - but today is a special day, as we're brewing a "wet hop" beer using hops from our friends at Koester Hops in Eden, NY.

We've known and worked with the Koester family for over 7 years. Dan, Nancy (pictured here) and Greg (also pictured) own the largest hop farm in Erie County.

A wet hop beer is special because it utilizes hops picked right off the bine directly into the beer. Most hops are dried and pelletized before use. This preserves most of what's good from hops, but there's nothing like the aroma of freshly picked hops. The Koesters harvested these Vista hops (a relatively newer variety) just for our use today.

You can't store wet hops for long or they will decompose - hence our brew today. We're using a crazy amount of these hops in a small batch of this wet hop beer. The beer will be ready in late September and served at a festival that will occur towards the end of Buffalo Beer Week.

We're lucky that we live in an area capable of growing hops, and also in an area that appreciates good beer. Thanks Koester family! Cheers!

PROST! 🍻 Oktoberfest is here!

Get ready to celebrate - our OKTOBERFEST Bavarian-style Lager is now on tap and available in 4-packs at the taproom! Limited quantities are also heading out to retailers, so keep an eye out at your local spots.

Plus, grab one of our exclusive glass tankards! Available at the taproom or order online before they’re gone.

https://www.bigditchbrewing.com/order-beer-online

Syracuse! Find us at BREWFEST 🍻

We will be setting up at Crazy Daisies for their BREWFEST on Saturday, September 14th from 1PM - 4PM inside their greenhouse! We are excited to share our delicious brews with all you beer lovers. Tap the link below to purchase tickets. Only a limited supply available!

https://crazydaisiesflowers.com/event/brewfest/

Get ready to hoist those steins! Our Oktoberfest Bavarian-style Lager will be available THIS FRIDAY 8/30 at the tap room on draft and in 4-packs. Limited distribution beginning next week. 🍻🍻🍻

Celebrate local beer and support a great cause with us!

We're pouring at the VIP Craft Beer Fundraiser during the National Buffalo Wing Festival. Enjoy exclusive tastings from us and other local breweries for the ultimate festival experience.

Best of all, your ticket helps support Hope Rises and Mafia Babes

Get your VIP ticket to join us on Saturday, August 31 at Highmark Stadium!

bit.ly/wf24craftbeer

We always have some draft-only beers available at the tap room. Stop by and try something different! Currently available and pictured here from left to right:
Natural Blonde - Belgian-style Blonde Ale (6.2%)
Beer That Tastes Like Beer - Dark English Mild (3.8%)
Clearly Confused - Blonde Stout (6.3%)
Squeezer - Dry-hopped Kettle Sour (4.4%)

We're not wishing summer away, but we are VERY excited about the return of our favorite fall beers.

No Punts Intended (American Pilsner) & Slayburner (Hayburner with Blood Oranges) are available now! Cinnamon Apple (Amber Ale) & Make Me Wanna Stout (Coffee and Cream Stout) are on the way! Stay tuned for release announcements. And don't worry, we've got some special limited releases in the works for you too! 🍻

Happy Hour from 3PM to 6PM every Thursday at the tap room!

Did you miss $0.75 wings on Monday? No worries. Our wings are on our appetizer menu, which means they are only $1 each today. And if you're like us and enjoy a couple beers with your wings, Thursdays might be an even better deal!

The next Big Ditch Run Club 2024 is Monday!

Join us for a 3 or 4 mile run followed by drinks and food at the tap room! Big Ditch Run Club is just for fun and all runners and fitness levels are welcome!

Runs start at 6:00pm. Just show up a few minutes early, sign in, and be ready to go at 6:00. There will be a 3 mile and 4 mile route each week. Melina from Next Level Running will provide route maps and lead the run. There will be beer and food specials for runners each week when you finish! (Plus it's $.75 wing night!)

See you Monday! 🏃🍻🍗

We’re hiring an Assistant General Manager for our Lockport tap room!

As we continue to get ready to open in Lockport, we’re in need of some great people to join our team! We’re currently looking to hire an Assistant General Manager for our Lockport tap room. Head to our website for all the info and to apply. (Link below)

We’ll begin hiring for all other positions soon so keep an eye out. We’ll announce any new positions on social media and our website.

https://www.bigditchbrewing.com/jobs

If you crack this can when the moon is out,
This special Hayburner will make you shout.
The greatest smell is in the air,
The hops from forty thousand beers,
With blood oranges added from many trees,
This Slayburner IPA will surely impress thee.

We’re giving you plenty of time to get stocked up for spooky season. Slayburner (Hayburner with blood oranges) is available now! You can find Slayburner at our tap room now and it is making its way across our distribution network as we speak. (Draft and 6-Packs)

Happy Friday! The preseason is officially underway and No Punts Intended is back for the season!

Because sometimes the best defense is a good offense. No Punts Intended is an easy drinking pilsner brewed with American barley and Cascade hops and meant for crushing during long touchdown drives. 4.7% ABV.

No Punts Intended is available now at our tap room and making its way across our distribution network as we speak. (Draft and 6-Packs)

Hey Lockport! If you're going to the LKPT Food Fest on Sunday be sure to head over to The Lock Tender between 3PM and 6PM for a Big Ditch Tap Takeover!

August brunch specials are live! This month, we're featuring the following specials every Sunday during brunch:

Strawberry Ricotta Waffle - Toasted Belgian waffle topped with sweetened ricotta cheese, fresh cut strawberries, berry vision sauce, fresh mint.

Maple Chorizo Breakfast Hash - Grilled chorizo sausage, sweet potatoes, peppers, onions, and seasoned breakfast potatoes topped with two eggs cooked any style.

Brunch runs every Sunday from 10AM- 2PM at the tap room!

Last call for Pineapple Burner this year. Grab some while you still can!

The hardware has arrived! Perfect timing, too. This year, Dayburner took Silver in the Session IPA category at the 2024 U.S. Open Beer Championship - The 3rd largest beer competition in the US!

We'll definitely be sipping on Dayburner while cheering on Team USA! Cheers, friends! 🥈🍻🏆🎉

Your guide to a wallet-friendly Thursday downtown in August:
✅ Explore Buffalo’s Free Thursday walking tours w/ Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation
✅ Big Ditch Brewing Company's Inflation Buster Menu

Every Thursday, Big Ditch’s Inflation Buster menu includes $10 lunch deals (11am-2pm) and $5 drafts/$10 Appetizers for happy hour (4pm-6pm)! Before or after grabbing a bite, take advantage of a free Downtown walking tour with Explore Buffalo. Their offerings change each week with tours covering topics like Buffalo’s famous architects, downtown art, and even Buffalo’s scandalous side.

Things got a little... strange... at the brewery today.

More info coming soon.

Let Big Ditch host your fantasy draft party! We have the perfect private space to accommodate you and your friends.

Packages include:

- Use of our “Canal Room” for four hours (The room can host up to 22 people and includes an 80” TV, WIFI, and conference phone)
- Two hours open bar
- Food station with wings, pretzels and pizzas

Available slots are filling up fast. Contact [email protected] with questions or to book your party.