Imbibe Inside History at these Buffalo Breweries
Buffalo’s brewing scene is pouring new life into the city’s storied past, proving that the best pints come with a side of history. Industrial relics, village blacksmith shops, and even theaters have been reimagined as vibrant, modern taprooms. Drop by for a cold one at these impressively restored spaces, where Buffalo’s heritage meets the Buffalo of today.
50 Elk St, Buffalo, NY 14210
Way back in 1894, William Kreiner opened a drying house for the brewing industry on Elk Street. Today, what’s old is new again, as BriarBrothers Brewing Company calls a portion of the ground floor at the Silos on Elk home. It’s a cozy spot to enjoy a pint on a rainy day, or, in the warmer months, to post up in an Adirondack chair on the patio as the silos tower above. A diverse tap list includes pale ales, lagers, and even hard seltzers. Thursday through Saturday evenings, Buffalo Deep Dish serves up Detroit-style and Chicago deep-dish pizzas.
5611 Main St, Williamsville, NY 14221
Britesmith Brewing takes its name from a faction of specialist blacksmiths who worked with “brite” metals like tin and pewter, which is entirely apt given its location in an 1800s blacksmith shop. Situated on Ellicott Creek in the Village of Williamsville, Britesmith’s two buildings—one is the brewpub, the other the brewery—are connected by a beer garden that bumps in the summer. Their Wills’ Pils earned a gold medal in the Traditional Light Lager category from the New York Brewers Association at the New York State Craft Beer Competition. Other frequently ordered pours include the Briteside IPA and the 7 Iron Stout.
55 Chicago St, Buffalo, NY 14204
Housed in the historic E&B Holmes Machinery Company complex, Resurgence Brewing Company breathes life into a 19th-century industrial landmark. This site once revolutionized the barrel-making industry through the award-winning inventions of the Holmes brothers, whose machinery modernized labor-intensive barrel-making. Today’s taproom is industrial chic, with exposed rafters, a mix of chandeliers and string lights, and towering fermentation tanks always on view. Many of Resurgence’s flavor profiles, like the Sponge Candy Stout and Loganberry Wit, are directly inspired by regional delicacies.
55 E Huron St, Buffalo, NY 14203
When entering Big Ditch’s inviting, window-rich space, it’s hard to imagine it used to feel more bunker than bright, as the downtown taproom is located in a former Verizon fleet maintenance building from the 1960s. Today, the main floor offers a bar, dining room, and a private event space. Upstairs you’ll find a toasty fireplace and beside it, a sweet shuffleboard table. Onsite, the company’s Innovation Brewery is responsible for limited release, specialty, and experimental beers, which are often only served in the taproom. Hayburner, an American IPA, is easily the most ordered Big Ditch beer in Western New York.
1221 E Lovejoy St, Buffalo, NY 14206
Located in the heart of the Lovejoy district, Buffalo Olde Brewery (affectionately known by many as B.O.B.) occupies two restored historic spaces—the former Olde Theater Building, built in 1890, and Propis Grill, a speakeasy during the Prohibition era. Today, the historic front bar remains a true time capsule, and throughout the space memorabilia honors Buffalo’s brewing past. Led by veteran brewmaster Tom Dargen, the brewery honors neighborhood lore with clean and classic pours like the Lovejoy Lager, brewed with all New York ingredients.
545 Swan St, Buffalo, NY 14204
Named after the historic Belt Line Railroad that once encircled the city, this brewery is housed in a massive 1910 structure that was originally a warehouse for the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company. Now the sunny brewpub offers a vegan-friendly menu and serves up popular pours like the Honey Kolch made with local honey and the Crosscut Oatmeal Stout, named for an original Belt Line passenger station.
166 Chandler Street, Buffalo, NY 14207
Collaborative spirit reigns at Chandler Street Breweries, where three beloved Buffalo beermakers—Thin Man, Community Beer Works, and Smoldered Society—have banded together to create something greater than the sum of their parts. As for the building itself, it was once a factory for Barcalo, a maker of tools and machinery that later pivoted into furniture. Its Barcaloungers were the first scientifically articulated reclining chairs, becoming a household name in the American furniture industry. Beer-wise, with three breweries under one roof, adventure away.
314 Myrtle Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14204
At an 1800s foundry, a stone’s throw across a parking lot from Belt Line Brewery, Buffalo Brewing Company is keeping Buffalo’s brewing history alive with great beer for good neighbors. On Myrtle, the tasting room is the heart of the brewery’s community presence. But over on Fillmore Avenue, it brews at the legendary Schreiber Brewing Company site, where Buffalo Brewing Company recreated Schreiber’s Manru Lager and revived the historic Simon Pure Pilsner from Buffalo’s William Simon Brewery, which operated from 1896 to 1972. Both are available at the taproom on Myrtle.
Grab a pint at each of 42 North’s two taprooms to discover nods to our region’s history at every turn. The original East Aurora taproom, housed in a repurposed former furniture store on Pine Street, features reclaimed wood from Buffalo’s Richardson Olmsted Campus. And its downtown location, 42 N at the Flats, opened inside a building dating back to 1895 that once served as a showroom for Wurlitzer organs made in nearby North Tonawanda. Both are perfect spots to enjoy beers like the Illumination Pilsener and the Asylum Porter.
