Cheers for Beer (Fests)
Monday, March 10th, 2008 by HannahYesterday a few of us met up for the annual trip the the Buffalo Raceway Beer Fest at the Hamburg Fairgrounds. We packed up some Keg Security T Shirts and piles of Draft Magazines and hit the road. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, beyond beer, but I’m always up for a day of fine brews, so “working” on Sunday was not an issue in the least. I was also unsure as to whether there would be much of a turnout, since all of Western New York had been completely dumped on by a winter storm the day before. But, much to my delight, Buffalonians arrived in hoards - feet of snow never slows us down (how ever could I have thought otherwise?)!
The beer fest was four hours of tastings and incessant beer chatter. I met homebrewers, home bar owners, connoisseurs and the like. And the beer? Oh my, the beer. Some fantastic breweries came to show their stuff - Flying Bison, Custom Brewcrafters, Ithaca Beer Company, Magic Hat, Yuengling, Saranac Beers… the list goes on. Consumer’s Beverage Centers brought a sampling from a number of breweries, including Great Lakes Brewing Company. I had the pleasure of tasting Great Lakes’ winter seasonal Blackout Stout - a dark, rich, creamy Russian Imperial stout with heavy notes of bitter chocolate and coffee, topped with a thick tan head - my personal favorite of the day. The CascaZilla “Monstrously Hoppy” Red Ale from Ithaca Beer Company was a treat too! To be honest, I was pleased with each and every beer I sampled. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday.
Check out more photos from the Buffalo Raceway Beer Fest here, on Buffalo.com.
Cheers!
TAGS [ BEER FEST | BEER REVIEW | BEER TASTING ]


smoky charcoal flavors. With its strong whiskey flavor and heat; this is definitely a beer for whiskey lovers. My wife, who is not a fan of whiskey, did not find the beer all that pleasant. I would recommend this unique Flying Dog to adventurous beer drinkers who appreciate whiskeys and are not afraid of a beer that bites back. 
Overall, a very balanced and drinkable ale on the strong side (alc. 6.4%). My friend was glad to note that there were no spices or added flavors like a lot of other companies winter ales. 


