This is an archived copy of what was originally posted on Facebook.
After a couple of great nights in the Finger Lakes, Friday night brought us into Buffalo, NY for a stint at Flying Bison Brewing Company. Flying Bison has been around for some time, but the current brewery and taproom is only a few years old. As you can see in the photos, it is a sizable facility, with the brewing operation taking up most of the space, then a glass wall separates the brewery from large taproom/beer hall, so the brewing operation can be seen from the retail area. There is also a patio and garden area, but as it was mid-October we were inside on this night.
Flying Bison Brewing Company - Buffalo, NY
Beers are distributed throughout the region.
Played: 10/19/18
The brewery seemed to do a pretty brisk business, between regulars and several tour buses that visited throughout the evening. The clientele ran from college aged on up, and the taproom was also dog-friendly, so a few curious pooches were also on hand.
On this night they had 14 brews on tap, running the gamut of styles. I started with the Zeal! Hazy IPA (4.5%), which was a hazy session IPA made exclusively with New Zealand hops. It was a nice light hazy IPA, with those hops bringing in a nice combo of piney and citrusy tones. Being a rather low ABU session ale, it was designed to serve you faithfully through the long haul... it was tasty enough to keep you interested, but light enough so you could drink it all night.
Next up was the 716 IPA (6.4%) which was considerably bolder than the Zeal, packed a flavorful punch full of grapefruit references up front, and was a bit earthy on the finish.
Bisonfest Oktoberfest Lager (6.3%) was perhaps my favorite of the night. It poured a little darker than many Oktoberfests, and it's light-to-medium body carried a malt-forward flavor that then gave way to the hops on the back end. Medium carbonation combined with the lighter body made it a very easy drink for an Oktoberfest, a style with sometimes comes across as a bit to malty and sappy for my tastes, but this one was very drinkable and enjoyable.
My final beer of the night was another favorite, the Sport Coffee Stout (8%). An Imperial outmeal stout brewed with Sulawesi coffee provided by Buffalo's Spot Coffee Roasters, this was fine coffee stout, dark and rich with a foamy head, creamy texture, and a very well balanced mix of the stout flavor and coffee addition. This was a perfect brew to finish off the evening, rich and flavorful, and heavy enough to sit well in the belly with a satisfied feeling to end the night with.
Flying Bison's beer hall was fun to play, and owner Tim Herzog and staff were very friendly and accommodating folks, and I very much look forward to visiting again in the Spring when the outdoor area is open, as the place has a vibe that feels like it would work well under stars on a mild Spring night. If you're in the Buffalo area, put this place on your list for a great way to spend an afternoon or evening.
We next roll out of Buffalo, heading to Platform Beer Co - Columbus, OH....
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