Shane Carley Brewery Name: Big Ditch Brewing Company Type of Brewery: Brewpub Location: 55 East Huron St, Buffalo, NY Website: http://www.bigditchbrewing.com/ Facebook: Big Ditch Brewing Company Twitter: @bigditchbrewing Instagram: @bigditchbrewing Background: Background is definitely necessary here, because this will be a slightly different sort of post. I've never been to Big Ditch Brewing Company (in fact, the only time I have ever been in Buffalo was for a friend's wedding a year or so ago). I can't speak to the vibe of the taproom. I can't speak to the quality of the food. I just haven’t had the opportunity. What I HAVE had the opportunity to do is try some of their beer. Thanks to a friend-of-a-friend, I was able to get my hands on some beers from one of Big Ditch’s first ever canning runs. Although Buffalo locals are no doubt well acquainted with Big Ditch's taproom offerings, a recent expansion has finally given the brewery the opportunity to can and distribute their beers. Needless to say, I was thrilled for the chance to snag some fresh brews from one of their very first runs. The Beers: For the moment, Big Ditch cans three beers: an IPA, a golden ale, and a brown ale. Those are three pretty unobjectionable styles, and it doesn’t shock me at all that they've chosen to distribute beers with wide consumer appeal. The other nice thing about this selection is the fact that, by not just canning three different pale ales, as some breweries are prone to do, Big Ditch gives consumers a much wider impression of what they can do.
As I said, as far as I know, these are the only three beers that Big Ditch cans, so unfortunately they were the only beers I was able to get my hands on. But if these distributed offerings are indicative of the overall quality of beer at Big Ditch, I may have to plan another trip out to Buffalo. A quick look at Big Ditch’s social media accounts tells me that they have a delicious-sounding double IPA on tap, as well as a few unique, creative beers, including a cinnamon apple amber ale and a session wheat. All of those things sound delicious, and I hope to have the chance to try them sometime. Final Thoughts: I am very, very impressed. I went into this not knowing much about Big Ditch, and I came away convinced that, the next time I'm in Buffalo, this will be my first stop. Not only are the beers they've chosen to distribute excellent, but everything else on their tap list looks delicious as well. Their facility is gorgeous, and I hope to be able to check it out for myself sometime soon. Even their food menu is enticing! There’s so much to love about Big Ditch, and I’m thrilled to have been introduced to them at a time when so much seems to be going right for them. New cans, new distribution, big expansion...I don’t know what else to say besides "well done!" -- Shane Don't forget to follow us on social media!
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Brian York Brewery Name: Revolution Brewing Type of Brewery: Retail Brewery Location: Chicago, Illinois Website: http://www.revbrew.com/ Facebook: Revolution Brewing Twitter: @RevBrewChicago Instagram: @revbrewchicago Background: I absolutely love Chicago. Probably would be my favorite city and place I'd most like to live if not for the winters. I know, I know, I'm a wuss about cold weather, and I'm totally fine with that. Anyway, I was in Chicago for a brief work trip and knew I had to take advantage and try some local brews. Before I get too far into this, let me say that Chicago beer as a whole BLEW MY MIND. There was so much amazing beer, and every local bar had a half-dozen different highly rated local-only brews on tap. Before my trip, I consulted a few people I know in the city (and resident Together We Drink expert Pete) about what the "must-trys" were. I got a list of brews that I was able to track down, but in terms of breweries to actually go to, Revolution was the one that kept showing up on every recommendation list. That’s what decided it, and I'm happy to say I still trust everyone after taking their advice and checking out Revolution. Growlers: Big yes on growlers, and plenty of cans/bottles to take home as well. The Beers: Per my normal method, I tried everything Revolution had to offer the day I visited the taproom. Here are some of the highlights:
Vibe: Revolution has two locations to choose from when visiting. I chose to go to the taproom, which is more of a production brewery vibe. The alternative is their brewpub, which serves a full food menu. I wanted to try to hit both for the sake of getting the full Revolution experience, but ran out of time and only got to the taproom. Revolution's Taproom is an amazing glimpse into the world of large-production craft beer. I had seen Revolution brews throughout the city, but it's not a brewery I was familiar with before visiting. Their brewing section made it clear that this is a big operation pumping out a lot of beer. It's got a very industrial vibe, fitting for the city, with high-rafter ceilings, massive walls of barrels, a concrete floor, and a giant bar with shuffleboard tables if you need to stand up for a few. My visit came at a bit of a weird time since I was on my way to the airport, but I was able to catch the early side of happy hour and the crowd seemed to be largely made up of regulars who knew this space very well. I could absolutely see myself at this venue regularly if I had the access. They offer complimentary brewery tours almost every day of the week, and structure the taproom menu so that you can try as many beers as possible without breaking the bank. Tons of good swag and neat beer-related products are available both at the brewery and online. The space is designed to handle quite a crowd, and looks like it'd be ideal for large groups and events. Price ($ to $$$$$): $. I didn't think you could possibly find craft beer, especially in a major city, for this cheap. Tasters were a couple bucks and their full pours are mostly at $5 apiece. Food: Popcorn! If you are looking for food with Revolution beer, you'll want to head over to the brewpub. Free popcorn from a carnival style stand is a nice touch, though! Final Thoughts: You have to go if you're ever in Chicago. It's on the way to O'Hare, so just make it work. I had a ton of good Chicago-area beer, but as far as breweries in the city, this has got to be one of the best available. The space is great, the beer is great, and there's really nothing not to love about it! -- York Don't forget to follow us on social media!
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