Big Ditch Brings Big Flavor to Cans

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.

• Hayburner - American IPA - Big Ditch describes Hayburner as "a luscious and citrusy IPA, with primary notes of orange, melon, grapefruit, and a light, earthy finish," with a "firm bitterness...balanced by abundant late hop additions." And I have to say...I don’t think I could describe this beer any better if I tried. It’s light and fruity, with a huge orange/grapefruit aroma on the head and mellow, rounded melon flavor in the middle. While there is some amount of bitterness, it is expertly tempered by the late hop additions, which give it an incredibly smooth, easy to drink feel--and at 7% alcohol, that’s borderline dangerous. The most amazing thing to me is the hop combination in this beer. Big Ditch uses Warrior, CTZ, Cascade, Glacier, and Falconer’s Flight in the beer, and, honestly, there are a few hops in there that I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted at ALL, let alone in concert with each other.
  
  
• Low Bridge - Golden Ale - Golden ales are pretty hit or miss for me. It’s not my favorite style in general, but when it’s done right it can make for a really tasty beer. This right here is a golden ale done right. Nice, rounded flavor, with a good amount of fruit up front and the sort of crisp finish that you expect from German hops. Those German hops are combined with American hops to make a nice, full-bodied beer perfect to drink with any meal. I might not feel compelled to reach for more than one of these at a time, but it’s an easy drinker that pairs well with just about anything.
  
  
• Excavator - Rye Brown Ale - This is a dark, dark brown. It pours like a stout, and it has a healthy dose of chocolate flavor to it, too--enough that you might even mistake it for one. But that rye is unmistakable, and you can detect it right on the tip of your tongue from the moment you take your first sip, as well as on the finish. This beer is a study in contradictions: it pours heavy like a porter, drinks light like a brown, feels rich like a stout. I’m a big fan of browns in general, but a brown ale like this with a little something extra attached to it is a quick way to make an impression on me. Big Ditch has done an outstanding job developing some really rich flavors here, while still hovering on the right side of heavy. It’s easy to beat people over the head with flavor when it comes to stouts--but it takes a defter hand to do it with a brown.

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

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