87 Chandler Street Breweries

In the wake of the heartbreaking news that Chandler Street Breweries has closed its doors, shuttering Community Beer Works, Thin Man Brewery, and Smoldered Society Beer Co. for good—Brian sits down for a special, cathartic retrospective. Instead of spotlighting just one pour, Brian cracks open the Untappd archives and goes down a 20-minute rabbit hole celebrating the iconic beers, milestone releases, and unforgettable memories that helped build modern Buffalo craft brewing. Over at Community Beer Works, looking through check-ins dating back to the garage on Lafayette behind that famous green door brought back a rush of classics: the Mosaic-hopped Singularity IPA (their highest-rated beer on Untappd); vintages of Heatrays American Barleywine (2013 and 2017); taproom staples like De Maas, Rutherford B. Haze, and Stout Affective Disorder; historical pours like Pantomime Horse and The Snow Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout; and two all-time desert-island favorites in Mr. Superfantastisch Berliner Weisse and Rutherford Brett Haze. There were also game-day memories tied to the Bills 2022 can series, Party Mountain IPA with Big Ditch, Double Interrobang DIPA, and cask pours of The Whale with espresso. Moving over to Thin Man, it was no shock to see Bliss DIPA standing tall at the top of the list—the first beer Brian ordered when the Elmwood taproom opened, and the very last one he drank the day it closed in 2023. Other unforgettable standouts include Grapefruit Pills, Filthy Flow IPA with Mikkeller, The Golden Tear (brewed with Brewed & Bottled for Flogging Molly at Artpark), Sci-Fi Hamster Wheel with Galaxy, Das Schutenfest Rye Barrel Imperial Märzen, and barrel-aged juggernauts like Blend-o-Tron, Forever Cordial, Awesome Jenkins, and Splunkenheimer. And who could forget Brewer's Cheese, the Bellwoods collab DIPA brought home from an early "Brewcation" to drink during the 2018 NFL Draft when the Bills picked Josh Allen? Finally, Brian pays tribute to Smoldered Society, the short-lived but fiercely loved imprint where he drank nearly every release. The highlights include Strike Anywhere Czech Pilsner (and its Czech Dark Lager counterpart, Into the Dark); Do a Kickflip light lager with yuzu (collab with Frequentem); two killer versions of Mass Delusion DIPA; Balrog Triple IPA; and favorites like Illusion of Safety, Automotive Sentience, Better Lagers, and Battery in a Sock. While seeing three pillar brands disappear hurts deeply, the community, the friendships, and the liquid legacy they built in Western New York will never be forgotten. For Brian's full personal reflection on the closures, be sure to check out his latest column over on the website. Connect With the Buffalo Beer League Website: BuffaloBeerLeague.com Hotline: 716-486-BEER (2337) Email: [email protected] Socials: @BuffaloBeerLeague (IG/Untappd/Threads) | @BuffBeerLeague (X) Dedicated Show IG: @thebestbeeridrankthisweek