Resting

Well, as much as one can rest when one owns a brewery.

Buffalo Beer Week is done! It was fun, so much fun, but also a good deal of work and Ethan and Rudy in particular are going to enjoy a few nights at home.

Rutherford is gone, at least for now. Last week there was still a splash left at retail, but the last growler has been poured. He is no more.

As for the rest of our Beer Week offerings, it’s a mixed bag.

• In A Van, our collaboration with Flying Bison, is on its last legs. If you want some, it might be best to stop in today.
• Wet Frank, our pale ale “wet hopped” with fresh Centennial hops from McCollum Orchards, is similarly limited.
• Singularity (Columbus), the first in our single hop IPA series, is still available. Not for long, but stop in this week to get some!
• Mr. Superfantastisch, the 3.5% abv Berlinerweisse that’s taken the nation, or at least the local beer scene, by storm, is still available in a limited amount. Because it’s very limited and was a labor of love, it’s only available in half growlers, for $12. (Those of you with prepaid growler cards, they’ll count as a punch)

Planning

We’re not resting for long, though. Oh no. We’ve got schemes. Plots. Machinations.

Our setup at the Beer Geek Festival, with Suicidal Saucy Bully Holiday pouring

It’s October now, meaning fall is in full swing. Leaves are falling, the air is growing colder and overnight a fine dusting of nutmeg has appeared on every visible surface. Our summer seasonal is gone, and so it’s natural to inquire about its autumnal counterpart.

Will we be making an Oktoberfest? No.

Will we be making a pumpkin beer? No, although I think I’m going to do a blog post about drinking quite a lot of them.

Will we even be making a fall seasonal at all, you ask, throwing your hands in the air in an exasperated fashion? No.

Instead of tying ourselves down to one beer, we’re going to play the field for the season. (Is that a sports metaphor? I didn’t mean it to be.) September was filled with a wealth of one-offs, the spoils of which are still available. October, well, Rudy has plans for October. And in November we’ll have Heatrays, our barleywine made for sharing at Thanksgiving.

The end of Bidwell

As fall sees the death of foliage, I guess it’s also pretty dreary on our end. “Rutherford is dead!” “No seasonal!” “Bidwell is almost over!” I mean, I dig Halloween and skeletons as much as the next guy, but we’re really taking it to the next level.

Because yes, this is the final month that you’ll find us at the Bidwell farmer’s market for the season. Come May we’ll be back, but in the meantime it’s going to be too cold, too dreary.

Starting November 2nd, Saturdays we’ll be open at the brewery 11-4.

That should give you plenty of time to come in for growlers, while still providing us plenty of time to see our families. The best of both worlds! They forget what we look like, sometimes.

See you this week for a superfantastisch time.