The Best Beer I Drank This Week

This week on The Best Beer I Drank This Week, Brian heads back to the silos on Elk Street to revisit a brewery that has delivered hit after hit: Briar Brothers Brewing Company. It’s been too long since a Briar beer made it onto the show, so we’re fixing that today with their New England IPA Desk Pop — a soft, creamy, citrus-loaded hazy inspired by The Other Guys (yes, “aim for the bushes” makes an appearance).

Brian talks about first grabbing a mixed four-pack during a recent brewery stop, how fast this one disappeared, and why he wishes he’d bought more. If you’re a hazy IPA fan or a Briar Brothers regular, this one should be on your radar.

Beer Details

Desk Pop – New England IPA

Briar Brothers Brewing Company

ABV: 7.5%

Hops: Simcoe, El Dorado, Mosaic, Citra

Flavors:

• Honeydew and cantaloupe
• Dried tangerine
• Soft, pillowy mouthfeel
• Smooth tropical fruit and citrus layered over expressive hop character

What Brian Thought:

A standout hazy from a brewery that rarely misses. Rich, creamy, extremely smooth finish, and a balance of hop expression + fruit flavors that pops (pun fully intended).

Find It

Draft + cans at Briar Brothers Brewing Company (check for current availability — it goes fast).

Located at The Silos at Elk Street, Buffalo.

Support the Podcast

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Other ways to support:

• Rate & review (5⭐ goes a long way!)
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• Tell Brian the best beer YOU drank this week, and get featured on the show.

Closing

Thanks for hanging out for another episode! New beers and new episodes drop every Tuesday on The Best Beer I Drank This Week. Next week’s beer is already on Brian’s shortlist — see you then.

Cheers!

This week on The Best Beer I Drank This Week, Brian spotlights a beautifully simple, elegant lager: Traditional, a Czech Pilsner from Belt Line Brewery & Kitchen. It’s the kind of pour that looks perfect in a dimpled mug with two fingers of foam—and tastes even better with Belt Line’s 716 Medium wings (a pairing you’ll hear more about in Brian’s upcoming taproom pairings piece).

He first revisited it on a birthday brewery bus stop and has since gone back for multiple rounds. Expect a crisp, classic profile with just enough bready snap to keep you coming back.

Beer Details

Traditional – Czech/Bohemian Pilsner

Belt Line Brewery & Kitchen — ABV: 4.8%

• Light, crisp, highly drinkable
• Cracker malt, light bread crust/toast point
• Clean, slightly dry finish; elegant foam in a dimpled mug
• Draft at the brewery (check for current availability)

Find It

On draft at Belt Line Brewery & Kitchen. If/when cans appear, Brian’s grabbing them—so should you.

Support the Show

• Facebook: facebook.com/TheBuffaloBeerLeague
• X: @BuffBeerLeague
• Instagram/Threads/Untappd: @BuffaloBeerLeague
• Read: BuffaloBeerLeague.com
• Email Brian: [email protected]
• Rate & review the show (5⭐ helps a ton)
• Amazon link: BuffaloBeerLeague.com/amazon
• Call the Hotline: 716-486-BEER — tell us your best beer this week!

In this special episode, Brian recaps Bottles & Bites at Statler Buffalo (Nov 13). He, Jesse, and Scott hit GA this year—easy entry, stellar venue, and a strong mix of food, beer, wine, and canned cocktails. Pre-game was at Southern Tier Buffalo (Mediterranean Burger + Ghost Note IPL = clutch).

Highlights

Beer stops & standouts:

• Mystic Hills & Schulz Bräu to start
• Hofbräuhaus Munich Oktoberfest (most-poured of the night)
• Big Ditch Kringle Juice IPA (keg kicked—drinking great)
• Resurgence Holiday Ale & Sipmo as the roaming pour

Food bites (from memory… because they went fast):

• Chef’s stuffed shells; meatballs
• Beef on weck; open-face Reubens
• Hofbräuhaus pretzels with beer cheese (until the cheese ran out)
• Hanson's sausage
• A surprise drunken pineapple upside-down cornbread that slapped

Venue vibes:

Statler remains an all-timer—opulent main hall, helpful mezzanine seating, live music, satellite bars. (Also wild personal note: same room as Brian’s high-school prom.)

Room for Improvement

• For a 2.5-hour GA window (6–8:30pm), several food vendors began packing up 8:10–8:15; by 8:30 many were gone. That’s tough for attendees.
• More visible rinse/water stations would help, especially with beer → cocktails → wine hopping.

Tips for Next Year

• Consider VIP if you want the widest food selection before lines/stock dip.
• Hit beer first, then food—then loop back for a dessert splash.
• If Statler opens the mezzanine, grab a perch early.

Support the Show

• Facebook: facebook.com/TheBuffaloBeerLeague
• X: @BuffBeerLeague
• Instagram/Threads/Untappd: @BuffaloBeerLeague
• Read: BuffaloBeerLeague.com
• Email Brian: [email protected]
• Rate & review the show
• Amazon link: BuffaloBeerLeague.com/amazon
• Hotline: 716-486-BEER — What was your Bottles & Bites favorite?

Closing

Thanks to everyone who said hi and to the folks who came because of Brian’s recs—means the world. Back next Tuesday with a beer-focused episode. Cheers!

In this week’s episode of The Best Beer I Drank This Week, Brian from the Buffalo Beer League spotlights a true Western New York classic: Premium Pilsner from Resurgence Brewing Company.

This 5% Czech-style pilsner has become a staple pour around Buffalo, whether in cans, on draft, or—when you're lucky—on side-pull at places like Nickel City Cigars. Brian breaks down why this lager works in every format, what makes it different from Bridge Pils, and why he keeps going back to it.

He also shares a few recent places he’s enjoyed it (including a fantasy-football beer prize) and explains why this may be the most consistently crushable lager in Resurgence’s lineup.

Beer Details

Premium Pilsner – Resurgence Brewing Company

Style: Czech-Style Pilsner

ABV: 5%

Brewed with hand-selected Saaz hops and a triple-decoction mash for fuller mouthfeel and head retention. Floral, earthy, crisp, clean, and endlessly drinkable.

How to Support the Show

✅ Follow the Buffalo Beer League on social:

Facebook: facebook.com/TheBuffaloBeerLeague

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Instagram / Threads / Untappd: @BuffaloBeerLeague

✅ Read the latest articles: BuffaloBeerLeague.com

Hello everyone! Brian from the Buffalo Beer League here with another edition of The Best Beer I Drank This Week!

Before we dive into this week’s feature, I want to thank many friends at Iron Tug Brewing for calling into the Buffalo Beer League Hotline — love hearing from you! If you want to join in on the fun, you can call 716-486-BEER and leave me a voicemail about the best beer you drank this week. You might just hear yourself on a future episode.

This week, I’m spotlighting Citra Snaps from Other Half Brewing, the latest entry in their incredible Snap Series of lagers. Brewed specially for Citra Week, this beer shows off one of craft beer’s most iconic hops in all its glory.

Citra Snaps swaps out Mosaic and Saphir for 100% Citra hops, delivering bright, soft notes of orange, lychee, and tropical fruit. It’s 4.5% ABV, crisp, and clean — the kind of beer that reminds you how refreshing a well-made lager can be.

I first had this one at my nephew’s birthday party, which doubles as our family Halloween celebration. My buddy Jesse brought some cans, and it quickly became the hit of the party. Everyone loved it — myself, Scott, Jesse, even our friend Kyle. If you’ve enjoyed other Snap Series beers like Poetry Snaps, Lime Snaps, Yuzu Snaps, or the classic Snaps, you’ll absolutely love this one.

Each new version somehow seems better than the last, and for me, Citra Snaps is the best yet — bursting with hop character, easy-drinking, and perfect for any occasion.

You can still find Citra Snaps on draft and in cans at Other Half Buffalo (inside Seneca One Tower). Grab it while you can — it was brewed in limited quantities for Citra Week!

If you try it, or if you’re brewing something cool like our friends at Iron Tug, call the Buffalo Beer League Hotline at 716-486-BEER and let me know what you think.

As always:

• Follow @BuffaloBeerLeague on Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, and Untappd
• Visit BuffaloBeerLeague.com for news, reviews, and events
• Email me at [email protected]
• And please rate and review the podcast — five stars really help!

Thanks for listening and for the great call-ins from Iron Tug Brewing! I’ll be back next Tuesday with another great local beer right here on the WNY Brews Podcast Channel.

Cheers! 🍻