> by brian campbell

With new breweries and distilleries popping up around the Buffalo Niagara region on a regular basis, it might be hard to keep track of where you should be drinking and what new spaces are looming on the horizon.

Buffalo Niagara Enterprise (BNE), a non-profit organization that provides comprehensive economic development assistance to new and existing companies throughout Western New York, seeks to remedy that problem with their What’s Brewing in Buffalo Niagara Brewery/Distillery map, a handy reference guide to the numerous craft breweries and distilleries that dot the WNY landscape, as well as suppliers of malts, hops, and fruits for brewing.

“BNE’s ‘What’s Brewing in Buffalo Niagara’ marketing piece was developed in response to expressions of interest from craft brewers across the country, an industry that contributed $33.9 billion to the U.S. economy in 2012, $2.3 billion of that here in New York State alone,” said Paul Pfeiffer, Director of Investor and Public Relations at Buffalo Niagara Enterprise. “The growth of the micro-brewing industry in the Buffalo Niagara region is another unique quality of life asset and business opportunity that has captured national attention while shining a very positive light on the community and we are pleased to actively promote it,” Pfeiffer added.

According to Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, craft beer brewing represents a unique opportunity for the Buffalo Niagara region, aligning with a wide spectrum of economic development initiatives, proving to be a generator of jobs and economic impact for communities.

“New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has worked over the past few years to make market conditions favorable for new brewing operations and the Buffalo Niagara region is seeing the rebirth of an industry that once supported the claim of Buffalo as ‘Saloon capital of the World,’ BNE adds. “Brewing is a part of Buffalo’s industrial heritage and looks to be instrumental in its future.”

Heading as far south as Olean (Four Mile Brewing), Jamestown (Southern Tier Brewing) and Westfield (Five & 20 Spirits & Brewing), to as far north as Wilson (Woodcock Brothers), Gasport (Becker Brewing) and Barker (Barker Brewing), the map touches on all of the spots you need to be drinking at, while not forgetting those destinations located in-between (Resurgence Brewing, Community Beer Works, Big Ditch Brewing Company, Hamburg Brewing, Flying Bison).

The “What’s Brewing in Buffalo Niagara” map, recently updated and refreshed after initially being released in June 2014, is broken into five categories, Breweries—Open, Breweries—Under Construction, Distillery—Open, Distillery—Under Construction and Supplier—Fruit/Malts/Hops—Open. In addition to the location of each brewery, distillery and supplier on the map, their corresponding websites and Twitter handles can also be found.

Buffalo Niagara Enterprise is located at 665 Main Street, Buffalo and can be reached by phone at 1-800-916-9073, fax at (716) 842-1724 or email by info@buffaloniagara.org.