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Big Ditch Brewing Company

55 E Huron St, Buffalo, NY 14203 · Downtown · 4.6★ (1563)

Buffalo's largest brewery, built inside a former Verizon fleet-maintenance garage at Ellicott & Huron — a two-level, 200+ seat taproom plus rentable event spaces overlooking the brew floor.[1,2]

Noise level
Conversational.
Cover charge
Never.
Crowd
Big-group brewery crowd — a full kitchen and kids' menu keep it family-friendly by day.[2]
Live music
No fixed live-music schedule found. Has hosted a weekly Monday trivia night in the upstairs taproom (per a 2021 write-up) — check the site's events page to confirm it's still running.[6]
Outdoor seating
Yes — an enclosed patio behind garage doors overlooking Ellicott St.[3]
Parking
Nearby paid lots/garages plus street parking; check on-site signage for current lot access.
Reliability
Consistent

Good any night. Doesn't depend on a crowd or a scheduled event.

Best for

big groupcasual weeknighttrivia nightsunday brunchprivate event

Curator notes

  • Founded in 2011 by Matt Kahn and Corey Catalano, two biotech-lab coworkers who started homebrewing in a food-grade bucket; brewery veteran Wes Froebel joined as a partner.[1]
  • Opened for business in October 2014 selling kegs around Western New York before the taproom itself opened in summer 2015; canning started in 2016, followed by statewide NY distribution.[1][4]
  • The name nods to the Erie Canal's old nickname, "the Big Ditch." Investor Paul Iskalo helped convert a former Verizon fleet-maintenance facility at Ellicott & Huron into the brewery after more than a year of planning.[1]
  • Now Buffalo's largest brewery and one of New York's ten largest independent brewers, running three sites: a 20-barrel "Innovation Brewery" at the Huron St. taproom for limited releases, a 40-barrel production brewery on Oak St., and a second taproom in Lockport, NY.[1][5]
  • The Beer Hall private-event space (50-125 guests, 12-tap bar) opens via garage doors onto an enclosed patio over Ellicott St.; the smaller Brewer's Lounge upstairs holds up to 40.[3]
Sources

Cited for the details above — the [1] markers next to specific facts link to the exact source for that fact:

  1. About, Big Ditch Brewing (official site)
  2. Buffalo, Big Ditch Brewing (official site)
  3. Private Events, Big Ditch Brewing (official site)
  4. Local Guide: Big Ditch Brewing Company, New York By Rail
  5. Second Big Ditch Brewing location opens in Lockport, Yahoo News
  6. Trivia Night at Big Ditch Brewing Company, Buffalo Place (2021)