QUARANTINE CONTEST: FIND THE "CHOCOLATE HAYBURNER" CAN, WIN A CASE OF BEER EVERY MONTH FOR A YEAR

We're looking for fun new things to try, so here's one: a contest.

We had a few "Chocolate Hayburner" cans go through the canning line (same beer, dark brown can), which we're going to place in both a) one Hayburner six pack to be delivered somewhere in the Buffalo area, and b) one six pack in the Rochester area.

If you're lucky enough to find the Chocolate Hayburner can in a sixpack, you'll win a free case of Hayburner every month for the entire year. (we can't give away or mail free beer, so this will come in the form of a $500 gift card to our tap room).

Please SHARE via social media so your friends know to look for this. We don't want this prize to go unclaimed! Let us know if you find it and we'll post your info on our page. Thanks for playing, enjoy your Hayburner!

(No purchase necessary / Alternate Entry Method: send a self addressed stamped envelope to BDBC / c/o Chocolate Hayburner / 55 E Huron Street / Buffalo, NY 14203 with your contact info for an equal random chance to win - one entry per envelope is allowed - thanks!)

Emergency Blood Drive at Big Ditch Brewing

It's April 1st, and in most years, we'd have a joke for you today. But, as things have grown more serious, we have more serious work to attend to. Hence, today's announcement.

Via The Buffalo News, blood donations are critically low during the coronavirus outbreak as there is shortage of locations available for collection.

As we have a large and empty tap room available, we thought we'd help by providing a space for a blood drive via ConnectLife.

Blood drives will take place on both Wednesday April 8 and Tuesday May 12 from 12 - 6pm.

In order to provide safe social distancing, all blood donations are accepted by appointment only (no more than every 15 minutes apart) via registration on Connect Life's website:

www.connectlifegiveblood.org/index.cfm?group=op&HLC=000640

In addition, Big Ditch is donating a logoed pint glass and gift card redeemable for one pint of beer (after our restaurant reopens) for every person that signs up to donate. (A pint for a pint - get it?)

The blood drive will happen in our beer hall, separate from our retail sales, which will also be open at this time.

For more details check our facebook event as well: www.facebook.com/events/266607691007652

Thanks for doing your part to support our community in this time of need. Cheers.

Tap Room Shutdown / Retail Opening - 3/16/2020

Friends,

As you already know, beginning tonight at 8pm, in accordance with orders from NYS, our restaurant will be closed indefinitely. It breaks my heart to write this, even though we know it is the right thing to do.

However, we have several announcements regarding operations and staffing we’d like to provide.

1. Our production brewery will continue to operate. While we expect sales of draft beer to pretty much cease, we are already seeing spikes in demand for canned beer and as a result we are working to switch packaging of all beer in tanks from kegs to cans. We have plenty of capacity to can all of our beer, so you will continue to find Hayburner, Berry Vision, Low Bridge, and other seasonal products from us in six packs at WNY retailers.

2. Our tap room will be converted to a retail operation beginning on Wednesday 3/18 (closed on 3/17).

· Our retail hours will be 12pm-8pm, 7 days a week.

· Our retail cooler will continually be stocked with cans of our beer.

· Crowlers and growlers will continue to be available with current tap lists updated on our website: www.bigditchbrewing.com/currently-on-tap

· We have decided to price all crowlers and growlers at half price during this ordeal. This will cost approximately $5 - $9 a crowler fill and $6 - $12 for a growler fill (in person purchases only). Clean growlers will be sanitized by our staff before filling.

· We’ll be working on adding a mixed-six pack format to be priced at $11.99 per six pack.

· Our Tap Room will offer pickup services for food as well as beer. For a pickup order, please call ahead at 854-5050 ext 1. If requested, we will bring the food to your car, just give us a call when you get here and we’ll bring it out.

· Both food and beer are available for delivery via GrubHub, link here: www.bigditchbrewing.com/tap-room-1-2. We’re also working on adding DoorDash.

· We will continue to sell gift cards and merchandise online: https://big-ditch-brewing-company.square.site/

· All first responders and service industry workers are eligible for a 25% discount. (crowlers and growlers excluded since already discounted)

· Please remember to tip your server – this is more important now than ever.

3. Most importantly: our staff is Big Ditch and Big Ditch is our staff. One cannot exist without the other. We are working on progressive means of retaining as much of our staff as possible through this ordeal. At this time we are also actively working to find ways to provide some financial assistance for our tap room staff when they return from this temporary shutdown.

While these changes are difficult, we are committed to flattening the curve and keeping our guests, staff, and community safe. We are already looking forward to the first beer at our tap room when all of this passes.

Until then, stay safe, stay healthy, and thanks for your continued support.

Matt Kahn

President & Co-Founder

Celebrate Beer. Celebrate Buffalo.

Tap room controls to prevent the spread of COVID-19

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, in an effort to keep our guests and employees safe, we thought we’d try to be transparent about the additional measures we are putting in place in our attempts to #flattenthecurve.

Control of tap room capacity

While our hours of operations will remain the same, our normal tap room capacity will be reduced to 50%. Our hosts will keep an active count of number of employees and guests at all times. When the capacity of the tap room is reached, a sign will be placed at the exterior of our building to notify guests to not enter the building until guests leave. If needed, hosts will assist with letting guests know they can enter the building.

Inrcreased sanitization of tap room

While we have always worked very hard to keep our tap room clean and sanitized, we will be increasing our measures at this time.

• Staff will wash hands approximately every hour for a minimum of 20 seconds with soap.

• All tables will no longer be preset with silverware, salt and pepper shakers, or any other items. When a server greets a guest, they will bring the proper amount of silverware, along with menus.

• Silverware will be presented with single use paper napkins as opposed to cloth napkins.

• Food menus will be sanitized between each use. Beer menus will go to single use paper and disposed of after each use.

• Coasters will be discarded, to be replaced with single use beverage napkins.

• Both tables and seats will be sanitized after each use.

• All sauces (vinegar, hot sauce, ketchup, mustard, etc.) will be poured into single use ramekin containers.

• Salt and pepper will be presented to guests upon request only. Salt and pepper shakers are sanitized by wiping down between each guest use.

• Straws will be presented to guests upon request only. Straws will be wrapped.

• Bussers will be required to wear black gloves when bussing tables, due to interaction of multiple used silverware, glassware and plateware items. All other FOH staff members may wear black gloves during their shift at their request. Gloves must be changed when ripped or soiled.

• Hosts will sanitize exterior and interior door handles, railings, and push plates every hour.

We will keep abreast of the news and local ordinances, and adjust our plans as necessary. We apologize for the inconvenience, and like all of us, we hope to return to normal operation as soon as possible.

Big Ditch Brewing Company Announces Plans for Second Facility

• Dynamic expansion site identified as future location of world-class brewery and tap room in Western New York

• New operation will greatly increase production capacity, help meet existing demand, and support ongoing growth

• Existing downtown Buffalo brewery to remain open, with renewed focus on research, innovation, and development of new craft beer recipes and varieties

Big Ditch Brewing Company today officially announced that it is working with Iskalo Development Corp. on the development of a new world-class brewery and tap room to be located on Transit Road adjacent to the north side of I-90. With outstanding site visibility from both Transit Road and the Interstate, the project site offers significant exposure for the Big Ditch Brewing brand and is large enough to accommodate long-term company growth. Iskalo Development currently owns the project site and will develop the new facility for lease to Big Ditch Brewing Company. The existing downtown Buffalo brewery and tap room will remain in operation after completion of the new facility.

The proposed brewery is envisioned to serve as an anchor for the burgeoning craft beer tourism industry that has blossomed in the region over the past decade. The new building will tally approximately 105,000 sq. ft., of which a little more than half will be dedicated to a production brewery and company offices, with the balance of the building housing the tap room and dining areas. The project will also include an outdoor beer garden.

“The planning for this new facility has been extremely exciting and is a big step for our company,” stated Matt Kahn, president and co-founder of Big Ditch Brewing Company. “Demand for our beer continues to grow and more opportunities exist for expanded sales and distribution. That’s why this site expansion is so timely and necessary, as it will allow us to really ramp-up production.”

“The Transit Road project site is exceptional real estate”, stated Paul B. Iskalo, president & chief executive officer of Iskalo Development Corp. and fellow co-founder of Big Ditch Brewing Company. “We acted quickly to secure the property when it first became available, as we could see beyond its current appearance to envision its outstanding potential.”

The new brewery will be initially equipped for 50,000 barrels of annual production capacity. By comparison, Big Ditch Brewing Company’s current downtown Buffalo facility has a 15,000 barrel annual capacity. The existing location is presently brewing at maximum capacity with three shifts, 24 hours per day to meet demand. A new, larger canning line will also be included in the new building to complement the smaller line at the downtown facility.

“One of the hallmarks of the craft beer industry is product innovation,” stated Kahn. “The new facility will free up capacity at the downtown brewery and allow us to focus on research, innovation, and the development of new craft beers.”

The two-story front portion of the new building will feature dining areas on both floors. The tap room and beer hall areas will be located on the first floor together with a private dining room and retail store where beer and branded merchandise will be sold. The second floor will house additional tap room seating, the Brewer’s Lounge, three additional private dining/meeting rooms and a private event venue capable of entertaining over 200 guests. There will also be a Tasting and Education Room on the second floor leading to viewing areas above the brewing operation for group tours. Similar to the downtown location, the interior design of the building will continue to pay homage to the brewery’s namesake, the iconic Erie Canal.

“The new tap room would serve as the suburban complement to our highly successful Huron Street tap room, and the event venues that will be in the new building will allow us to host larger events than we’re currently able to accommodate at our downtown facility,” concluded Kahn.

Iskalo Development recently filed applications with the Erie County Industrial Development Agency and the Town of Cheektowaga related to the proposed project. The advancement of the effort is conditioned upon the successful outcome of these applications, with reviews anticipated to conclude within 60-to-90 days. Upon favorable approvals, Iskalo Development intends to proceed with demolition of the existing vacant buildings on the property. Construction of the new brewery would begin in mid-to-late summer with anticipated project completion in late-2021.

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About Big Ditch Brewing Company

Founded in 2014, Big Ditch Brewing Company is a Buffalo, NY based independent craft brewery named after “Clinton’s Big Ditch”, the nickname for the Erie Canal. Voted "Best Craft Brewery in New York State" in 2016 at the Tap NY festival, Big Ditch has quickly grown into one of the most successful craft breweries in New York. Big Ditch beer is available in retail stores, bars and restaurants throughout Western New York. Patrons can also enjoy Big Ditch beer at its source from the brewery's tap room at 55 East Huron Street in the Electric District of downtown Buffalo.

About Iskalo Development Corp.

Iskalo Development Corp. is a full-service commercial real estate development company active in Western New York. Founded in 1988 by Paul B. Iskalo, Iskalo Development is an experienced real estate developer of both “ground up” and “adaptive re-use” commercial projects. Iskalo Development infuses each project it undertakes with passion, creativity and an unparalleled attention to detail that is their hallmark, with a strong emphasis on architecturally appropriate, context-sensitive design principles. Learn more about the company here.