Final tap room update.

We’re coming down to the nitty gritty of opening our tap room.  Here are some updates as to what we’ve accomplished and what to expect:

Construction.  The build out of our space is about 98% complete.  We’re only left with touch ups and punch list items.   The space looks great – but we’re waiting until we open to show you most of it.  A couple of photos we’ve leaked are below – have a look at our kitchen and our tap room beer cooler.

Kitchen

Tap room cooler: insert beer here

Food.  This has been the most exciting part of the last couple of months.  With construction of our kitchen, and hiring our chef (hi Mike!), we’ve begun preparing many of the dishes that will be on our menu.  Our menu is best described as “high quality pub food”; the food is meant to pair well with beer, and many of the dishes will use our beer during preparation.  There will be shareable appetizers, sandwiches, flatbread pizzas, burgers, a few entrees, and a few desserts.  We’re trying to involve as many local vendors as possible in preparation of these items.  Of course, it’s hard to write this and have you believe it without tasting it – but the food is really, really good.  Just as we are with our beer, we believe quality and freshness come first, and the food is no exception.

Grilled cheese anyone?

Staff.  We’ve spent a lot of time interviewing all the folks that will help us on this journey.  The excitement and response has been overwhelming and it’s been a bit humbling with the amount of positive feedback we’ve received.  The additional staff we’ve brought on over the last few weeks have been great and we can’t wait to get everyone else in here.  We still have a few odds and ends to finish hiring however, so if you know anyone with back of the house experience, please share, and have them go to our website (www.bigditchbrewing.com/careers.html) to submit an application.

Beer.  Our draft system is complete, and it’s sweet.  We expect to have 8 to 12 beers on tap at all times; right now we’re looking at about 10-11 when we open, which is awesome!  The beers will be the annual beers you’ve come to know (and, maybe even… love?), current seasonals and reprises of past seasonals; and then, there are the one-offs that are meant almost exclusively for our tap room.  These are the really fun ones, and we’ve been ecstatic over how good they are turning out.  For those that have followed our “Innovation Series” since we opened last fall, you may have got to taste at least a few of them; but certainly not all.  What’s more is that we plotted out a tentative schedule for the entire year of beers to release.  Right now, without accounting for 20 gallon “Innovation” pilot batches, we’re planning on releasing 16 new beers this year, most of which will be primarily destined for the tap room.  Of course, if we make a beer that you love, we’ll surely make more to spread around Buffalo and Western New York.

Timing.  Of course, the most important question isn’t it?  No, we don’t have a definitive date right now – sorry.  Luckily though, we’re weeks away, instead of months – which means we’ve got a pretty narrow window targeted for opening.  Rest assured, by the time this summer rolls around, we’ll be in full swing, and likely, we’ll be open well in advance of that.  So, hang on tight – by the time the snow is fully melted and you actually want to go outside, you’ll be able to stop down and have a beer with us.

Cheers!