Greetings, Great Beer Now fans and followers! This is the seventh and final entry in a multi- part series of blog posts relating to the Great Beer Now Country Bales and Autumn Ales Beer Tour 2018, which took place in west central New York. I made my way from Syracuse to Binghamton and back, stopping along the way to visit some of the best breweries, wineries, and distilleries the area has to offer. Grab a beer and follow along on my journey through this scenic section of New York State. Cheers!
America’s craft beer industry is a relatively young industry and a varied lot. You have breweries that are veterans in their own right even though they have been around fewer than ten years. You have breweries that are newer but have ambition and determination to rise to the top. You also have breweries that decide to go for the niche market, specializing in a specific type of beer. For my final brewery visit in the west Central New York region, I decided to go for a brewery that is fresh and new and that also happens to serve a specific niche. The brewing operation is Buried Acorn Brewing, located at 881 Van Rensselaer Street in Syracuse, New York .
Store it For Later
Buried Acorn Brewing specializes in Barrel- Aged Sours and Farmhouse ales and so its name does tie in loosely with the brewery’s niche, which is storing certain beers for later consumption. The brewery likes to showcase wild ales and sours and guests can expect to find some far- out brews on tap when they visit.
The inside of Buried Acorn Brewing features a small tasting room/bar complete with televisions and board games for entertainment. The brewery doesn’t have a kitchen of its own, but it is common to find food trucks on site and guests are welcome to bring food from the outside.
Buried Acorn Brewing is larger than the typical startup brewery. They utilize a 20 barrel brewing system to keep the taps flowing with a good variety of beers.
Niche and More
Buried Acorn specializes in wild ales and barrel aged brew, but they still serve the more mainstream styles in order to satisfy customers. When I visited, there were about 12 or so beers on tap. Here is a listing of the beers I tried, listed alphabetically by name, followed by the style and my Untappd rating on a five point scale:
- Ghoster Blanc, Golden Ale, 3.75
- Hot Whip, American IPA, 4.25
- Maltol, Farmhouse Ale, 4.25
- StoneBend Barrel Aged Farm Saison, Farmhouse Ale, 3.75
Overall Average Rating: 4.00
I found the beers at Buried Acorn Brewing highly agreeable and enjoyable overall. I was in an IPA mood when I visited and that is likely why I enjoyed the Hot Whip IPA as much as I did. I’m not as big on sours and farmhouse ales as other people, but I did like what I tried here and I even took a large bottle of the StoneBend home with me, to enjoy with my Thanksgiving meal.
Buried Treasure
Buried Acorn Brewing is one of the newest members of the Brew Central New York craft beer destination family. Opened in the summer of 2018, Buried Acorn is slowly getting its feet wet as it brews new beer and works hard to learn the market and satisfy the craft beer fans in and around the Syracuse area.
I visited Buried Acorn Brewing on a Sunday afternoon and started off my adventure with a tour of the brewhouse. Co- owner Tim Shore guided the way, answering questions and educating me on Buried Acorn Brewing and its philosophy/niche in the local craft beer scene. I was surprised first and foremost by the size of the brewhouse- it is much larger than that of the typical startup. I was also surprised at the emphasis on barrel aged and sour beers, since you often don’t see this style as the mainstay of a startup operation.
I’m actually not a huge fan of sour beers, but there is nothing to worry about at Buried Acorn Brewing because they make sure to brew other styles as well. I didn’t get a chance to inquire, but I would not be surprised if Hot Whip IPA is the brewery’s top seller. Mine truly hit the spot, as I was craving the taste of hops the moment I walked through the door.
With barrel aged and sour beers as the specialty, guests at Buried Acorn Brewing are in for a wild ride when they select a beer. From talking to Tim, the brewery plans to experiment every step of the way and no combination, however weird or unusual it may sound, is off limits. I mostly played it safe when I visited, but I did try one of the more unusual beers on tap, Ghoster Blanc. This beer is aged in Sauvignon Blanc wine barrels and is fermented with Brett yeast, for a truly funky and unusual taste combination.
Squirrels bury acorns in order to save them for later meals. Most of the acorns do, indeed, get consumed but others are left behind and that means they may eventually grow into new trees, spreading the growth of forests and improving the environment in countless ways. Likewise, Buried Acorn Brewing is a newer brewery, but it has already planted seeds of its own in the Syracuse craft beer community and has positioned itself to grow into a blossoming craft beer business in due time. It’s a cool place to try some far out brews as well as commonplace standbys like IPA and other styles, so be sure to visit Buried Acorn Brewing the next time you’re in the Syracuse area. And tell them Great Beer Now sent you.
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