Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - A staple of the Western New York beer industry is making its return to the region.
The FX Matt Brewing Company announced on Monday the sale of its Flying Bison Brewing Company brands to Hamburg Brewing Company, based in Hamburg. The agreement transfers ownership of the Flying Bison brand family, including all associated recipes and trademarks, to Hamburg Brewing, ensuring the legacy of one of Buffalo’s pioneering craft beer names continues under local stewardship.
"The opportunity arose to buy the brand, so after a couple of conversations, [it was a] pretty fast process, actually. We closed on the brand on Friday, and it's an iconic kind of brewery for us in Western New York," said John Russo from Hamburg Brewing. "It's hard to speak for everybody, but most of us that are in the beer business locally certainly look up to Flying Bison and it's very humble roots in Western New York. It's, honestly, an honor to be able to steward it going forward, and we're gonna have some fun with it, and return some things that people enjoy and make beer great."
Under the new ownership, Hamburg Brewing will continue to produce and distribute Flying Bison’s signature beers, ensuring continued availability for loyal fans throughout the region.
Russo admits nothing is for certain with what will return for the Flying Bison brand, but he's already thought of a couple plans.
"We're looking at Buffalo Lager, for sure. We are also going to tinker with the seasonal program a little bit. Some of the favorites - Blizzard Bach - I think is going to make a return at some point. But we're also trying to get some feedback from everybody in Western New York, in the beer community, on what they miss the most and what they like," Russo noted. "We're going to take some time, digest all that, and make plans."
FX Matt has owned the Flying Bison brand for about 10 years, but they're based out of Utica. Russo felt it was important to bring the Flying Bison brand back to its humble roots.
"When we got the opportunity to look at a brand that we looked up to and have the ability to return the ownership to Western New York, it was a pretty special moment for us. Really, that means a lot to us, our brewers and everybody around here," Russo acknowledged.
As part of the transition, the Flying Bison Taproom will close following its final day of service on Saturday, Nov. 29. However, Russo believes there are future plans for repurposing the facility.