Alternative Brews, Amherst, New York
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Alternative Brews

Alternative Brews


Type: Bar
Rating N/A - too few ratings
 Ratings  Ambiance  Service  Selection  Food  Value  Overall  Rating 
11 62%  64%  64%  N/A  N/A  63%  N/A 

3488 Sheridan Dr.
Amherst, New York 14226 [ printable map ]
(716) 446-0424
http://www.alternativebrews.com
[Edit Info]
Hours: Mon-Fri 4-4 Weekend 2p.m.-4a.m.
Taps: 19
Bottles: ~150
Entered by: IPFreely
Last edit: argo0

Seasonals
Real Ales
Rare Beers
Macros
Patio
TV
Proper Glassware
Cigars
Smoking
Reservations
Games
Children



Your Opinions - Last rating was 3 months ago
alexkeil Ambiance 4 Service 5 Selection 13 Food Value N/A Overall 16

5/4/2008 9:46:27 AM, sunday, may 04, 2008
I’ve had both the best bartenders I’ve ever met and the very worst here...they are either very friendly, quick, and knowledgable or bitchy and ignore you all night. The good bartenders are good enough that by the middle to end of the night after they get a feel for what I’ve been ordering I can just let them select a beer I haven’t tried yet. Not much of a tap selection but there is usually something from Custom Brewcrafters, Flying Bison or Ellicotville to order. There is a fun atmosphere, wednesday nights are a good night where it isn’t too busy, too smokey, and there is live music. Mixed to older crowd that gets along pretty well - no townies drinking mass quantities of cheap stuff

jakentbc Ambiance 3 Service 7 Selection 13 Food Value N/A Overall 16

9/7/2007 10:36:49 AM, friday, september 07, 2007
what is it with these sissys and their distaste for smokers....its a cigar bar with great beer. true, the place could use a little remolding and functioning ventilation but, i guess thats the price we have to pay for such a great atmosphere.

dgros Ambiance 2 Service 4 Selection 6 Food Value N/A Overall 5

3/22/2007 4:14:17 PM, thursday, march 22, 2007
Mostly bottles which can be purchased down the street at Premier Groumet. Too smoky for my tastes (and to taste what I’m drinking), but the live music is a nice touch.

beerlord Ambiance 5 Service 9 Selection 8 Food Value N/A Overall 19

2/2/2007 10:19:57 PM, friday, february 02, 2007
Great beers and you can actually act like an adult and smoke!!!! Live bands on saturday make it a tight fit, but during the week there isn’ta better bar to be found for sitting and chatting with a good brew a good cigar and a good friend. They cold stand to mix it up a little more often, but still a decent selection. The house brew Hazel Nut brown made by Custom brew crafters is great.

Sammy Ambiance 2 Service 6 Selection 9 Food Value N/A Overall 13

1/16/2007 9:49:12 PM, tuesday, january 16, 2007
Ask me how smokey this place is, and you can buy a cigar. I saw about 10 taps, and a cask, though the majority was the usual macro suspects. A pretty good bottle collection, though you can get it all down the road at Premiere. Prices were decent, and this is close to a lot of shopping and not too far from Pizza Plant, so it’s a worthwhile Buffalo stop. Middle aged people, a bit on the dark and dingy side bar, but not motorbike scare-away. Had a couple of Custom Brewcraft pints, and it was fresh and inexpensive.

SB Ambiance 4 Service 5 Selection 10 Food Value N/A Overall 13

3/24/2006 10:59:50 PM, friday, march 24, 2006
Very smokey bar, but being from Pgh, I didn’t mind. Very crowded when we arrived. The bartender was funny, and friendly. I liked the way the place was decorated. Nice selection of things that I can’t get back home, and they even had Jah-va Stout on tap, which made me excited. We had a few friendly conversations wtih other patrons in the bar, and overall it not bad. Being close to the hotel we are at, it was a good choice and I will seek out again whenever I am here.

rudolf Ambiance 3 Service 5 Selection 10 Food Value N/A Overall 10

2/20/2005 9:16:57 AM, sunday, february 20, 2005
I would come here a lot more often if they didn’t allow smoking. Nice bottle selection, a few good taps. They do free monthly tastings here. Live blues on weekends.

DYCSoccer17 Ambiance 2 Service 6 Selection 8 Food Value N/A Overall 8

11/4/2004 4:39:51 PM, thursday, november 04, 2004
This place is a cigar bar, which really makes it difficult to have a decent beer experience. When I lived in Buffalo, I went a few times, but got smoked out each time. That have a decent bottle list and they also have some live blues some nights as well. The prices here are quite reasonable.

frylock Ambiance 3 Service 8 Selection 10 Food Value N/A Overall 14

1/15/2004 10:47:16 PM, thursday, january 15, 2004
Not a huge place and it can get pretty busy, especially on the weekends. Live blues bands fridays and saturdays. It can get pretty smokey in there. Taps aren't usually too exciting but are fairly solid. Bottle selection isn't bad. I have seen world wide stout there before and other comprable beers. A good place to relax and enjoy some beers and blues, but not the best place for rating.

IPFreely Ambiance 3 Service 8 Selection 9 Food Value N/A Overall 13

1/12/2004 7:57:28 PM, monday, january 12, 2004
Has the feel of a bowling alley bar, smoky, loud, you get the idea. With the smoking ban in NY not applying here, you get a ton of people in here just so they can smoke and drink swill. Servers/bartenders have a pretty good idea about what they're serving and are pretty friendly. Selection is pretty good, most bottles coming from Northeast micros and taps vary from Fosters to Arrogant Bastard. Some advice would be to go early on weekdays, 2 for 1 drafts from 4-7 and it's not smoky yet.


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Scene
Cigar bar, rotating micro taps, plenty of regional micro bottles and a few Belgians

Noise
Moderate, loud when bands are playing

Staff
Fairly knowledgeable

Music
Jukebox, live blues on weekend evenings

Food
Snacks

Parking
Parking lot (free)

Events
Some beer tasting and cask nights

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