Flying Bison Brewing Company

What Flying Bison Brewing Company does

Flying Bison Brewing Company is a craft beer producer historically based in Buffalo, NY, that produces and sells two flagship lagers — Buffalo Lager (4.8% ABV, brewed with Pilsner and Caracopper malts) and Rusty Chain Vienna-Style Lager (5.25% ABV, brewed with Pilsner, Vienna, Munich, and Crystal 65 malts and Magnum, Saaz, and Mittelfrueh hops). Products are packaged in 6-packs, 12-packs, and draft formats and sold through a single regional distributor, Try It Distributing, to local bottle shops, grocery stores, and bars across the Buffalo/Western New York area. The company's primary customer segment is local Buffalo-area consumers and craft beer enthusiasts.

The company was recently acquired by Hamburg Brewing Company, which returned brand ownership to Western New York and consolidated production at Hamburg Brewing's Hamburg, NY facility. The former Larkinville brewery is being repurposed by the prior owner, with no plans to open a new standalone Flying Bison taproom. Flying Bison products are now available on tap at the Hamburg Brewing taproom, and the company has resumed community engagement via event-driven marketing, including an April 23, 2025 Homecoming Celebration at Mister Goodbar on Elmwood Ave in Buffalo. The business model is straightforward wholesale craft beer sales with no disclosed DTC e-commerce, subscription, or licensing revenue stream beyond product sales.

Name

Flying Bison Brewing Company

Legal name

Flying Bison Brewing Company

Website

https://flyingbisonbrewing.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Flying Bison Brewing Company is a Buffalo, NY craft brewery producing two flagship lagers (Buffalo Lager and Rusty Chain Vienna-Style Lager), recently acquired by Hamburg Brewing Company and distributed through Try It Distributing to local retailers and the Hamburg Brewing taproom in Western New York.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer

NAICS

Breweries (312120)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Craft Brewing (AFAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB), Beer Retail (Bottle Shops & Beer Merchants) (CRANABAC)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Lager production
• Brewery distribution
• Regional craft beer
• Beer retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Buffalo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Beer Product Sales: Flying Bison generates revenue through the sale of craft beer products including flagship beers Buffalo Lager and Rusty Chain Vienna-Style Lager, distributed through Try It Distributing to retailers in the Buffalo area.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Flying Bison Brewing Company produces and sells a focused portfolio of craft beer products, headlined by Buffalo Lager (4.8% ABV) and Rusty Chain Vienna-Style Lager (5.25% ABV). Following acquisition by Hamburg Brewing Company, production takes place at Hamburg Brewing's facility in Hamburg, NY, with distribution through Try It Distributing to local bottle shops, grocery stores, and bars throughout the Buffalo area in 6-packs, 12-packs, and draft formats.

Product overview

Flying Bison Brewing Company is a craft brewery that offers a focused portfolio of beer products. The company produces two main beer offerings: the Rusty Chain Vienna-Style Lager (5.25% ABV) and the Buffalo Lager Premium Lager (4.8% ABV). Flying Bison has been acquired by Hamburg Brewing Company, with production now taking place in Hamburg, NY while maintaining distribution through Try It Distributing in the Buffalo area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Buffalo Lager Premium Lager brewed with Pilsner and Caracopper malts at 4.8% ABV. Available in 12-packs and on draft at retailers throughout the Buffalo area.
• Rusty Chain Vienna-Style Lager brewed with Pilsner, Vienna, Munich, and Crystal 65 malts, and Magnum, Saaz, and Mittelfrueh hops at 5.25% ABV. Available in 6-packs, 12-packs, and on draft.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Hamburg Brewing CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHamburg Brewing Company has acquired the Flying Bison Brewing Company brands, returning ownership to Western New York. The traditions of the iconic Buffalo brewery will continue and will now be produced in Hamburg, NY. This partnership brings together two great Buffalo breweries and ensures the legacy of Flying Bison continues.
• Try It DistributingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFlying Bison products continue to be available through Try It Distributing in their full service territory. Products are distributed to fine retailers throughout the Buffalo area including bottle shops, grocery stores, and bars. No retail changes are taking place.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. National craft incumbent with flagship lagers/ales distributed across the U.S. through major wholesalers. Comparable in packaged-craft retail distribution but operates at vastly greater scale, brand awareness, and geographic footprint.
• Boston Beer Company: Large publicly traded craft-adjacent brewer (Samuel Adams, etc.) with packaged flagship lagers and ales in broad retail distribution. Comparable in flagship packaged-lager SKU structure and wholesale-retail go-to-market, though at an entirely different scale.
• 21st Amendment Brewery: Established multi-regional craft brewery with broad distribution and a packaged lager offering. Comparable in flagship-lager format and packaged retail distribution model, but at much larger scale and across multiple U.S. markets.

Direct peers

• Big Ditch Brewing Company: Buffalo-based craft brewery operating a production facility and taproom. Same metro market, same target consumer, and similar style of local-roots brand positioning used by Flying Bison.
• Community Beer Works: Buffalo craft brewery with a focus on hop-forward and seasonal styles. Competes for the same Western New York on-premise tap handles, retail shelf space, and craft consumer occasion as Flying Bison.
• Resurgence Brewing Company: Buffalo-based craft brewery producing a wide portfolio of beers distributed throughout Western New York. Directly comparable in geography, customer base (Buffalo/WNY craft drinkers), and on-premise/retail model.
• Thin Man Brewery: Buffalo craft brewery with taproom and distribution in WNY. Competes head-to-head for the same Buffalo-area craft consumer occasions and on-premise accounts.
• Hamburg Brewing Company: Parent acquirer and now the production home of Flying Bison's brands. Hamburg Brewing operates a taproom in Hamburg, NY and distributes in the same Western New York footprint; direct overlap in category, customer base, and distribution channels.

Regional players

• Southern Tier Brewing Company: Large New York craft brewery (Lakewood, NY) with broader Upstate and national distribution. Comparable as a New York craft lager/flagship producer but at materially greater scale and geographic reach than Flying Bison.
• Brewery Ommegang: Cooperstown, NY-based craft brewery producing Belgian-style ales and other specialty beers. Comparable as a New York craft producer serving regional distribution, though in a different style niche than Flying Bison's lagers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/flyingbison
• Facebookfacebook.com/flyingbisonbrewing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/flying-bison-brewing-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Flying Bison Brewing Company