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Co-owner and brewer Tim Shore at Buried Acorn Brewing Co., 881 Van Rensselaer St., at Hiawatha Boulevard near Destiny USA. Don CazentreDon Cazentre
Syracuse, N.Y. — Buried Acorn Brewing Co. will close its taproom/restaurant in Syracuse’s Inner Harbor next month, ending a seven-year run.
But that’s not the end of its business: Buried Acorn will continue to brew beer for sale in stores and restaurants. It’s also expanding its recent entry into the THC cannabis drinks industry.
“Closing the taproom is sad,” owner Tim Shore said. “But it does open up other opportunities. So that’s a good thing.”
The taproom/restaurant at 881 Van Rensselaer St. is expected to shut down in mid-March. Until then it will continue its long-running schedule of trivia nights, occasional music and other events, along with regular food and drink offerings.
Shore will now be able to devote more of his time to the production area, located behind the taproom. There he has specialized in brewing barrel-aged and sour ales, other mixed fermentation beers and “big stouts.”
The top sellers include Hot Whip, an IPA, and Stash Hero, an Imperial IPA. Buried Acorn beers are sold in stores like Wegmans and Tops along with other specialty markets, and are distributed online through Syracuse-based Drink NY Craft.
Off Shore is a new line of non-alcohol hard seltzers containing low doses of THC. It’s made by the owners of Buried Acorn Brewing Co. in Syracuse’s Inner Harbor. Photo courtesy Off Shore THCSYR
Meanwhile, Buried Acorn is partnering with a Central New York cannabis grower and processor who plans to move into the THC beverage space. Shore has not yet publicly identified that partner.
The new cannabis drinks line will join Shore’s own brand, Off Shore Seltzers & Edibles. That side of the business launched in November. Off Shore currently produces a line of alcohol-free cannabis seltzers, and plans to expand with more drink and edibles.
“Doing more with cannabis really fits better with our lifestyle,” Shore said. “And it offers a chance for us to grow.”
Closing the taproom also allows Shore more time to spend with his wife, Crystal, and their kids, who are 9 and 11.
Falling profit margins in the taproom, along with the time it took to keep it running were factors in the decision, Shore said. Over the past few years, Buried Acorn had other taproom locations, one in Syracuse and another near Ithaca, but have since closed them.
“We’ll definitely miss the people who came out to the taproom,” Shore said. “We had lots of fun. But this is the best move for us right now.”
Shore plans to make new use of the taproom space, but the specifics are still being worked out.
Buried Acorn Brewing Co., 881 Van Rensselaer St., at Hiawatha Boulevard near Destiny USA. The taproom is closing next month, but the brewery will continue to produce beer. Don Cazentre
Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com or Facebook.