Mafia Beer: Where To Buy The Infamous Pills Brew

Pills Mafia is a German-style pilsner beer brewed by Thin Man Brewery in Buffalo, New York. It combines German pilsner malt and traditional German hops in a crisp, easy-drinking lager. The beer is light in colour, slightly hoppy, and has an ABV of 4.9%. You can buy Pills Mafia online from retailers such as Half Time Beverage and Luekens Wine & Spirits, or in-store at locations including Kit's Trackside Crafts, Salud Beer Shop, and Anchor Bar - Leesburg.

Thin Man Brewery

The brewery has experienced some changes in location and ownership over the years. At one point, they had a taproom on Chandler Street, but it appears that this location may have changed hands or closed down. There are also mentions of other locations, such as Elmwood and Tappo, which may no longer be operational.

Despite these changes, Thin Man Brewery continues to produce a diverse range of beers, including their Pills Mafia, a German Pilsner malt with a crisp, easy-drinking lager. This beer has a low ABV of 4.9% and is best paired with German or Japanese cuisine, fish, and peppery cheeses.

You can find Thin Man Brewery's beers at various locations, including Kit's Trackside Crafts, Salud Beer Shop, Sun Lab Brewing, and Anchor Bar - Leesburg, as indicated by check-ins on Untappd. Additionally, their beers can be purchased online through retailers like Half Time Beverage.

While some of the specific details about the locations and operations of Thin Man Brewery may be unclear, it is evident that they have a dedicated following, and their beers are enjoyed by many across different venues.

Pilsner-style beer

Pilsner is characterised by its light, straw-like colour, short finish, and moderate bitterness. The style is known for its delicate balance and crisp, clean taste. The alcohol strength of pilsners typically varies between 4.5% and 5%, although some may fall outside this range.

German-style pilsners are perhaps the most iconic, known for their malty sweetness and moderate noble-type hop aroma and flavour. The style has a rich history in the United States, with some of the first American breweries being started by German immigrants in the 1800s, specialising in brewing pilsner. American craft brewers have since experimented with the classic style, often using corn and/or rice in the grist.

European-style pilsners can be slightly sweeter and may be produced from grains other than barley malt, such as Dutch or Belgian varieties. Mexican-style pilsners are also a type of pale lager, known for their crisp, clean, and balanced taste, brought over by European immigrants during the Second Mexican Empire.

Thin Man's Pills Mafia is an example of a German pilsner, pairing well with German or Japanese cuisine, fish, and peppery cheeses. It has a light colour, a slight hoppiness, and an ABV of 4.9%.

Tailgating and sports

Tailgating is a time-honoured tradition for sports fans, and beer is often an integral part of the experience. For fans of the Buffalo Bills, Thin Man Brewery has crafted the perfect beer to accompany their tailgating festivities: Pills Mafia. This crisp and easy-drinking German Pilsner combines pilsner malt and traditional German hops, resulting in a slightly hoppy beer with a light colour and an ABV of 4.9%.

Pills Mafia is an updated version of Thin Man's Buffalo Pills, specifically brewed with tailgating and the Buffalo Bills in mind. The beer is not just for those at the game, as it can also be enjoyed from the comfort of one's couch or bar stool while cheering on the team. The brewery has even included iconic Bills Mafia images on the beer can, such as someone plunging through a table and famed streaker Tristan Lambright.

Thin Man Pills Mafia pairs well with German or Japanese cuisine and peppery cheeses such as Monterey or Pepper Jack. It can be purchased online from retailers such as Half Time Beverage, as well as from various physical locations. For those in Buffalo, Kit's Trackside Crafts, Salud Beer Shop, and Anchor Bar - Leesburg are some of the places where Pills Mafia has been spotted.

When tailgating and enjoying a cold beer before a game, it's important to remember to drink responsibly and to always have a designated driver or a safe way to get home. By following these simple guidelines, sports fans can enhance their game-day experience and create lasting memories with their fellow fans. So, whether you're cheering for the Buffalo Bills or any other team, grab a beer, fire up the grill, and enjoy the camaraderie of tailgating with your fellow sports enthusiasts!

German hops and malt

Pills Mafia is a German Pilsner brewed with German pilsner malt and traditional German hops. It is a light-coloured, slightly hoppy beer with an ABV of 4.9%. German hops and malt are renowned for their quality, with German malt, in particular, being favoured by brewers for its ability to accentuate the hops.

German hops are known for their delicate aromas and flavours, which are protected during the brewing process. This focus on fragile aromas and flavours is a shift from a decade ago when alpha acids were the priority. The change in priorities has resulted in new varieties of hops that offer a range of fresh flavours and aromas.

German malt is also highly regarded in the brewing industry, with some brewers considering it just as important as hops in the brewing process. German malt is often used in combination with other heritage varieties of malt, such as English, Scottish, and Irish malts, to create unique flavour profiles. The right combination of malt and yeast can enhance the character of the hops, resulting in a more complex and flavourful beer.

Low-protein German malts, in particular, are sought after for their ability to interact with hops and create candy-like flavours that complement the hops' characteristics. This focus on the interplay between malt and hops has led to the development of SMaSH beer, which uses single malts and single hops to dial in the specific characters that each malt contributes to the beer.

German Pilsners, such as Pills Mafia, are best paired with German or Japanese cuisine, fish, and peppery cheeses such as Monterey and Pepper Jack.

Pancho Billa's foundations

Pills Mafia is a German pilsner beer, brewed by Thin Man Brewery. It is light in colour, slightly hoppy, and has an ABV of 4.9%. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this beer will benefit superfan Pancho Billa's foundations.

Pancho Billa was the nickname of Ezra Castro, a Texas resident and Buffalo Bills superfan. He died on May 14, 2019, of cancer. Before his death, he requested that people wishing to honour his memory donate backpacks and school supplies to students in need, rather than bringing flowers to his funeral. This wish was shared on Twitter by former Buffalo TV reporter Jonah Javad, and the response was overwhelming.

The result was that more than $100,000 was donated to the Teacher's Desk, a nonprofit that provides school supplies to teachers who oversee students with low incomes, disabilities, or immigrant/refugee backgrounds. This resulted in 5,000 backpacks being packed and distributed to children in both the Buffalo area and Castro's hometown of El Paso, Texas. Each backpack contained $100 worth of school supplies, including a three-ring binder, 20 pencils, pens, markers, a colouring book, a hygiene kit, scissors, a mini dry-erase board, and a football-shaped stress ball.

In addition to his work with the Teacher's Desk, Pancho Billa was also involved with several other charitable foundations, including Fans Against Child Abuse, Fans Against Violence, and NFL and MLB Go Gold for Kids Cancer. His legacy continues to change the world, even after his death.

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