The mental image of 150 brewers vending from two floors of the First Niagara Center and the surrounding plaza creates a near-divine picture for Buffalo’s beer lovers.

The 11th annual Buffalo Brewfest will take place from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 10 and according to Flying Bison president Tim Herzog, there will be improvements upon last year’s event. Five thousand tickets will be sold for the event with the price of $30 in advance or $35 at the door. Admission includes a souvenir tasting glass and 20 vouchers to redeem for beer samplings. That’s a substantial tasting of local brews, for sure.

The event, which easily sold 4,000 tickets last year, fills up rapidly, even though one thousand more tickets will be available this year. Here’s the link to buy in advance.

Proceeds from the Buffalo Brewfest benefit the Buffalo Hearing and Speech Center, 50 E. North St., Buffalo, a not-for-profit organization that aids adults and children with communication and educational needs.

During an Emerging Business Leaders event through the Amherst Chamber of Commerce in May, Herzog briefly discussed how the layout would be more spacious and that greater attention would be paid to reducing lines—particularly upon entering the event. A reduced wait and considerably more space should enhance what’s already developed into a signature late-summer event in Buffalo.

(Header photo courtesy of Chuck Alaimo—look back at his gallery from the 2011 Buffalo Brewfest.)