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Saranac Brewery Tour

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Saranac Brewery Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Legendary Utica Brewery Bringing Back VIP Tours to the Public

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One of the most legendary breweries in the country, the first to serve that golden and delicious brew after prohibition, is bringing back a community favorite.

COVID-19 Ruins Everything

One of the most popular tourist attractions in the Great Utica area for years was the Saranac Brewery tour, or F.X. Matt Brewing Company tour. Like many other things that were ruined by COVID-19, the brewery tours down on Varick Street were one of them.

A Legendary History

The Saranac Brewery, as it's known now, has been family owned and operated for four impressive generations and the tradition of quality and excellence continues. The brewery was originally founded in 1888 by FX Matt. His son Walter took over in 1951 and FX's grandson FX Matt II took the reins in 1980. Now it's Fred Matt who is in charge and continues to expand and grow the legacy of this famed company and the delicious, quality and refreshing products they craft.

Surviving Prohibition

In 1920 the United State Constitution was amended to prohibit the sale of alcohol in the country, but that did not defeat or destroy FX Matt's company. He survived by making delicious Utica Club soft drinks and other non-alcoholic products. Other breweries in Utica were forced to closed their doors. It was in 1933 that prohibition was repealed and the West End Brewing Company, as it was known then, obtained the first license in the nation and was able to sell the first beer. That fact is proudly professed and printed on each and every Utica Club can.

The Impressive and Entertaining Tours

Throughout the recent history of the brewery it was a Central New York bucket list item to take the FX Matt Brewing Company tour and many who have visited the area for Boilermaker weekend or other events have taken advantage. They have not been disappointed. Many people who still live here in this community have memories of being a Saranac volunteer tour guide and took the opportunity to meet new people and advocate for our area and the beverages produced in the facility. Now after a long 3+ years the tours are back and I am sure will be better than ever with new products being created daily! The Saranac Brewery posted on their Facebook page the good news stating,

Tours are BACK! The VIP Tour is a behind-the-scenes tour of our brewery ending with a beer tasting of four different beers. Please email [email protected] to book your 45-minute journey through one of America’s first breweries.

Tours are $20 per person and run Fridays and Saturdays at 3PM, 4PM and 5PM. Don't miss out on your chance to peek behind the curtain at the magic being made every day in the heart of West Utica. If you've never been...you HAVE to go. You can even enjoy a fresh UC or other Saranac product in the 1888 Tavern when you're done and talk about all the cool stuff you just saw. What a great experience to enjoy with family and friends.

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Saranac/F.X. Matt Brewery

• 830 Varick St.
• Utica, NY 13502
• (315) 624-2490 | (800) 765-6288
• Visit Site | E-Mail

An Official Path Through History Site. Tour the FX Matt Brewing company where Saranac beers and soft drinks are created. Learn the history of this legacy brewery and the Matt family's German heritage. Stop in the 1888 Tavern after the tour or anytime as we are now open to the public for sampling or purchase. Did You Know? F X Matt Brewery was the first brewery in the nation to sell a beer at the end of Prohibition in 1933! Brewery Tours: Friday & Saturday : 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm $5.00 per person, children 12 and under are free Reservations are not taken for groups under 15 people Gift Shop & Tavern Hours: Sunday & Monday : Closed Tuesday – Saturday : 12-6pm Last Call | 30 Minutes Before Close

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Saranac/F.X. Matt Brewery

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Tour the FX Matt Brewing company where Saranac beers and soft drinks are created. Learn the history of this legacy brewery and the Matt family's German heritage. Stop in the 1888 Tavern after the tour or anytime as we are now open to the public for sampling or purchase.

Did You Know? F X Matt Brewery was the first brewery in the nation to sell a beer at the end of Prohibition in 1933!

Brewery Tours:

Friday & Saturday : 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm

$5.00 per person, children 12 and under are free Reservations are not taken for groups under 15 people

Gift Shop & Tavern Hours:

Sunday & Monday : Closed Tuesday – Saturday : 12-6pm Last Call | 30 Minutes Before Close

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For the beer lover in all of us.

FX Matt Brewing: Saranac Beer and Beyond in Utica, New York

May 18, 2018 Bryan 2 Comments

Greetings, Great Beer Now fans! I recently embarked on a sports- centric brewery tour to the village of Cooperstown, New York, home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The Great Beer Now Base Hits and Brews Beer Tour 2018 is all about the beer and the sports that have made this part of the country so popular. Pop open a cold one as I explore Central New York and take in the sights and sounds of the area. Cheers!

America overflows with delicious, hand- crafted, small batch beer. The number of breweries is at its highest point in American history and while the bulk of these breweries are less than five years of age, there are some that date back many decades or even further, offering a glimpse into the American past and its sometimes uneasy relationship with fermented drink. A good example of an historic brewery that wears its past on its sleeve is FX Matt Brewing , located at 811 Edward Street in Utica, New York.

Brew Central New York

FX Matt Brewery, or Saranac Brewing as it is commonly called, is a large brewery with a rich history. The brewery dates back more than 130 years and has passed through several hands of family ownership since Francis Xavier Matt brewed his first batch of beer in 1888.

Saranac Brewing utilizes a 500 (!) barrel brewing system and brews around half a million barrels of beer each year. The large capacity has resulted in a good amount of contract brewing for other breweries. The FX Matt family includes the Saranac line of beers plus Utica Club, Jeds, and even its own line of soft drinks. The beer brewed under the Saranac banner is distributed to approximately 15 states.

Saranac and Beyond

FX Matt Brewing serves up the majority of its beers in the tap room, which is where you will wind up at the end of a brewery tour. Here is a summary of what I sampled, listed alphabetically by name, followed by my Untappd rating on a five point scale:

Basking in Bourbon Barrels, Imperial Stout, 4

Mississippi Mud, Black and Tan, 3.5

Saranac Adirondack Lager, Amber Ale, 3

Saranac Green Thumb, Double IPA, 3.25

Saranac Irish Red, Red Ale, 3

Saranac Irish Stout, Irish Stout, 3.25

Saranac Pale Ale, American Pale Ale, 3.25

Tropical Snow Storm, American IPA, 3.75

Overall average rating: 3.38

Saranac beers tend to be very agreeable, non- offensive, every day drinking type of brew. The standout in the pack is definitely the Basking in Bourbon Barrels Imperial Stout. It smacks of alcohol, whiskey, wood, and malt and is quite memorable.

History with Updates

FX Matt Brewing is a place of historic significance. Located right smack in downtown Utica, New York, FX Matt has been brewing beer, involving itself in the community, and enhancing the quality of life for area residents for more than a century and is still going strong.

I visited FX Matt as part of my Central New York beer tour and among the breweries I visited, this one is easily the largest and oldest. The building, impressive in size, is a multi- story brick structure with an historic look. Before you even set foot inside, you can tell you’re in for a trip through New York’s brewing past, as FX Matt has the outward appearance of a place one would expect on the National Register of Historic Places.

The best way to get to know the FX Matt history and its place in the present New York brewing scene is to take a tour. They walk guests through the building and talk about the brewery’s founding as well as its vision for the future. Along the way, you get to witness more than just beer in various phases of the brewing cycle. You also get to see some really cool antiques, photos and portraits from the past, and much more that keeps you in an historic frame of mind.

Saranac is the beer that has made FX Matt famous, at least in the present day. But beer history buffs will also be interested to know that FX Matt brews Utica Club beer, a product that predates the Saranac line by several decades. It’s a crisp, light pilsner beer and it has seen resurgence in popularity in recent years, thanks to hipsters and others who have developed a taste for this and other retro beer products.

Walking through FX Matt Brewery, you definitely feel a sense of America’s brewing past. With each step, you feel like you’re walking on sacred brewing ground and you want to learn more about this storied brewery and the beer it produces. The tour is an excellent way to find out more about the past and at the same time, you quickly learn about Saranac’s place in the present- day brewing community. You learn about the brewery’s longstanding commitment to community, sustainability, and other modern day concerns that make American breweries so much a part of our quality of life.

Newer breweries are commonplace. The majority of breweries in existence today have been around for only five years or less and they are certainly a fun way to meet new friends and enjoy delicious crafted suds. But there is something to be said about America’s historic, family- owned breweries and FX Matt is definitely a place where the history is on full display. It’s a company that proudly displays its past while also remaining ever- mindful of the present and its many challenges. It has much to offer history buffs and lovers of craft beer, so pay a visit to FX Matt Brewing the next time you’re in Utica, New York. And tell them Great Beer Now sent you.

[…] Saranac FX Matt Brewery […]

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F.X. Matt Brewing Co. / Saranac

Nick and Fred Matt returned to the family business two decades ago determined to put the century-old F.X. Matt brewery on the forefront of the craft movement with Saranac beers.

Today, a second member of the fourth generation – Nick’s son of the same name – joins the team amid a boutique beer boom led in large part by F.X. Matt.

The brewery and the award-winning craft beers produced here make it an upstate destination and landmark in the industry. Visitors enjoy a tour that’s part brewery and part museum. F.X. Matt proudly houses Victorian opulence and artifacts from many, many decades past in addition to its signature copper boil kettles and state-of-the-art bottling operation.

“Growing up in the family business, it was always my goal to come back and work here,” Fred says. “I think that being part of something that is yours and your family’s … it’s in your blood.”

Francis Xavier (F.X.) Matt arrived in Utica via Germany four generations ago and founded the West End Brewing Co. in 1888, although beer has been brewed on this site since 1853. Known for decades as makers of Utica Club – the first beer licensed for sale following Prohibition – the Saranac line of brews quietly debuted in the 1980s and took off after the Adirondack Lager earned gold at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival in 1991.

Nick (Chairman and CEO) and Fred (President and COO), the third and fourth generations of Matts, have since guided the F.X. Matt Brewery and Saranac to the forefront of the craft beer movement. Among Saranac’s contributions to the industry are variety packs that have grown from the original “Trail Mix” to seasonal offerings released four times each year.

Nationally known craft beer advocates, Nick and Fred are quick to point out that less than 50 breweries dotted the U.S. That number tops 3,000 today, giving the industry great strength and variety. The bar is consistently raised, they say. They’re happy with the competition and confident in their brewers.

Today, F.X. Matt a top 20 producer of beer in the U.S., known for its endless selection of styles and limited-release High Peaks Series. The dedicated band of Saranac brewers craft more than 65 different recipes in a year, including an IPA recently resurrected more than 100 years after the brewery’s founder last made a batch.

While far too large to regularly use local ingredients, the Matts remain dedicated to the Utica community and Central New York, hosting the after-party that follows the famous Boilermaker Road Race as well as weekly concerts dubbed “Saranac Thursdays.”

The experimental brews that come out of its lab are actually crafted using equipment purchased from Good Nature Farm Brewery & Tap Room , F.X. Matt’s nano-brew neighbors to the south, and for many years Saranac fans were tapped to help harvest hops from a local farm that went into a very-limited-release wet hop ale.

“We certainly as a family had had a tradition of making things that were unusual and having success with them,” Nick says, citing the IPA that his grandfather brewed in 1914 and numerous variations of Utica Club over the years as examples. “But, the quality of the product is absolutely the most important thing and I think that comes down from my grandfather.

“As a brewing philosophy, we have made beers that are distinctive, that are different, but they’re also very drinkable.”

Wanderlust. Wander more. Wandercuse.

Visit Saranac Brewery and Try the First Beer Served after Prohibition

Last updated on November 25, 2019.

Saranac Brewery is one of the highlights along the Heart of New York Beverage Trail . It’s not only one of the biggest breweries in New York State, but also the most historic. A history over a century long in a beautifully adorned building is something to experience in person. Keep reading to find out why you should visit Saranac Brewery – and try the very first beer served after the repeal of Prohibition.

On a personal note, I have to give a HUGE shoutout to one of my favorite local artists. Under the name “ Retro Sorrento ”, Maria is the amazing talent behind the artwork on Saranac’s bottle labels and cases. Go check her out on Instagram !

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maria R Vallese (@retrosorrento)

The History of Saranac

Saranac Brewery was established in the late 1800s – making it one of the oldest breweries in the United States. Over its long history, it has been known by many different names. West End Brewing, FX Matt Brewing Company, Saranac Brewery, Utica…

Despite popular belief, Saranac Brewery has nothing to do with Saranac Lake. The brewery was actually founded in Utica, New York – about 40 minutes east of Syracuse. The name comes from a Native American word meaning “cluster of stars.”

Because of its large size and successful history of brewing, Saranac now supports other New York breweries. Flying Bison (from Buffalo) and Brooklyn Brewery are just two of the others that work with Saranac and often use Saranac facilities to brew. The brewery also makes McKenzie’s Hard Cider.

Looking for more things to do nearby? Check out how to spend a fall weekend in Oneida County .

Who is FX Matt?

Francis Xavier Matt came to the United States from Germany in 1878 and started working at Bierbauer’s Brewery. Ten years later, FX was brewmaster and reestablished the brewery as West End Brewing Company. Throughout Saranac’s history and name changes, the company has remained a family-owned entity. In 1921, FX the first passed the brewery down to his son and grandson, Walter and FX Matt II. It was FX Matt II who renamed West End Brewing as FX Matt Brewing Company in honor of his grandfather. He also introduced the Saranac branding in the mid 1980s. Today the brewery is commonly referred to as Saranac Brewery and is owned and operated by members of the third and fourth ‘brewing’ generations of the Matt family.

Who are Schultz & Dooley?

Growing up I spent a lot of time at my grandparents’ house. In the family room there were shelves and shelves of beer steins. I never thought much about it other than my aunt liked to drink beer and collect these particular steins. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized their connection to Saranac Brewery.

The original steins – Schultz and Dooley – were actually characters in a marketing campaign created by FX Matt Brewing Company in the late 1950s/early 1960s. These talking beer steins became quite famous, and a whole series of steins have been created since. You can see several of them on display – and some for sale – at the brewery.

Saranac During Prohibition

Like every other brewery and distillery in the US, Saranac was hit by Prohibition. But, they persevered and shifted focus to crafting soda instead of beer. To this day, Saranac remains my favorite soda company – their root beer is the best! You also can’t go wrong with the ginger, black cherry, or Shirley Temples (virgin, of course!).

They also got creative and developed a “near beer”. While technically legal to sell because it contained no alcohol, it gave customers directions on the label for how they could craft their own beer at home.

A Real Speakeasy

One of the most intriguing facts about Saranac is that they ran a real speakeasy during Prohibition. Even better? You can visit it on the brewery tour. That’s right! The tour will lead you through the oak doors that blocked off the speakeasy room. You can even peek through the pass-through window to see what is was like to deliver urgent messages to shut down. The room that served as the speakeasy is decorated in 1920s style still today. But you no longer need to use the passwords “shoelace” or “Joe sent me” to enter.

The First Beer after Prohibition

Have you ever heard of a beer brewed in 60 minutes? Well, that’s one thing that Saranac became famous for! Now, as the wife of someone who loves to homebrew his own beer, I know that brewing beer is a looooong process. There is no way that a beer can be made in 60 minutes. But, just 60 minutes after Prohibition was repealed, Saranac had beer ready to serve.

So how did that happen? Well, we know that they couldn’t have actually made a fresh batch of beer in under an hour. But, they were not-so-cautiously optimistic getting ready for the prohibition ban to be lifted. They regularly sent people down to Washington DC to keep an eye on the situation. And because of that, on April 7th, 1933, West End Brewing Company made history just minutes after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the law to repeal Prohibition. The ink was barely dry before they became the first brewery to get a permit to sell beer again. A phone call was made from DC to upstate New York and the taps started flowing. The first beer served? Utica Club.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Saranac Brewery (@saranacbrewery)

Famous Saranac Brews

Billy Beer – brewed specifically for President Jimmy Carter’s brother.

Max Beer – with an ABV of 8.2%, this beer was actually banned in Rhode Island for it’s high alcohol content! Imagine how they’d react to our present day imperial beers…

Utica Club – easily Saranac’s most famous and longest-running beer – the first served after Prohibition in the entire US. Nicknamed “Uncle Charlie” or “Uncle Charlie Lewis” for the light version.

Adirondack Lager – one of the most popular modern beers by Saranac; awarded ‘top premium lager’ at the Great American Beer Festival in 1991.

Saranac is just a short drive from Syracuse, where you can find many more breweries !

Saranac Brewery Tour

Believe it or not, it was several years before I got the chance to so the Saranac Brewery Tour – despite constant raving from family and friends! I had been to the property before during their famous summer music series. But with my husband working Saturdays and a general busy schedule, it didn’t happen until this past summer. While brewery tours have been running since 1965, timing is limited – they are only offered on Fridays and Saturdays at 1, 2, 3, and 4pm.

Why is the brewery tour so famous? First of all, it’s only $5. That’s a steal. Secondly, you get to tour the incredibly large and historic brewery – including the speakeasy room, old-fashioned bar, brewing floor, canning area, aging tanks, storage, and more. The 500 barrel copper kettles are a sight to see! But the best part of the tour? Your ticket includes a free drink at the end – in the famous and beautiful 1888 Tavern. You can’t go wrong with that! Plus, they also serve experimental brews on tap – so you might get the chance to try something they are crafting for future release. Or just something they tried brewing for fun.

You’ll learn most of what I’ve written about during your own tour, but you’ll get to experience it all first hand – and drink some beer! So go ahead and plan your trip to visit Saranac Brewery and try the first beer served after Prohibition for yourself. Cheers!

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One comment.

wow! What a great brewery visit! So many interesting things related to its start and prohibition, of course. But what I loved is their switch to making sodas! What I wouldn’t give for an amazing shirley temple right now 🙂

Thanks for sharing! xx

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830 Varick St. 13502 Utica, NY, US 315-624-2490 www.saranac.com/

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Utica’s F.X. Matt / Saranac Brewery completes $35 million expansion, adds jobs and new products

• Updated: Feb. 07, 2024, 11:12 a.m. |
• Published: Apr. 28, 2021, 2:49 p.m.

• Don Cazentre | [email protected]

Utica, N.Y. — The F.X. Matt (Saranac) Brewing Co. has been making beer in Utica for 133 years.

“We hope to be here for another 100 years,” company president Fred Matt said Wednesday while announcing the completion of a three-year, $35 million expansion project. “We are a company that’s fueled to grow.”

But a lot of that growth may not be beer. The brewery founded in 1888 is poised to boost its existing production of products like hard seltzer, wine and spirits beverages in cans, soft drinks and more.

By the end of this year, those kind of products could comprise half the total output of the plant at Edward and Varick streets, Matt said.

The $35 million expansion gives the brewery dozens of giant new brew kettles and fermenting and storage tanks, along with a new digital/computer-operated control system. That will enable it to nearly double its total beverage production by the end of this year.

But Fred Matt had more news: The company is now investing another $11 million to improve and expand its packaging lines as it adds more variety to its beverage line-up.

“We will be the world’s most flexible brewery, or one of the most flexible,” he said. “We were the first to do hard seltzer (with Spiked Seltzer) so we have the knowledge and the experience and now the facilities and the capability.”

Matt Brewing also recently sold a 20% share of the family-owned company to Brooklyn Brewery of New York City, whose beers it has been making under contract for 35 years. Among other things, that allowed the brewery to undertake the expansion without adding debt, Matt said,

And it’s adding 25 to 30 new jobs to a payroll that already stands at about 130 full-time and 10 part-time positions. Those will include positions in production and packaging, along with supervisors, finance and more.

“We have always prided ourselves on being a great place to work,” Matt said. “We’re looking forward to having more people join our team.”

Matt Brewing, once known as the West End Brewing Co., was founded by German immigrant F.X. Matt, Fred’s great-grandfather, in 1888. It is known for its traditional American lager, Utica Club, and, since the 1980s, for the line of Saranac craft beers. It also makes many different beverages under contract for other companies and brands.

It is the second oldest brewery in New York state (after Genesee in Rochester), and the oldest still owned by its founding family . In New York, only Genesee and the Anheuser-Busch InBev plant near Syracuse are bigger.

But the brewhouse hadn’t been significantly updated since just after the end of World War II. Before the expansion, it featured two copper 500-barrel brew kettles and reached its capacity of about 320,000 barrels of beer/beverages per year. (A barrel is 31 gallons).

With two new and more efficient 450-barrel kettles, plus greatly enlarged fermenting and storage capacity, the brewery may produce 600,000 barrels this year and could go as high as 800,000 barrels in future years, Matt said.

All that expansion came as the beverage industry has experienced “major disruptive changes” in recent years (not to mention the Covid-19 pandemic), Matt said.

The changes came in both the types of products produced and the packaging, he said.

Three years ago, about 80% of the brewery’s non-draft beverages were packaged in bottles, with 20% in cans. That’s now flipped to 75% in cans and 25% in bottles.

During the same time, the beverages themselves have changed. Three years ago the brewery’s production was 85% “traditional” beers, Matt said. That fell to 60% last year and may drop to 50% this year, he said.

Part of that comes from Matt’s own line of soft drinks and its introduction of green tea-infused hard seltzers.

Other products made under contract at Matt Brewing include the Finnish Long Drink ( a canned cocktail that is considered the national drink of Finland), and a line of canned cocktails called Ohza Mimosas .

But its also still in the beer business. In addition to producing many of Brooklyn’s most popular beers, it recently became home to a re-launch of the iconic New York City beer Schaefer.

The Matt brewery is also known for its in-depth tours, concert series and its sponsorship of the annual Boilermaker Road Race each summer. This year’s Boilermaker has been rescheduled to Oct. 10. Tours and concerts have not yet been rescheduled but could be pending changes in Covid and state restrictions.

Upstate New York’s other big breweries have also been expanding.

The Genesee Brewery in Rochester unveiled its modernization and expansion project in 2019.

And the Anheuser-Busch plant just outside of Baldwinsville in Onondaga County is slated to receive a big chunk of a $1 billion investment by its parent company. Like the other expansions, that is driven heavily by the need to turn more production over to hard seltzer and other beverages.

“Hard seltzer is here to stay,” Fred Matt said. “It’s got an appeal that isn’t going to go away soon.”

Don Cazentre writes about craft beer, wine, spirits and beverages for NYup.com , syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at [email protected] , or follow him at NYup.com , on Twitter or Facebook .

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F X Matt Brewing

Review Highlights

“ The Saranac beers are pretty good, but the Utica Club doesn't have much goin for it except for its history. ” in 19 reviews

“ If you know any of them (well maybe not Utica Club ) you probably are pretty googly eyed right now. ” in 10 reviews

“ My husband is personally a big fan of the Black & Tan and the Pomegranate Wheat . ” in 3 reviews

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811 Edward St

Utica, NY 13502

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About the Business

The F.X. Matt Brewing Co. is the home of Saranac and Utica Club beer. Proudly located in the heart of Utica, New York since 1888. Now, under the leadership of the fourth generation of the Matt family, we are known all over the world for our distinctive and drinkable craft beers, our summer concerts and events and one-of-a-kind tours of our historic facilities. …

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Is there food available?

No. For special events there is but not to just stop in.

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Delightful establishment with a beautiful assortment of beers and hard ciders. Decent food, some of it actually quite excellent. Noisy, popular, with a gift store downstairs and a bar and restaurant upstairs.

See all photos from Steven C. for F X Matt Brewing

I grew up in Upstate New York and sipped my father's Utica Club when I was a small child. The Schlutz and Dooley ads were on the black and white television every day with all the fun of Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons. So, whenever I get near Utica, I make it a point to stop in and take the tour again and stock up on Utica Club Pilsner/Lager (isn't it suppose to be one or the other?) for my family and friends. Nowadays, here in Houston, I am drinking Brooklyn Brewery ales that come out of the very same little brewery and I feel at home.

Looking for something to do in the area, I was informed to check this brewery for a tour. Parking is in a private lot, located next to the gift shop. Tours are every 1 pm and 3 pm Monday to Saturday from June to August. Tours are every 1 pm and 3 pm Friday and Saturday from September to May. In order to get to the tour, enter the gift shop and make an immediate left up the small stairs. Despite not being a huge fan of beer, it was interesting listening to the tour and how the Matt family developed the Saranac company from the time of Prohibition! Great history to the Utica community and props to my guide who entertained us. The tour is $5 per person with children under 12 years of age are free. Be sure to swap cash for two tickets to get two full sized samples of the beers on tap or non alcoholic beverages. In addition, you can try sample cups of about 8 beers that are on tap! I tried two sample cups and kept my two tickets. The bartender was kind enough to notify that I was able to use my tickets for a future date at the bar without going through the tour again. I believe the bar inside this brewery is open until 8 PM. If in doubt, call ahead before the tour. I do recommend it!

Great! Awesome beyond words. Tour was so nice. Duff was so informative and fun as a tour guide. Gave great recommendations where to get apps. The history behind this company is wonderful. The soda options were great for a non-drinker Would recommended! We go to many brew tours this was amazing

See all photos from Lisa F. for F X Matt Brewing

Cool brewery for Saranac beers. The bartenders were super cool and super nice. The beers were okay. Merchandise is insanely expensive. The tour is only on weekends, but it takes you through a really cool history of the place and even takes you to the speakeasy built during prohibition. Cool place to tour if you're ever in the area.

Beer flight. 4 5oz cups for $10

Love this brewery. Finally took the tour and it was fantastic! It was super informative and so interesting! All of their craft beers are delicious. The limited edition Blueberry Ale is so light and refreshing, perfect for summer. I love the historic location, it is really beautiful.

Review is of the brewery tour, not the beer itself. My grandparents lived in Utica, and I have fond memories of touring the brewery as a child (mid-1980s) and exploring the various areas along the way. I distinctly remember the cooling rooms that were always very cold, very wet, and smelled very weird. I remember getting to the end of the tour and riding a trolley (really, a converted bus) back to the brewery. And I remember drinking root beer and eating pretzel nuggets with my grandfather while I am sure he had beer. Fast forward 25+ years, and I thought it would be fun to bring my wife here for the tour. Of course, I have changed since then and I not only can appreciate the nuances of the brewing process more, I can also read (meaning, I could look at the signs and displays and get a better understanding of what was going on). The prices for the tour are reasonable and include two sample beverages at the end. My wife and I aren't big beer drinkers but we enjoyed going through the various rooms, looking and the huge shiny vats, freezing in the brewing room (which still was very cold, very wet, and smelled very weird). The dark wooden trim and stained glass windows are pretty neat. Due to the fire several years ago, the tour didn't end at a place where you boarded a trolley for the return trip. Instead, you reversed direction and walked back. Oh well, some things must change. The samples were good, and we brought home some beverages to enjoy at a later time. It is hard to imagine that the fourth oldest family-owned brewery in the United States, and the second-longest running one would be found in little old Utica. But, it is and their Saranac brand (as well as their Utica Club brand) still coming off the lines. Someday, I hope to come back and take the tour again.

I came to visit the Brewery on a Friday night to see the Flaming Lips perform a concert there. Everything was great! There were no lines for the beers (ticket system). They offered about 8 different beers, all from local breweries (Saranac, Utica Club). There were tons of portajohns which made lines very small. The food line was large but it moved very quickly. I was very impressed. I tried the fried cheese curds which were excellent and also had the chicken quesadilla which was decent, but nothing special. Food prices were very cheap for a concert which made everything taste even better. It was my first time in Utica and i loved it. Also the Flaming Lips were incredible, they put on a great show.

See all photos from Brian C. for F X Matt Brewing

Man, I sure do love brewery tours and this is one of the best ones I've ever been on. The brewery has so much history within its walls and the tour is really great. Tour and tastings are only $5 a person, so it's a complete steal. The tour lasts around 1 hour and you get to explore the various areas of the brewery including a really interesting area concerning the brewery during prohibition and the Matt Family who started and continue to run the brewery. We got to see an active bottling line as well and that was a blast to see in person. They truly make a ton more products than I ever knew and I had no idea that The Matt Brewing Company actually brews most of Brooklyn's beers and they were also the first place that Sam Adams had a large production made. Neat! The tour itself is worth $5 and the tasting at the end is such a huge bonus. With the tour admission, you get 2 (count 'em, 2) tickets for full pints in the tasting room. They have about 8 beers on tap and about 12-15 bottles that you can choose from too. Translation = amazing selection! Not only that, but you can sample as many as you want in addition to the 2 pints! Yay! beer heaven! This brewery is a wonderful mix of truly interesting history and great beers. Utica is not exactly a destination spot for most people, but if you're planning on driving through the area and have the time, definitely stop in and enjoy yourself for a few hours!

We stopped in at the brewery shop to pick up a couple of 6 packs. Great variety of beers (sadly including Utica Club - just kidding). They have brewery tours including tasting which gives a nice historical look at Utica brewing over the years. Very cramped tasting room, but a fun adventure for the whole family.

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Utica’s Matt/Saranac brewery unveils new outdoor Biergarten

• Updated: Sep. 02, 2022, 2:05 p.m. |
• Published: Sep. 02, 2022, 11:31 a.m.

The outdoor Biergarten opened this week at F.X. Matt Brewing Co. in Utica. (Photo courtesy F.X. Matt Brewing)

• Don Cazentre | [email protected]

Utica, N.Y. — A brewery founded by a German immigrant more than 130 years ago now has an outdoor Biergarten.

The F.X. Matt (Saranac) Brewing Co. this week opened the 18,000-square-foot outdoor space that will serve beer and food through late fall. The Biergarten seats up to 1,300 people.

The new space will feature 12 beers on tap, including Utica Club and the craft Saranac lineup. Six of the taps will be devoted to “innovative” beers produced at Matt’s small pilot or test-batch brewhouse. There are also seltzers, ciders, cocktails and non-alcoholic Saranac soft drinks and iced tea.

Food includes giant pretzels and meat & cheese boards, and meals that include the huge “Big Matt Burger.” The space also offers a pet-friendly atmosphere with games, live music, and special events.

Matt/Saranac Brewing is also known for its summer concert series and as the host of the annual Boilermaker Road Race each summer.

“Throughout the entire process of designing our new Biergarten, the customer experience has been priority #1,” Fred Matt, president of F.X. Matt Brewery, said in a news release. “We’ve put a lot of thought into the types of beers we’ll have on tap and the style of food we’re serving, with a big focus on innovation so the customer can experience something here they won’t find anywhere else.”

The "Big Matt Burger" is one of the featured foods at the Biergarten that opened Aug. 31 at F.X. Matt Brewing Co. in Utica. (Photo courtesy F.X. Matt Brewing)

This weekend the hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Starting next week through late fall, hours will be 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Later in the fall, the Biergarten will close but its offerings will shift indoors to a new beer hall and renovated 1888 Tavern.

The Biergarten is located along the Varick Street side of the brewery complex and is part of a continuing effort by the brewery to help revitalize the neighborhood, according to a company news release. It features a a modern bar, plenty of seating and green space and a “secret speakeasy” inside the brewery’s red brick and wrought iron gates.

The Biergarten is the final piece of a $45 million expansion and renovation project the brewery began in 2019. Much of that went to new brew kettles and tanks a new digital/computer-operated control system. The next project for the brewery will be an $11 million update to its packaging system.

The renovations are intended to help the brewery double its production capacity. In recent years, Matt has shifted a significant amount of its production to non-beer beverages, such as hard seltzers and canned cocktails, made both under its own brands and for other companies under contract.

Matt Brewing, once known as the West End Brewing Co., was founded by German immigrant F.X. Matt, Fred Matt’s great-grandfather, in 1888. It is the second oldest brewery in New York state (after Genesee in Rochester), and the oldest still owned by its founding family . In New York, only Genesee and the Anheuser-Busch InBev plant near Syracuse are bigger.

Nick and Fred Matt, members of the third and fourth generation to run the F.X. Matt Brewing Co. in Utica, at the opening of the brewery's new Biergarten. (Photo courtesy F.X. Matt Brewing)

Related: Utica’s Saranac Brewery partners with other top brewers for new canned vodka cocktails

Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com , syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at [email protected] , or follow him at NYup.com , on Twitter or Facebook .

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

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