F.X. Matt Brewery in Utica, N.Y.

Does NYSW still serve the F.X. Matt Brewery in Utica? I remember seeing a picture of it being switched in "Susquehanna: Shortline to Stackpacks."

Last I knew it still was, yes.

is this the location?

http://www.saranac.com/contact

Yes it is, FX Matt produces the Saranac line of beers.

Much better in my opinion than Matts ever was.

FX Matt also produces Utica Club and is a contract brewer. At one time they contracted quite a bit of brewing for Sam Adams.

I miss Matt's and the Matt's beer ball. Summer in Central NY means barbecues, bonfires, and buying a new beer ball tap!

And waving to the trains as they passed us partying at black bridge in Norwich.

One of the more interesting brands produced by the brewery(under contract) was a brand called "Three Stooges Beer", produced in 1998 and 99(and then re introduced a couple of years ago, on a limited basis) by a variety of brewers around the country. I have a can of said brand, issued under the name "Panther Pilsner Brewing Company, Utica NY". This was a novelty item produced years ago for "Comedy III Entertainment, Inc", the licensing agent for the estate of the Three Stooges, which was started by Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Joe De Rita in 1959 to keep some financial control on their royalties and likenesses back then. I also have a bottle of this brand of beer, and the label lists it as being bottled by the "Panther Brewing Company, Wilkes Barre, PA". The Name "Panther Pilsner" was a ficticious name used in several of the Stooges' short films, hence the marketing name.

Ah Yes, how could I forget Utica Club.

This brewery was once known as the West End Brewing Co. For a pop quiz: How many of you older folks can reall the "Utica Club" TV commercials of the late 1960s? These featured a beatles-type band and a gorilla that was in charge of the swings (the ones that the girls were on).
Caught the E-L local switching out the brewery in October 1975. Odd to see the caboose sitting in the middle of the street by itself.

Re: UC commercials of the '60s, how about the talking beer steins, Schultz and Dooley?

http://www.schultzanddooleyonline.com/

You bet. Recall them from the late 1950s into the 1960s. Then they were reintroduced in the mid-1970s, it seems. At any rate, the last I knew the origionals were flea market favorites.

Neat discussion thread.

Would make for an interesting day to round up a few railfans from the forum , go out and check out the railroads nearby, come back to the brewery for a tour, finishing off the day with samplers, pints, and food (if applicable at this location).

O/T -- Back in 2002 a few of us from the NJT Railfan forum (e.g. BobbyS, others) met up to check out the electro test trains on the Montclair Connection at the Upper Montclair Station and then headed over to Charlie Browns for an early dinner and cold pints up at the bar.

I really like the Saranac product line, especially the Amber Lager and the Black Forest lager. I really like the Samuel Adams product line too. As I'm typing this, I'm enjoying one of the last of this season's Winter Lagers. The awesome Belgian-style White Ale from Samuel Adams is out now, so the Winter Lager is scarce. I can't get the S.A. Brown Ale and Black Lager down here on long Island, unfortunately....

The brewery also brewed Billy Beer back in the 1970s, named for Pesident Jimmy Carter's brother, Billy. They also brewed their low end beer, Ft. Schuyler, which was the name of Utica prior to it becoming a city.

I grew up in the same town the F.X. Matt family lived and there were Matt's in school with me. We had a great high school graduation party at their house back in the days the drinking age was 18 in NY.

The brewery tours were great especially on a hot summer day. And when I worked for the NYS&W and switched cars at the brewery, the smells were good but I only could dream of the taste of a cold one until the day's work was done.

Wow- if Ft. Schuyler was the low end, what did/does that make Utica Club?

I still get UC at a place in Binghamton, and I know they stopped making Matt's sometime between 89-92, but when did they brew Ft. Schuyler?

On a railroad-related note, do they ship beer out by rail? What comes in by rail? Barley? Bottles?

The way I would rate their beers - bottom to top - was Ft. Schuyler, Utica Club, Matt's and Maximus Super. That's how I viewed them when I lived in the Utica area. If they stopped brewing Matt's or Maximus Super, that's news to me but I don't get those beers where I live....or at least I've never seen them. I really like their Saranac Beers....Black Forest is my favorite. But I haven't found a Saranac that I didn't like.

The brewery only receives inbound loads of malt and rice. Nothing outbound anymore. According to some EL people I worked with, they did at one time ship empty bottles in and also ship beer out of the brewery.

One very unique feature of switching the brewery was that the switch to the brewery was in the middle of Schuyler Street. The switch handle was underneath a metal plate in the street. One always had to be very careful switching cars there are automobile traffic had to go on both sides of the train as it sat in the middle of the street.