It's family tradition to go on the brew tour once each summer & I love it every time! The history of the Matt Family and the story of this brewery, in addition to the great beer make for an awesome experience. I love the old wallpaper in the speakeasy room. I love the HUGE kettle room. And the production room is a blast to watch when bottling is taking place. Try to make it on a weekday when they are bottling b/c it's so fascinating to watch.Over the years we've had some great & less than great tour guides - but I always learn something about the process. And the tavern at the end of the tour is beautiful. Utica is stuck in 1985 - it's such a weird place to visit. But if you go you HAVE to go on a brew tour and you MUST eat Utica greens.
Fun and exciting to see and hear the back round of this historic brewery. They take you for the historic halls and grains selection process to the COLD cellar where they make the beer. (watch your step on the hoses and the floor may be wet!) All the way to the bottling and canning process, labeling, packing, etc. Then on a very FUN trolley ride back to the early 1900's pub for a couple of free beers, and free root beers for the kids and non-drinkers. There you get to see more historic stuff, pics, and OLD jukebox that still plays the old metal punched out records, heck the bartender even has a handlebar mustache! This place is FUN! Brings me back to my childhood days when good ole Shultz and Dooley were still on the B&W TV! Man, memories! Then they wrap up with as you exit downstairs you enter into their gift shop! Great fun while visiting, a must stop for ALL ages! ENJOY!
Very informative and historic. This company has been involved in the community for years. You will enjoy it and the refreshments afterwords are great. Tom was a great tour guide.
Great place to take out of town company. They are always impressed with the brewery, the area, the gift shop and, in the summer, Saranac Thursdays.
This is a very nice place to take out of town friends to see. This brewery is a place to see for people of all ages.
When visiting Utica be sure to see this historic location. A fabulous tutor on the brewing process which ends with tastings in the old time saloon. Kids will enjoy the root beer!
This is one of the more interesting brewery tours I've been on. The brewery has a very rich history, and the interior of the brewery had some great antiques. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. The tasting at the end was great each person gets two tickets that they can redeem for either beer, or soda.
Went down to the Masonic Care Community for St. John's Day. After the parade, it just poured rain. Went to the Sarnac Brewier for a tour. They give you a yellow ticket to get in, "The Golden Ticket" You take the tour and it is really neat. Then the best part, you end up at a little bar and you have 2 free tickets for a beer. Not just a little taste, a full beer. It is a neat tour.
There isn't much to do I have found in this area, but a tour here is certainly worth it. The shopping area is great, the brewery tour itself was great and then the two free drinks is great in the end. If you are not a drinker, it is still interesting, and they even have their own root beer on tap at the bar.
Learned all about the history of FX Matt and beer making in the Mohawk Valley of New York.