f.x. matt brewing company

I've been on a lot of brewery tours, and the tour part is all pretty much the same. Graciously, this one did not demand you take taste tests of various varieties of raw barley or take deep whiffs of raw hops and instead stuck to the history and brewing process. The history of the brewery proved interesting, the brewing process familiar, and then finally we got to the tasting room.It's here where FX Matt really shines. For the cost of your $5 admission, you get two full pints of whatever they happen to have on tap. But you can also have as many smaller samples as you would like. There was a couple on our tour who had already done the tour a few times - probably locals taking advantage of 2 full pints of Saranac before heading out to other bars. I had a pint of Legacy IPA and Pumpkin Ale, as well as a sample of a special nitrogen-tapped Ubu Ale. Being responsible, I had to leave a bit behind as we still had a few hours to drive into the Adirondacks. But if you're staying the night in Utica and don't have to drive, this is a great place to try a bunch of awesome Saranac beers. Their store has a nice selection of merchandise too.

I was never much of a beer drinker but my husband loves craft brews, so we like to take tours when we can. We were in the area so we stopped in on a warm Friday afternoon. Uticaclub was a favorite of our fathers, and now it brews the Saranac line so we decided to try it. The tour was full of interesting facts about the history of the brewery. The antiques in the brewery were beautiful and it was visually stimulating to see these and not just vats and assembly lines. But, really, we were there to TASTE! We each got to sample any beer that was on tap and you received two pints of beer of your choice to drink in the upstairs pub at the end of the tour.For the under aged, there is a super line of rootbeer and sodas. We had a fun time throughout our time there, and would go back again for sure. One note about the stairs, there are many of them on this tour as the building is an older one. So, if you don't mine stairs go right ahead but if this is difficult for you skip this one.

We are big beer nerds, so we knew we had to stop at FX Matt as we passed through Utica. I am so glad we did! It was the best brewery tour we have been to in the US. The place is huge! The guide was great as he led us through the history of the brewery and the collection of memorabilia in the impressive building. As we reached the actual brewery, we got to see the large scale process of brewing and it was very impressive. The tour finished in a lovely tavern with free samples of Saranac and treats. We truly enjoyed the tour and would highly recommend it - even to non-nerds!

I was so excited to introduce Jon to my early childhood in Utica/New Hartford; part of that includes touring the FX Matt Brewing Co! It's so funny to think that we used to do the tour as part of school and Girl Scout activities in the 1970's! It's just as I remember, the sights and smells. A great way to spend an hour or two and learn a little more about a part of Utica's identity. My only complaint was with the gift shop: I wish they had a better selection of t-shirts cut specifically for women so I could sport my UC pride back in Massachusetts!

Was slightly confused at first with all the different names on the signs......Saranac, Utica Club, FX Matt. So glad we dropped in for the tour. Was extremely interesting to hear the history of the FX Matt brewing company and all the ways they have grown over the years. They were pioneers of the craft beer movement. The tour was reasonably priced, $5 with two tickets for pints after the tour......beer or soda. Loved the mansion, woodwork, and all the memorabilia.......well preserved.

I have taken many tours of facilities like the brewery, but none were like this one. Our guide was very personable and knowledgable. The opportunity to see this facility is an experience I will remember for a long time. The memorabilia in the building was outstanding. Where else could you rub elbows with the CEO? It actually happened. An admission ticket gets you two tastings. If children are part of the group, they can get soda tastings.

Wasn't sure what to expect from matt's, I know it's a big brewery that do a lot of contact brewing. But I was pleasantly surprised. The beer is obviously made with a lot of care, and the tour was great, very informative. The tasting at the end was good lots of stuff to try. The decor too is very gentlemans club-ish, very victorian. Loved and will be back. Also, the price is very good.

The value in this tour is insane - 5 bucks for 2 pints and unlimited additional samples! Oh, and a really interesting tour of the building and brewery family history... and the tour guide was fantastic... and the beer was really good (and I'm picky about beer!). Even the retail store was cool. If you are ever in Utica (for whatever reason :)), definitely go to this brewery. Just make sure to take a cab!!

We were very impressed by our tour of the F.X. Matt Brewing Company. Our tour guide was very well-versed in the brewery's rich history. The tour takes you through the entire brewing process, and we were lucky to see the bottling process in action, which we were told is unusual for a Saturday tour. Only disappointment was not receiving a complimentary tasting glass for our collection, although we did enjoy the two full pours at the end of the tour. Their root beer on tap is also delicious.

We visited this brewery one Saturday afternoon. Only $5 per person and it was great. Our tour guide was very informative and seemed as if he enjoyed his job, which made the tour more fun. We got to learn about the different types of beer and received tickets for the bar afterwards. I would highly recommend this place to anyone, regardless of if they drink or not.

The tour starts and ends in the gift shop, our guide Ryan was very personable, humorous and informative, he recited a FX Matt the second poem, sang in the elevator too! The temperatuve was 93 so the best part of the tour is when you go through the areas that are a lil chilly! Felt like heaven!All beer is either a lager or a ale he explained the process, ingredients and the steps as to why their Saranac line of are quality craft beers. We have been on other brewery tours and you get tiny samples... but not here 2 full glasses! WE all loved the Shandy! Blue Berry Blonde was our nest Favorite... additional fresh blue berries are at the bar for you to add too Very enjoyable on a extremely hot day in upstate NY!Oh there is a Saranac line of soda for the kids too!

As I travel quite a bit I have been on many factory and brewery tours but this ones stands head and shoulders above all the rest!They charge $5 which isn't bad and we were greeted by Ryan, the tour supervisor. He was fantastic, knowledgeable and a real asset to F.X. Matt Brewing Co. The tour involved a very detailed history of the company history and beer brewing process. They have quite a collection of antiques and stories. In fact the tour started at 3 pm and we didn't end up in their pub until 420 pm! I am not a beer snob but I do know what I like and their Blueberry Ale and Black Forest beers were my favorites. Came back with cases of each! Don't be put off by the $5 charge, where can you get two pints of great beer for $5?I encourage every beer (and root beer) lover to stop and take the tour. I look forward to taking the tour again and to sampling that delicious pumpkin ale they were cooking when I was their today!

Decent small-time brewery with decent products. One bad thing about my visit is having to come after hours when the packing machinery is off for the day.

We've toured several breweries and always enjoy ourselves but this one gives a couple of unique features. First off the history of the family owned brewery and what they've done over the years is very interesting. Secondly, the pub at the end of the tour is the best we've been to in a brewery! Thanks Matt family.

I've toured several breweries in my lifetime, and this is (by far) the best brewery tour. The antiques, the speakeasy, the factory itself, and the pub with free pints make this place a great experience.