2beerguys beer blog

Saranac hosts Beer Dinners for Bloggers (part 1)

Saranac Hosts Bloggers Beer Dinner to celebrate the release of the 12 Beers of Christmas

Utica, New York: On Thursday October 22nd, FX Matt Brewing Company, got a head start on their Christmas celebration by graciously opening their doors for their first ever blogger beer dinner release party.  Founded in 1888, FX Matt Brewing Company is a family run organization that has transformed their organization into one of the top craft beer players.  During prohibition, the brewery never shut down – providing work for all of their employees by creating nearbeer and different varieties of soda.

FX Matt Brewing Company, the producers of Saranac and Utica Club brand beers, brought members of the beer writing community together last Thursday to showcase the 12 Beers of Winter at their brewery in Utica, New York. The 12 Beers of Winter variety pack has it’s own surprise for this holiday season. Look into Saranac’s 12 Beers of Winter package for a glamorous, magical and shiny pass into the beer maker’s underworld – a GOLDEN TICKET!!

This is the third year for the Golden Ticket promotion. Saranac’s 12 beers of Winter package will have random golden tickets placed inside. Your job is to  find one, and this exclusive behind the scenes brewery tour given by Fred and Nick Matt is yours!! This VIP trip will include accommodations for two to spend a night in Utica with a trip to the brewery for a tour and dinner at a local restaurant. For more information, log onto www.saranac.com .

Blogger’s Beer Dinner (part 1 – meet and greet)

Almost a month ago, we were invited attend to the blogger’s beer dinner release party. We had reviewed many of the Saranac beers (for a list of reviews, click here), but we never had a chance to visit.  We decided to venture the 300 miles (approx 4.5 hours) to attend.

As we arrived at the brewery for the first time, we were led into an unassuming storefront, right into the gift shop. Following the group to the upstairs bar and gathering area, we noticed the long fancy bar and elaborate woodworking.  This was a brewery like we had never seen before.  You could sense the history all around you.  At the bar, I sampled the Imperial IPA, while Amber tried the new Maple Porter – both were quite delicious.

During the night, we chatted with other bloggers (from NY Brew Authority, IMASOFAT Youtube Beer TV, Syracuse Drinks Blogger) along with writers from the Ale Street News/Yankee Brew News.

As we met different employees of the FX Matt Brewing Company, including Nick and Fred Matt, we got a sense of hard work and community — which started from the top.  The Matt Family is not only proud of their history and achievements, they are proud of the beer that they have created.  As you know, very few breweries survived during prohibition, but even fewer breweries have transformed their business into a craft brewery.  Can you think of any? (Note:  at 2Beerguys.com, we have reviewed over 22 different  varieties of Saranac beers – the most memorable being the caramel porter, yum.)

During the meet and greet, we spent a bit of time sampling the cheese and crackers, while conversing with Fred Matt.  It’s not rare in the beer world, but we immediately felt that Fred and Nick Matt are two of the most personable brewery owners that we’ve ever met.

Stay tuned for part 2 – brewery tour:

12 Beers of Winter:

This winter variety pack will knock your socks off with some new beers added to the lineup, along with the return of some oldies by goodies. The selection includes: Rye IPA, Big Moose Ale, Belgian Ale, Winter Lager, Black Lager and Maple Porter. Stay tuned for additional stories from our adventure, along with profiles of the 12 Beers of Winters collection.

Other related posts:

Fire at Matt Brewing Company – May 2008.
A year later after the fire at Matt Brewing Company
Top 50 breweries in 2008 – Ranked 7th.