Utica A Hub Of Brewing In the 19th And 20th Centuries
You know that Utica is home to the F.X. Matt Brewing Company, but you may not know the number of breweries that existed in this area during the 19th and 20th centuries. With good water and nearby hop farms in the Waterville area, Utica had the right stuff to be in the beer business.
According to research by Jon Landers and mohawkvalleybottleclub.com
"UTICA, NEW YORK
BREWERIES
by Jon Landers
Revised February 2001
The following is a list of Utica Breweries that I h
ave researched during the last 20 years. All
breweries did not bottle beer. Some breweries bott
led their beer some of the years they were in
business but some years did not. Many of them sold
their beer only in kegs to saloons, taverns,
hotels and bottlers. S
Charles Bierbauer Brewery, 93 Third Street, his
first brewery in Utica, 1850 - 1853, made the
first lager beer in Utica. No bottles are kno
w to exist.
Charles Bierbauer Brewery, (West Utica Lager B
eer Brewery) 5 Edward Street, 1853 -
1885.
This could have been where the West End Brewing Company got the idea for the name of
their brewery. No bottles are known to exist.
Edward Bright Brewery, Varick Street near Hamil
ton, Utica City Directory. No bottles are
known to exist.
Callahan Brewery, 96 - 106 Catherine Street, successor to Fort Schuyler Brewing Company,
in business only one year, 1901. No bottles a
re known to exist.
Columbia Brewing Company, successor to Charles
Bierbauer Brewery, 5 Edward Street,
incorporated 12/17/1885 - 1887. No bottles are known to exist.
Columbia Street Brewery (G. Ralph & Sons, Propri
etors), 57, 59, & 61 Columbia Street, 1865
Utica City Directory. G. Ralph was associated
with the Oneida Brewery for 23 years and then
started his own brewery. No bottles are known
to exist.
Consumers Brewing Company, 105 Third Avenue, co
rner of Mary and Third. Incorporated
10/9/1896 - 1900. Several bottles of one kind
exist.
J. Crinan Brewery, Broad Street between Mohawk
and Third, Historical Map of Utica, 1839.
No bottles are known to exist.
Eagle Brewing Company, NE corner of Third and J
ay Streets, incorporated 9/18/1888. Many
embossed and labeled bottles exist.
10. Robert Edwards Brewery, Lansing Street, manufac
turer of Dr. Cronk’s Beer, 1853 - 1854
Utica City Directory. Dr. Cronk’s stoneware
bottles exist.
Empire Brewing Company Limited, east corner Bla
ndina, incorporated, 6/28/1883, was only
in business one year. No bottles are known t
o exist.
Fort Schuyler Brewing Company (Failey, Joyce &
Co.), NW corner of Second and 98
Catherine Street, 1885 - 1900. No bottles are
known to exist. Fort Schuyler Brewing
Company, after being the Callahan Brewery for
one year (1901), was changed back to Fort
Schuyler in 1902 under new owners, John Boyle,
president, Henry Moore, treasurer, Frank J.
Winslow, secretary. A few blob top bottles wi
th a slug plate are known to exist.
Globe Brewing Company, successor to the Gulf Br
ewery, Jay and Third Street, 1933 - 1936,
Gulf and Globe combined in 1933. Labeled bot
tles exist.
Joseph Goodliff Brewery, corner Columbia and Va
rick, 1828 Utica City Directory through
1875. No bottles are known to exist.
Gulf Brewery, south side of Jay Street and Thir
d, 1827 1933. One of the three Utica
breweries that were in business for more than
one hundred years. No bottles are known to exist.
West End Brewing Company, now called the F.X. Matt Brewing Company, was incorporated
3/15/1888, 811 Edward Street. It has been in
business longer than any other Utica brewery.
It is one of the three Utica breweries that w
ere in business more than one hundred years.
ONE OF THE TOP RATED BREWERIES IN THE UNITED
STATES. Many embossed
West End Brewing Company and Utica Club bottl
es exist. Many labeled West End Brewing
Company and F.X. Matt Brewing Company bottles
exist. F. X. Matt II, grandson of the
founder died on February 15, 2001."
For a complete list from Jon Landers research, visit mohawkvalleybottleclub.com.