Utica Beer: A History of Brewing in the Mohawk Valley

Riding the wave of industries brought by the Erie Canal, Utica experienced a tremendous boom in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries--and it was all fueled by beer. Thirsty laborers lubricated their days with after-work ales and lagers made by crafters like the Oneida Brewing Company and Gulf Brewing Company. Brewing was a Utica industry in its own right, boasting more than forty breweries operating since 1801. Prohibition nearly sounded the death knell for the trade, but the Matt family's West End Brewing Company endured, becoming the first in the country to commence brewing in 1933. Thanks to their Saranac beer, the craft beer movement is old news for residents of the Handshake City, who have been enjoying these local favorites for more than 125 years. Join beer scholar Daniel Shumway as he explores the hoppy history of Utica beer.