F.X. Matt Brewing Company

Story

F.X. Matt Brewing Company is a family-owned brewery in Utica, New York. It is the fourth oldest family-owned brewery in the United States, having brewed beer since 1888. Its most popular product is the Saranac line of beers; soft drinks such as root beer and ginger beer are also sold.HistoryAfter working at the Duke of Baden Brewery of the Black Forest region in Baden, Germany, Francis Xavier Matt I immigrated to the United States in 1880. Matt worked at the Charles Bierbauer Brewery as lead salesman and brewmaster in Utica for a few years before reorganizing it into The West End Brewing Company in 1888.During Prohibition, the company stayed afloat by producing soft drinks under the label Utica Club, and also made Ginger Ale and non-alcoholic malt tonics. After the end of Prohibition, Utica Club became the name of the brewery's flagship beer, promoted during the 1950s and 1960s by two beer steins, Schultz and Dooley, voiced by Jonathan Winters. Schultz & Dooley were first introduced to television audiences in 1959 and rapidly became the West End Brewing Company's favorite "spokes mugs". Another very important factor for marketing was the "Utica Club Natural Carbonation Band Beer Drinking Song". On March 21, 1968 members of Utica Club sales previewed a new campaign called "swings". Created by Wells, Rich, Greene, Inc. "The campaign started with introductory television spots featuring a mythical nightclub, the Utica Club, which embodied the most desirable features of the best nightclubs in the world." The campaign introduced "Utica Club Natural Carbonation Band Beer Drinking Song". The selection was created for the Matt Brewing Company by one of commercial music's best-credentialed composers, the great Sasha Burland" (Forgotten Buffalo 2014). This song aimed to persuade the customers that Utica Club was a hip night club, and people would drink Utica Club beer while listening to this song.