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Didja Know?^TM The Pilgrims, sailing on the Mayflower, landed at Plymouth Rock not because it was the best place to establish a colony, it was because they were low on beer!

Joe's Trip to New York City
for the
2006 Cooking With Beer Challenge
Great beer, great food, great place...and, most of all,
great people made this trip one to remember!

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December 2nd, 2006: Upstate NY

Begin

Joe's hometown is Rome, NY - known as City of American History. Joe and Jay stopped off
to visit the gravesite of Francis Bellamy, author of the Pledge of Allegiance.
The original version is as follows:
I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.
Bellamy, a Baptist minister, understood the importance of separation of Church and State,
thus had no reference to 'God' in the original pledge.

Next, a visit to the Matt Brewing Company in Utica, NY for a tour.
Formerly known as the West End Brewing Company, this is the first brewery Joe toured as a youngster (and many times since), and it seemed only fitting to visit yet again. Joe and his dad, Joe (senior), along with Jay spent a fine Saturday afternoon doing some of their favorite things...tasting beer and talking about beer. From P.T. Barnum's traveling desk, to the 1890's-style tasting parlor, to the copper kettles and the Trolley, this is one tour you don't want to miss! Our tour guide, Mark Freytag, did a splendid job of educating us on the various aspects of the second-oldest family-owned brewery in the U.S. He pours a great beer, too! (Nick and Fred, this guy's an asset!)

Beginning of the tour.