Decades before craft breweries started springing up all over New York, there was a beer brewed in the state that was associated with President Jimmy Carter.

The president's brother Billy gained some notoriety when he gave his good name to what many beer fans agreed was a bad beer.

Starting in late 1977, Billy Beer was produced at several locations, including The West End Brewing Company of Utica.

Billy Beer was produced for a brief time in Oneida County. Photo: WNBF News
Billy Beer was produced for a brief time in Oneida County. (Photo: WNBF News)
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The company - now called F.X. Matt Brewing - produced the beverage for several months under a contract to supply northeastern and New England states.

According to the Syracuse Herald American in 1982, the "mere mention of Billy Beer" made the company's chief F.X. Matt II "wince."

The newspaper quoted Matt as saying "that was not our finest hour." The article indicated he acknowledged "Billy Carter's reputation and the widely publicized hoax concerning the value of Billy Beer as a collector's item" didn't help the company's credibility.

The endorsement of Billy Carter appeared on the label of "Billy Beer" cans. Photo: WNBF News
The endorsement of Billy Carter appeared on the label of "Billy Beer" cans. (Photo: WNBF News)
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Rustycans.com - a website for beer can collectors - suggests as many as two billion cans of Billy Beer may have been produced. The site stresses such a can - empty or full - is not rare and would be worth about 25 cents at most.

Despite that admonition, some people still try to cash in on those who don't do their research. At least one eBay poster is trying to sell a six-pack of Billy Beer for $50.

But - as Rustycans.com puts it: "DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!"

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: Email bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2240. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.

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