Matt Kahn, co-founder of Big Ditch Brewing Company, shares his journey from working in the pharmaceutical industry to beer fermentation. Matt paired his scientific background and drew inspiration from the Erie Canal to open a thriving brewery in downtown Buffalo. Big Ditch continues a centuries-long tradition of beer-making and drinking in Upstate New York that followed the route of the canal.

Get a closer look into the taproom and restaurant at canalkeeperspod.com, and follow us on Instagram @canalkeepers.

Paranormal expert and author Mason Winfield delves into legends that have shrouded western New York for over a century, including a mysterious serpent sighting in the Erie Canal and a feminist ghost who warns railroad travelers of danger. Mason recounts chilling stories and discusses his mission to bridge academic research and public fascination with the supernatural.

Read about other myths and legends surrounding the Erie Canal at canalkeeperspod.com, and follow us on Instagram @canalkeepers.

Scholars Danielle Nagle, Dana Olesch and Renee Barry challenge the Erie Canal’s traditional narratives and examine its unintended consequences on marginalized communities. These new history teachers are on an educational journey to reexamine the complex history of the canal and forgotten stories of New York’s “engineering marvel.”

Learn more about the history of the Erie Canal and its effect on Indigenous and Black populations at canalkeeperspod.com, and follow us on Instagram @canalkeepers.