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Beer taps at the Genesee Brew House, Rochester, N.Y., Friday, March 4, 2016.

(Scott Schild | sschild@nyup.com)

The Genesee Brewing Company is preparing to ship 12 giant fermentation tanks from Albany to Rochester via the Erie Canal.

The move is part of a $40 million project to create "one of the most advanced brewing systems in the world" at Genesee Brewing's headquarters in Rochester, according to the company. It is the final stretch of a journey that started 6,000 miles away in China, where the tanks were manufactured.

The 225-mile journey is sure to create quite the spectacle as the 20-foot by 60-foot-tall tanks pass through cities and communities along the canal, and these are some tentative dates when you can expect to see them:

May 12

May 15

May 16

May 18

The full list of stops and the complete schedule has not been released yet. A spokesperson for Genesee Brewing told NYup.com that those dates could still change based on canal traffic and other factors.

Associate Marketing Director for Genesee Beer, Janine Shoos, said that the tanks are literally too large to arrive by train or truck.

"How do you get 20-foot by 60-foot-tall fermentation tanks from Albany to Rochester? By barge, of course," Schoos said.

Shipping along the canal is relatively uncommon, and Genesee Brewing--New York state's oldest brewery established in 1878--is calling this a historic journey.

"We expect to see people on the banks of the canal capturing this special moment in our history," Schoos added.

The company hopes people will raise raise a beer to the tanks, snap a photo, and share it on social media with #TOASTTHETANKS, or post it on Genesee Beer's Facebook page.