Q: How Can I Tell When My Saranac Beer Was Packaged?

To help ensure freshness, Saranac bottles and case cartons utilize what is called the Julian date coding system -a simple method for identifying when the bottle was produced. The Julian date code assigns a three-digit number to each day of the year, from 001 (January 1st) to 365 (December 31st). A fourth digit designates the year, such as the number 6 to represent 2006.

So...bottle of Saranac produced on January 15th 2005 would carry this Julian date code: 0155 (015 = January 15th and 5 = 2005)

You'll find this code just above the label on the bottle shoulder. The Julian date code is the first four digits. The next four digits represent the time of day.