How to Read Julian Dates on Beer Bottles

Because it’s Beer Friday and I’ve been totally derelict in my duties, let me cut-and-pass on this bit of knowledge from Saranac brewing company about how they—and many other breweries—put a “Born On” date on their bottles, even if you didn’t see it at first glance.

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. (Click here for photo). The Julian date code is the first four digits. The next four digits represent the time of day.

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