Olde Saratoga Brewing Company - Saratoga Lager

Saratoga brews this lager in the style of a märzen, often called an Oktoberfest beer. On the pour, it certainly looks the part, presenting an attractive, lightly hazy, and deep, rich, orange-tinged amber color. Powerfully malty in the aroma department, expect prominent caramel, toffee, and bread aromas, overlaid by a touch of spicy hops. The flavors follow the aroma, which is a good thing indeed. The imported malts deliver a rich caramel character with some lightly toasted breadiness. Rich and full on the palate, there's a mild to moderate sweetness, but the hops present a clean, spicy kick that balances quite well, especially as it dries out in the finish. A tasty, traditional märzenbier, this brew makes a great accompaniment to some brats or knockwurst and sauerkraut, or pork chops with applesauce. Drink it warmer for more sweetness or colder for more bite. Prost!

The Olde Saratoga Brewing Company is a fixture within the craft brewing industry in New York. Founded in 1997, the brewery is responsible for producing many well known beers found along the East Coast and elsewhere. In addition to their two flagship Saratoga-branded beers which we bring you this month, Olde Saratoga serves as the brewing site for a number of other beer brands. Owned now by California's Mendocino Brewing Company, which brought the brewery into their fold in order to produce fresh Medocino beer for the East Coast, Olde Saratoga produces well over thirty different beers both year-round and seasonally.

To those outside the brewing industry, the idea of a brewing company contracting with another brewery to produce their beer may seem strange, but it's a common practice at all levels of the brewing industry, from big brands to small microbrews, and it's essential to the growth of the craft beer movement. Many great brewers don't have the capital resources to open their own brewery, so partnering with an existing brewery that can brew your recipes and bottle it up for you as you grow your brand is a big help. In other cases, a brewery may run out of capacity and turn to another brewery for help meeting their demand. Under the long-time guidance of master brewer Paul McErlean, Olde Saratoga has been one of the go-to breweries for such services, partnering with a number of other brewing companies over the years, including such well-known brands as Southampton Publick House and Schmaltz (He'Brew & Coney Island beers).

For more information on the brewery, their tasting room (where you can fill a growler with tasty beer to take home), and brewery tours, visit them at www.oldesaratogabrew.com or call 518-581-0492.