Olde Saratoga Brewing (Mendocino Brewing Co.)

No Longer In Business

I never pass up a trip to this place. The bar manager and his girlfriend are sweethearts, and are always wonderful to chat with. The beer selection varies, depends on what they’ve been brewing, but they are almost always willing to pop a bottle open for you if you want to try something particular. Also- free live music on Thursday nights!

I was close enough to my hotel I could have stumbled home.....that being said, they will line you up with all the 4 oz samples you’d like to try.....so I went small at first and ended with the barley wines......a DD is a definite necessity if you spend a couple hours there. Enjoyable, entertaining but one could get in big trouble in a hurry.

The tasting room at Olde Saratoga is a nice, relaxed little place that is hidden just outside downtown Saratoga. A few years back, you could "buy a pint glass" for $4 and get two "fills," but that didn’t sit well with Saratoga bar owners, and they were ratted out (well, that and the tasting room was notorious for over-serving the hell out of people and it was an easy DWI trap for the loca cops). Now, you walk in, get free samples, and maybe buy a six pack or case or growler. They have darts, tvs, tables, and often have some sort of spread, even though there is no on-premises kitchen.

The place is a bit outside of downtown syracuse. The tasting room was alright, nothing that special. Their beer was pretty average but the prices were great.

A very fun, very laid back brewpub. Some scumbag bar-owner down the street ratted this place out a few years ago for selling beer on premises ($2 a pint, two fills!) and now it’s free samples and beer that can be bought on premises. It feels like a lounge to hang out at while drinking all of their excellent selection. I haven’t been on a tour, but I could literally spend all day there.

I used to love this place- before they were "busted" for pouring pints instead of samples. Old format: Pay 4 dollars, get 2 pints, and get to keep your glass. New format: Free tastings of whatever you want- but they are only tastings. Darn NY beer laws. Great, friendly, staff who become like family, even have a dog or 2 wandering around on the weekends. A great stop, even under new rules, if you are in the Saratoga area.

An impressive tasting room and a detailed tour. Tap selection featured 10 of their beers plus some soft drinks. Some of their food samples were also available. The tour is extensive. Definitely worth visiting.

I wish they would add the Oatmeal Stout created for the 06-07 Winter Ale to their regular, year round stable of beers. Or the Porter they used for that the 04-05 Winter Ale. Or both!

This little tasting room is great to hang out, play alittle darts, and taste all that mendocino has to offer, as well as a feel lucky non-residential beers (contract brews.) Dan’s a great barkeep, and the pricing is really resonable, and you always get to keep the Saratoga Pint Glass. No food here, but thursdays, fridays, saturdays they give out hotdogs and there is always munchies on the bar.

UPDATE: The previous "buy the glass for $5 and get two pints of anything on tap free" scheme has been ended by NYS/City of Saratoga. Tasting only, can’t buy a beer for any amount of money. Really unfortunate. A great little tasting room/pub. ~15 beers on tap, all brewed in-house. Mendocino and some contract brews (Southampton IPA was on tap when I stopped in the first time.) Tasting is free. Guys behind the bar are amicable, talkative and generous. Highly recommended, I’ll be going back every time I make the short trip to Saratoga. PS: Thankfully, I haven’t run into Rachael Ray’s father yet.