Nor' Easter Winter Warmer
Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.

The description says the "combination of dark malt, elderberries and bourbon barrels makes for an interesting tasting experience" but for me it was just strange. Not horrible but definitely not a huge success either.

i didnt expect this to be funky but it was, and reading through some reviews, it sounds like others have not had the same experience, so i am wondering if i had an infected bottle or something, but its so good that it seems like the funk in here is intentional, light bacterial pucker, possibly picked up in the barrels, and a really farmy almost wildness to it, piquant with the almost medicinal plum and elderberry character, i thought it was amazing, intentional or not. its rich and creamy for a beer with some acidity, and has a warming and festive bouquet of flavors from tobacco to prune, cocoa and smoke, vanilla and whiskey, its really impressively complex, and the pucker doesnt erode any of the structure, i really dig that. this is unlike other winter warmers, its not sweet, loaded with clove and anise and brown sugar, or boozy to the point of being absurd, its a challenging yet highly refined brew that holds up to cold weather mighty well. the sour part i suspect is not planned for, but its a happy accident in my bottle. these guys are doing some really intriguing and high quality stuff right now!

Poured into a snifter, the appearance was a semi-dark brown color with a little creamy colored head leaving some sticky lacing. The aroma had some roast, berries, brown sugar and caramel/toffee malts. The flavor copied the aroma pretty much spot on, leaning to the sweet side and adding some nuts. Subtle nutty to berry aftertaste hitting the finish, somewhat sticky, but slightly acceptable. On the body, this one was medium bodied with a fair sessionability about it. Mild carbonation and the ABV felt good. Overall, nicely strong ale, but was this really a Belgian Strong Dark Ale? Not so sure about that.

 

 

 

 

 

Thought this was a fitting beer for our weather in NY today. This has been in the cellar for a few years, so I am not sure on the vintage.

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a tulip glass.

Look is a black, a lot darker than I expected with little to no head.

Aroma is pure berry and a sweet malty note at the end.

Taste is a mix of slightly tart/sweet berry and malty winter warmer. It's an interesting combo, but def good.

Batch #5. More sour than I was expecting. But that's ok. I bought this last week (Jan 2015) from the aged rack at a local BD for $12.99. The bourbon barrel aging is awesome, and I'm working on getting more into sours. I can hang with this. Also, I waited until the first snow here on Long Island. Perfect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

batch #5

a - poured a one finger thick creamy coffee-colored head into a snifter that left good lace and a thin sheet throughout. dark color almost red wine like.
s - chocolate, dark berries and plums.
t - dark fruit, bourbon woodiness with a hint of tartness.
m - creamy and smooth.
o - really terrific sipper. excellent beer and complex.

Bottle poured into a MadTree Snifter

A: Pours a dark brown, molasses colored body. Yields a light khaki colored thin head that slides down the glass quickly with a minimal amount of retention. Leaves a thin layer of retention. Pours like a strong ale or a scotch ale.

S: The waft in this one is really nice. Bourbon is subtle and not overbearing at all, with a strong berry aroma. There is some oak. Vanilla and some walnut and toasted almonds.

T: Whoa baby this is different than I was expecting from the nose. Bourbon is coming through perfectly upfront. There's a strong sweet berry flavor that slaps you right across the face mid-drink that finishes sharp with a boozy warmth and toffee.

M: Full body. Moderately high carbonation. Sticky. Boozy.

O: A solid brew. Not at all what I was expecting, but that's not necessarily a bad thing in this case. I wasn't expecting such a strong berry presence, but overall it meshes together well. I suspect this was a very different beer fresh. Glad I got a chance to try this one.

 

love this beer batch 4 is the best in my opinion. it has alot of sourness and balance. love drinking it especially in the colder months you cant go wrong. black in color very bourbony, good viscosity and overall taste. one bottle will get tipsy quick.