Captain Lawrence Brewery (Pleasantville, New York)
Yes, the TONY item is liquid gold beer at Bierkraft, which is in Park Slope, not Pleasantville. But after calling Bierkraft, a boutique beer store that fills growlers and confirming that the liquid gold beer on the list is, in fact, Captain Lawrence liquid gold beer which I had already sampled at PDT and purchased a growler from Whole Foods, I didn’t think that a trip to Bierkraft would suffice the “quest” aspect of the TONY list (Those unfamiliar with a growler should note that it is merely a jug used to transport beer and contains about five bottles). With thirsty bellies and a yearning for adventure, a couple of friends and I made the hour long hike up to Westchester to sample the best of Captain Lawrence straight from the brewery, which is open Friday and Saturday afternoons and is half a mile from the nearest train station.
As we arrive at the parking lot at the commercial warehouse facility we are greeted by several beer fans who have purchased a number of growlers and seemed to be having a pretty good time drinking at the picnic table outside at 3 in the afternoon. The brewery invites guests into two rooms, the tasting room and the brewery. Without a liquor license, the brewery is unable to sell beer for consumption on the company’s premises. However, the tasting room can offer samples of their beers on tap, 2 samples of each of 6-7 the beers at 3oz a sample sounds like a good deal to me.
Liquid Gold: Of all the beers I tasted, this one was clearly my favorite and it’s obvious why this made the TONY list. A balanced, golden ale with a bit of spice and smooth flavor. Thankfully, it is served at a few bars in the city so I won’t have to make the trip again just to get some.
Espresso Stout: A dark, creamy guiness-like beer with a strong coffee flavor. Not really what I’m into but I can certainly appreciate the texture.
Xtra Gold, Pale Ale and IPA: What sticks out most about all of the Captain Lawrence beers is a focus on bringing out the flavor of hops. The pale ales are no different. Both have intense hops flavors with the accompanying bitterness and for a guy that isn’t really big on pale ales, I still found myself going back for that second sample. The Xtra Gold is a trippel ale with a 10% ABV sticker. Less bitterness than the pale ales, but plenty of hops aroma and taste.
Smoke From the Oak: Aged and carbonated using different barrels including wine, rum, bourbon and brandy, Captain Lawrence introduces beers that take on a hybrid characteristic. The seasonal variety offers beer that is aged in barrels that contained Merlot and Pinot Noir. Having trouble deciding between a glass of wine or a beer with dinner? Go for some Smoke from the Oak.
Though I could be quite content just staying in the tasting room all day, after sampling each of the beers, we were given a tour around the brewery by Scott Vaccaro, owner and head brewer of Captain Lawrence. It’s a pretty small operation but it was a great experience to be able to hear about the process and talk about beer.
On the way out, we picked up a number of bottles of the Smoke from the Oak ($10 each) and I grabbed a beer glass ($5) to add to the collection. Perfect trip out of Manhattan on any Saturday afternoon. Can’t wait to see what the rum barrel aged beer will taste like…
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I want to go to here!
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