Captain Lawrence Brown Bird Brown Ale

Brewed by Captain Lawrence Brewing Company
Style: Brown Ale
Pleasantville, New York USA

(growler, thanks kmweaver) Small tan head atop clear dark brown body. Aroma is medium sweet, caramel, candi sugar, some raisin, light nut. Taste is medium sweet, raisin, caramel, some nut. Light-medium body, seems a bit thin for the flavors.

Cherry wood, maple and sweet caramel in the nose, along with a smaller amount of toasted bread crust. This bread crust/toast really comes out in the flavor, along with a resinous, chewy hazelnut malt profile, moderately sharp but firm, very vibrant and fresh, and very well made. One of the best straight brown ales I’ve had in a long time.

Growler courtesy of kmweaver. Clear brown body with a small beige head. The nose is toffee, cookie dough, golden raisins and herbal/floral hops. Flavor is lightly sweet, lightly bitter with herbal/floral hops, caramel, cracker and raisins. Medium body is soft with light carbonation. Good one.

Growler. Pours a bright, deep cherry-cola color; pleasant light tan head with solid retention and fine-bubbled lacing. Pleasant amounts of roasted malts, dried fruits, and cola in the aroma; tasty, clear brown ale expression. Medium mouthfeel: toasted / tea-like malts, dried red fruits, cola and a touch of breadiness; like the aroma, just a very clear, very clean expression of all the good things about a brown ale: drinkable as all hell, nothing sticky, and a very solid malt character. Medium finish, showing cola and tea-like malts and a bit of bread.

Now that I have had it a few times I can formulate my opinions. The aroma is light with some caramel and nutty notes. A faint spice holds its own but does not overpower those browny aspects. The taste is also light and very drinkable. My type of brown being that the nut are not too overpowering but it is a bit thin.

Growler filled at Captain Lawrence. Pours a clear brown with red highlights when held against the light. Moderate off-white head that lasted beyond mid-glass and left spotty lacing. Light but pleasant aroma of malt and not much else. A bit more flavorful with malt up front with some drying hops bitterness at the finish. More light-bodied than I would expect for the style. Meh.

On tap at CL Brewery tasting room. Brown color with a medium head. Super malty aroma with some brown sugar and caramel sweetness detectable. Flavor is malty and sweet with some sugar and grainy notes. Not bad - good for a brown ale, which is saying alot.

on tap at the Brewery. Clear dark amber/brown in color. Small off white head. Aroma is caramel, toasted malts, and light touches of chocolate. Most importantly, the aroma is very clean. Taste is smooth caramel, light to moderately sweet, with some nutty malt, chocolate and a nicely balanced hop bitterness in the finish. Simple, yet clean- a well brewed brown ale.