Captain Lawrence Nor’ Easter Winter Warmer

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

Tasted like a bourbon soaked prune. Plenty of warming alcohol to help me warm up during this Nor’Easter we’re having today. While the alcohol isn’t hidden, it is well blended for a true winter warmer.

Batch 1, 750ml bottle, with thanks to footbalm for this treat! Pours a dark brown with a creamy one finger dark tan head, moderate lacing. Aroma is super nice, with fresh dark berry fruits, more dark fruit, oak, vanilla, and a very subtle bourbon presence. Flavor is more dark fruits, along with a stronger presence from the oak, vanilla and bourbon. Plenty of warming from the alcohol, but not really detectable in the flavor. Another good one from CL that I’ve been fortunate to try, thanks again Eric!

Rating #375. Bottle. Pours a deep opaque brown to almost black, and a very slight tan head that quickly disappeared. Aroma is oak with roasted malt, vanilla (from the bourbon barrels I’m sure), dark fruit (is that what an elderberry tastes like?), and a definite alcohol tinge. Taste is dark fruit and roasted malt up front, dissolving into a nice sharpness inspired by the bourbon barrels. Notes of vanilla barely noticed as well. This was about a year old, and I’m glad I let it mellow out for a year. A monster of a sipping beer, but a very worthwhile offering.

Shared by Eyedrinkale at O’Briens for the SAF pre-party. Pours thick, dark, dark brown and opaque with little to no head. Aroma is rich and potent, roasty malts, bourbon barrel, dark fruits and earth, along with alcohol sharpness. Flavor is complex and interesting, with molasses, oak and bourbon soaked wood, more dark fruits and forest floor, but all of this is overshadowed by the alcohol heat. Smooth, full body and light carbonation. Nice to have a chance to try this one, and it could use additional aging to mellow and soften.

Poured a dark brown with ruby highlites and a small off-white head. Aroma of vinous grapes, raspberries, a bit of smoky woodiness, and a touch of molasses. Sweet flavor with notes of maple syrup, molasses, and tart berries, with a hint of smoke, quickly becoming rather dry and finishing likewise. Complex and flavorful, this made a very nice dessert sipper. I don’t feel the beer had to be this strong, as the dryness seems to overwhelm the more subtle aspects of the flavor profile. Would have been stellar if it were toned down a bit, excellent as is.

Thanks to Zathrus13 for this bottle. Pours out dark brown with a slight off white head. Aroma of dark fruits, bourbon, wood and some roasted malt. Taste is of dark fruit, roasted malt, bourbon and some sweetness lingering in the background. Never tasted an elderberry, but to me the fruity taste tasted like a blackberry/cranberry cross. Finish is slightly alcoholic, but overall alcohol is very well hidden.

Bottle from deftim13 at the Lost Abbey Older Viscosity release. thanks Tim! Pitch black with small to microbubble head. Some cardboard oxidation. Mellow and still pretty easy to drink. 8,4,7,3,17:3.9 Rerate: Red Poppy Release: 8,3,8,4,17:4.0

Bottle. Dirty brown pour with a tan head. Aroma of oak, coconut, bourbon, and caramel malt. Flavors of oak, caramel, earthy hops, and bourbon. Smooth body boozey/lightly sweet boozey finish.