Captain Lawrence Nor’ Easter Winter Warmer

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

Batch 3. Pours a deep reddish brown color topped by thin film of bubbles that leaves some spots of lacing on the glass. The aroma is very nice with dark fruits, red berries, wood, vanilla, and a solid choco caramel malt backbone. There is hint of some sour mash from the bourbon as well. The flavor follows with more dark fruit, cherries, and figs all blended nicely with the chocolate and caramel. The bourbon and vanilla are noticed throughout but never dominate the flavors. Full bodied with a creamy mouthfeel with subtle carbonation the lends to a nice drinker. This doesn’t feel like 12%, but you know its there. This is a really nice beer, and one that would go great on a cold night.

Batch 2. Killer beer. There’s the from level of beer and then it kicks in with a second level of finish from the bourbon. There are many other layers of excellence revealed. Lively but balanced palate. Bottle shared at RBSG 2009 grand tasting.

Growler of the ’06 provided by Greg at the Castleton release. Pours a deep dark black with a thin tan head. Fruit, berries, bourbon, oak, and malt on the nose. Smells excellent. Plum and malt on the body before a light malty finish. A touch of alcohol on the finish.

A little sweet for me but overall a pretty good brew. Brown in color. Minimal head. Aroma and taste of vanilla, figs, sweet malt and alcohol warmth. I messed up and drank it during the summer. It would be better on a cold snowy day!

Bottle 75cl. @ [ Tasting by cgarvieuk ]. [ Batch #2 ].
Clear dark red brown color with a average to large, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, beige head. Aroma is berry, edelberry, oak, cask wood, grape, chocolate and vanilla notes, moderate to light heavy bourbon. Flavor is heavy sweet and bitter with a long duration. Body is medium to full, texture is oily, carbonation is soft, finish feel has alcoholic notes. [20090411]

Sampled at Noogfest High 5. Pours cloudy brown with light beige head. The aroma is rum, berries, molasses, and caramel. The flavor is some dirt, earthy bitterness, and a dry and vinous berry character. The finish is very dry. Lots of complexity in this one, quite an excellent brew.

Brown pour with minimal head. Nose of caramel, vanilla, come chocolate but minimal, and just an overall sweetness. Flavor is solid, more vanilla alcohol, some dark fruits. A different take on an american classic. Pretty good, hope to try again someday.

The Nor’ Easter has arrived with a massive tidal wave of flavor. The dark clouds formed on my glass depict the lace that others may see instead. The high winds of pleasure simply blow me away! Better tie me down! I do not care to move because I see a massive precipitation forecast. It will rain down drops of delight. I stick out my tongue and taste dark fruits and raisins and wonderful splashes of chocolate fill my taste buds. Willy Wonka, who I know is a Republican secretly, would be impressed. The appearance is Lenny Kravitz a dark brown but not totally black. I am taken back to the days of my youth when I would stick my head in a bowl of brown sugar and start licking. Lick away people the brown sugar coats your tongue and makes you dance like you have fire ants in your knickers. The molasses delights ones sense as well as thier aromatic tendencies. Fear not this is not overly sweet! Once you enjoy your day in candyland here comes the bad man with a torch in his hand. Ready to BURN your soul and steal you away from your sugar plumes and dark fruits dancing about your brain. The burn is not totally unwelcomed but it shows up for the encore if it wasn’t there for the introduction. The lover of the hops, the bitter drink, or the gentle wash of Goodies powders beware. You have just bought a ticket on the Malt Express and there is no refund. Chew Chew!