Captain Lawrence Smoke from the Oak (Apple Brandy Barrel)

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

Bottle from Paul the Dentist - thank you sir, as I have had my eye on this since it was a rumor. The best of the series so far, though still an infection threat, and maddeningly so. The apple brandy does its turn with a fruity dryness, and this couples with the lingering tartness and carbonation that this series is famous for. The base beer remains not that good - yeah, they were historically tart, but who cares? "How we do things IN THIS COUNTRY is... one guy brings the item... and the other guy.... pays him." And also, our porters are thick, roasty and not tart. Deal, Cpt. Lawrence. Stop using good barrels to make this base beer palatable.

25.4 oz bottle. Dark brown with a huge, fluffy tan head. Nose is oak, light smoke, plum and cocoa. Apple brandy in the back. Medium body with a tang. Taste is coffee, sour dark berries and bitter chocolate. Finish nicely merges smoke and brandy.

Pours a murky red/brown. Nose is oaky, tart with cherries and green apple peel, nice toffee and toasted chocolate malt. Taste is not as bold as the nose, i think a little more body would have helped this beer hold up to the big flavors, nice acidity, slightly bitter, hints of chocolate, apple, cherry, vanilla, and beef jerkey.

Thanks for sharing Josh! Batch #1. Pours a deep reddish brown with a large foamy off white head. Aroma of tart cherries, caramel, toffee, light smoke and brandy. Flavor of smoked malt, oak, milk chocolate, cherry and a touch of brandy.

750 ml bottle enjoyed on a cold winters night courtesy of a trade with puzzl. Thanks, Andy! Pours a well carbonated very dark hue, blackish and brownish red around the edges, a huge brownish head that cakes and laces pretty well. Nearly opaque aside from the edges. Aromas are definitely a sweet acidic apple brandy quality, wet oak and a touch of vanilla, the apples really come forward in this, with some roasted malts lying beneath. I’d have to say that the barrel was fairly dominant in this nose. Apple cider, roasted malts, a touch of creamy chocolate, and oak. Initial takes a solid body, coating the palate well, Apple brandy elements up front and fairly dominant, not really boozy but sweeter cider coupled with a fairly potent blast of acidity which helps balance. Roasted malts start to shine through a bit with chocolate and vanilla coming in, a small bit of smoke, decent bitterness on the backend. The beer feels hot, but largely because of the acidity, as it is not very boozy at all. A touch creamy chocolate on the backend sticks, light coffee and smoke, but it’s hard to notice it through the barrel and other elements. It seems the SFTO series has a wonderful appearance, and the aromas are quite pleasant. This beer is unique and different, the roast much more covered up, taking a sweeter edge and acidic edge from the barrel, decent oak and light bitterness on the backend. This beer was very enjoyable and different, but fell short of it’s Wine barrel sibling for me. Cheers!

Thanks Josh for sharing this 750ml bottle! Poured a darker brown color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of wood, roastiness, some apple brandy, and cherries. Tastes of wood, chocolate, apple brandy, lighter cherries, and roast.

Bottle thanks to Mikey711 (BA)!
Red-brown with a foamy cream head. Tart nose like the other SFTO beers, here a little sweeter with the apple and brandy but showing heavy wood. The flavor is similar with apple and brandy, but the porter shows some signs with a creamy, full-bodied finish. The apply leaves the flavor more subdued than past SFTO, but this is still very pleasant.

Bottle - thanks ditmier. Very dark brown with a massive tan head. Just a mountain of frothy head that took forever to settle. Nose reminds me of a Flemish sour with fruity tartness, sours, and oak. Very faint smoke presence. The smoked porter aspect comes through stronger on the taste with light fruity tartness and sours up front before a lingering smokey finish. Different for sure. Seems like the apple brandy plays a minimal role in the flavor, but I it compliments the smoked qualities nicely. I enjoyed it overall.