Captain Lawrence Smoke from the Oak (Bourbon Barrel)

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

750 ml bottle shared with Padrefan98 at the Red Poppy Relase. Smokey aromas off this dark dark pour with nice tan head. More aromas of wood and oak. Flavors were similar with chocolate and more bourbon. Very Nice.

[Bottle, thanks Stine!] Pours dark brown with a tan head. Aroma has a lot of oak and raisin in it. Taste is a little sour up front, then some alcohol, and a little chocolate and vanilla. Medium mouthfeel and quite smooth. A nice beer.

Trade from Dmac621. Thanks Dave! I shared this at the Lost Abbey Red Poppy release. Nice aromas of smoked wood. Very drinkable. I wish I had this one to myseld. Awesome!

Bottle. Batch 1. The best thing about this concoction was that the bourbon was nicely integrated into the porter. The worst thing was that the overpowering oakiness made you work to get at all the other nice things about the beer. Slight tan head atop dark brown-black body. The aroma, which is better than the flavor, is full of tart cherry, dark chocolate, caramel, bourbon and slight smoke. The flavor is moderately sweet, moderately bitter and moderately to heavily acidic. The beer has a distinct tartness to the flavor and finish. Dry and sour at times, too. The light to medium body has a thin texture. Fizzy carbonation contributes to a champagne-like mouthfeel. The beer was served too cold and improved quite a bit as it warmed. A lot going on in this beer. Still, I had a hard time getting around the sensation of licking a cedar plank every time I took a sip.

Thanks to PUB’N for this one. The pour is turbid blackish merlotish colored with the deep ebony showing some signs of deep purple through light. The head is large, about 3-fingers worth of light brown foam. The aroma is gorgeous; a mix of scotchy caramelly malt, oaky bourbon, figgy brown sugary fruit, tart cherry hints, plus winey cabernet, plum, and blackberry notes. The aroma almost seemed to shift back and forth between vinous and spirity, and I inhaled for a long time. The rauchiness was not overpowering in the aroma, either, which portended the beauty of its integration once I took a sip. The flavor; my God, Bob Griese, let me tell ya’ ’bout the flavor. Initial fruity notes blast the palate, with blackberry, plummy, and merloty notes. Nanoseconds later the cascade of other flavors hits, figgy fruit, malt, mild and not overpowering oaky bourbon, and a well integrated rauchy element that is just smooth as silk and extremely seamless. If Aecht Schenkerla is the Mike Tyson of rauchbeers, then this one is Sugar Ray Leonard. As it warms up, it gets a bit more tart and Flemish soury, with the tart cherry, plum, blackberry, and vinous flavors coming out a bit more, and the oaky bourbon and rauchy flavors remain throughout, assertive yet nicely tucked away in the background, knowing they are there but willing to let the other flavors step up and have their day in the sun. This is truly one of the better beers I have yet quaffed, and an example of why I’ll be hunting beers until the day I’m pushing up daisies.

Sampled at MN Ratebeer Winter Gathering in Maplewood, MN and supplied by Stine. From a 22-oz bomber pours an opaque dark brown brew with a thin off-white head that quickly dissipates to a fine film. Aroma of roasted dark malt, some vanilla, and a touch of molasses. Taste is smooth, creamy, a medium body with flavors of dark caramel malt, flowery hops, a touch of smoked wood, and dark pitted dried fruits. Finish has a unique tart and dry smoked caramel aftertaste. Nice!

MN Winter RB Gathering. Huge thanks to Stine for sharing. Pours a dark thick black. Very tart character on the nose with hints of chocolate, vanilla, and dark fruits as well. Flavor is much the same with a good dose of bourbon shining through. A very nicely done beer.

Sampled at Stevofest - thanks to tronraner for sharing. Pours black, with a thin beige head. Really nice aroma - Smoky and oaky, just like the label says, plus nice notes of grape and red wine. Flavor is dominated by smoke & oak, much like the aroma, but there are subtle notes of cola, coffee, and some hops bite at the finish. Really, really good. If someone out there want to send me some, I’d drink it.