Summer is the season for road trips, and Captain
Lawrence is indeed hitting the highway. Owner Scott Vaccaro is trekking to Burlington for the Vermont Brewers
Fest July 20-21, giving the good people from the land of Ben & Jerry’s,
maple syrup and Phish a chance to sample Westchester’s finest brews.
“We hope to be available in Vermont some day,” says
Scott. “We’ll say hello to the people of Burlington.”
The first weekend of August is “Belgium Comes to
Cooperstown,” hosted by the Ommegang Brewery. Scott will be filling his truck
with Captain Lawrence, and hooking up a trailer holding a 200 pound pig that
will feed the masses in Cooperstown. He’ll hope for better luck than last year;
while backing out of a driveway in central New York, the trailer jack-knifed and
fell on its side in the middle of some dark and lonely road. Only the kindness
of some local passers-by enabled Scott to get the trailer upright—and get the
pig roasted the next day.
Summer is also the time for special projects, and Captain
Lawrence’s experimental brewing facility is positively hopping. The first three
creations from the pilot system—the wheat ale Cold Cousin Brewski, hoppy
session ale Pallino Ale and Scott’s own Palisades Ale—have come and, sadly,
gone. Worry not—more brews are ready for their moment to shine. The pilot
system is an opportunity for Captain Lawrence staffers to flex their creative
muscles, and they’ve been making the most of it.
Batch # 4 is Brown Out Summer Porter. Justin Sturgess’ brown porter, with notes of chocolate and grassy hops and
a smooth malt finish, is available in the tasting room. So is Ryan Kipp’s Breakfast Stout, which
features tasty hints of oatmeal and coffee--but is not a recommended substitute
for actual breakfast. “I couldn’t believe Scott let us do this,” says Ryan.
Scott says the pilot brews give the
guys a break from cranking out barrel after barrel of mainstays like
Freshchester Pale Ale, Captain’s Kolsch and the Captain’s Reserve Imperial IPA.
“Everybody who works here loves beer,” says Scott. “They want to express
themselves creatively.”
Also in the works are Batches # 6 and #7—Randy Shull’s dry hopped wit beer,
Chico Loco (named for his Chihuahua), flavored with lemongrass; and Matt Levy’s Rye Saison, which the
former Captain Lawrence intern whipped up out of some yeast from France, and
offers hints of light spice and summery fruit.
The guys cop to some nerves as their
brews move to the tasting room, but that has transformed quickly to
satisfaction and pride upon seeing the faces of happy samplers. When the room shuts
down at the end of the weekend, they check their numbers like day traders to
see how the brew sold. Scott’s Palisades Ale went fastest of the first three, which
the staffers chalk up to the boss’s established name in the brewing world.
The crew members say the experimental
brewhouse has reignited their passion for home brewing. “If you’re going to
home brew, why not make 250 gallons, and have people give you feedback?” says
Matt.
The feedback has been unfailingly
positive…so far.
“If their beer doesn’t sell,” quips
Scott, “they have to drink it all.”
Captain Lawrence Brewing, at 444 Saw Mill River Road in Elmsford, is open Tuesday through Friday (retail 2-7 p.m., samples 4-7 p.m.); and Saturday, with retail and samples 12-6 p.m., and brewery tours at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m. The author is paid by Captain Lawrence, partially in beer, for “Notes From the Tasting Room.”
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