Notes From the Captain Lawrence: Tasting Room All Fine at CL Swine Dine

The Captain Lawrence Pig roast! It’s easily the biggest and definitely the bestest day of the Captain Lawrence calendar year!

The weather leading up to the big day was dreadful—buckets of rain threatening to make a muddy mess of things. But by the time the first pig hit the grill, the sun was shining, a gentle breeze was blowing and the beer—Freshchester Pale Ale, Captain’s Kolsch, Brown Bird Ale, many others—was flowing.

They came from all over Westchester, and beyond, to eat pork and sip craft beer while taking in live music. For David and Danny Berrettini (David of Eastchester, Danny of Queens), this was a long time in the works. They’d heard about one of the earlier iterations of the pig roast, in the Captain’s early days in Pleasantville, years ago while at the Tap New York event in Hunter Mountain. “I said, Westchester’s got a brewery?” says David.

The Brothers Berrettini drove up, down and all around Pleasantville—it was before GPS, notes David—until they found a couple revelers walking around with cups. They asked the pair where the brewery was, only to find out the pig roast was over. So the luckless brothers retired to a local pub that had Captain Lawrence on tap—only to find the pub was, in fact, all out of Captain Lawrence.

The Berrettinis were not missing out this time around. “We figured the day would be beautiful, it’s close to home, it’s great beer—let’s check it out,” said David.

His beer? “IPA, all the way,” he says, while Danny enjoys summery brews such as the hoppy Sun Block wheat ale.

It’s also a family affair for Charlene Dech of Ossining. After all, her son Max, a Captain Lawrence staffer, is pouring beer at the pig roast. Max is carrying on the family tradition back home in the Twin Cities, says Charlene. “Breweries run in the family—it’s what we do,” she says. “All my uncles worked at Hamm’s.”

The uncles would be tickled to see the merriment going on in Elmsford. They’re playing cornhole and bocce.

They’re letting their dogs get some fresh air and a few tasty bites of ribs. They’re sampling cigars and checking out music from the Matt Turk Trio, Brooklyn Sugar Company, Rebecca Haviland and Whiskey Heart, and of course Evan Watson, former Captain Lawrence staffer now stirring up his own Plan Bee Brewery product.

Owen and Paula Wallace of Bedford Hills turned up because their friend Bob was turning 51, and Bob demanded his friends treat him to a day at the pig roast. “It’s fun to taste all the beers,” says Paula, who has settled on a “lemony” Kolsch.  “It’s very social.”

Owen prefers the only beer that was on the menu for the very first Captain Lawrence pig roast—the Freshchester Pale Ale. “Nice hoppy finish…my favorite beer period,” he says.

The long line for food, Owen says, is the only drawback. “The highlight is being here with our friends,” he adds.

All anyone can talk about is the gorgeous weather, proving that Mother Nature fancies her some craft beer, and doesn’t mind a few pigs on the grill. Perhaps the only one not enthralled with the big yellow sun is Ed Cody of Pleasantville, who’s photographing the event. “The weather couldn’t be better…actually, a little overcast would be better,” he says, for shooting purposes.

He may also be the only one not sipping a beer due to having to work a gig at the Trump National Golf Club later on this eve. “Maybe I can come back tomorrow and make up for it,” says Ed.

Also snapping a few photos is Charlene Dech to share with her brewing family members back home. “It’s a beautiful day and Max works here, so it’s good to celebrate his job,” she says. “It’s just good to celebrate.”

It is indeed.

—Michael Malone (malone5a@yahoo.com)

Captain Lawrence Brewing, at 444 Saw Mill River Road in Elmsford, is open Wednesday through Friday (4-8 p.m.), Saturday (12-6 p.m.) and Sunday (12-5). The author is paid by Captain Lawrence, partially in India Pale Ale.

Notes From the Captain Lawrence Tasting Room - THE CAPTAIN’S LOG: Benches, Bocce, Beer…Beverage Tax???

THE CAPTAIN’S LOG: Benches, Bocce, Beer…Beverage Tax???

Big things are happening at Captain Lawrence Brewing, says owner Scott Vaccaro, most of them quite good. The four-month-old facility in Elmsford features an expanse of green space (well, greenish, at least), and plans call for benches, tables, and even a bocce court to be set up to enhance your beer sampling. (Bocce, involving heavy wooden balls, an asphalt court and, typically, older Italian men, is an even better partner to beer sampling than softball.)

The building permit for the outdoor space should be in hand this week. Captain Lawrence is also applying for a permit to serve beer outside.

And as you’ve probably noticed if you’ve been in a beer distributor or grocery store or Whole Foods recently, bottles are rolling out of the brewery, and into a retailer near you. Freshchester Pale Ale, Liquid Gold and the Captain’s Kolsch are currently out in six pack form, and Captain Lawrence Brown Ale hits the 12-ounce bottles for the first time this week.

“The bottles have been selling well,” says Scott. “We’re seeing enormous amounts of orders.”

This week should finally see some action in the new facility’s much ballyhooed experimental brewhouse. Finishing touches to the electricity and plumbing are being applied, the new vent stack will break through the roof, and the first brew should be underway this week. “It’s taken longer than expected,” says Scott, “as all good things do.”

The beer blogging community has been abuzz about what Captain Lawrence might stir up in the 15-keg experimental space. Scott isn’t quite sure yet, but says the short list includes offshoots of the Imperial Pale Ale-inspired Drew’s Brew, the black ale Five Years Later and a white or wheat IPA. It’s a game-time decision for the brewery. “Maybe we’ll do all three,” says Scott.

So it’s all smooth sailing for Captain Lawrence? Not so fast. Some onerous legislation has been passed down to craft breweries from Albany. The New York State Supreme Court, ruling on the Shelton vs. NYS Liquor Authority, has lifted a longstanding tax exemption for small brewers. (Shelton Brothers, a Massachusetts beer importer, is no stranger to litigation. It had previously sued the NY State Liquor Authority over some off-color Christmas beers, including a winter porter called Santa’s Butt, that the Liquor Authority sought to keep off New York shelves, believing Santa’s Butt was being marketed to minors.)

The short of it is, unless the lobbyists and lawyers representing New York’s growing craft brewing community can pull off a Hail Mary, it will be a lot more expensive for small breweries—those brewing 6.2 million gallons or less per year, such as Captain Lawrence--to brew and distribute their beers, and probably more expensive for people to enjoy these beers too.

Scott says the new law would mean close to $100,000 in extra fees for Captain Lawrence per year. “The New York State brewing industry is doing really well,” he says. “This is a great way to stop it.”

So if you happen to be chatting up your local elected official, you might mention this egregious new legislation to them.   

You might also invite them down to the brewery for a locally brewed Pale Ale, Family Meal or Smoked Porter—as well as a game of bocce.

Captain Lawrence Brewing, at 444 Saw Mill River Parkway in Elmsford, is open Tuesday through Friday (retail 2-7 p.m., and samples 4-7 p.m.); and Saturday, with retail and samples 12-6 p.m., and brewery tours at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. The author is paid by Captain Lawrence, partially in beer, for “Notes From the Tasting Room.”