Notes From the Captain Lawrence Tasting Room: Almost Famous

Tom Brady stretches out his 6’ 4” frame, scans the field in front of him, and fends off the attacker waving his arms in Brady’s face. He considers his options, and chooses the Hop Commander.

Alas, this Tom Brady lives in Armonk, and his baby Sean, tucked into the front pack, is the one in his grill. The other Tom Brady, well, who knows where that jet-setting Patriot might be.

“I get it once a day,” says Westchester Tom Brady of the quips about his namesake. “I’m used to it.”

It’s a sunny spring day on the Captain Lawrence patio. The band Gridline is serving up a heady mix of blues and rock. Tom is there with his wife Michelle (at least it rhymes with Giselle) and wee Sean (pictured above), while daughter Alex dances in front of the band. They have extended family visiting. “When we have guests in town, lots of times we take them here,” says Michelle, sipping the Sun Block wheat ale.

Michelle admits she’s not a major beer drinker, but enjoys the Sun Block’s crisp, citrusy bite. Having an almost famous husband, she says, has been full of surprises. “Marrying a Brady, I thought it would be mostly Brady Bunch jokes,” says Michelle.

Inside the tasting room, AC/DC’s “Back in Black” cranks out of the speakers. Jack and Mary Leclair of Waterloo, New York, up in the Finger Lakes, would not mind having Tom Brady on their football team. Instead they got Rex Ryan. “We’re Buffalo Bills fans,” says Mary. “That’s why we drink beer.”

The couple is visiting their daughter in White Plains, and is meeting another couple from Danbury. “It’s really not halfway between us,” Mary says of Captain Lawrence. “But don’t tell them that.”

Don’t worry, Mary—your secret is safe with us.

She is sampling the German style Kolsch, while Jack has the small-batch brew Beam Me Up. “I don’t usually drink scotch ales,” he says of the smoky, malty beer. “But this is good.”

They rave about the craft beer scene up in the Finger Lakes, including Naked Dove in Canandaigua and Climbing Bines in Seneca Lake. “The Finger Lakes are really known for wineries,” says Mary. “The Beer Trail is just starting up.”

Elsewhere in the tasting room, Kit Mancuso and Dawn Waylonis of Valhalla have made their own beer trail. The women shopped at Sam’s Club on Rte. 9A, then decided to pop into Captain Lawrence for a few sunny Saturday samples. “I dragged her to Sam’s, and she dragged me here…kicking and screaming,” Dawn says with a smile.

They liked the Kolsch and loved the Brown Bird Ale, but found the pilot system brew Angler’s Son, a zesty wheat IPA, a little funky. “We love the smell, but not the taste,” says Kit.

Back on the patio, the bocce balls and cornhole bags are flying; Tom Brady, naturally, is adept at both. He’s not the only fake famous person on site. Rob Walpole of Hawthorne mentions he shares a name, if not a “Sir” honorific, with the first prime minister of Great Britain. Sir Robert may or may not have absconded to Ireland, Rob says, with a helping of Exchequer cash. Still, he’s no Tom Brady. “No one knows who he is,” Hawthorne Rob says with a hint of regret as he sips an IPA.

Around a nearby barrel, Brian and Carrie Schwartz of Washington Township, New Jersey are sampling a few brews. She’s got the Freshchester—“I’m an IPA girl, but I’m driving,” she says—while Brian has the Seeking Alpha triple IPA. Carrie searched for a nearby brewery on her Untappd app, and found that Captain Lawrence was just across the Hudson—not near the St. Lawrence Seaway up where the U.S. meets Canada, as she had thought. “When I found out,” she says, “I said, we are going—now.”

For his part, Brian has been told he resembles Jon Stewart before Brian grew a bushy beard. Carrie nods in agreement. “You’re Jewish,” she says. “And you’re funny.”There may not be a celebrity Carrie Schwartz out there, but Carrie has been told at different times she looks like Jessica Biel, or Elizabeth Shue, or Anne Hathaway. Brian grimaces. “I don’t see any of it,” he says.

 —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 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: Giving Thanks, Bringing Beer

Frost Monster on the loose!

We’ve teased the coming of this imperial stout for months as it hibernated in the fermenter and in rum barrels, and it’s finally ready in time for the holidays. The barrel-aged Monster is available in 750 ml bottles and on draft Wednesday in the Captain Lawrence tasting room, while the unoaked iteration is in the fermenter, and will be available in mid December.

Created by Justin Perrone, the Frost Monster sparks a cavalcade of adjectives. “Big, bold, strong, malty, rich, chocolatey,” says Captain Lawrence founder Scott Vaccaro.

The unoaked stout will make some Captain Lawrence history: it will be the brewery’s first four-pack offering. Captain Lawrence will release three beers in special four-packs in the next year. Following the Frost Monster is another mega-brew slated for early 2014: the Seeking Alpha triple IPA. “It’s in the works,” says Scott.

In other brewery happenings, February will see Captain Lawrence distributed throughout the whole of New Jersey, not just the northern part. And the “287” whiskey--distilled Freshchester Pale Ale produced at Still the One in Port Chester, is a certified hit. Scott says higher quality barley and malt than more typical single malt whiskeys make the 287 pop. “A lot of beautiful malt flavors really come through,” he says.

Speaking of inspired creations, Scott’s “Drew’s Brew”, an India Pale Ale named for his then newborn son, was a beloved Captain Lawrence offering back in 2011; he might again concoct a kid-inspired brew, with newborn Layla perhaps getting one in her honor. “I’m thinking of something moderately bitter, because that’s how I’ve been feeling without sleep,” Scott jokes.

He may infuse the IPA with fennel, which is known to pacify colicky babies. “It’s been two years since Drew’s Brew,” says Scott. “Maybe it’s time to brew Layla a beer--and get one going for Drew too.”

If you’re looking for something offbeat to take to Thanksgiving dinner, the small batch beers in the tap lineup include staffer Doug Roberts’ pilot brew #69, a dark brown beer brewed with 10 different grains; Ryan Kipp’s German black lager Schwarzer Hund (translation: Black Dog); and the crew’s new Belgian ale blended with stout, known as Hot & Sour Soup. “I’m letting those guys have way too much fun,” says Scott.

Avoid the Thanksgiving Eve/Growler Wednesday rush—get to the tasting room early.

A limited supply of the seasonal fave Pumpkin Ale will be available in the tasting room Wednesday. “We had a huge pumpkin season,” says Scott. “We just can’t seem to make enough.”

As far as Thanksgiving recommendations from the Captain, Scott says you can’t go wrong with the barrel-aged, 12% A.B.V. Frost Monster alongside your turkey, stuffing and family. “It’s great for when you don’t want to listen to relatives talk anymore,” he says. “Drink a bottle and you won’t hear a thing.”

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.

The “Notes From the Captain Lawrence Tasting Room” book is available at the brewery and on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Notes-Captain-Lawrence-Tasting-Room/dp/0985632844/

Notes From the Captain Lawrence Tasting Room, Vol. 53 The Captain’s Log

The waiting, as Tom Petty once said, is the hardest part, while some other big thinker famously noted that patience a virtue. So you’ll need a bit of patience as you wait for the compelling collaboration between Captain Lawrence and the Still the One distillery in Port Chester to come to fruition. Still the One is distilling Freshchester Pale Ale into a very intriguing, locally produced whiskey.  

Captain Lawrence owner Scott Vaccaro calls the mash-up “floral and fruity, with a hint of hops.”

Now, the waiting part. A small batch may be available for tasting by the end of 2013, while the pale ale whiskey is slated for broader consumption another year or so after that.

The wait for the beloved Rosso E Marrone sour ale won’t be nearly as long. The beer’s release used to prompt diehard fans of the Rosso to drive from miles around to sleep outside the old Pleasantville location, like those camping out for the latest iPhone, before the beer’s release. Captain Lawrence won’t post a release date in advance, but will make the Rosso E Marrone’s availability known on the website soon as the beer, currently bottle-conditioning in the brewery, is ready.

“It’s sitting as we wait for it to carbonate,” says Scott. “The beer will tell us when it’s ready.”

The Rosso won the gold medal among American Sour Ales at the Great American Beer Fest in 2009. While that style of beer is not for everyone, a more widely accessible brew is the Sun Block, which Scott calls an unfiltered American wheat beer dry hopped with cascade hops. Available in the tasting room, Sun Block is a new formulation of an older beer; it was previously a Belgian white. “We’ve cranked up the hops a little,” Scott says. “There’s more flavor and a lemony aroma, thanks to the hops.”

In the big and bold brew department, Scott has ordered up a Baltic Porter for the brewery’s experimental pilot system. Made with Kolsch yeast, it’s a smooth and malty concoction. “We’ve been making porters from Day One but we haven’t played around with the Kolsch yeast in them,” he says. “It’s a nice little add-on.”

Also continuing to ferment is the Frost Monster, a formidable imperial stout that’s hanging out in 50-gallon oak barrels. “It’s coming along nicely,” says Scott, who nonetheless has “no clue” when the Frost Monster will be ready to tap.

Another intriguing, and mega-bodied, brew to look out for: a triple IPA that’s in its earliest stages. “It’s all about the hops,” is about all Scott will say about it.

Finally, the endless winter is trying everyone’s patience as it continues to put spring plans, including al fresco beer sampling, on hold. Try to be patient. “We’re hoping the snow on the bocce court will melt soon,” says Scott, “so we can finally get out there and have some fun.”

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 Freshchester Pale Ale.

Notes From the Captain Lawrence Tasting Room, Vol. 44 Hoppy New Year!

It was, simply put, the greatest assembly of exquisite hops since the NBA’s Slam-Dunk contest. New to the Captain Lawrence lineup was the Re-Intro NJ IPA, a classic American-style concoction dry hopped with cascade and palisade hops, made special for the Garden State. There was the small-batch Belgian IPA, made of Belgian yeast and American dry hops; the Six N’ Change Black IPA, an alchemic mix of malts and hops; and of course the flagship, Freshchester Pale Ale.

All that was missing on this blue-sky Saturday at the brewery is the Captain’s Reserve Imperial IPA, again a victim of supply not quite matching exuberant demand.

First, a quick note about IPAs. The British invented the India Pale Ale a few hundred years ago, when they hopped the heck out of their beers to preserve the flavor when shipping them all the way to India.

A gaggle of SUNY Purchase alumni is gathered around a table for this Hopapalooza. Casandra Maniotis of Dobbs Ferry works at the Pleasantville Farmer’s Market, selling Tierra Farm nuts, and brought some organic delicacies for the boys behind the bar--in exchange for a Black IPA. “It’s very hoppy, with very fresh hops,” Casandra says. “I really like it.”

Friend Sam Feinberg of Chappaqua has one of the more intriguing day jobs in the room—he runs the children’s center at a women’s prison in Northern Westchester. He’s passed on the various IPAs for the Winter Ale—no slouch in the body and flavor department either. “We’re catching up,” he says of his college mates. “We haven’t seen each other in a while. We’re old friends, getting old together.”

[Editor’s Note: They are Class of 2010. They are, by no one’s measure, old.]

Another Purchase pal, Mike Villata, enjoys the Liquid Gold and proffers a sticker that says, simply, SMILE. I try not to, but do.

“When you come out of Purchase,” explains Casandra, “you go around spreading positive energy.”

The good vibes abound. It’s a gorgeous day, the temps defying the weather dudes on TV and creeping into the mid 40s. I’m looking out the back door, thinking about how you could almost play bocce in this weather, just as Credence Clearwater Revival’s “Looking Out My Back Door” fittingly comes on the house system.

Clear water is about the best Penny Yellen of Mamaroneck can stomach. She and husband Anthony spent the previous night celebrating a friend’s birthday at Molly Spillane’s. The wine, laments Penny, flowed freely.

Anthony wears a Harley-Davidson hat and Penny sports a Porsche jacket, but both are in low gear today. Anthony sits atop a keg while sipping a Pale Ale; Penny stands and sips her water. The arrival of her County Fair hot dog—chili, provolone sauce, onions--from the Village Dog guys lifts Penny’s spirits.

They’d toured the Yuengling brewery over the summer, and were keen for such an adventure closer to home. “We’d been looking for another brewery tour,” says Penny.

Across the tasting room, Megan and Meagan are skipping the tour. Besides claiming the award for Most Similar Names, Megan McCue and Meagan Prescott win for Furthest Distance Traveled; Megan is from Allentown, PA, while Meagan is from Stamford. “They don’t have anything like this in Allentown,” says Meagan, “so I thought it would be fun for Megan.”

Stamford Meagan is digging the Belgian IPA. “It’s not your typical IPA,” she says. “It resonates in the mouth…the taste is lasting.”

Allentown Megan is quaffing the Smoked Porter. “It’s a mouthful,” she says, adding that the Belgian ale Liquid Gold is more her speed.

The two have an eventful eve ahead: filling up a pair of growlers (the Pale Ale and the Belgian IPA, most likely) on the way out, watching football, eating pizza, then downing Sake Bombs at Kona Grill in Stamford.

The Me(a)gans describe the cult of Sake Bombs for the uninitiated. They involve chopsticks, shot glasses, and, if done right, disapproving stares from others in the restaurant. “The family next to you looks at you funny,” says Meagan. “But it’s festive.”

Talk about hopping mad: The Re-Intro IPA supply expires a few hours before closing time. But worry not--the brewery debuts its first-ever “Captain Lawrence India Pale Ale” in a matter of weeks.  

—Michael Malone (malone5a@yahoo.com)

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 on the hour, starting at 1. The author is paid by Captain Lawrence, partially in Freshchester Pale Ale, for “Notes From the Tasting Room.”

Notes From the Captain Lawrence Tasting Room, Vol. 37 The Captain’s Log

Captain Lawrence Brewing welcomed two new members to the brew crew last week, as a mammoth pair of fermentation tanks made their way from Oregon to Elmsford, then proudly took their place in the brewery’s skyline of gleaming brew vessels. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a few grand easy; check out the video here if you care to see how a giant fermentation tank is installed.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151230322374454

“We needed more tanks to make more beer,” says Scott Vaccaro, Captain Lawrence owner.

More beer, indeed. The tanks will help Captain Lawrence crank out 23,000 barrels in 2013—up from 15,000 this year, and 600 in the brewery’s inaugural year, 2006, if you’re scoring at home.

People well beyond downstate New York will get to enjoy these special craft brews in a matter of weeks. Just in time for Christmas, the people of North Jersey will get a memorable holiday gift—Captain Lawrence’s first-ever India Pale Ale, named Re-Intro IPA, will be for sale in the Garden State. The name is a nod to the recent past—Captain Lawrence had ventured into the land of Bruce and Bon Jovi and the Bada Bing three years ago, before deciding to focus solely on its home state.

Just as notably, when January rolls around, Captain Lawrence brews including the Freshchester Pale Ale, Captain’s Kolsch and Brown Bird Ale will be available across New York State—from Buffalo to Albany to Rochester, and the various hamlets and burgs in between.

“We hope people in New York State are thirsty for our beer, and find a place for it,” says Scott.

Closer to home, Captain Lawrence’s new digs turn one in December, at which point we will stop calling the Elmsford HQ “new.” The brewery’s got a dark and rich new Smoked Porter, available in 16.9 ounce bottles in the tasting room for the first time in Elmsford, along with the tasty, and timely, Winter Ale, which Scott describes as a “malty amber-to-brown ale,” made with German yeast and an intriguing, and super-secret, blend of winter spices. It is on tap in the tasting room.

Captain Lawrence is also seeking to make a little history in the experimental brewhouse. Scott and his team will “max out the system,” as he puts it, in producing its first-ever imperial stout. “It’ll be big and malty and rich,” he says.

This one will, as your grandfather used to say, put hair on your chest—expect an ABV up into the mid-teens. “We’ll shoot for the moon,” says Scott.

Randy Shull’s Chico Loco wit beer didn’t take the Pilot Batch Election honors (the Six N’ Change black IPA won), but Randy is back in the tap lineup with his smooth and sweet Chico De Leche milk stout—the 19^th brew to come out of the experimental setup this year.

“That’s the beauty of the pilot system,” says Scott. “We can do whatever we want, and just have fun.”

--Michael Malone

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 on the hour, starting at 1. The author is paid by Captain Lawrence, partially in Freshchester Pale Ale, for “Notes From the Tasting Room.”

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.”