Notes From the Captain Lawrence Tasting Room: Worth Their ‘Wait’ in Gold

It is the biggest traffic day of the year. While the rest of the world calls it Getaway Day or Thanksgiving Eve, it is, over at Captain Lawrence, Growler Wednesday—the day when half the county, and many others from beyond Westchester limits, decide it would be great to fill up a growler or six with local craft beer for the Thanksgiving feast. They come with wagons, crates, and even a walker to transport the 64 oz. jugs, filled with Brown Ale, Liquid Gold, Winter Ale, or whatever else strikes their fancy.

Adding to the Growler Wednesday chaos at Captain Lawrence, it was also a special release—one of just a handful of days each year when a long awaited specialty bottle is made available, and people carry on a tradition dating back to the brewery’s Pleasantville days of showing up to taste the new brew, secure a few bottles, and see old friends. On November 27, the imperial stout Frost Monster was finally unleashed.

Either event was enough to fill the tasting room on its own. Put them together and, well, the tasting room felt a bit like I-287 during the morning rush.

Doors opened at 4 p.m. If you had the foresight to get there a few minutes before 4, you were in and out in minutes. Arrive a few minutes after, and a simple trip to the brewery got a bit more complicated. Craig Foster (“Like the beer,” he said of his name) and fiancée Liette Lecours of Peekskill were first to score the Frost Monster, thanks to showing up in Elmsford just before opening.

“We knew,” said Craig.

They’ve been to Captain Lawrence’s special release events before, such as that for the Hops N’ Roses sour ale. “When we heard about a beer aged in rum barrels,” Craig said, “we were really curious about it.”

Liette picked up the variety pack, which includes the Frost Monster and Smoke From the Oak, for her brother’s birthday present. They were off to the Adirondacks for Thanksgiving, hauling some Triple IPA as well.

“I would put it on sweet potatoes,” said Craig.

“Just put it on everything,” suggested Liette.

“Triple IPA gravy!” added Craig, his eyes wide with wonder.

Speaking of curious Thanksgiving table creations, the Village Dog guys served up fresh turducken. The sample line was a breeze, but by 4:10, the growler line extended through the tasting room to the back door. Everyone who entered wore the same expression—they figured they were in good shape arriving not long after 4, and were shocked (and perhaps a bit dismayed) to walk in and see the line.

Fittingly, R.E.M.’s “Stand” cranked from the house speakers.

“I planned to be here at 3:45,” said Rick Deguisto of Thornwood, hauling a milk crate-cooler combo with 10 empty growlers. “I couldn’t make it because of work.”

He was hosting the holiday, serving Captain Lawrence—Pumpkin Ale, Brown Ale--to a crowd of about 40. Last year’s half dozen growlers didn’t quite cut it. “Every year, we run out,” he said.

The line was plodding along but Rick’s daughter Maureen said there’s nowhere Dad would rather be. “This is his favorite place,” she said. “He’s always trying to get his friends to come here.”

Captain Lawrence growlers are also a Thanksgiving tradition at the McClure home in Irvington, where Douglas McClure was smoking a turkey—and serving an array of CL beer that includes the small batch #69, Captain’s Reserve Imperial IPA and Brown Ale. “I brought Mom along for fun,” he said, smiling at mother Kay, of Scarborough, Maine.

“And for money,” noted Kay.

And, let’s face it, for her walker--which is stocked with a half dozen filled growlers. “I usually discourage her from bringing her walker out,” said Douglas. “But today, I said, ya know…?”

Douglas fondly recalled Growler Wednesdays back in Pleasantville, a friend’s 5-year-old son, tired of waiting for his dad on the beer line, napping on the ratty old couch in the Captain Lawrence tap room. “He’ll grow up to be quite the frat boy,” said Douglas.

By 4:30, the line was out the door and into the wet and windy Westchester air. People were taking the wait in stride, taking turns hitting the sample line for something to sip on.

Scott Jacobs of Charlotte is in town to build the new Tappan Zee bridge, and enjoying the Triple IPA in the welcoming warmth of the tasting room. “I was going to fill a growler,” he said. “I’m not waiting in that line.”

The guy knows a bit about traffic. His advice for Tappan Zee travelers? “Go in the opposite direction during peak travel times,” Scott said.

Paul Occhiogrosso of Croton scored fresh growlers of Winter Ale and Pumpkin Ale, while his pal Matt Hand of White Plains picked up the Frost Monster, at a cool $20 for a 750 ml bottle, for his brother. We’ll assume his bro appreciates the gesture. “My brother probably has the biggest IOU tab in America,” said Matt.

Out in the cold gray drizzle, Brian Lee of Sleepy Hollow and Andrew Fong of Brooklyn were, for the moment, the very end of the line. The caboose. New to the Captain Lawrence Growler Wednesday tradition, they weren’t complaining. “We’re going to be rewarded with beer, so it’s OK,” said Brian.

“And the beer must be good,” added Andrew, “if all these people are waiting.”

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 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 Tasting Room, Vol. 38 The Great Growler Grab and Go

Yesterday was, of course, Cyber Monday, on the heels of Small Business Saturday, the infamous Black Friday, and a less heralded day known around these parts as Growler Wednesday. See, the day before Thanksgiving each year is the day when half of Westchester County and surrounding regions venture to Captain Lawrence Brewing to fill up growlers, as the likes of Pumpkin Ale, Winter Ale and Freshchester Pale Ale have become, for many, as much a part of the holiday as turkey, football and a massive tryptophan-induced nap.

It was the first Growler Wednesday in Captain Lawrence’s spacious Elmsford quarters, and the brewery staff, like toll collectors on the Turnpike, was geared up for the most highly trafficked day of the year.

Charles Britz of Armonk and Gina Dedvukaj of Mohegan Lake are annual Growler Wednesday attendees. On Thanksgiving Eve, they were enjoying a few samples of Winter Ale, a malty concoction seasoned with winter spices, while contemplating what to fill their jugs with. “I told him, we need to go to Captain Lawrence and get beer,” said Gina, who admits to giant pangs of thirst whenever she sees a Captain Lawrence post on Facebook.

Charles was heading down to Grandma’s in South Jersey in the morning, 64-plus ounces of Pumpkin Ale in tow. “It’s always a rough ride,” he lamented.

Gina was hosting for the first time, and copped to some jangled nerves. “We’ll see how it goes,” she said, admitting the growler might get cracked open a little before the guests arrive.

The folks from Village Dog were preparing the poultry trifecta known as Turducken for hungry samplers. By 5 p.m., the growler line started to snake through the tasting room. Jesse Bender and his wife Amanda, of Somers, escaped the buzz of the tasting room for the quietude of the brewery space. Stars of “Notes Vol. 34,” the Benders had brought along friend Doug Finn, of Boston, for a few samples of Westchester’s finest. Doug didn’t share Jesse’s taste for heartier ales—preferring the Belgian wit brewed Basil Haze Wit instead.

“Jesse tends to like used motor oil,” Doug quipped.

“I like dark beer,” Jesse countered with a shrug.

The Benders were attending a Thanksgiving dinner party in White Plains, and were in charge of the “provisions,” said Amanda, served up by the likes of Captain Lawrence. Amanda swears by the Imperial IPA, while Jesse thought the Winter Ale would be a worthy entry on the Thanksgiving menu. “People have table wine,” he said. “You have table beer too.”

Across the room, John Benford of Larchmont braved the growler line to bring home Imperial IPA and Liquid Gold, though he was unsure if the beer would actually make it to Thanksgiving. “It’ll probably get drunk tonight,” he said.

Pal Tim Williamson, also of Larchmont, avoided the Turducken, but was devouring a hot dog “infused” with Brown Bird Ale that he described as “impeccable.”

Tim too planned to walk out with a jug of the Imperial IPA on his hip. “It’s my favorite beer in the world,” he said. “It’s Old Faithful.”

Despite the lines, the mood in the tasting room was festive. Owner Scott Vaccaro was enjoying some post-work Chico De Leche milk stout, while his baby Drew stuck with plain ol’ milk. A lively game of cornhole was going on. Some staffers had a long day of filling growlers ahead of them, while others had some food—and beer—to prepare.

Evan Watson in fact brewed up four beers to pair with the four courses he was preparing at home in Dobbs Ferry—a cantaloupe pale ale, a juniper stout, a “turkey beer” and “Midnight Oil”—a cherry wood smoked porter that shares a name with Evan’s upcoming album.

Uh, turkey beer? It didn’t actually have turkey in it, but the strong golden ale did have a cornucopia of seasonal flavors--including rosemary, cranberries, lemongrass, maple syrup and black pepper--and apparently would go well with turkey. “It’s intensely flavorful,” said Evan.  

Turkey beer may not suit everyone’s tastes, but judging by the Growler Wednesday crowd at the brewery, plenty of other stuff did. 

—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.”