Captain Lawrence Brewing Company
Encyclopedia
General
Captain Lawrence Brewing Company is an award-winning craft brewery located in Pleasantville, NYPleasantville, New York
Pleasantville is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 7,019 at the 2010 census. It is located in the town of Mount Pleasant. Pleasantville is home to a campus of Pace University and to the Jacob Burns Film Center...
. The brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
is owned and run by head brewer Scott Vaccaro. Vaccaro, a homebrewer since 1995, trained in brewing
Brewing
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
science at UC Davis. He interned at Adnams Brewery
Adnams Brewery
Adnams PLC is a British regional brewery company founded in 1890 in Southwold, Suffolk, England, by George and Ernest Adnams. The earliest recorded brewing on the Adnams site was in 1396 by Johanna de Corby. The company produces cask ale and pasteurised bottled beers. Annual production is around...
, in the U.K. Before founding Captain Lawrence in 2005, he worked at Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
The Sierra Nevada Brewing Company was established in 1980 by homebrewers Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi.Located in Chico, California, Sierra Nevada Brewing is one of the top craft breweries currently operating in the United States. Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale is the second best-selling craft beer in the...
and Danbury, CT's short-lived Colorado Brewery.
Many of Captain Lawrence's offerings are strongly influenced by traditional Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
styles of beer, although often with an American twist. Barrel-aging and beers with sourness or flavors contributed by wild yeasts
Yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described estimated to be only 1% of all fungal species. Most reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding...
, such as Brettanomyces
Brettanomyces
Brettanomyces is a non-spore forming genus of yeast in the family Saccharomycetaceae, and is often colloquially referred to as "Brett". The genus name Dekkera is used interchangeably with Brettanomyces, as it describes the teleomorph or spore forming form of the yeast. The cellular morphology of...
, and bacteria have also become part of their repertoire.
Like many small breweries, Captain Lawrence seeks to be environmentally sensitive, including donating spent grain to a local farmer for use as cattle feed. Their beers are fermented
Fermentation (food)
Fermentation in food processing typically is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria, or a combination thereof, under anaerobic conditions. Fermentation in simple terms is the chemical conversion of sugars into ethanol...
in stainless steel cylindro-conical vessels.
The brewery takes its name from Captain Lawrence Drive in South Salem, NY
South Salem, New York
South Salem is a hamlet in Lewisboro, Westchester County, New York. The county ranks second for wealthiest counties in New York State and the seventh wealthiest county nationally. In the town center is a post office, the town hall, a library and a recycling center.Notable residents have included...
- the road on which Vaccaro's childhood home is located. The street is named after Samuel Lawrence (1733-1796) who was a Captain in the Westchester County Militia, 3rd Regiment during the American Revolution.
The facility in Pleasantville is open for tastings, visits, and purchases on Thursdays and Fridays (4-7pm, and Saturdays (noon - 6pm). growlers purchases are available for take-out. Half kegs and mini kegs (5 gal.) can be purchased by arrangement via the brewery website: CaptainLawrenceBrewing.com
Awards and Recognition
2009 - Rosso e Marrone Gold Medal, American-Style Sour Ale, Great American Beer FestivalGreat American Beer Festival
The Great American Beer Festival is a three-day annual event hosted by the Brewers Association, held in Denver, Colorado, in mid to late September or early October. This year, 2011, the festival runs from 29 September through 1 October. The GABF brings visitors from around the world to sample more...
.
2008 - Xtra Gold Gold Medal, American-Belgo Style Ale, Great American Beer Festival.
Golden Delicious Bronze Medal, Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer, Great American Beer Festival.
2007 - Beeradvocate magazine ranked Captain Lawrence #5 among its "Top 50 American Breweries".
Cuvée De Castleton was awarded a Gold Medal in the American Sour Ale category at the Great American Beer Festival.
Captain's Reserve Double IPA Silver Medal, TAP New York.
2006 - Captain Lawrence was the winner of the Matthew Vassar
Matthew Vassar
Matthew Vassar was an English-born American brewer and merchant. He founded the eponymous Vassar College in 1861.He was a cousin of John Ellison Vassar.-Background:...
Brewer's Cup, which recognizes the best Craft Beer Brewery in the Hudson Valley.
The Captain’s Reserve Double IPA won a Gold Medal for Best Craft Beer in New York State, and a Gold Medal for Best Beer in the Hudson Valley.
Liquid Gold earned a Bronze Medal for Best Beer in the Hudson Valley.
Year 'Round Brews
- Freshchester Pale AlePale alePale ale is a beer which uses a warm fermentation and predominantly pale malt. It is one of the world's major beer styles.The higher proportion of pale malts results in a lighter colour. The term "pale ale" was being applied around 1703 for beers made from malts dried with coke, which resulted in a...
(5.6% ABVAlcohol by volumeAlcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
) - Liquid Gold (6.0% ABV) A Belgian style Blonde Ale, made with Belgian ale yeast and coriander.
- Brown Bird Ale (4.8% ABV) American Brown AleBrown aleBrown ale is a style of beer with a dark amber or brown colour. The term was first used by London brewers in the late 17th century to describe their products, such as mild ale, though the term had a rather different meaning than it does today...
. - Smoked Porter (ABV not listed) American PorterPorter (beer)Porter is a dark-coloured style of beer. The history and development of stout and porter are intertwined. The name was first used in the 18th century from its popularity with the street and river porters of London. It is generally brewed with dark malts...
made with German smoked maltMaltMalt is germinated cereal grains that have been dried in a process known as "malting". The grains are made to germinate by soaking in water, and are then halted from germinating further by drying with hot air...
. - Captain’s Reserve Double IPA (8.0% ABV) A version of the contemporary American "double" or extra strong India Pale AleIndia Pale AleIndia Pale Ale or IPA is a style of beer within the broader category of pale ale. It was first brewed in England in the 19th century.The first known use of the expression "India pale ale" comes from an advertisement in the Liverpool Mercury newspaper published January 30, 1835...
style. - Captain's Kölsch (5.5% ABV) A KölschKölsch (beer)Kölsch, also written Koelsch, is a local beer specialty brewed in Cologne, Germany. It is a clear beer with a bright straw-yellow hue, and it has a prominent, but not extreme, hoppiness. It is less bitter than the standard German pale lager. Furthermore, Kölsch is warm fermented at a temperature...
, first brewed Spring 2010.
Seasonal and Specialty Offerings
- Xtra Gold (10.0% ABV) A strong golden ale in the Belgian Abbey TripelTripelTripel is a term used by brewers mainly in the Low Countries, some other European countries, and the USA to describe a strong pale ale, loosely in the style of Westmalle Tripel. The origin of the term is unknown, though the main theory is that it indicates strength in some way...
style, but flavored with American hopHopsHops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
varieties including Amarillo. - Golden Delicious (10.0%+ ABV) An American Tripel aged in oak apple brandy barrels.
- Imperial Smoked Porter (12.0% ABV) A Strong Porter made with German smoked malt.
- Smoke from the Oak (ABV not listed) A strong Smoked Porter that has been released in several different barrel-aged versions.
- Nor'easter Winter Warmer (11.0% ABV) A strong dark ale in the Belgian tradition, flavored with elderberries.
- St. Vincent's Dubbel (8.0% ABV) A richly-flavored malty brown ale in the Belgian Abbey DubbelDubbelThe dubbel is a Belgian Trappist beer naming convention. The origin of the dubbel was a beer brewed in the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle in 1856. The abbey had, since 10 December 1836, brewed a witbier that was quite sweet and light in alcohol for consumption by the paters. The new beer, however,...
style. - Cuvée De Castleton (8.0% ABV) An American "Wild Ale" fermented with Muscat grapesMuscat (grape and wine)The Muscat variety of grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is widely grown for wine, raisins and table grapes. Their color ranges from white to near black. Muscat almost always has a pronounced sweet floral aroma. Muscat grapes are grown around the world...
and BrettanomycesBrettanomycesBrettanomyces is a non-spore forming genus of yeast in the family Saccharomycetaceae, and is often colloquially referred to as "Brett". The genus name Dekkera is used interchangeably with Brettanomyces, as it describes the teleomorph or spore forming form of the yeast. The cellular morphology of...
. - Rosso e Marrone (ABV not listed) An American Sour Ale fermented with grapes and aged in oak barrels. "Rosso e Marrone" is Italian for "Red and Brown". BeerAdvocate lists this beer as a Flanders Oud BruinOud bruinOud Bruin, also known as Flanders Brown, is a style of beer originating from the Flemish region of Belgium. The name literally translates as "old brown", referring to the long aging process which can take up to a year. It undergoes a secondary fermentation, which takes several weeks to a month,...
. - Birra DeCicco (6.0% ABV) Described on the label as a "Malt Beverage Brewed with Chestnut Honey and Jam". This limited release was a collaboration with DeCicco Food Market, a grocery in Ardsley, New YorkArdsley, New YorkArdsley is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is part of the town of Greenburgh. The village's population was 4,452 at the 2010 census. The current mayor of Ardsley is Jay Leon....
that has an extensive selection of craft and microbrew beers. - Pumpkin Ale (5.5% ABV) An Amber Ale brewed with pumpkinPumpkinA pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae . It commonly refers to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata, and is native to North America...
and pumpkin spices. - Espresso Stout A StoutStoutStout is a dark beer made using roasted malt or barley, hops, water and yeast. Stouts were traditionally the generic term for the strongest or stoutest porters, typically 7% or 8%, produced by a brewery....
Brewed with espresso coffee. - Five Years Later (10.0% ABV) Brewed to celebrate the brewery's fifth anniversary, a strong almost black ale brewed with five varieties of malt and five different hops.
- Winter Rye (5.0% ABV) A onetime beer brewed using organic rye and crystal malt from Valley Malting Co in Massachusetts. Brewed with a German yeast strain and lightly dry hopped with US Goldings.