Captain Lawrence Brewing began like many craft breweries do, with five gallons at a time. Scott Vaccaro’s story is a fascinating read that entails a lot of hard work and passion for creating great beer. After leaving the University of Villanova to head west and study brewing science at UC Davis, Scott eventually landed a job at a little place called Sierra Nevada. After a several years of brewing Vaccaro returned to his roots in New York and later started Captain Lawrence. In just, five short years, Captain Lawrence has earned multiple awards from The Great American Brew Fest and created a strong regional follow from virtually nothing.
Type: Production brewery
Location: Pleasantville, New York
Available in DC Market: Yes
Beer #1: Smoked Porter (American Porter / 6.4 %)
Beer Advocate: A (27 Reviews)
Rate Beer: 97 Overall, 99 Style
Notes: My fascination with smoked beers manifested itself via Greg Engert several years ago at Rustico’s Oktoberfest. Greg managed to get an unfiltered Sirl Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier that was amazing and tasted like an ash tray, but in a good way. This smoked beer is not as aggressive and won’t cover up any of the complexities those familiar with the style enjoy.
Beer #2: Golden Delicious (Triple / 9.4 %)
Beer Advocate: B+ (123 Reviews)
Rate Beer: 96 Overall, 96 Style
Notes: This one is a really unique tripel that is aged in brandy barrels. Apple notes come through nicely and it finishes nice and warm. Overall, the sweetness and acidity complement each other, creating an all around unique beer.
This young brewery is already making noise with its traditional Belgian and Wild ales. The future is bright for Captain Lawrence — we just need more if it here in D.C.
This profile is a part of the DCBeer.com SAVOR Brewery Profile series. For more information, follow the link to see profiles of all 2011 SAVOR participants.
Beer Review Disclaimer: The beer reviews found on Beer Advocate and Rate Beer do not represent the opinions of this site. We provide these in the hope that they will serve as a resource showing what some craft beer fans have thought of the beers. These reviews can be a helpful guideline, but are not the be-all end-all about a beer’s strengths or weaknesses.
