Captain Lawrence Xtra Gold American Tripel Ale
Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Pleasantville, NY
Glass: Tulip
Style: American Tripel Ale (a la Belgian Tripel and American IPA hybrid)
The Pour: Pours a four-finger thick and white and fluffy head with large bubbles (I admit I poured it too fast and created an overly large head). After the head diminished, a slight lace is left clinging on the glass. What little head is retained is about half-finger thick yet fluffy due to the large bubbles present.This small head remains until the glass is empty. After each sip, a large and beautiful Belgian, rather, American Lace was left clinging to the glass which didn’t fade after the next sip like other beers tend to do.
Appearance: Golden with a slight translucency, depending on the amount of background lighting, allowing your fingers or other objects to be seen through opposite side of the beer. A very, very slight haze is present but doesn’t take away from the golden body or clarity. The carbonation is lively; the discharged bubbles don’t just rise up the sides of the glass but also from the center of the glass. I thought maybe this is just the style of glass (tulip) but I know from reviews I’ve posted on Rate Beer, this doesn’t happen with all tripels, rather all beers in general.
Aroma: Freshly cut grass without the exhaust from a lawnmower. Also, the bittersweet aroma from fresh hay bales (I worked in a horse stall, I’ve baled hay, I know this scent) relaxes your senses to pick up other scents such as pine needles, lemon-lime, grapefruit, and orange zest. A mild yet typical wheat scent is picked up but isn’t screaming yeast as most wheat smells tend to accomplish (kudos on that last point).
Taste: Amarillo hops create a slight orange and lemon zest but combined with other ingredients I’m picking up slight apple and pear tastes. This American Tripel is slightly sweet with a balanced bitterness that doesn’t negate or overpower other flavors: bittersweet hay, honey wheat bread, and pine.
Palate: Very welcoming smoothness across the tongue. A sweet-bitter aftertaste of alcohol and said mentioned fruits combined, invite the next sip. A slight sour comes through as the tongue cleans itself, but it holds more of a green sour apple taste which I find pleasant. The body feel is thick which allows the beer to retain the tastes on your palate.
Reviewers Notes: Captain Lawrence is hard to find in Saratoga County, NY. But when I find a style, I grab it. I know I’ll enjoy each brew as I do with Ommegang and Saranac. There aren’t too many American Belgian inspired beers that I hold in esteem, but Captain Lawrence Xtra Gold American Tripel Ale is one of them. I rated this beer before I read the brewer’s notes (as I do with all beers). Captain Lawrence labeled their fruit profiles are tropical. I almost wrote the fruits tastes as: pineapple, banana, mango, and kiwi. But I thought that might have been a stretch in flavors. But now I’m certain I tasted those fruits over apple, pear, lemon, and orange. Or perhaps I found a brew with a cornucopia of all mentioned fruits. I used a tuplid glass over a goblet as suggested in the brewer’s notes. It’s debatable whether or not the glass type reflects or even changes the taste of the beer. I say take no chances, life is short, drink beer correctly. Next time I drink this brew, I’m using a gobbet.
Brewer’s Notes (via http://www.captainlawrencebrewing.com/): This beer is the result of the marriage between two very distinct beer styles; the Belgian Tripel & American IPA. We have taken the best qualities from both styles and allowed them to shine through. The fruity and spicy notes from the imported Belgian yeaststrain & the pungent flavors and aromas of the American grown Amarillo hopsflow seamlessly together to create this flavorful ale. Straight from theCaptain’s cellar to yours, we hope you enjoy.
SENSORY PROFILE: Enjoy in a goblet or wine glass. Tropical fruit and honey are the two biggest aromas coming from this lively brew. While the hop bitterness is not as powerful as an IPA, the hop flavor melds nicely with the fruity flavors created by the imported Belgian yeast strain used.
FOOD PAIRING: This beer goes great with roasted vegetables, fish and rotisserie chicken. And it can be used as a aperitif before dinner with shrimp cocktail.
Hops: Simcoe, Cascade, Amarillo
Malts: Belgian Pilsner Malt.
IBU: 33
ABV: 10%
OG: 19
Type of Glass: Goblet
Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Pleasantville, NY
Glass: Tulip
Style: American Tripel Ale (a la Belgian Tripel and American IPA hybrid)
The Pour: Pours a four-finger thick and white and fluffy head with large bubbles (I admit I poured it too fast and created an overly large head). After the head diminished, a slight lace is left clinging on the glass. What little head is retained is about half-finger thick yet fluffy due to the large bubbles present.This small head remains until the glass is empty. After each sip, a large and beautiful Belgian, rather, American Lace was left clinging to the glass which didn’t fade after the next sip like other beers tend to do.
Appearance: Golden with a slight translucency, depending on the amount of background lighting, allowing your fingers or other objects to be seen through opposite side of the beer. A very, very slight haze is present but doesn’t take away from the golden body or clarity. The carbonation is lively; the discharged bubbles don’t just rise up the sides of the glass but also from the center of the glass. I thought maybe this is just the style of glass (tulip) but I know from reviews I’ve posted on Rate Beer, this doesn’t happen with all tripels, rather all beers in general.
Aroma: Freshly cut grass without the exhaust from a lawnmower. Also, the bittersweet aroma from fresh hay bales (I worked in a horse stall, I’ve baled hay, I know this scent) relaxes your senses to pick up other scents such as pine needles, lemon-lime, grapefruit, and orange zest. A mild yet typical wheat scent is picked up but isn’t screaming yeast as most wheat smells tend to accomplish (kudos on that last point).
Taste: Amarillo hops create a slight orange and lemon zest but combined with other ingredients I’m picking up slight apple and pear tastes. This American Tripel is slightly sweet with a balanced bitterness that doesn’t negate or overpower other flavors: bittersweet hay, honey wheat bread, and pine.
Palate: Very welcoming smoothness across the tongue. A sweet-bitter aftertaste of alcohol and said mentioned fruits combined, invite the next sip. A slight sour comes through as the tongue cleans itself, but it holds more of a green sour apple taste which I find pleasant. The body feel is thick which allows the beer to retain the tastes on your palate.
Reviewers Notes: Captain Lawrence is hard to find in Saratoga County, NY. But when I find a style, I grab it. I know I’ll enjoy each brew as I do with Ommegang and Saranac. There aren’t too many American Belgian inspired beers that I hold in esteem, but Captain Lawrence Xtra Gold American Tripel Ale is one of them. I rated this beer before I read the brewer’s notes (as I do with all beers). Captain Lawrence labeled their fruit profiles are tropical. I almost wrote the fruits tastes as: pineapple, banana, mango, and kiwi. But I thought that might have been a stretch in flavors. But now I’m certain I tasted those fruits over apple, pear, lemon, and orange. Or perhaps I found a brew with a cornucopia of all mentioned fruits. I used a tuplid glass over a goblet as suggested in the brewer’s notes. It’s debatable whether or not the glass type reflects or even changes the taste of the beer. I say take no chances, life is short, drink beer correctly. Next time I drink this brew, I’m using a gobbet.
Brewer’s Notes (via http://www.captainlawrencebrewing.com/): This beer is the result of the marriage between two very distinct beer styles; the Belgian Tripel & American IPA. We have taken the best qualities from both styles and allowed them to shine through. The fruity and spicy notes from the imported Belgian yeaststrain & the pungent flavors and aromas of the American grown Amarillo hopsflow seamlessly together to create this flavorful ale. Straight from theCaptain’s cellar to yours, we hope you enjoy.
SENSORY PROFILE: Enjoy in a goblet or wine glass. Tropical fruit and honey are the two biggest aromas coming from this lively brew. While the hop bitterness is not as powerful as an IPA, the hop flavor melds nicely with the fruity flavors created by the imported Belgian yeast strain used.
FOOD PAIRING: This beer goes great with roasted vegetables, fish and rotisserie chicken. And it can be used as a aperitif before dinner with shrimp cocktail.
Hops: Simcoe, Cascade, Amarillo
Malts: Belgian Pilsner Malt.
IBU: 33
ABV: 10%
OG: 19
Type of Glass: Goblet
