Cuvee De Castleton - Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This is a most unique ale. It pours golden with some sparkling head and body. The aroma is complex, wine, champagne, malt, brett. A full, aggressive on the palate mouthfeel - you get the brett and carbonation. Muscat is right there - a quarter of it? Best to share with friends, or if you have to, lots of different food, to mull it over. Not too sour, but sour.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2009 22:13:01 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.2/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Batch 2. Golden Delicious apple gold with an intensely fizzy, soda-like cap of bright white foam that fades to nothingness inside of one minute, leaving the glass untouched. The beer itself is fine, but no head and no lace is bizarre looking.

The surprisingly powerful aroma is a pleasing combination of golden grains, white grapes and well-behaved barnyard funkiness. If the mouthfeel is any good at all, this should be wonderful ale.

Who cares how it looks when beer is as good as Cuvee de Castleton? Just more evidence that taste and mouthfeel are all that really matter to this BA. Too bad the final score will not be reflective of the experience as a whole, but it can't be helped.

This American wild ale isn't that wild and, as such, is extremely approachable for anyone with even a slight interest in the style. Along with keeping sweet-tart-bitter in perfect balance, the various flavors complement one another beautifully.

CdC tastes like a BSPA brewed with white grapes and Brettanomyces... probably because that's what it is. Captain Lawrence doesn't say what sort of French wine oak barrels were used for aging, but the tangy-sweet Muscat grapes are front-and-center enough that Chardonnay is a good guess.

This seasonal release has big beer power without having even a hint of alcohol on the palate. Must be the sourness, the acidity, and the huge blast of flavor every time the glass is upended. With a better mouthfeel, look out.

Speaking of which... the mouthfeel is too light and the carbonation is too soda-like. The bubbles are active early and fade quickly, although not as quickly as the head. It's a tribute to the brilliance of the flavor profile that I don't really mind that much.

Cuvee de Castleton is a better job of bottle-conditioning away from being one of the best American wild ales that I've had so far. Kudos to the brewery and thanks to marcpal for the bottle. Highly recommended... with reservations.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2010 14:25:18 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

An outstanding sour. I had the privilege of doing a mini sour tasting last night and this was the night cap on the evening. Served from the cellar, Batch #2. This one was consumed via a snifter on 05/21/2009.
 
The pour was interesting. Nice big and very fizzy head of white capped what was a white grape juice colored liquid. Lots of carbonation coming up the surface initially, but then it all simply vanished as quickly as it came. No really side glass lacing to speak of, just the clear liquid gold throughout the rest of the night. Huge aroma here, lots of sour grapes, really very tart with hints of light woody notes and a touch of what I can honestly say was like a chardonnay aroma that just oozed off of this one. As I take my first sip, I get exactly what I came for, a huge, lip puckering sour experience. Ripping through the taste buds, this was definitely a good way to end the nice. Loaded with grape notes, tiny touches of a vinegar like flavor, and a huge biting dry finish that really just capped the show for me. Smooth, easy, with no hint of the high ABV in here at all. This was really a wonderful sipper.
 
Overall this was about what I expected. So far away from some of the sweeter ones I have tried lately, this was far and away one of the sharpest, tartest sour flavors I have had in a while. Very clean and very well done. I would have no issue with getting another one to sit on for a while.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2009 15:05:03 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.58/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to Richard for sharing this bottle from Batch 4. One of my favorite sours that I have never seemed to getting around to reviewing.

A: The pour is a cloudy straw color with a large white head that dies down to a thin white layer relatively quickly.

S: A wonderful bright acidity to the nose with notes of lemon, green apple, and the muscat grapes used in this beer. Quite a vinous quality to the beer which I really enjoy.

T: A moderate funky quality to the beer that is of the wet oak and must. The sourness is primarily lactic without any real acetic notes. The lemon and green apple character accentuates the white muscat grapes wonderfully, which provide a touch of sweetness.

M: The body is on the light end of medium with a lively carbonation and a pleasantly dry finish.

D: One of my all time favorite sour beers and one that I wish I could drink all the time. Just a great beer that I look forward to at every release.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2010 22:24:11 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes. Thanks to both bmanning and Azurelimits for opening these.

Poured into a tulip. Appearance is light gold with a white head and a bit of lacing. Nose brings grapes, oak, slight spice, and a nice sourness. Taste is sour but not overdone. Balances well with the fruit and oak presence. Good sour feel with a nice body. Perhaps my favorite sour from them.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2010 14:43:33 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

4.38/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared at FosterJM's birthday celebration.

Batch 5.

Pours a murky light yellow with no head and no lacing. Smell is sour, tart, and funky with some sour grape and woody aromas. Taste is much the same with some woody flavors and a super sour and acidic quality on the palate. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is an excellent sour with some very well done aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 22:29:46 | More by UCLABrewN84

brentk56

North Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance: Pours a cloudy grapefruit juice color with a foamy Champagne head that noisily disappears and leaves no trace

Smell: Tart citrus aroma and horse blanket dominates, but underneath there is a beguiling sweet grape element from the Muscat

Taste: Although the sweet grape flavors make an initial impact, the tartness builds to a mouth-puckering level by mid-palate; after the swallow, the barnyard funk adds yet a third dimension; this beer has it all, from the sweet honey tones to the puckering citrus to the stone fruit to the yeasty spice

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation; makes you pucker, however

Drinkability: Just an extraordinary accomplishment; I cannot think of another beer that goes in so many dimensions

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2009 01:46:00 | More by brentk56

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.38/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch #2.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy, pale yellow body with an initially large white head, though it soon dissipates. Though, even a modest swirl of the glass easily revives it.

Smell: Pleasantly scented nose of sweetish malts, lightly tart, well-oaked white wine, lavender, funky Brett notes, and with a distinct whiff of Matt's 1978 Gas Line Lemonade.

Taste: Sweet pale maltiness alongside a sharp taste of lemon sherbet with a pop of bright acidity. Thin ripples of lavender. Muscat grapes marinated in white wine and honeydew melon juice laced with subtly funky flourishes of Brett. Zip of spicy oak character. Finishes dry, acidic, and with a final bump of tart fruitiness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Rather well carbonated.

Drinkability: Recommended. Cuvee de Castleton is good enough to run laps around most other beers.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2009 02:29:15 | More by ChainGangGuy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a cloudy dirty yellow color ale with a very small bubbly head with no retention or lacing. Aroma is quite complex with loads of musky white wine notes with some funky barnyard notes and a light oak and tart finish. Taste is very much complex with again some musky white wines notes with definitive Brett notes though not as much as expected and some tart finish with hints of oaks. I was expecting more sour character but still very much enjoy the final product. Body is full with limited filtration and not much carbonation with alcohol being very well hidden. Great experience and while not being an everyday kind of beer it is surely something I would wish to have more often.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2009 20:22:15 | More by Phyl21ca

WesWes

New York

4.2/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a nice gold color with a 1/2" white head that quickly fades to lacing. The aroma is great! It has a light pilsner malt scent along with a mild grape character and a semi-aggressive sourness. The taste is great as well. It's light and very drinkable. It seems like a simple pilsner malt and grape flavor with a nice dry, sour finish. It's not overly sour, but it does have a mild character that really enhances the experience. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a low bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is an exceptional beer. It's light and easy drinking; a damn fine beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2010 02:23:06 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Partial vertical made possible by three separate people. I am reviewing batch 2, 3, and 4.

Beers were poured into wine glasses side by side. None of them had a head or lacing. All were light yellow in color.

Batch 2 - very cloudy and hazy. I'm not convinced that it was yeast from being disturbed from the bottom of the bottle. The aroma was quite bretty, Brett b I think mostly, quite funky with a hint of acetic tinge. Beer is oddly thin with a good forward lactic acid, no sweetness, mild tartness.

Batch 3 - very clear and highly carbonated. It looked like champagne in the glass. Very bright. This beer's aroma was quite sweeter with cherries and oak. Beer was still quite sour, less brett and funky, dominant lactic with a trail of acetic.

Batch 4 - The newest batch just released a few weeks ago. This beer is cloudy again, moderately carbonated. Aroma is strongly sweet, much much sweeter than the other two. Mostly lactic, not much acetic in this one. The aroma is the strongest out of the three, nice. This beer has quite the brett bite to it, good funk, some oakiness I didn't detect in the others.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2010 22:19:22 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.1/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to Exiled for sharing this bottle, which was drank alongside Barrel Select, Rosso e Marrone and Flaming Fury. Batch No. 4.

The beer pours a clear yellow color with a white head. The aroma is very fruity. I get some oranges and lemons, as well as the expected grapes. I also get some oaked notes that really come through. The flavor is a great mix of grapes with some oak and lemons. The beer is very dry and is lower on the tartness scale than the other CL sours it was sampled alongside. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A very nice beer that I am glad I got to try.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2010 18:11:02 | More by Mora2000

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

This poured out as a nice clear golden color with a fizzy white head on top. The retention comes and goes rather quickly. The lacing is minimal here. The smell of the beer is definitely funky, lots of tart grape aroma on the nose. The taste of the beer gives off a tart white wine-like flavor, there is quite a bit of sourness on this one also. The mouthfeel is light bodied and heavily carbonated with a dry tart finish. Overall I found the pucker factor on this one to be quite high, it really was a solid brew. Glad I got to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2013 19:33:21 | More by Knapp85

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.65/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Batch Number 1, Sampled July 2007
Topped by a large bubbled, pale, white froth, that starts out about a finger and a half in height, but disappears fairly quickly to a thin, not quite layer of froth. The beer is deeply hazy, despite having rested in my fridge for a month, and is an orange-tinged, straw color. The aroma is distinctively funky, with notes of uriatic acid, bitter mushrooms, musty-tea-infused damp leather and a distinct nutty note. The nutty note comes on towards the end and reminds me of a woody mix of almonds and Brazil nuts. An acidity / tartness reminiscent of a funky Sauvignon Blanc makes me wonder if this is contributed by the yeast or by the Muscat grapes. The nutty note, while distinct at times, is at other times overwhelmed by the Brett aromatics. I think that nuttiness may ultimately be some woody / spicy oak character coming through.

A prickly carbonation, which despite its bountiful presence, is probably at a medium level of carbonation. Somehow, despite being quite dry seeming, this beer has a medium fullness to it; the body of this brew somehow sticks to the mouth, yet never seems sweet, or even remotely cloying. Perhaps it is best described as being a light beer with a viscous quality to it that allows the beer to cling to the palate. Tart, with lots of green grape notes; slightly herbal, yet with hints of kiwi, a touch of lime (the mix is something like star-fruit actually), and some green apple notes as well. A backdrop of funky Brett character finishes the flavor profile of this beer off; musty cotton balls, moldy leather, and sharp, mushroom-like fungal character are among the Brett contributed notes. As my palate gets used to the first few sips, a soft, green-fruit sweetness becomes noticeable; this helps to accentuate the fruit notes previously mentioned as well as accenting some notes of apricot. Hints of oak character around the edges combine with some of the fruit notes to evoke thoughts of nutty apricot pits

The apricot notes and thus the sweetness become more noticeable as I work my way through this bottle; the sweetness never becomes overt though. The aroma also pick ups some dry, toasty grain notes that are reminiscent of biscuits & soda crackers.

The oak character in this beer is absolutely stunning; I don’t think I have ever had a beer that got the oak character so perfectly. It is not intrusive, nor is it even overtly noticeable, but it adds another layer of flavor to this beer that is an integral part of this complexly compelling brew. I also find it quite interesting how the grapes have added a sort of viscous quality to this brew without making it overtly sweet. A definitely interesting brew, in fact it is the best marriage of white grape and beer I have had yet. The best thing about this beer… I get to go pour myself another glass right now!

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2007 05:07:57 | More by Gueuzedude

emerge077

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Huge thanks to orbitalr0x for breaking this out!
Review from notes, batch #2.

Murky pastel yellow, with copious foam at first that settled and stuck around for awhile. Floral nose, fragrant lavender or chamomile, various spices, lime zest, and orange juice. Dry tart feel, zippy with a little grape sweetness. Earthy coriander. Reminds me of a sour blend of orange juice and sprite I used to make as a kid. The dry spritz just evaporates on the tongue, very clean and tasty. This brew really seems to showcase the herbs/spice with a nice orange/lemon-lime compliment. I'd seek it out again, good stuff. Thanks again Don for sharing!

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2009 16:59:29 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

4.18/5  rDev -5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a 375 mL, Batch 3,

A: Pours golden with a soft white head, fair retention.

S: Smells like you aged white grape juice in an attic for 6 months, very musty/attic/cobweb.

T: White grapes, some sweet Muscat with a good acidity. White vinegar and some funky lemon, I like the flavour a lot.

M: Light aftertaste, as I've said I enjoyed the strong acid, medium-bodied.

D: A real good sour. Good complexity in this one, don't think I'll ever be able to try it again, but I really liked it. My 2nd experience with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2010 06:18:31 | More by Halcyondays

jwc215

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to jcwattsrugger for sharing!

Pours hazy lemon-drop yellow with a fizzy head that immediately pops down to nothing. Not pleasant to look at with the head just loudly popping to nothing, with small bubbles continuing but producing no head.

The smell is tart - lemony, sour, some funk and acidity.

The taste is of tart lemon and apple. Sour/tart with balancing sweet maltiness, it has some funkiness mixed in. A hint of oak/vanilla grows as it continues, putting a unique spin on it that works very well. It has a touch of acidity in the finish.

Medium-bodied with carbonation towards aggressive to start with that mellows to medium as it progresses.

Drinks very well! Interesting complexities going on here. I can see this one - because of the lemony and acidic notes - a great pairing with many fish dishes. Too bad that the head was so unimpressive and the carbonation fine, but not great (esp. at the start).

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2008 18:08:24 | More by jwc215

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to bwyker for this 750 mL capped bottle of Batch 2.

A: The ale is effervescent, foaming up to nearly two full fingers of stark white head. Surprisingly though, it disappeared almost instantaneously. Despite a stream of carbonation, the ale sits still in my snifter. The ale is pale in color, a golden straw color that looks absolutely naked without some level of head.

S: The nose is tart, acidic with lemony citrus. White grapes add a sugary sweetness. Wood also leaves its mark on the nose.

T: For as much punch as the sour side throws into the ale, the sweet white grape flavors are the first to register, however briefly that may be. The ale is quite dry but the intersection of the funk and grape is rather sweet. The funk is mostly sheer tartness, very acidic with lemon in the aftertaste. Lemon and grape mix together for an unusually sweet (as compared to the rest of the body) sugary finish.

M: After getting over the lackluster appearance, the ale brings it. The tart flavors set up grape sweetness and the mix of grape and lemon works quite well. A light ale that doesn't betray its strength.

D: A very approachable sour. I like what the grapes bring to the table; they add a distinct sweetness that loosens up the dry mouthfeel. A nicely aged beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2009 22:03:09 | More by akorsak

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a foggy gold with a head that disappeared quickly. Nose is like any other gueuze or lambic. Straight sour funky. Flavor is real nice. Sour and tart with a fruity edge. There seems to be a vanilla and caramel edge to it too. Sour is the key here and it's coming with authority, but it's in the right place. Feel is slick and smooth. If you like sours, this will be very drinkable. If you're not a sour fan, this might be a nice one to take a few sips on. It's not overly intense, but it's bringing enough to keep it real.

Excellent beer. On the level of Russian River and The Lost Abbey, but stands alone.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2008 20:37:40 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.47/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a golden yellowish color, hazy and a light glow to it

S: Immediate lemon, sour, horse blanket. Oh yeah

T: Very acidic, lots oft annins, lemon zest, white grapes, hay, horseblanket, funky and lots of brett.

M: Medium bodied with light to moderate carbonation, feels a touch too heavy.

O: Ridiculously drinkable for the style and ABV.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 17:37:29 | More by barleywinefiend

mdfb79

New York

4.55/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

From 09/25/10 notes. Brought to a small tasting; bottle is a Batch 4.

a - Pours a clear golden color with light carbonation evident and one inch of white head.

s - Smells of sour fruit, grapes, wine, oak, brett, and spices. Nice and sour, but not overally funky.

t - Tastes of sour fruit, grapes, tart lemon and citrus, spice, oak, and brett.

m - Light body and low carbonation. Very easy to drink.

d - I thought this was a really nice sour. It's quite light and easy to drink for a sour, which I enjoyed. It has some sour, tart fruit and brett in the smell and taste, but isn't lip puckering. I liked it a lot and look forward to drinking my other bottles of it.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2010 03:34:14 | More by mdfb79

Billolick

New York

4.43/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got to love a small, young and local (at least to me) brewery that puts out a stream of small (bottled) batches of eclectic and high quality ales, in addition to the four regular high quality craft brews it brews all year round on tap. "Cuvee" is a Belgain golden, fermented with muscat grapes, then refermented with "Bret" yeast, then aged in wine barels. Yeeha...love the style and love the fact that brewer Scott V has the stones to brew up a quite sour brew and then pitch it and explain it to his loyal following....anyway, this one pours cloudy, lemony, yellowy amber with a quickly departing white head and leaving just a trace of fine lacing. The nose is where the excitement begins, lots of fruit, lemony freshness and a funky, musty foretelling of the sour Bret blast to come. Moderate to quite sour on my scale. Lots of puckering lemon/lime, I also pick up tart berry notes, quinine, ginger, spicy honey, woody, herbal, Bret FUNKYNESS....WOW...wild ale, lambic, Belgian fans rejoice...refreshing, complex, and thoroughly enjoyable...yet another home run for the good Captain...go get some, add a hunk of smelly cheese, some crusty bread, olives, wild lettuce salad, sit back and revel in what a lucky human being you are! Label notes also mention that this one is expected to age well, will the blessings never cease?

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2007 22:43:59 | More by Billolick

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle from gpcollen1 via trade. Thanks for the opportunity. Batch No. 1.

Bottle foamed over upon opening, steathily, that is, not immediately, but within 10 seconds, enough time to turn away. Annoying. Poured into a Rapscallion glass, formed a 1" white head above the totally cloudy orangey yellow brew. Head is completely gone quickly, with little to no lacing. Aroma is tart and grapey. Taste is dominated by the tartness, but is tempered somewhat by the grape flavor initially, and also by the wood character that floats in later. Mouthfeel and drinkability are what you expect from a Wild Ale, and the end product is surprisingly thirst-quenching. This one might be a bit over-the-top for a regular drinker, but is a nice treat.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2007 01:21:00 | More by ppoitras

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Much thanks to hopdog for opening this...
After gushing upon the opening, this appears a hazy, flouorescent yellow with a small white head that slowly fades out.
Smell is of tart lemon, leather, barnyard funk, grapa, oak, and vanilla.
Taste mimics the aromas with an acidic, soapy citrus up front that fades to the mentioned aromas, which are splendid.
Mouthfeel is light-medium bodied, tart, and acidic.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2007 20:47:41 | More by weeare138

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle, batch 2 courtesy of Dyan.

Pours a cloudy yellow, light amber, pretty unique colour for a beer, thin fizzy white head forms, quickly settles down to a thin ring around the glass, no lacing. Smell is crazy acidic, lemons, oak, grapes, vinegar, vanilla, very funky, lots of straw and barnyard with the acidity, very complex. Taste is similar, sweet/sour beginning, toast, oak, lemon juice, quite acidic, vanilla, white grape juice, nice sweet sugary middle really balances out the sourness, nice dried fruit flavour, finish is charred wood and lemon juice, but nicely balanced and a dry floral end. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with low to medium carbonation, very smooth and perfectly balanced, no rough edges, perfect amount of sour and perfect amount of sweet. Very nice sour, thanks a ton Dyan!

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2008 22:47:31 | More by Viggo