Smoke From The Oak (Rum Barrel Aged) - Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.

DaveAnderson

Minnesota

3.15/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Batch 2, which means this has been in the bottle for at least 4 years.

A standard pour into a Duvel glass produces a creamy head that looks like a milk chocolate mousse. After reading some other reviews of this batch, I was ready for a gusher, but I just got a properly-carbonated, quite attractive beer in my glass. The beer itself is dark and hazy.

Wow. I was not expecting this to smell sour. I'm suddenly very excited about this beer. I normally don't find rum very interesting, so I expected this to be less interesting than, say, something aged in bourbon barrels. This smells like a chocolatey oude bruin. It also reminds me of a chocolate cherry cordial. The rum -- and the oak for that matter -- is very subtle.

Unfortunately, the flavor of this beer simply does not live up to the smell. I would have preferred either a lot more sourness, or none at all. There are two beers in this glass, and they are fighting each other for my attention. I'm starting to wonder if this was supposed to be sour at all. Maybe it's just infected.

It is extremely difficult to rate the mouthfeel on this beer, because I can't figure out what it is supposed to be.

In the end, I found myself quite disappointed. To quote Emperor Joseph II from Amadeus, it had "too many notes".

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 06:27:46 | More by DaveAnderson

mendvicdog

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%

05-16-2013 13:00:32 | More by mendvicdog

jkane101

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%

05-15-2013 00:49:52 | More by jkane101

acurtis

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%

04-03-2013 23:07:30 | More by acurtis

jlenik

New Jersey

2/5  rDev -48.1%

03-21-2013 22:57:21 | More by jlenik

Jason

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%

03-17-2013 23:22:40 | More by Jason

BeerThursdays

Delaware

3.25/5  rDev -15.6%

03-16-2013 12:34:49 | More by BeerThursdays

spycow

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%

01-14-2013 04:40:42 | More by spycow

beagle826

New York

3.08/5  rDev -20%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Had this one cellered for about 2.5 years. Cracked it open and was surprised that it smelled a bit sour. Very dark, viscous looking pour. Taste was a bit sweet, oak didn't come through as much as I expected. Ultimately, a little bit disappointing. Seemed like there was too many conflicting flavors going on at once.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 02:08:06 | More by beagle826

imperialking

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -9.1%

11-13-2012 19:31:58 | More by imperialking

Shango42

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +3.9%

10-01-2012 03:06:17 | More by Shango42

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%

09-09-2012 23:20:13 | More by t0rin0

stevefinny

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +16.9%

06-20-2012 01:43:10 | More by stevefinny

emerge077

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks Ben for sharing this one, review from written notes.
Bottle stored in temperature-controlled, zero light conditions. Unfortunate gusher due to botham's hasty maneuvers. Served in a goblet.

Brownish black, reddish glint in the meniscus of the glass. A constant presence of sturdy tan foam, due to the furious carbonation levels. Head eventually breaks on the surface, no lacing.

Tart, indistinct barrel notes with perceptible alcohol in the aroma.
Lightly tart and tannic. No rum character. It comes across as a generic barrel aged beer, oaky and thin with a marked acidity. Not very cohesive or nuanced, it's faded into something of a muddy mess (maybe it always was, based on some early reviews). Overall its not terrible, but nothing worth seeking out really, unless a new batch is released and there are positive reports.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 03:19:37 | More by emerge077

Pencible

Virginia

4/5  rDev +3.9%

02-11-2012 19:49:19 | More by Pencible

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3/5  rDev -22.1%

12-30-2011 07:45:25 | More by ygtbsm94

djrn2

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +3.9%

12-04-2011 14:51:03 | More by djrn2

rab53

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +10.4%

12-01-2011 04:55:23 | More by rab53

brandoman63

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%

11-29-2011 02:38:55 | More by brandoman63

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4/5  rDev +3.9%

11-18-2011 22:22:45 | More by Photekut

leschkie

California

2.5/5  rDev -35.1%

11-17-2011 22:45:52 | More by leschkie

HopStoopid120

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +3.9%

11-16-2011 01:33:26 | More by HopStoopid120

ixodus

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +16.9%

11-15-2011 00:25:01 | More by ixodus

rwmiscik

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this beer into a snifter where it appears a very dark brown almost black color. Just a little bit of lacing occurs down the glass. The nose on this beer is amazing...it rum mixed with oak and hops and alittle bit of tannins thrown in all next to the smell of the booze. The beer tastes like a mix of chocolate, rum, coffee, oak, and alcohol. there is so much going on in this beer it is incredible to find out that it is extremely balanced, granted the bottle i drank had lots of age on it and ive never had a fresh one to compare it to.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 13:52:14 | More by rwmiscik

brentk56

North Carolina

2.93/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Batch 2

Appearance: Another gushing disaster from this series and as I saw some ugly sediment at the top of the bottle I knew it would be a problem; by the time the gushing was over, there was very little head to the beer

Smell: To its credit, it smells like rum

Taste: Unlike the aroma, the beer is sour from the get go, without any real hint of rum, just a vinegary, green apple mess

Mouthfeel: Medium body with buoyant carbonation

Overall: Another infected bottle from the series; I can see why it has been retired

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 23:12:02 | More by brentk56