Golden Delicious - Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.

jsanford

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into a Tulip Glass.

A - Pours a cloudy orange-gold with a creamy white head that settles to a thin haze.
S - Wonderful apple-forward aromas, followed by brandy, earthy grain, floral hops, oak, citrus hops, and ripe pear. Golden Delicious, indeed!
T - Loads of apples with a boozy dose of brandy, crisp grain, tropical hops, oak, vanilla, ripe pears, and Belgian-style yeast. Tastes fiery yet smooth, similar to the brandy that preceded it's time in the barrels.
M - Big and buttery, with a medium mouthfeel and sharp carbonation. Probably a bit over-carbed for my liking, probably my biggest complaint about the beer.
O - A very unique and memorable beer, I'd like to see other brews receive these unique barrel treatments!

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 02:57:37 | More by jsanford

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured out as a golden color with a white head on top. The smell of the beer wasn't too much like apple, but it did have some nice sweet grain with some barrel aged aromas in there too. The taste gave off some of the apple flavors that I was hoping for. The beer had a crisp taste to it. The mouthfeel was sharp and dry feeling. Overall it was a pretty interesting brew, I enjoyed it but I wouldn't go out of my way to have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2012 07:24:36 | More by Knapp85

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

An oddball beer that's not entirely successful for me. Pours a cloudy apple juice color with a snow white head that settles down quickly to a creamy band on top. Very good lacing.

Aroma of apples, of course, boozy fumes, yeast, spices; sweetness. Pretty nice overall.

Flavor is a bit all over the place and confusing to a degree; there is a strong apple presence followed quickly by a sharp bitterness, yeasty Belgian tripel style flavor; spices; palpably boozy. Sweetness emerges over time; apples and bitterness really linger in the finish. Feels a little hot; the 12% ABV is definitely apparent.

Medium carbonation for the style; slightly full and creamy..actually quite a nice mouthfeel, not overly prickly.

Worth a try if you like tripels and apples; don't think I'd buy this one again but glad I got a chance to share a bottle with the missus.

Edit: In retrospect this was just too over-the-top boozy; I could have used a third person to split the bottle with.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 21:26:41 | More by tobelerone

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy golden yellowish-orange color with a two finger frothy white head that slowly settles into a lasting ring. Streaks and spots of lacing left behind.

Sweet apple aroma with a strong brandy barrel character along with subtle earthy hops and estery light fruit notes. Subtle earthy oak along with lots of vanilla and apple brandy. Some zesty spice and fruit notes from the yeast, notably more apple and some pear.

Medium bodied with a slight creamy texture and a very prominent barrel character. Some dry, toasted oak along with vanilla, caramel apple and brandy. Although there is a lot of brandy flavor it's very sweet and smooth with just a little heat. Only subtle warmth in the finish. The apply brandy is complimented by light fruit notes from the yeast. Some zesty spice and faint earthy hops for balance but it's still very sweet and slightly one-dimensional. I could see how some would think that it's way too sweet but I had no trouble polishing off the whole 750ml.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 07:21:21 | More by corby112

DrewZ926

New York

4.28/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- cloudy and golden streaked, not much head

S- fantastic aromas, very complex, noticeably hot, plenty of apple and cinnamon spice, dried fruits, vinous qualities

T- starts off with belgian fruity esters and then hits you over the head with sweet apple and caramel. lots of brandy notes too with dried fruits.

M- lighter than desired, needs more carbonation

O- really like what the barrel aging did here, may be sweet for some but was tasty is the quantity I had. the heat was also non existent to the taste, which was more pleasant than expected

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 18:20:26 | More by DrewZ926

kzoobrew

Michigan

4.22/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review input from notes.
I believe this bottle was from beandip, if not he is a good guy anyways so he'll still get the thank you.

Crisp and clean body, bright golden colored beer. Carbonation levels are a bit high right of the bat. A careful pour is needed to avoid excessive foam, even with attention this one takes a while to settle. Bone white head recedes slowly leaving a healthy sheet of lacing blanketing the glass.

Judging by aroma alone, Golden Delicious is an appropriate name for this beer. Sweet apple scent is very apparent up front. The fruit aromas dominate, I prefer this to the overly spicy Tripels. Citrus and bits of pear sit just behind. Brandy aroma blends into the nose well. Pleasant oak and vanilla throughout.

The apple flavors carry the flavor upfront but are soon met by a formidable brandy flavor. The sweet apples and warming boozey bit are an interesting flavor combination for a Tripel but it works. Brown sugar, vanilla and oak flavor meld just behind. Subtle spice and yeast flavors can be noticed but are buried for the most past.

Medium bodied tripel, carbonation sits comfortably on the higher end. Slightly warm beer. Finish is dry and pleasant.

Very enjoyable beer. Captain Lawrence picked a might fine beer to put into those Apple Brandy barrels. Flavors are very complimentary. While the beer is certainly boozy it was never off putting. This is one I will seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 18:26:12 | More by kzoobrew

Yagman3000

New York

4.47/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a .750 into a huge oversized pint glass.

Appears a hazy dark peach gold. There's a very creamy looking small head that remains despite sitting a bit.

Smells very strongly of apples. In a
sweet cider like fashion, not the burn of a brandy. I'm intrigued!

Tastes heavy duty! This is a lot more than I thought it would be. Very yeasty tropical flavors with apple balanced with some apricot.

Mouthfeel is big and buttery. Once again, I'm surprised by how filling this beer is.

Overall I'm really impressed with this. Captain Lawrence has been delivering quality products. I want more!

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 04:02:04 | More by Yagman3000

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.7/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Golden Delicious has a cloudy yellow body a small off-white head. The retention is solid, and a few scraps of lacing stay behind.

The aroma is slightly off-putting. Fruity apple, a little bit of alcohol, big malt sweetness and some funky brett come together in a way I'm not thrilled about.

Whatever it is that bothers me about the aroma doesn't exist in the flavor at all, as I like it. Pale, sweet malts come through in the beginning, bringing some bread flavors with them. The apple brandy is noticeable next, with apples and booze. The brandy flavor isn't huge, but it is still unmistakeable. A little bit of pepper comes through also. The finish is great, showcasing the fact that this beer was finished with brett. Leathery, funky flavors lead to an extremely dry finish. The finish is the best part of the beer.

Super dry, medium bodied and fairly high carbonation.

This is another beer that should warm up a bit before you can really drink it. The aroma grows on me a bit also, but for some reason I like the flavor much more than the aroma.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 15:46:26 | More by Hojaminbag

billab914

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle into my Allagash glass. It poured a hazy, golden amber color with a fluffy white head filling the top third of the glass. Great head retention as I drank it.

The aroma has a sour, tart and musty flavor to it at first. I get some notes of crisp, tart apples and grapes to it along with a little bit of oak. As it warmed more of the tart crisp fruits came out with a little bit of spice as well.

The taste shows more of the apple flavors to it. I get a sweeter and crisp apples up front and more of a dry, grape, white wine flavor in the finish. A little bit of the sour, mustiness is there but it's taken a back seat to the fruitiness in the taste. It got a little more of the apple brandy, alcohol flavors in the finish as it warmed as well.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied for the style with carbonation being moderate. Overall it was a very good beer. It started off pretty sour and tart, but that quickly faded into the apple and grape flavors as it warmed. Great range of flavors to it and a very tasty beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 23:04:28 | More by billab914

phichifiji00

California

3.8/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into tulip glass.

Appearance: Golden straw color, slightly hazy, pours 2 fingers of thick white head that slowly fades. Moderate lacing.

Smell: apples, pear, brett, subtle cinnamon, earthy, citrus, tropical fruit, boozy as it warms.

Taste: apple, pear, brandy, a bit funky.

Mouthfeel: light bodied, moderate carbonation, warming, boozy as it warms.

Overall: The apple brandy is very prevalent particularly as this one warms up. This beer was very good cold, but the boozyness killed it as it warmed. Drinkability is high if you drink it cold.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2011 16:15:39 | More by phichifiji00

EkimGram

New York

4.33/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: 750mL bottle poured into Duvel tulip. Colour is a pale brownish-tan. Head is a finger high, fades quickly leaving a nice lacing. Lots of carbonation.

Smell: Very crisp, clear, and citrus hops. Faint aromas of apples, booze, and spice.

Taste: The bottle says it was aged in apple brandy barrels and that is what I taste. Nice and light in flavour followed by a slight bite from the hips, and a hint of bitter citrus. Finishes with a hint of spice and booze.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, silky feel. Nice amount of carbonation to make it feel bubbly and fun. Leaves the back of the mouth sticky.

Overall: This is most certainly delicious! While it doesn't have the spicy yeast authentic Belgian triples have, this is a great brew. Light and refreshing with an interesting taste that will keep you sipping.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 04:50:29 | More by EkimGram

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750mL bottle poured into a chalice

Thanks to Jebus3513 for this one

A slightly hazed orange infused straw color with a bubbly one finger cap. The aroma is of oranges and tangerines with tart granny smiths, oak and some booze. The flavor profile is tart off the bat with sticky citrus in tow. Oak and some vanilla toffee like flavors come through before a dry, oak laden finish. A medium body with moderate carbonation and booze throughout. The finish is mildly puckering, but largely dry. Overall, this is a unique take on a triple that I definitely enjoyed. The barrel aging added some nice elements to an already well crafted triple.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 12:22:25 | More by ColForbinBC

flannelman808

California

4.18/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First let me say this is not a very good ager.. I had a 3-5 year old bottle a year ago and it was a drain pour. This one was a welcomed treat!

A: Pale hazy straw with very little bone white head.

S: Golden delicious, boozy rum and sweet stone fruit.

T: Light body overall but with a touch of alcohol at first sip. Cooked golden delicious apples as well as grannysmith brulee. Subtle yet present spicy notes fill in the gaps.

M: Nicely prickly

O: Not a bad Idea, and a nice addition to the flavors of a triple. This is a bit sweet overall for my liking. That said this beer is richly fruited with red and yellow apples and carries a nice amount of spice. All these things work quite well together.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 00:08:00 | More by flannelman808

LAMAGS

New York

4.15/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Another good beer from the captain; pours an opaque golden orange with serious fluffy white head. The nose is complex made up of vanilla and fruit backed by bread wood and malt (there is a hint of booze). The taste is sweet like a fruit basket apples, with some other indiscernible fruit flavors with notes of citrus, caramel on the finish. Moderate body and carbonation, nothing unusual. A very flavorful and delicious beer, the high abv lends it a special heat that may appeal to some more than others.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 01:51:37 | More by LAMAGS

THECPJ

Delaware

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

reviewed from notes:

appearance: hazy golden yellow with a 2 finger white head

smell: apples, sour, tartness, some citrus,

taste: sour apples, tart,

mouthfeel: mild carbonation, medium body,

overall: this was a very nice beer. it snuck up on me, doesn't drink like a 10% or above beer. glad I finally got to try it.

Cheers,
The CPJ

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 15:31:04 | More by THECPJ

womencantsail

California

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks for sharing this, Gil.

A: The beer pours a hazy golden orange color with a tall white head.

S: Smells of bread and oak with some vanilla and lots of sweet fruits. A touch of sugar with a light citrus note to it along with some sweet caramel malts. Just a hint of booze and tartness.

T: The flavor is quite sweet and sugary as well. There is a lot of brandy flavor, pear, and apple to it. Some sweet, caramel and bread notes are also there. Just a bit of citrus peel, mostly orange and lemon.

M: Medium bodied with a medium carbonation.

O: The nose had a little too much heat for my liking, but the flavor was good and the beer was enjoyable all around.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 02:30:13 | More by womencantsail

mdaschaf

Washington

4.45/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes. Was looking forward to trying this beer for a while.

A: Pours a hazy pale orange color with one finger of thick, foamy head, white in color. Lots of small bubble release from the bottom. Very thick and foamy lacing left behind.

S: Definitely some apple on the aroma with a little bit of brandy, as well as a hint of caramel. There is a little tart/funky aroma as well. Very inviting.

T: Again, more applies, a little of the brandy, and some caramel malt. There is also some bready malt at the end. It is a little acetic, slightly tart. Different for a tripel, but I like it a lot.

M: Medium bodied with medium to high carbonation. On the sweet side and unexpectedly tart for a tripel, but quite drinkable.

O: Very tasty, the apple flavor is fantasti. Very different for a tripel, but a nice change. Sneaky alcohol content, as this goes down very easy. Want more!

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 20:19:23 | More by mdaschaf

SpdKilz

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another beer courtesy of a wedgie9 we enjoyed at a small tasting a while back. Taken from notes.

Appearance – Pours into a Lost Abbey tulip with a light amber, golden color. About a finger of slight off-white head is achieved that leaves nice lacing on the sides of the tulip.

Smell – Exactly as you’d expect from the name of the beer. A nice apple aroma, pear, yeasty bread, slight vanilla, alcohol, oak, and slight brett. After having a few drinks the alcohol aroma was a bit more than I wanted/was expecting. But the rest of the aromas smelled wonderful.

Taste – A medley of spices, apples, and oak. The vanilla and slight funk are at the tail end and show themselves a bit more as the beer warms. Overall a sweeter beer that I wish had a hint more funk to it. But the flavors are pretty fantastic mixing the oak and apples. Would be curious to see how age would work on this…

Mouthfeel – Medium bodied, some heat from the alcohol, lower carbonation.

Overall – A unique triple. As stated, I’d be interested to see how some age would do to this beer. The alcohol warmth/taste/aroma was a bit too much for me. Perhaps some time would subdue this and let a bit more funk develop.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 00:23:55 | More by SpdKilz

superspak

Michigan

4.22/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle into wine glass, this was a gusher as soon as I opened it, didn’t lose too much beer. Pours hazy golden amber color with a dense 1 finger white head with good retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap. Decent lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of apple cider, apple skin, brandy booziness, and a bit of spice. Interesting aromas with good strength. Taste of huge slightly tart apples, apple skin, honey, spiciness, and a bit of citrus. Lingering notes of spice, apple, and citrus sweetness on the finish. No bitterness noticed, as expected for a tripel. Medium carbonation and fairly full bodied. Alcohol is well hidden in the taste, with only a slight warming on the finish noticed. Very smooth drinking as well for being 10%. Nice balance of flavors without having too much sweetness. Overall, and excellent tripel, a little to boozy in the nose, but the taste tells a whole different story.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2011 18:54:58 | More by superspak

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.86/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a pure color of golden sunshine with a crystal white bubbly head. The head fades more quickly than I'd like but I really like the way this looks.

Nose is way different than I expected. First thing I get is brett. I'm pretty sure there isn't any brett in this beer so I'm confused and worried that maybe there's an infection or something. I also get apples and sweet liqueur and a bit of cider. Also some faint orange citrus, presumably from the amarillo hops. It's not what I expected but it does smell nice.

Taste is a bit different. Still something resembling brett but it's not nearly as pronounced. As it warms that brett flavor gradually becomes more of a normal Belgian yeast flavor. Sweet apple flavor too, though not as much as I expected, and liqueur again as well. I'm wondering if the weirdness I identified as brett is just the odd interplay of amarillo hops (which by this point have surely faded from what they once were) and the brandy barrel aging. I'd like to try the base beer. In any case, this beer is extremely drinkable, refreshing and with a nice balance to the flavor. Not cloyingly sweet from the apple brandy at all, it's very nice.

7.9/10

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 17:32:01 | More by AlexFields

r0nyn

New York

4.08/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into my La Fin du Monde tulip. Courtesy of BA infi.

Has a hazy golden hue, along with a fluffy white head full of crisp bubbles, leaving a trail of stringy lacing coating the inside of the glass. This thing smells like straight up sweet, sweet apple juice. Not just apple cider, but freshly made apple juice. There's some mild malty notes on the back end along with a touch of booze. Really quite remarkable.

Taste is more of the same from the nose, with the apple flavorings just taking charge and dictating the entire flavor experience. There's a subtle yeasty quality that appears ever so briefly, lending an added complexity. Underneath the apple onslaught is a definite malt character, providing some balance and unique contrast. The booziness is definitely prevalent on the back end, with the brandy barrel aroma and nuances coming into play. It doesn't state the ABV on this beer, but I'd wager it's at least 10%, as you can really taste it. Mouthfeel is smooth and easy, with a slightly drying finish that's almost chewy.

A very interesting take on the tripel style, which is known for its fruity characteristics. Instead of the typical banana, its a ton of apples, through and through. Quite tasty, but with a definite kick, this one will keep you sipping.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2011 00:47:18 | More by r0nyn

infi

New York

4.08/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL, shared with BAs brun, emonte and r0nyn.

Poured into Corsendonk tulip.

Translucent, golden cider pour that releases a one-fingered, tight-bubbled, white head that recedes back into the glass within a minute. Smells is immensely full of freshly cut whole apples. Everything's in there: flesh, skin, seeds and stem. Full-on apple onslaught. Sweet cider qualities underneath the apples. Deep whiffs bring out the brandy booziness on the back end.

Taste is bold with the apple brandy aging at first that goes into a thin malt sweetness, but immediately goes into the brandy-driven alcohol kick. For a beer that doesn't have an ABV identity, this really feels like a 10 or 11% beer. The heat and drying qualities that the beer leaves after a sip lasts for a couple lasting seconds. The finish has a slight, biscuit malt-like breadiness. Like the label says: apple pie, but soaked in the brandy.

Mouthfeel is nicely crisp and fairly effervescent, like any other tripel. Leaves a dryness in the mouth too. Picked this bottle up on a whim due to the apple brandy aging. Glad I did too. Definitely pick it up!

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 03:38:00 | More by infi

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.73/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Purchased at the 2011 Rosso release. Bottle opened with a pop and a slow gush. Served in a chalice. Pours a golden-orange with a semi-hazy clarity and a loose, quarter inch, white head that quickly disperses into a soapy skim. Some lacing, but weak legs. Fantastic nose on this beer - Apple brandy, citrus and a sweet character. Taste is consistent with nose, but really quite boozy. Some apple pie spice is definitely in the flavor profile. Mouthfeel is medium-light with a prickly/gassy carbonation. There's also quite a bit of residual alcohol heat at the finish. An interesting beer, but I think I needs to be laid down for a quite a while to even it out a bit. If you are opening it fresh, share it with a few people. That said, I plan on picking up a bottle when the opportunity presents to cellar for 3-5 years.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 00:05:47 | More by Jwale73

augustgarage

California

4.2/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Many thanks as always to ShogoKawada for this one! Poured from a 750mL bottle into my Bruery tulip.

Golden saffron body, lightly cloudy with a delicate half finger of ivory receding to an uneven collar and burbling slick. Fast running, sandy lacing and choppy legs. Average retention.

Apple brandy suggests the fruit's skin, seeds, and concentrated dark sugars along with a light leathery note. Dried rather than juicy apples in the nose at least. Somewhat floral as well, more from yeast than hops, which is appropriate for a Tripel.

Very dry, mineral-laden, tart, and complex flavor profile. The apple flavors are wonderful, though there is a bit of excess heat from the alcohol, though it isn't overwhelming at all. Light vinuous character suggests a Pinot gris almost more than an ale. Low bitterness throughout with a faint herbal quality (roses, white tea, etc) in the finish.

A mix of spritzy and effervescent; slightly tannic and astringent, though very crisp overall.

Very pleased I cellared this until the weather got hot - as this is a very refreshing beer (despite being more of a sipper). While it isn't quite in line with the style, and time may have mellowed the hops (probably dulling the impact intended by the brewer), this is an excellent, creative, gentle, and almost sour ale. Well worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 02:51:28 | More by augustgarage

timtim

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

wow... pours a slightly hazy golden color with an off-white head that holds and leaves a touch of lace. nose is bright, brilliant, golden delicious apple up front, followed by hops(?), a spicy belgian-style malt/yeast backbone and a faint vanilla/brandy/wood character. very, very pretty. everything comes together in harmony in the taste as flavors play off of each other extremely well. my palate can't tell what is what, and that means it has come together seamlessly. fruit coming from the barrel, the hops and the yeast, with just enough sweetness to turn the spiciness into yumminess. beers like this are usually not my cup of tea, but this turns my gears like crazy. awesome. medium body with lower carbonation than expected, and the booze never seems to get hot. awesome. great beer from one of the US's most talented breweries. thanks captain!

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2011 11:58:02 | More by timtim