Espresso Stout - Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.

TheycallmeTim

New York

4.53/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Growler from Bierkraft poured into a shaker pint glass.

A--Dark almost black body lets in some deep garnet hues right at the bottom of the glass. Head is a finger and a half of khaki microbubbles that last and last. Only really faded to a skim and ring in the last third of the pint. Unbelievable head retention for a stout, but the body looks more like a porter.

S--So so inviting. A mellow herbal and floral hops undergirds both that stinging dark roasted coffee brew smell and notes of chocolate malt. Like high end espresso mixed with expensive dark bittersweet chocolate and served next to a tulip garden in Spring.

T--Beats the nose, incredibly. There are three levels (at least) to this flavor profile, and what's so remarkable is that none crowds the other out. The initial part of the taste is where the brighter floral hops poke out but get nudged aside almost immediately by the almost sour bitter espresso grounds and even some plum or raisiny flavors. Phase two the hops get back into the tug-o-war and pull you into a sweeter, more mellow direction. And phase three, the finish, just absolutely socks you around without regard for rank or stature or dignity--bitter chocolate malt, bitter liquid black gold espresso, even some more of that bittersweet chocolate. Long, drying satisfying stout ending, much dryer than you usually get in American versions of the style.

M&D--Mouthfeel wasn't quite thick enough, but was pretty silky. A pretty light-bodied stout overall, which along with the much more subtle use of coffee flavors (more so than Sixpoint's Gorilla Warfare, I felt, which was ridiculous and over the top) jacks the drinkability through the roof. Smooth enough, subtle enough, and intriguing enough to have you throwing back more than you expected when you sat down. The fella who sold it to me said he drank his first pint of this in a two and a half minutes. I stretched mine out a bit longer, but it wasn't easy.

Without the espresso this is close to Sierra Nevada Stout or Anchor Porter. I'd really like to see what the Captain could do with a straight stout, as this brewery seems to have the Midas Touch. Keep 'em coming!

Serving type: growler

02-20-2009 22:55:27 | More by TheycallmeTim

jkane101

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +0.8%

05-15-2013 00:47:53 | More by jkane101

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev +0.8%

11-15-2012 02:31:36 | More by t0rin0

Joenapp

4/5  rDev +0.8%

11-05-2012 23:16:17 | More by Joenapp

meaghan2k

New York

5/5  rDev +25.9%

09-27-2012 17:53:34 | More by meaghan2k

brentblack1

New York

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%

09-06-2012 23:25:08 | More by brentblack1

3Hops

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

08-02-2012 20:57:22 | More by 3Hops

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.8%

07-12-2012 03:25:43 | More by rolltide8425

MikeConklin

New York

4/5  rDev +0.8%

04-25-2012 03:23:02 | More by MikeConklin

RyanCMcGovern

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +0.8%

04-25-2012 00:36:40 | More by RyanCMcGovern

GuisseppeFranco

New York

3.25/5  rDev -18.1%

03-08-2012 01:43:40 | More by GuisseppeFranco

jk3

New York

3/5  rDev -24.4%

03-03-2012 13:12:30 | More by jk3

KornWallace

New York

3/5  rDev -24.4%

02-04-2012 19:08:44 | More by KornWallace

acurtis

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%

01-09-2012 01:29:56 | More by acurtis

DSlim71

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%

01-06-2012 13:55:20 | More by DSlim71

asparkoflife

New York

4/5  rDev +0.8%

12-20-2011 15:38:12 | More by asparkoflife

luisv

New York

5/5  rDev +25.9%

12-11-2011 13:48:39 | More by luisv

djrn2

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +0.8%

12-04-2011 14:46:18 | More by djrn2

HopStoopid120

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +0.8%

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

richbrew

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +0.8%

11-15-2011 15:24:30 | More by richbrew

randomdanger

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +0.8%

11-15-2011 14:55:32 | More by randomdanger

JohnnyChicago

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from a growler into a Brooklyn tulip pint.

A: Pours black with a cap of off-white head.

S: Smells of fresh brewed coffee; they nailed it. It has a nice amount of roast along with some dark chocolate and that roasted barley profile.

T: Hmmm, smelled better than it tastes. The roast is there, but it hits you with astringency and acidic flavours instead of a creamy, robust espresso.

D: The harshness is off-putting and makes this a bit of challenge. The alcohol is well hidden, though.

Overall: This wasn't the best coffee stout I've had. It seems like they over-coffee beaned it. A bit too unbalanced for my tastes. Coffee is one of those tricky ingredients that is easy to overdo, especially in smaller stouts that can't hide the harshness with other big flavours.

Serving type: growler

11-12-2011 20:39:11 | More by JohnnyChicago

jeffthecheff

Connecticut

3.68/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark brown color with shades of red. Light brown head with a creamy formation and decent retention and lacing.

Aroma is mostly creamy and nutty with a subtle coffee presence. Chocolate and fruit also have a subtle presence, but the overall profile is a smooth, nutty profile similar to a brown ale.

Flavor has a subtle nuttiness, coffee flavor, and a small amount of roast bitterness on the dry finish. Mouthfeel is light, dry, and creamy all the way through with a surprisingly "small" profile despite the abv. Carbonation from a growler is a bit lower than the tap, but it seems appropriate. Overall a nice beer that has a bit more subtlety than the name and description suggests.

Serving type: growler

04-23-2011 21:47:18 | More by jeffthecheff

koopa

New Jersey

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

Picked this up at the Rosso e Marrone batch 3 release today which was a really great time. Good crowd of fine people showing each other lots of good will and enjoying each others company.

Appearance: Pours a deep chestnut with honey folds and a light beige 1 finger crown that displays moderate retention and lace.

Smell: Espresso (duh!) a hint of cream, and a whisper of chocolate.

Taste: Mainly just espresso but executed with restraint.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. A bit thinner than I'd prefer but it increases the drinkability factor.

Overall: A fairly straight forward espresso stout that is drinkable and has no major flaws.

Serving type: growler

04-16-2011 21:09:31 | More by koopa

sinstaineddemon

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

was served with a coffee stirrer!

A - this stout is as dark as can be expected, still looks like super dark brown as opposed to black, stop sits a chocolate milt froth colored head

S - coffee of course hits the nose first, rich fresh brewed espresso, some light chocolate hints are subdued by the coffee bully

T - I didnt think it was possible, but the coffee actually became more powerful in the flavor, the chocolate mellows out, a lactic sweetness arises

M&D - smooth and mellow, rich in flavor, bold without being pretentious, a fine brew thats a pleasure to drink

Serving type: on-tap

04-08-2011 02:12:36 | More by sinstaineddemon