Rosso E Marrone - Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.24/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thanks a lot to OldSock for the thoughtful share. This is a beer I have wanted to try for a few years, and somehow the stars never aligned until tonight.

The beer is hazy chestnut brown with a thin tan head. Audible hissing as the head rapidly fades. The aroma is grand, offering plenty of sourness and funk, with prominent yeast, fruits, caramels, bread. Sharp and biting feel, but not unpleasant. Certainly acetic though. A nice beer to sip and savor with a friend or two. Double digit alcohol is disguised quite well. A really solid beer, though not for everyone.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 00:45:15 | More by Huhzubendah

ellaimbo

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

This is the style of beer that I LOVE and while Captain Lawrence got it right from the flavor, to the smell and appearance .. .the price is way TOO high. I figured I'd try it as it is locally brewed but you should save the cash and buy some Goudenband or Monk's instead

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 01:59:39 | More by ellaimbo

scootny

New York

4.51/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

This is a combined review of two batch one bottles. The first consumed within a month of purchase. The second Four years later as I unwind from a day at work on my birthday. The day is past and I am enjoying a nightcap review.

The uncellared bottle pours a reddish brown withh a tight white head that fades somewhat quickly and leaves no covering. The aged beer show little carbonation, producing a touch of light soap bubbley foam for a brief moment. The fluid itself is the same, being quite cloudy with a bit of a glow as I look at it.

Smell is oaken and tart with a complex blend of vanilla, caramel, sour cherries, and grapes. Some malt sow with a bit of toasted breakfast muffins. The fresh bottle has a more upfront fruitiness that mellows with aged. It has a bit of olfactory pucker. The mature version is mellower with more wood, horse blanket and a whiff of alcohol that is not noticeable when new.

Taste is great any way you slice it. Vinous dry and tart, with all the nose players showing. Fresh, the sourness is tongue numbing with lots of fruit based tartness and a sourness that channels wine that must come from the grapes and oak barrels. The swallow and finish bring that oak forward and leaves a mouth puckering dryness that features a shot of tannins and sourness. The older version is less dynamic but no less impressive. The front leads with oak and and and cherries flowing onto a mellow grapeish fruit. The tannins are bigger here in the body and bloom into a wonderful sourness. The swallow allow the malt to peek out a touch and then quickly revert to vinous sourness.

Feel is medium bodied with mild carbonation when young and a just enough of a tingle to let you know it's beer when old. Crisp overall feel enhances drinkability.

Just a great beer. Refreshing and crisp. With a restorative dry quality that is wonderful I had it with pizza new and it was great, a spicy cheddar aged an it is superb. A beer for all seasons and reasons.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 06:23:45 | More by scootny

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark rusty-brown pour, with a small cap of foamy, off-white head. Lactic and acetic aroma, cherry, red wine, mildly earthy. The flavor reflected the aroma well, tart but balanced and not very puckering, sour cherries, red wine, tolerably acetic, not too woody, but there was a slight leathery quality to it, with subtle funk undertones and maybe even a dusting of cocoa powder (from the use of some darker malts, I'd assume). Medium body, moderate to low carbonation, and a nice drink overall.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 22:53:58 | More by Rifugium

standardcherry

Massachusetts

4.78/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

375ml bottle of batch 3

A: Dark red/brownish color with very small head.
S: Wine, fruits (cherry/apple) and oak. Tart and funky.
T: Nice sourness, tart fruits, cherries, grapes, wine. Some malty sweetness. 10% alcohol is not detectable at all, very refreshing.
M: Medium bodied with nice, moderate carbonation.
O: Excellent beer, wish I had more.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 01:57:46 | More by standardcherry

DaveHack

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 3

Pours a dark red/brown color. There is very little head.

This smells great! Definite dark fruits; things like cherry, and fig. There is some musty scent, but not too much.

There is a huge aspect to this. My teethe feel dried out by it and I can feel the burn as it goes down...Oak is pretty forward as well. Bring on the heartburn!

Mouthfeel is good, rather light bodies considering the 10% ABV. There is a great tart/dryness combo going on that leaves me desiring another sip each time I take one.

Overall, I'm not sure I'll ever fully love Oud Bruins, even though I love most sours and funky beers. There is just a harsh aspect to them, but this one is definitley one of the better ones I've had. Certainly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 23:15:38 | More by DaveHack

mdaschaf

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Jack for breaking this out. Review from notes.

A: Pours a reddish/brown color, slightly hazy with a one finger off-white head on top. Decent retention leaving a very thin cap on top. Small bits of lacing form on the glass.

S: Lots of dark fruit, some red grapes, dark cherries, and a bit of raspberry mixed with some funk/hay and vinegar sourness. Very nice.

T: Tart and acidic right away mixed with some winey fruit. Red grapes, dark cherries, plum, and currants come through as wells as some oak, a little vanilla, and a touch of barnyard funk.

M: Medium bodied with a nice level of carbonation. Quite tart with a slightly dry finish.

O: A very good Oud Bruin, right up there with La Folie for sure. Would love to have a bunch of this sitting around to open whenever I wanted.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 23:47:40 | More by mdaschaf

ThePorterSorter

New York

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks cavedave for pulling this bottle out. Batch #2
The beer pours a reddish amber with a thin halo of white head. The nose is reminiscent of acetone and sweet cherries. The acetone carries through to the beer's taste and mixes with the oak and now tart cherries and red plum. However, the acetone is a bit too pungent which throws off the beer's balance and drinkability. The aftertaste is dry and intense; this is one of the driest rouges I've ever had. Still very delicious and a treat.

Update from fresh bottle (batch#4)
The beer is still quite flat and has a significant sweetness compared to the dank, dry, acetone base I remember. There is also a bigger wine barrel presence and bitterness similar to an iced black tea. Different beer, I look forward to laying a few bottles down to dry out and age

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 22:50:44 | More by ThePorterSorter

merc7186

New York

4.48/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer poured from a bomber into a pint glass

A: Amber/Light Orangish Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Sour Mash, Tart Cherries, Black Pepper

T: Sour Mash, Tart Cherries, Black Pepper

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Sour, Mild Bitterness

Overall, a really sold and clean flaunder ale

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 01:24:01 | More by merc7186

warnerry

Michigan

4.45/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 2; big thanks to woosterbill for this one

A - Pours a murky reddish brown with only a collar of head. Only small spots of lacing.

S - Aromas of red wine, funky brett, green apple, a touch of vinegar, a bit of cherry and oak and some surprising vanilla, along with some other aromas I can't identify. Very appealing aroma with a lot of depth. Not really any sweetness, just tart and funky through and through.

T - Similar to the nose, no sweetness to be found, just nicely sour and funky throughout, with even the slightest touch of bitterness. Flavors follow the nose pretty well, but the vinous aspect is the primary flavor component. Very nice.

M - On the fuller side for the style, but by no means heavy. Tart and quite dry. Quite smooth with low carbonation.

O - Very unique and tasty, with a lot of depth. The 10% really doesn't make itself known. Luckily, the sourness makes you sip this one slowly anyway.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 21:00:27 | More by warnerry

emerge077

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bunzfest2012: Make it so... Thanks Dan for sharing!
Quick review from written notes, served in a mini-tulip glass.
Not sure of the batch, 375mL bottle.

Reddish orange body, thin skim of offwhite foam across the surface. Clarity is fairly murky, it may have been one of the last pours from the bottle, wasn't keeping track.

Acetic, vinous aroma. Red wine grapes, reminiscent of La Folie.

Dry and cidery, grapes and acetic acid. Medium bodied, not all that funk forward or complex, but it's good. Would take La Folie or similar Flanders over this though, not really worth the extra effort to seek out.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 03:10:12 | More by emerge077

Treebs

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Batch 3 served in a Portsmouth tulip. Not sure who shared, but thanks!

A: Pours a dark grape-like color with a dirty white head forming on the pour. It recedes to a thin ring and leaves some splotchy lace.

S: Tart green apple and lime rind with a lemony pith. There is some sweet fruit, maybe grape or some dark berry. Slight whiff of alcohol.

T: The taste follows the nose with some tart fruit skins, dark sweet fruits and mild acetone on the finish.

M: Medium to light bodied. For how big this beer is it drinks quite nicely. Medium carbonation.

O: I've never had an oud bruin that was this big and robust, but it drank like it was much lighter. Very solid and glad I was able to get to try this.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 13:59:47 | More by Treebs

jibbyvonjibb

California

3.13/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: tawny color. hazy. no head. 3.5
S: acetic acid. caramel. cherries. no sign of grapes. very flanders like. hot alcohol. 3.5
T: quite acidic. some harsh alcohol. 3
M. low carbonation. medium body. vinegar bite in aftertaste. 3
O: eh. nothing special. out of balance. 3

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 04:20:53 | More by jibbyvonjibb

DovaliHops

California

4.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 3. Pours a murky reddish-brown color with a medium white head that diminishes very quickly. Scent is VERY inviting. Lovely red wine vinegar and nice tart aromas with some tart, red grapes. Quite funky...at least more funky than I was expecting. The Brett has done some good thing for the nose of this beer. Very sharp tart cherry/grape aromas with a good amount of wood/oak. Lovely nose. Taste is just as nice. At first it drinks like a burguny with some strong, somewhat tart, dark flavors. Then you get a good amount of sour grapes, which immediately turns to cherry sweetness. Very sour, vinegar-like beginning, with a smooth sweet cherry finish. Lovely oak flavors throughout, especially in the center of the palate. As the beer warms, the barrel really comes through with lovely oak flavors. You can definitely tell this is one of the higher ABV sour beers, but would never guess it to be as high as 10%! Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a tingly, somewhat puckering carbonation. Drinkability is scary high for a 10% beer. Overall, this is a great Oud Bruin beer. Love the complexities of if.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 05:49:09 | More by DovaliHops

boralyl

Oregon

4.88/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Batch #2, many thanks to Thorpe429 for providing the bottle.

A - The beer pours a very small off-white head that fades quickly with little to no lace. The beer is clear with a medium-red hue with a little orange/brown.

S - The aroma is very complex. I get red grapes, acidity, light malt sweetness and a little bit of vinegar.

M - Medium to full in body with moderate carbonation.

T - The taste is just as complex as the nose. The red grapes shine and are very vibrant. There is also some vinegar and acidity which is cut by some malt sweetness towards the finish. The alcohol is not detectable at all.

This is quite an excellent beer, and is full of complexity. The grapes, acidity and malt sweetness play well w/ one another, making a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2012 03:35:21 | More by boralyl

Phelps

Arizona

4.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Shared by ejyoung and poured into a tulip. This brown ale was aged in wine barrels with brett for a year before brewers added ripe red grapes. Batch 3.

Mostly clear light copper, shimmering between darker and lighter hues. The head is a thin half-inch of light tan that quickly fades to a large-bubbled ring.

The aroma reaches the nose way before I even get close to the glass. Cola, brown sugar and toast are noticeable at first; biscuits, funk and green apple are next.

Same deal in the flavor. Big cola notes are met with major oak and white wine, vinegar and funk. Lesser bits of brown sugar and touches of vanilla can be picked up amidst the impressive tartness.

Medium-light body, light massaging carbonation. The beer holds together well as it moves around. Tartness is so big as to be spicy.

Tasty and intriguing. The balance of cola, tartness and funk is out of control. A real winner from Captain Lawrence.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2012 04:38:17 | More by Phelps

claspada

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of hoppymcgee in a trade several months back.

Batch 3, which I believe was bottled around April 2011.

Pours a gorgeous bright red, bordering extremely dark pink. Lightly translucent, Small, tight white bubbly head that quickly dissipates.

Aromas begin with a ton of vinegar and acetone, champagne white grapes and chardonnay oak. Not getting much red grapes but a lot of a champagne white vinous grapes. Earthiness and lighter tart green apples emerge as it warms.

The tastes directly follow the nose with everything I listed above. White grape, red wine vinegar, oak and a light earthy/musty component. Not overly tart or too complex even as it warms. For a 10% ABV Oud Bruin, there is not a drop of detectable alcohol which is impressive. That being said the flavor reminds me more of a sour/wild ale as there is not enough of a base beer presence here.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. For a 10% beer I expected more of something, sourness, mouthfeel, tart, lactic, something... Finish isn't too dry either, really vinegar forward and a little too sweet for the style.

Overall this is quite a good beer, don't get me wrong, but there is nothing special about it. It's super balanced, which I usually like in my beers, but for the limited availability, I was expecting it to pop a little more. While good, I cannot recommend this unless this style is your absolute favorite and you "need" to try every example you can find. There is just nothing special here for me to need to revisit anytime soon, good just didn't meet my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 23:58:04 | More by claspada

scottfrie

California

3.75/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Batch 3 into snifter.

A: Pours the murky color of baby poop. This is one nasty and cloudy diarrhea colored beer.
S: Big acetone and funk notes with grape and grape skins. This makes my eyes water.
T: Follows the nose with vinous dry grape skins and barnyard funk. I’m getting some hay, sweetish fruits and a hint of yeast as well. The finish is still bitingly acid.
M: Dry mouthfeel, soft carbonation, cleanish body and tons of acid.
O: Rough around the edges but I actually really liked the flavor. Gross looking beer though.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 18:33:12 | More by scottfrie

FosterJM

California

4.65/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

1126th Review on BA
Bottle to Bruery Snifter
500 ml

Batch 3

Thanks to CPAbeer and StormKing47 for the gift

Shared with GuruDel

App- Looks like a muddled mix of grapefruit juice and a bit of lemonade. Nice highlights run through out the beer. A small 1/2 in head formed and faded very quickly. Buzzing as it fell. Not a lot of cling maybe a couple dots.

Smell- I loved the smell of this beer. It was so assertive and sour. It really combined elements of a lot of beers that I have had included Gilgamesh that I had 2 beers before this. It was sweet, tart, fruity, funky. A mix of Supplication, 3F Sch. Kriek and more Boom to it!

Taste- Just so good across the board. Amazingly smooth and not prickly. Not over sour, not over fruity. A well layered sour that just kept enveloping more flavor as I kept sipping on it. Amazing to me that it could start a bit of a fruity tart and then move more to a oak layer and then back to a Brett note. And have earthy layers buried in it as well.

Mouth- A bit of a lighter medium and then a medium carbonation. Just a tad full for me with these layers. Residual flavors from oak, tannin, fruit, barn and cherry.

Drink- I can't thank Chad and Josh enough for the gift for being a trustee. This beer was so damn good. Layers upon layers and it did it effortlessly. I want it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 22:15:38 | More by FosterJM

CrellMoset

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A bottle of Batch 2, courtesy of a long ago trading partner, and poured in to a tulip. A bit of a hiss when the cap on this one is popped.

Appearance: Quite an unsightly thing, a bubbling, gurgling brown soup, laden with carbonation - plentiful, quick, zippy, and persistent - and very little else in the way of defining characteristics. The head that surges to the surface with a vigorous pour lasted precisely three seconds, and doesn't leave anything by way of lacing, a collar, or even a dusting of its presence on the surface. Perhaps it's stylistically appropriate, but I've even seen sours and oud bruins with more character than this.

Aroma: Fat, acidic, vinegar tartness mingles with green oak, sweet and sour stone fruit notes, and dark malts that hint at brown sugar and caramel, then maple syrup as it warms. A definite hint of herbal greenery - a little bit like dill, actually - is buried beneath the surface of this one, poking its head out as it warms, along with dashes of smoke and vanilla. The red wine tartness is amplified by the sour fruit notes, oak, and Brett notes, but stands in pleasant contrast to the heavier maltiness. Speaking of Brett, the funk factor is fairly low here - it's mostly straightforward acidity, though there is a slight hint of crusty cheesiness at points.

Taste: A pleasant and intriguing flavor profile. Spicy acidity is strong up front and indeed present throughout, though the sip definitely transitions from pure tartness to equal parts vinegar sour and mustier, sweeter, herbal funk. It mellows slightly as it warms, getting sweeter. The sweetness is nice, showcasing some of those malt notes mentioned above - maple syrup, caramel, brown sugar, along with all the fruit sugars. Red wine tartness amplifies chalky wood notes, tannins, and grape notes, and the Brett wraps it all up nicely, interlacing funk and vinegar-like acidity with the fruity tartness, malts, and barrel notes.

Mouthfeel: Initially a little uneven, after about fifteen minutes this one settles out nicely, with a smooth, creamy body courtesy of a steady supply of carbonation and a fair amount of heft present as it is. It works fairly well with the flavor components here, with the steady lift augmenting and contrasting well with the tartness and sharpness and the heft doing likewise with the sweetness.

Drinkability: I haven't had a sour in quite some time, and this one took a little warming up to. I'd sat on it for a long time, because I read (somewhere) that, at the time of its release and shortly thereafter, it wasn't drinking "as good" as batch 1 had been. So I sat patiently on it for over two years, but with no point of reference all I can say is that this is drinking at about a "3.5/4.5/4.0/4.5/4.0" right about now. At 10.0% abv, 500 mL is just about right. Best sour I've ever had? Not close. Great beer? Most definitely.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 06:57:13 | More by CrellMoset

AgentZero

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Thorpe429 for sending this my way in a BIF.

A - Kind of a ruby colored beer with a bit of a white head that left some stick on the sides of the glass.

S - A little bit of cherry, a lot of distinctive grape flavor. There's a bit of vinous quality to this. Some oak and earth tones.

T - This has a lot of grape taste in it, unexpected. A bit of vinegar which gives a lot of sourness. Some acetic acid. I like the grape sweetness in this, it's very distinct and sets this beer apart from a lot of others. Good stuff.

M - Medium bodied beer, dry finish. There's appropriate carbonation in this one.

O - I liked this beer quite a bit. Easy to drink, has a nice flavor profile. If you're looking for a solid sour beer this one is quite nice.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 04:07:09 | More by AgentZero

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.58/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle thanks to t8000shx. Thanks Ben.

Dark rusty red brown. Tart grapes and cherries. Wine barrel influence is strong. Some of the base brown can be picked out. Flavors are mostly mild sour cherry and oak. Lactic sour along with moderate vinegar. The brown comes through in the finish. The high ABV is hidden well. Medium body. Not bad but not world class in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 19:38:58 | More by beerwolf77

brystmar

New York

4.18/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Night of the Sours encore! Batch 3.

Murky brown pour, hazy, golden hues. Strong oak barrel presence in the nose. Tart fruit, grapes, yeast, and cherries too.

Interesting and complex taste: opens fruity and sour, strong barrel flavors in the middle, really nice blend. Mouth-puckering sourness. This is an intensely flavored sour, and it really grew on me as I sipped.

Between this and CDC, I've become a full convert to the glory of Capt Lawrence. Not missing another release, that's for sure.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 00:08:46 | More by brystmar

jethrodium

California

3.45/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

375 ml bottle. Batch 2. Thanks for sharing Phyllis. Pours a cloudy brownish amber with no head. The aroma is big grape, some light brett, some caramel sweetness, and some lactic acid. The taste is sweet and quite sour. Big grape, some lactic and acetic acid, and a light brett funkiness. The finish is moderately dry with a bit of earthiness. Medium body. Low carbonation. It definitely could have used some more carbonation. Not bad, but nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2011 00:17:27 | More by jethrodium

mdfb79

New York

4.47/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review #1700! Figured I'd crack something nice for this one and have been wanting to open this for a while. Batch 3, poured from a 12.7 oz. bottle into my Gulden Draak Belga Café tulip.

a - Pours a deep, murky, reddish brown color with three inches of off white head and moderate carbonation evident. Head lasts for about a minute and a half and leaves a very tiny bit of lacing on the glass.

s - Smells of brett, funk, red grapes, oak, fruity malts, sour dark fruits and raspberries, vinegar, lactic notes, cherries, and light barnyard earthy notes. Tons of brett and funk, as well as sour dark fruits; a really awesome funky nose.

t - Tastes of sour red grapes, cherries, and raspberries, brett, oak, barnyard funk, dirt, fruity malts, vinegar, and sour apples. Again, a ton of sour fruit and brett; really loving this one, as it is quite tart.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation, pretty tart and dry.

o - Overall I thought this was a fantastic beer; another great sour from Captain Lawrence. Just a ton of sour red grapes and dark fruits, as wel as brett, which is perfect to me. Would love to get more bottles of this and will definitely be trying to go up to CL next time it is released. I think I prefer cDc a tiny bit more than this one, but this is probably up there with Barrel Select batch 1 as the second best CL beer I've had.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 23:37:07 | More by mdfb79