Review: Captain Lawrence Captains Reserve

An Imperial/Double IPA brewed by
Captain Lawrence Brewing Company
Pleasantville, New York USA

ABV: 8%

Glassware: Tulip

Had the Captain Lawrence Double IPA on tap at Delaney’s In New Haven. It pours a dark yellow or off orange – it is hard to put your finger on this color. The head is amazing and the lacing is sick. The lacing literally follows you down the glass to near perfection. It smells hoppy but not in a way that will blow out your senses because it appears to be well balanced in both aroma and taste with a nice malt and citrus backbone. This is probably one of the smoothest Imperial IPAs I have ever had. It is bitter but that malt backbone keeps it from ripping your taste buds apart.  Outstanding.

Beer Advocate food pairing suggestions: Cuisine (Barbecue) Cheese (peppery; Monterey / Pepper Jack, sharp; Blue, Cheddar, pungent; Gorgonzola, Limburger) Meat (Game, Grilled Meat, Salmon) 

My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Home Brewing: Peach wine

I went peach picking the other day and it hit me that a lambic would take about 10 years to make so, I’m going to give peach wine a try. It should be ready just in time for the birth of my first child. I hope to keep you updated on the progress in this new category I am creating titled: Home Brewing.

I will follow this recipe:

 

Peach Wine Recipe

2 1/2 lb peaches (about 10 peaches)
7 pts water
Sugar to get SG=1.100 (about 2 lb)
1 Campden Tablet
1 1/2 tsp acid blend
1 tsp pectic enzyme powder
1/2 tsp yeast energizer
1/4 tsp tannin
1 pkg wine yeast

Wash peaches, quarter, remove stones and any brown patches.
Leave the skin on and remove all of the reddish colored meat around the stone.
Place peach quarters in nylon straining bag and place in primary.
Crush peaches, extracting as much juice as possible.
Add dry ingredients to primary except yeast.
Add hot (hot tap works fine) water and mix thoroughly.
Cover and let set for 24 hr.
After 24 hr add wine yeast.
Ferment for 3-5 days (SG=1.040).
Rack into secondary and attach air lock.
Rack in 3 wks and again in 3 months.
If you can, let it age a few more months or up to a year.

 

If you have any suggestions please send them along. I just ordered the yeasts I need and hope to start the process by next weekend.

Review: Victory Whirlwind Witbier

A Belgian White (Witbier) brewed by
Victory Brewing Company
Downingtown, Pennsylvania USA

ABV: 5%

Glassware: Tumbler

I feel bad even writing this out because I normally have a good experience with Victory and I’m thinking this may have been the six-pack I bought. This Victory White pours a cloudy yellow color and sort of smells like play-dough. I don’t have much kind to say about it as I don’t really think it was a great Wit. It was creamy at times and then really watery on the next sip – not a balanced body. It had a strong citrus aspect, which it should but at least the one I had did not work well. It had a pretty sour taste and virtually no head or lacing. I’ll come back to this one in a few weeks.

Beer Advocate food pairings: Cheese (peppery; Monterey / Pepper Jack, tangy; Brick, Edam, Feta) General (Salad) Meat (Poultry, Fish, Shellfish)

My ratebeer.com score: 2.1