On May 2, Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. quietly opened its brand-new beer hall, right next door to their existing one, in a space that previously housed a wholesale florist. The six-month construction project, has a lot of exciting changes on tap for fans of Westchester’s largest craft brewery. Here’s what in store.
Inside the new beer hall, there’s an initial “Whoa!” moment. A handful of giant French oak barrels were moved from the brewery into the high-ceilinged space; there’s a massive bar built from barrel staves; and there are custom art deco pieces and a few murals scattered about. “It’s sleeker, cleaner, and neater,” says owner and head brewer Scott Vaccaro.
Behind the expanded bar, you’ll see 20 draft lines with a few reserved for local wine, craft cider, cold-brew coffee, and the possibility of guest taps. Right next to the bar is a full-service restaurant run by executive chef Tim Ocasio, formerly of The Tavern at American Bounty and Delmonico’s Steakhouse in New York City. “Our goal is to cook as good as they brew,” Ocasio says. “We’re doing simple brewery food with fresh, local ingredients from the Hudson Valley.”
New grub at Captain Lawrence will include tacos, fried chicken and biscuits, octopus with sausage and dirty rice, a braised pork sandwich, roasted or raw oysters, and habit-forming herb-and-garlic fries dusted with pecorino. Ocasio’s signature burger is a Pat LaFrieda blend patty with bacon, cheddar, tomato jam, and pickles on a brioche bun.
And there’s pizza. “We have a 900-degree, wood-gas-combo Forza Forni oven,” Vaccaro says. “Chefs Tim and Andrew Tomasulo (who’s in charge of the pizza program) worked on the dough for three months.” Their mother dough is based on Wild Hive Farm-milled flour and Captain Lawrence’s Liquid Gold Ale, which yields a light, chewy, blistered crust that’s somewhere between Neapolitan and New York styles.
In case you were wondering, CLBC’s former beer hall won’t be scrapped; it’ll be used for events and overflow. Retail has moved to the new space: a self-service beer fridge, growler fills, and merch will be the first thing in front of you at the entrance, so you’re not obligated to wade through the beer hall.
If that wasn’t enough, we’ll leave you with one last bit of news. Soon, part of the beer hall will be home to Current Spirits, a small distillery that will run whiskey, vodka, and gin — and sell canned cocktails. “It was a natural progression because whiskey is distilled beer,” Vaccaro says. “We have the perfect facility for it, so we said, ‘why not?’ It’ll have a separate entrance and we’ll probably give tours.”
To stay in the loop about all the fun, boozy stuff happening at the new beer hall, you can follow the hall’s Instagram page. Drop by this Saturday (May 11) to celebrate the hall’s grand opening as part of CLBC’s anniversary celebration.
Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
444 Saw Mill River Rd
Elmsford
914.741.2337
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