Name: Xtra Gold
Style: Tripel
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. website
Country: USA
Region: Pleasantville, New York
ABV: 10.0% Abv
How served: 750 ml bottle poured into a Rochefort goblet.
My Overall Opinion: Very Good. 
I paired this beer with: Chipotle and cherry marinated wild salmon which was grilled. This was a very nice pairing as this fish with its woodsy flavor match up with the sweetness & mild bitterness of this brew.
Tasted on: Friday June 18th, 2010.
Note: The beer poured with a nice 2 finger head which dissipated rapidly and left a thin lacing on the glass. The nose was floral and citrusy leaning more towards orange. The taste started with the expected sweetness from a Belgian style triple with the citrus and spice notes. You get a mild piney bitterness which help balance the sweetness of this ale from those “American hops”. The mouthfeel was dry, thin and refreshing with a nice level of carbonation in this extremely drinkable brew. Be careful as it is 10%abv, which you will not notice until you are done with the bottle.
Captain Lawrence suggested drinking this out of a goblet. I did, but since I always enjoy my triples in tulips, I had my second glass out of a La Chouffe tulip. I thought the presentation & the nose where superior when it was in the tulip glass. The taste, maybe it was more psychological, also tasted much better in the tulip. I say go with a TULIP GLASS instead.
Now which one looks better to you?
The one on the left in the LaChouffe Tulip or the top photo in the Rochefort Chalise?
I would say the Tulip, would you agree? Now the better looking glass is up to debate, but I’m talking about the look of this beer.
On the Label: GOLD MEDAL XTR
A GOLD “AMERICAN – BELGO STYLE ALE” GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL 2008. You are probably looking at this label saying to yourself; “American Tripel?” Well I figured since we brewed this beer in the great State of New York, and we are using a copious amount of American grown hops to give this beer both its hoppy flavor and aromas, technically it can’t be called a Belgian style. You hold in your hands my tribute to the great Belgian brewers, but brewed with a healthy dose of good old American Amarillo hops. Straight from the Captain’s cellar to yours, so hope you enjoy. Cheers, Scott Vaccaro
On their Website: This beer is the result of the marriage between two very distinct beer styles; the Belgian Tripel & American IPA. We have taken the best qualities from both styles and allowed them to shine through. The fruity and spicy notes from the imported Belgian yeast strain & the pungent flavors and aromas of the American grown Amarillo hops flow seamlessly together to create this flavorful ale. Straight from the Captain’s cellar to yours, we hope you enjoy.
SENSORY PROFILE: Enjoy in a goblet or wine glass. Tropical fruit and honey are the two biggest aromas coming from this lively brew. While the hop bitterness is not as powerful as an IPA, the hop flavor melds nicely with the fruity flavors created by the imported Belgian yeast strain used.
FOOD PAIRING: This beer goes great with roasted vegetables, fish and rotisserie chicken. And it can be used as a aperitif before dinner with shrimp cocktail.
Hops: Simcoe, Cascade, Amarillo
Malts: Belgian Pilsner Malt.
IBU: 33
ABV: 10%
OG: 19
Type of Glass: Goblet
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