Captain Lawrence Brewing Company:
Birra DeCicco
1 Pint 9.4 fluid oz bottle
????% alcohol by volume

Buying details:
$9.99  at DeCicco's on 13 February 2011

This beer is custom made by the Captain Lawrence Brewing Company of Pleasantville, NY for the DeCicco Grocery Store chain.  It is a specialized beer with a specialized taste.

Before we get to the taste, let's start with looks.  And this beer looks great!  A reddish golden color with a toffee colored head, it is certainly an inviting looking beer on a winter's night.  It has a nutty aroma that draws you in even more.

It is brewed with Belgium yeast strains and the first thing that will hit you when you taste it is sour citrisy notes that remind you of lambics and other Beligium style beers.   The label informs us that it is brewed with Italian chestnut honey and jam ... and while I am not sure if my palet is sophiticated enough to tell the difference between Itallian chestnut honey and jam and other chestnut honey and jams you certainly get a sweet note from the honey and the chestnut is in the aroma and at the finish.

The only negative thing I can say about the beer (besides the price and limited places to purchase it) is that the sour note is very present and that obviously might not be everyone's cup of tea.  In fact I didn't necessarily enjoy the first sip ... but as I really got into the beer I came to appreciate it more and more and now wish I had a second bottle. 

I give this beer $9 a pint ... so well worth the $10 I paid for the 25 oz bottle.  If you ever get to a DeCicco's, I suggest you give it a go - just please take a second and third sip if you aren't crazy about the first one.