Laravel stream_socket_enable_crypto(): SSL operation failed with code 1

I kept running into the error below and finally found a useful post on Laracasts website. 

Turn off your antivirus if you are developing locally!

laravel stream_socket_enable_crypto(): SSL operation failed with code 1. OpenSSL Error messages: error:14090086:SSL routines:ssl3_get_server_certificate:certificate verify failed

I have also found this very useful on the server level: 

Edit \vendor\swiftmailer\lib\classes\Swift\Transport\StreamBuffer.php

line 259 ish. comment out the $options = array(); and add the below.

//$options = array();
        $options['ssl'] = array('verify_peer' => false, 'verify_peer_name' => false, 'allow_self_signed' => true);