Black Lightning Porter

Lightning Brewing Company, Poway, San Diego, CA

ABV: 8.5% (Alcohol By Volume)
IBU: ?? (International Bitterness Unit)

HOLY CRAP, LOOK OUT!!! Poured into a perfect pint glass this imperial porter leaked silky smooth out of a 22oz bomber. I was so obsessed with the viscosity and deep color that I nearly blasted a thick chocolate brown head over the top of the glass. This jet black brew is impenetrable by light. The head has some serious staying power. While I was waiting for it to warm up a but the thick foam had subsided into something resembling the mysterious mountain Richard Dreyfuss carves out of his mashed potatoes in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Black Lightning Porter is a fall seasonal beer from Lightning Brewery here in Southern California. They consider this to be one of their brewery defining beers (on the opposite end of the spectrum is their Elemental Pilsner). This brewery is rather unique (here in SoCal, at least) as the head brewer and co-owner focusses on the power of malt. With a mantra to make better beer through science, Jim Crute (ex-biochemical engineer) has breathed life back into my waining interest in beers attenuated with bottom fermenting yeast (lagers & pilsners). There IS such a thing as craft-lager! I highly suggest you check out Lightning's website and read for yourself (Lightning Brewery)! Back to the, Porter - shame on me for drinking it in July... but the AC is on and freezin' my dangly-bits off... so I deemed this tasting appropriate (plus I just really wanted to try it).

The smell is of warm and inviting malt and alcohol. Huge wafts of caramel are pouring out the glass. Clearly, many of the 9 varieties of of malted barley used in this bill are of the roasted, caramel, chocolate, and dark crystal to obtain a seemingly Starbuck clone.

This beer packs a punch! I suppose as any hugely crafted imperial porter should. This cool brown obsidian flows smoothly into the mouth wacking the tongue and flooding it with gobs of roasted and caramel malt taste. The high alcohol carries the smokey wood flavors into the nose. The mouthfeel is smooth and oily. It is amazingly creamy. As it slides down your throat your mouth is left with a large coating of beautiful bitter hops. The bitterness reminds me of Stone's 13th Anniversary Ale - Imperial Red. Perhaps, chinook and centennial hops are used in the boil as bittering agents.

The finish is warm and sticky, presumably left over resin from the massive malt profile. The hop flavor subsides smoothly and doesn't linger, leaving only sweet coffee notes and of course the desire to take another taste of this massively complex and passionately crafted beer.

Cheers, Dr. Beer!

DRU: 89/100 (Dan's Rating Units)