Black Lightning - DuClaw Brewing Company

JerseyKirk

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Ruby red edges with a pitch black body. Nice white creamy head.

S: Chocolate, cream and some citrus.

T: Chocolate, cream, citrus and herbal notes.

M: Medium bodied with good carbonation.

O: Nice however the mix of chocolate and citrus seem to clash a little bit. Doesn't mix easily.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2012 01:46:58 | More by JerseyKirk

Proclarush

Rhode Island

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

04-30-2013 02:04:26 | More by Proclarush

Jason1337

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -19.8%

04-26-2013 15:14:39 | More by Jason1337

notchucknorris

California

3.8/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours a deep brown/nearly black color with a monster tan head that lasts a long time.

S: Roasted malt, some faint earth, a touch of bready yeast and some faint earthy hops. A little bit of aftershave too.

T: Not really a whole lot going on. Some faint watered-down coffee, some roasted malt, a hint of espresso and some earthy hops.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 01:43:05 | More by notchucknorris

voodoo

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%

04-23-2013 16:32:14 | More by voodoo

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.66/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance – The beer is poured a nearly pitch black color with a one finger tan colored head floating atop the brew after pouring. The head fades over a moderate amount of time to leave a nice level of lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell- The aroma is on the sweeter side overall with a decent presence of chocolate mixed with a caramel and molasses smell. With these aromas are some lighter notes of darker fruits and some nut.

Taste – The taste begins with a sweeter roasted malt flavor with some dark fruit and molasses sugar. As the flavor advances some tastes of chocolate and pine hop come to the tongue. The hop is never too strong with the pine soon being replaced by a citrus hop flavor. This citrus hop is joined by some flavors of coffee and heavily roasted/burnt taste to leave a sweet and moderately roasty flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is average in its thickness and creaminess with a carbonation level that is rather average. Not bad for the roasted and slightly hopped flavors of the brew, but also nothing too exceptional.

Overall – A tasty darker, but very drinkable and lightly hopped brew. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 01:59:30 | More by Darkmagus82

KeyWestGator

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -13.1%

04-21-2013 00:41:32 | More by KeyWestGator

ejimhof

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -19.8%

04-06-2013 22:11:38 | More by ejimhof

ChopsMeister

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%

03-26-2013 01:59:20 | More by ChopsMeister

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

An unusual black ale in that it seems more porter than anything else. Roasted tone with minimal spice influence. Smooth feel but with a carbonation that somewhat nibbles at the tongue. Easy to drink. Not really what I want out of the style, but good enough I suppose.

I have to wonder if this is a fresh sample. With that in mind, I'll probably try this again if I know for sure that it's fresh.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 03:39:18 | More by RblWthACoz

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

03-07-2013 19:35:39 | More by orangesol

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

a dark brown pour with 2 fingers of tan head.. seems to be slightly overcarbonated. smells of roasted grains, chocolate, toffee, grassy hops. again in the flavor, grassy hops up front, followed by slight oxidized taste, chocolate, dark roasted grains, very earthy flavors. almost like a hoppy black bitter coffee. very high carbonation which doesn't really work well with the medium body and dark flavors. not that impressed by this one. like all the other duclaw beers i received, i think this one was past its prime. i emailed them about bottling dates, and they said they are currently working on putting freshness dates on their bottles, as well as distributing to nj within the next year so hopefully i'll be able to taste these fresh soon enough.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 08:14:20 | More by facundoCNB

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3/5  rDev -19.8%

02-03-2013 21:57:15 | More by ygtbsm94

jk3

New York

3/5  rDev -19.8%

02-02-2013 20:38:17 | More by jk3

cliff1066

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

01-22-2013 04:14:42 | More by cliff1066

GiantMidget

Pennsylvania

3.84/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Variety pack from Bryn Mawr beverage.

Poured into a tulip glass, about 1 inch head that remains while drinking.

Scent of coffee and slight mocha, with some breadiness.

This is a good black IPA, it has the characteristics on point with the hops and dryness. However it almost has more of a stout feel to the body to some degree as it's not quite as dry as I would like. But it is very balanced and is a smooth drink.
I can not complain whatsoever.

The mouthfeel is definitely full bodied as the flavor remains well after.

A good effort by Duclaw.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 02:46:46 | More by GiantMidget

marlinsfan4

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

01-10-2013 18:52:47 | More by marlinsfan4

gunther1205

3.25/5  rDev -13.1%

12-14-2012 00:37:56 | More by gunther1205

ryser2k

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -13.1%

12-03-2012 17:23:37 | More by ryser2k

Boone757

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%

11-30-2012 20:45:55 | More by Boone757

dunix

Vermont

4/5  rDev +7%

11-25-2012 23:38:32 | More by dunix

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

3.78/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from tap into pint glass at duclaw in Bowie pours a deep brown with an amber hue with some off whit head. Not much black here. Smells of dark roast but is crisp and very mild. Taste of slightly roasted malts and crisp water and hop. Its all very subtle but enjoyable. Its a bit too mild for me but has some nice drinkability. Solid brew but not mind blowing.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2012 00:48:19 | More by DrinkSlurm

dcbdc1

Virginia

4/5  rDev +7%

10-25-2012 02:22:27 | More by dcbdc1

NumberNone

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%

10-22-2012 19:46:30 | More by NumberNone

Zonian1

Ohio

4/5  rDev +7%

10-21-2012 12:44:45 | More by Zonian1