Review: Anderson Valley Brewing Black Light
For just about forever, “light beer” was synonymous with a thin, pale, flavorless lager. California’s Anderson Valley Brewing Company challenges that with the launch of Black Light, a low-cal beer that pours as dark as any porter you’ve ever tasted.
The brewery in Boonville makes Black Light with pale two-row, chocolate, midnight wheat, and black rice malts, hopping the mash with Northern Brewer hops. Somehow they sucked the abv down to just 3.8%, the carbs to 7, and calories to 95. There are sessionable beers, and then there’s Black Light.
The beer’s legit. While decidedly quiet on the palate, with virtually no alcohol detectable, the roasted notes of the malt manage to carry the day and give the beer plenty of chewy, nutty gravity. A modest head blows off in less than a minute, leaving behind a buzzy, lightly bitter brew that nods at fruit — cherries and dates — but only barely. The finish is all toasted, pumpernickel bread — albeit very thinly sliced.
An excellent choice when you’re looking to cut back a bit on the calories for the day but still want to feel like you drank more than water.
3.8% abv.
A- / $13 per six-pack / avbc.com
Anderson Valley Brewing Black Light
$13
