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Black Light Ale

Anderson Valley Brewing Company
United States·Brown Ale·Rank 18 of 50 · The Best American Dark Beers
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Dark mahogany in the glass, with roasted malt, dark rye bread and a nutty flavor behind a light hop touch. At only 3.8%, 95 calories and 7 g carbs, this low-calorie dark ale is built to carry full craft flavor. Northern Brewer hops meet pale two-row, chocolate malt, midnight wheat and black rice, 18 IBU, brewed year-round.

ABV
3.8%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter18 IBU
Roasted bitterness
SRM
deep amber20
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
roastedchocolatenutty
roasted
chocolate
nutty
bready
malty
toasty
Aroma
The nose leads with roasted malt and dark rye bread, underpinned by cocoa and hazelnut notes.
also:caramel
not found:hoppy,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Black Light Ale

◎ Appearance

Dark mahogany hue fills the glass with good clarity and moderate depth. A modest off-white head forms quickly and recedes to a thin collar, leaving delicate lacing on the sides. Carbonation appears gentle, befitting the beer's approachable character.

dark mahoganyclearmodest headfine lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with roasted malt and dark rye bread, underpinned by cocoa and hazelnut notes. Northern Brewer hops provide a restrained herbal backdrop without dominating the malt profile. A subtle toasty sweetness rounds out the bouquet without heaviness.

roasted maltdark breadcocoahazelnutrestrained hops

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and light-bodied, delivering roasted grain and chocolate on the palate without astringency. Mid-palate shows nutty depth and a gentle bready character, supported by balanced malt sweetness. The 18 IBU hopping keeps bitterness minimal, allowing the dark malt and rye complexity to shine through.

roasted grainchocolatenuttybreadylight-bodiedlow bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and relatively short, fading gracefully with lingering toasted malt and a dry cocoa note. No harsh edges or excessive sweetness remain on the palate.

clean finishtoasted maltdry cocoa
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
77
Taste
79
Appearance
76
Finish
78
Serve at 10–13°C

Serve at 10–13°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Black Light Ale

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About Brown Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Brown Ale?

Brown Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Brown Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, chocolate, nutty character as Black Light Ale will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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