Black Light
Nickel Brook Brewing Co. - Burlington

Black LightBlack Light
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From:
Nickel Brook Brewing Co. - Burlington
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
American Stout
Ranked #328
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
85
Ranked #28,539
Avg:
3.71 | pDev: 5.66%
Ratings:
13 | reviews: 7
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 07, 2024
Added:
Oct 10, 2021
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
Velvety notes of dark chocolate and roasty coffee make Black Light a silky smooth all night stout. Perfect for fireside star gazing.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of ewpass
Reviewed by ewpass from Canada (PE)

3.74/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Big thanks to thehyperduck for setting me up with a bunch of new Ontario stouts to try. I am alternating them with known local stouts for best evaluation! Black Light is dark brown with a large, even, tan head receding to an even cap. The nose is sweet chocolate with some spicing. A light-medium body tasting of lightly roasted malts and a mouthfeel on the crisper side. A pleasant drinking lower alcohol stout which could indeed be drank all night. Thanks again to thehyperduck for the opportunity to try it.
Mar 07, 2024
Photo of TheCurryMonster
Reviewed by TheCurryMonster from Canada (ON)

4.19/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours well giving a tights two finger foam head. Very dark brown with a splash of tan. The head remains as a thin even foam with lacing on the glass. Opens well, crisp and pleasant. Subtle chocolate and malt that finishes very well and leaves an oaty aftertaste. Pleasant and slightly earthy.
A very well rounded and drinkable stout.
Jan 06, 2024
 
Rated: 3.64 by HopBelT from Belgium

Apr 01, 2023
Photo of SSS
Reviewed by SSS from Canada (QC)

3.71/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A-Black with a ring of moka head floating atop
S-Aromas of cherry, toffee and an earthiness as well
M-Medium prickly carbonation with a watery mouthfeel and light body
T-Heavy on the molasses flavour that starts and finishes this beer. Subtle burnt bitterness in the finish
O-Not a bad little brew for the winter is coming weather…
Nov 08, 2022
Photo of InspectorHound
Reviewed by InspectorHound from Canada (ON)

3.93/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
LooK: Pours dark brown with hints of amber. Starts with a one finger tawny tightly bubbled head that fades to light ring of bubbles after 5 minutes

Smell: Leathery, hints of wood and semi sweet chocolate. Pleasant but could use to be a little bigger.

Taste: Semi sweet chocolate at the front, with oats and a woody leathery rustic flavour coming through the middle. A genuine light smoke and brown sugar and molasses end. I detect a slight hint of cherries as well.

Feel: Soft with an understated creamy quality. Plays on the top of the palate and across the sides of the tongue.

Overall: Other reviewers have said this is essentially a rebranding of Cheeky Bastard. I think they are spot on. I really enjoyed Cheeky Bastard, and working from memory (and my review of Cheeky Bastard) this is likely a slightly tweaked version of it. This earns an A-.
Sep 25, 2022
 
Rated: 3.5 by The-Jolly-Imbiber from Antarctica

Jun 28, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by Simon212 from Canada (ON)

May 23, 2022
 
Rated: 3.5 by boszormeny from Canada (ON)

Nov 28, 2021
Photo of Wildside
Reviewed by Wildside

3.53/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Nose/smell: Looks fantastic! Lightly roasted malt smell.

Arrival: Creamy. Slightly burnt caramel. Light Molasses.

Finish: Pleasant. Leaves a creamy molasses note behind.

It is good it just needs a punch of intensity!
Nov 14, 2021
 
Rated: 3.61 by DannyBaldoni from Canada (QC)

Nov 13, 2021
Photo of thehyperduck
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)

3.79/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Sep 30 2021 and served at cellar temperature. The label looks good: Nickel Brook has been updating their can designs over the last little while, and I'd say this is one of the best of the bunch.

Pours an inky brown colour with glints of brick red when held near a lamp; meanwhile, one inch of puffy, foamy, light brown-coloured head gathers atop and then fades within three or four minutes' time. A fair bit of sticky lace is kicked up in the process, which leaves behind a narrow, creamy collar and filmy cap. Quite roasty on the nose, and mildly ashy - I'm getting coffee grounds, cocoa, molasses, toffee and bready wheat sweetness, as well as a touch of earthy, herbal hops.

A decent light stout - flavourful at the forefront, but things really peter out towards the back end. Cacao nibs, toffee, wheaty bread and a touch of treacle, followed by earthiness, hints of coffee, and herbal hops; a touch of baker's chocolate bitterness lingers into the aftertaste, which is off-dry. Light-ish in body, with low carbonation that softly brushes against the palate - relatively smooth, with its modest bite helping to scrub the maltiness from the taste buds after each sip. A few of these in a row would be no problem at all.

Final Grade: 3.79, a B+. A pretty good light stout, but not much more than that - Black Light seems to be a substitute for Cheeky Bastard, their old session stout (no longer listed on their website), and it's more or less on the same level as its predecessor. Not bad at all, but not outstanding either, I would not be surprised if this turned out to be based off of the same recipe. If you're in the market for a sessionable stout, this is worth taking a flyer on, but I see this as one of those brews that I'll only return to sporadically.
Nov 02, 2021
 
Rated: 3.5 by Jotora from Canada (ON)

Oct 30, 2021
Photo of taxandbeerguy
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)

3.57/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Review from notes. LCBO purchase for around $3.50 CDN. Not certain if this is Cheeky Bastard updated or if there is some other change. ABV's are the same.

Appearance- Very dark brown from the can and in the glass. A finger plus of light tan head rests on top. Very good head retention and lots of lacing.

Smell - Light roasty aroma, with subtle bit of chocolate and non necessarily much else.

Taste - Roasty flavors, medium bitterness and touches of dark chocolate, but not much there in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - Medium-light bodied, quite smooth, thinner than average but works with the lack of intense flavors,

Overall - Works nicely as a lighter stout, however not getting much intensity or depth so there's that to factor in. Based on the ratings, I preferred Cheeky Bastard by just a bit, which Black Light seems to be replacing.
Oct 10, 2021