Midnight Lightning
Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company

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From:
Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
11.8%
Score:
89
Avg:
4.02 | pDev: 11.44%
Reviews:
10
Ratings:
39
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jun 24, 2019
Added:
Mar 07, 2014
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  14
Our full bodied American Imperial Stout is made with dark and roasted malts that give off characteristics of dark fruit, chocolate, toasted wood, and espresso. This monster of a stout gets its name from the famous bouldering problem at Camp 4 in Yosemite National Park. The featured chalk lightning bolt is drawn on the rock and on our label to mark the name Midnight Lightning.

70 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by thedemise:
Photo of thedemise
Rated by thedemise from California

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Jul 14, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.04 by Ice_Cream_And_IPAs from New York

Jun 24, 2019
Photo of hoptheology
Reviewed by hoptheology from California

4.19/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
22 oz bomber sent from Don.
No date, assumed 2018
New Belgium Snifter.

Coffee black with a head of 1 finger leaving some nice alcohol legs and sparse lacing as it recedes.

Aromas of smoke, dark fig/plum, a good dose of tobacco, some oatmeal, slight lactose sweetness, and charred wood.

Flavor brings much of the same with lots of tobacco and dark charred wood, much like the story on the label that talks about chalky lightning charring the trees at the Yosemite campground. Slight dark fruits like fig and cherry, and slight pine bitterness with lingering resins.

Feel is creamy and full with a moderate carbonation, with slight alcohol heat and lots of lingering piney resins.

Overall this stout really brings the A-game. Solid stuff, and the aim of the beer as stated on the label is dead on. Artwork, guys. Nice stuff.
Jun 16, 2019
 
Rated: 4.18 by leprechaunandfatman from Ohio

Oct 26, 2017
Photo of BillRoth
Rated by BillRoth from Maryland

4.09/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had on tap at T-S tasting room in Fresno. Nice Imp Stout. Very drinkable
Sep 14, 2017
 
Rated: 4.29 by SaxmanRick from Minnesota

May 25, 2017
 
Rated: 3.88 by Kavinci from California

Apr 09, 2017
 
Rated: 3.88 by SimcoeKid from California

Feb 06, 2017
Photo of Deerin
Reviewed by Deerin from California

4.4/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pure black, leaves a chocolate milk head that recedes but persists on the edges.

The smell is dark malt, ash, roasted, vanilla/boozy/sweetness/plum
Taste is deep, deep roasted malt, smooth. Bitter chocolate, coffee, that standard imperial stout taste I can't quite describe. Some fruit in the flavor, fig or plum, but this is not as pronounced, which is how I like it.

Creamy. Not overly chewy. Excellent for the 12% level, would cellar this readily.

An excellent imperial stout, great work once again from T-S.
Jan 18, 2017
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Reviewed by BucannonXC5 from California

4.08/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Type: 10-oz. draft
Glass: Clear, snifter-like glass
From: Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company in Fresno, Calif.
Price: $6.00
Purchased: Oct. 13, 2016
Consumed: Oct. 13, 2016
Reviewed as: American Double / Imperial Stout
Misc.: N/A

Specifically went here for the bourbon barrel-aged vanilla version, but they were literally putting tape over the beer label when I got there. Then found out that it was too busy to have tasters. Maybe it was, but it died down pretty quickly and it was still busy. Either way, I went to have some good beer and by God I was going to have some good beer.

Poured an almost dark brown-to-light black brown color with 1-to-2 fingers of frothy tan head when I received it. Some light bubbles coming up along the side of the glass. Outstanding lacing. Outstanding retention.. (Sight - 4.25)

Smelled roasted espresso, hazelnut, dark cocoa nibs, vanilla, some roastiness, milk chocolate and toffee, reminding me of their Humulous Noctem Black IPA that I had from them in April. (Smell - 4.25)

Tasted not quite as good as the nose, getting roasted espresso, milk chocolate, toffee, caramel, bitter chocolate, hazelnut, vanilla and some booziness. (Taste - 4.00)

Full body. Creamy texture. Average carbonation. Long, warming finish. (Feel - 4.00)

This was a very good imperial stout overall. Looking back I may have overrated it a tad, but I was rushing it a bit. (Overall - 4.00)

4.08 | 91 | A-
Oct 20, 2016
Photo of Rockjocknroll
Rated by Rockjocknroll from California

4.35/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Vintage 2014. Nice balance of malt sweetness with plenty of roast. Could have sat another year or two and been fine. Delicious stout!
Jul 21, 2016
Photo of RBassSFHOPit2ME
Reviewed by RBassSFHOPit2ME from California

4.04/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Oak forward. Vanilla & bourbon. Char and some chocolate, but this one is all a about the oak. Woody. Very good offering. Not overly boozy for the ABV. glad I was able to try.
Jul 01, 2016
 
Rated: 4.02 by JNForsyth from Pennsylvania

May 01, 2016
 
Rated: 3.77 by HoppyBastard1 from Pennsylvania

Jan 07, 2016
 
Rated: 3.74 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Nov 28, 2015
 
Rated: 3.77 by 5EKF from Illinois

Nov 15, 2015
Photo of raiderob
Reviewed by raiderob from California

3.73/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
From a bomber into pint glass.dirty brownish foamy head with jet black body.that fades away leaving a lattice of lacing,foamy bubbles of carbonation look like golden stars. Toffee caramel aromas with a nice dirty taste.somewhat of a alcohol burn . Prost❗
Oct 27, 2015
Photo of DrSpaceman
Reviewed by DrSpaceman from California

4.34/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Purchased both the Midnight Lighting, and Barrel Aged Midnight Lightning for comparison. Poured midnight black, thick and oily. Smell is molasses and black licorice. Taste is heavy handed dark roasted malts, very well done. I can't wait to crack open the barrel aged bottle, with such a heavy body it is sure to stand up to the higher alcohol content.
Oct 24, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by drewone from California

Oct 05, 2015
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Reviewed by ihazabucket7 from California

4.21/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Chocolate, malty, roasted notes. A pretty good balanced taste not that boozy not sure when it was bottled but comparing this to their Mocha Midnight that one for me was better than this. But this one is good as well
Jul 06, 2015
Midnight Lightning from Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 39 ratings