Lightning Electrostatic Ale

Brewed by Lightning Brewery
Style: Saison
Poway, California USA

Everyone knows lightning is dangerous and that should you be in danger, never stand under a tree, hold anything metallic, or wave your golf club in the air. Well, the latter may only apply to Florida, but overall, lightning is mother-nature at her most beautifully potent. The Lightning Brewery is a slightly different story, which brings me to their Electrostatic Ale. A wholly unknown brewery to me up until a couple weeks ago, I ironically just read about them, and I can say without a doubt that the beer is as unique and impressionable as the folks who craft it.

My Electrostatic Ale was ablaze with hazy golden orange sparks while a slim head of off-white foam rests lazily on top while lace crackles along the sides of my glass like a shower of lightning bolts. Raising her brew dangerously close to my nose, I am struck by how spicy and full of wonderful brett tartness she is. Dry and tart with a nip of pepper-corn while her sweet side soothes with orange and nectarines. Coriander, cloves, and spice mingle with lemon in the background. Most intriguing indeed. Danger is beautiful after all, and so I waste no time diving into her tempting depths. Ooh. Spicy first, with clove, coriander, and fresh pepper dancing across my tastebuds with lingering warmth. The funk I savored in her nose is present in her body with a sour dry palate of dirty laundry, leather, and over-ripe bananas. While that may not sound particularly appetizing, trust me, it is. As I chew my way through her depths, more dry bretty funk of banana, clove, and dirty laundry pervades while spices pepper my breath. Each quaff is as enjoyable as the next, never letting go of her bright, funked nature while a very faint undercurrent of orange and nectarines refresh. Very different and very good, I could easily quaff a couple of these thirst-quenching and thirst-inducing beers.

I must say, for my first beer from the Lightning Brewery, I am very impressed. As unique as their brewers, Electrostatic Ale was an electrifying indulgence of all my senses. This is definitely one lightning storm I am glad I was a participant in.

on tap at pizza port. Yellow with a white head. Sweet fruity aroma and taste with an alcoholic finish. Quite good.

pour a gold orange color with a small white head. aroma of fruit, clove, and other spices. flavor is of fruits, banana, cloves, spices. has a full moutfeel and a clean finish. the 10%ABV is well hidden. overall, this is a another tasty brew from Lightning that I really enjoyed.

Bottle. I really liked this one. Lots of clove, banana and spice. Very much like a Hefeweizen. Don’t know that I would call this a Saison, but whatever it is, it’s Incredibly easy to drink. Can’t believe this was 10%. I could drink it all day.

Sampled on 12/6/2008. Thanks to the guys from Lightning for share this one. This saison pours a medium orange gold color from a 22oz bottle. Small sized white foamy head. The aroma is fruity and sweet with a touch of orange peel and spices. A medium to full bodied saison. The malts are fruity and sweet, with a touch of spices. The hops are earthy. Spicy like a saison but fruity, yeasty and sweet like a triple. Hide the alcohol extremely well. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

22 oz from South Bay. Really nice spicy fruity aroma. Taste is very yeasty and fruity. Banana and spice. This is at op notch saison. Very drinkable. I had never heard of this brewery and took a chance. Well paid off.

650 ml bottle from bev4less. Pours a hazy amber-orange color with a big off-white head that has minimum retention. The aroma showcases quality grains and complex spices; I get white pepper, hay, thyme, spruce and wheat. The flavor is much the same as the nose, I get lots of wheat with light spices of white pepper, thyme and allspice. The palate is full and smooth. The finish is long and malty-sweet. Overall: A very respectable saison, very tasty. Well done Poway crew.

Thanks to the guys at Lightning for sharing this at the 2008 San Diego Strong Ale fest. Tastes kind of somewhere between a saison and a trippel, Fruity, enjoyable.