As Fresno begins to heat up like a runaway train barreling its way toward summer, we drink dark beers less and less in favor of lighter, bubblier beer.

However, while you can better enjoy light ales, lagers and IPAs outside on a warm day, you can still enjoy a nice dark beer while soaking up your air conditioning in your recliner.

While Ballast Point is known for its hoppy beers like Sculpin and Big Eye, they also make an amazing porter that you should get your hands on immediately.

Most of Ballast Point beers are named after creatures of the sea and the brewery’s specialty beers are ocean-related.

Victory at Sea is Ballast Point’s “Imperial Porter with Coffee and Vanilla.” In a nutshell, that means it’s dark and delicious.

The brewery recommends pairing the beer with pulled pork, chicken mole or chocolate cake. The beer boasts the sweetness of vanilla and the bitterness of dark-roast coffee.

It pours with a thick, dark foam and smells like iced coffee.

It makes a great beverage for a quiet night at home with a friend, or, if you were on vacation, it would make a great replacement for your morning coffee.

And, of course, nothing beats the combination of Victory at Sea and “Game of Thrones.”

The beer is an “imperial,” which doesn’t mean anything accept that it’s a big beer. At 10 percent alcohol by volume, it doesn’t mess around.

One or two of these beers and you’ll be done. Ballast Point isn’t known for affordability, but it’s very difficult to find a bad beer in their arsenal.

Opened in 1996, Ballast Point started in the back room of a little beer market, Home Brew Mart. Today, the San Diego””based brewery not only brews beer, but also spirits such as vodka, gin, rum and others.

There are a million breweries out there that beer enthusiasts love and hate. Ballast Point is one that people seem to universally love.

Remember, Victory at Sea is limited. It just made its way back to Fresno and is available in six-packs, 22 ounces bottles and on tap in several bars, including Red Wave Inn across the street from Fresno State.

We all know it’s getting hotter every day, but why not pretend it’s snowing outside and curl up on the couch with a Victory at Sea under the air conditioner vent?