New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale

	Percentile
	88
	overall

Brewed by New Belgium Brewing Company
Style: Traditional Ale
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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Ratings	Average	Score	ABV	Style Pctl	Serve in
1101	3.51/5.0	3.51/5.0	5.6%	91.6	Dimpled mug, English pint, Stein, Yard

Commercial Description:
Born of a flood and centuries-old Belgian text, 1554 Enlightened Black Ale uses a light lager yeast strain and dark chocolaty malts to redefine what dark beer can be. In 1997, a Fort Collins flood destroyed the original recipe our researcher, Phil Benstein, found in the library. So Phil and brewmaster, Peter Bouckaert, traveled to Belgium to retrieve this unique style lost to the ages. Their first challenge was deciphering antiquated script and outdated units of measurement, but trial and error (and many months of in-house sampling) culminated in 1554, a highly quaffable dark beer with a moderate body and mouthfeel.

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AR (425), Georgia, USA

3.1	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.1	6/10	3/5	6/10	3/5	13/20

Nov 29, 2009

This beer has a thick, syrupy body and a caramel taste that is mixed with a dark-fruit flavoring. Long-lingering aftertaste.

Kyleisraaddd (8), Marble Falls, Texas, USA
does not count

3.9	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.9	7/10	3/5	8/10	4/5	17/20

Nov 28, 2009

This is a pretty good beer, one of the darker beers I’ve had (I’m a n00b :P ) I like the subtle hints of chocolate.

Unibonger (53), Mount Shasta, California, USA

3.7	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.7	6/10	4/5	7/10	4/5	16/20

Nov 23, 2009

Pours deep brown, nice thick head with good retention. Slightly fruity malty aroma. Light fruity flavor with strong malt hues and little bitterness. Strong mouthfeel that is exceptionally smooth with low carbonation.

nicaboy (11), Nashville, Tennessee, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	8/10	4/5	9/10	4/5	15/20

Nov 21, 2009

22 oz bottle - Roasted malt, sweet nose. Lots of bittersweet chocolate on the palate, but immensely satisfying. Super clean and light bodied, but it only serves to accentuate the great malts. Dry and long finish that begs for another sip. "highly quaffable" indeed.

StinkBall (38), Asheville, USA

3.6	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.6	7/10	4/5	8/10	1/5	16/20

Nov 21, 2009

Nice dark caramel appearance. Head is very very thin, almost none. Lacing is minimal. Good aroma. Surprising malt flavor at first. Palate hits with a nice sweet tone late. Good tasting beer. I recommend this beer for someone looking for a nice dark ale that is not as strong as an Imperial stout. This is a good session beer.

Sledutah (64), Utah, USA

3.4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.4	7/10	3/5	6/10	3/5	15/20

Nov 17, 2009

12oz bottle
Appearance: Dark brown/reddish with a off white head, only a little lace left in the glass.
Aroma: Roasted malt with some coffee
Taste: Roasted malt with some hop flavor
A real good beer that I could (& will) drink more than one.

markwise (1179), 15 Minutes from Kuhnhenn in, Florida, USA

3.6	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.6	6/10	4/5	7/10	4/5	15/20

Nov 17, 2009

Thanks to the Tampa Crew for the share. Pours brown-amber with an off-white head. Nose is malt, fruit, sweet banana, and an almost raisiny quality. Mild barleywine flavor. Flavor is lots of sweetness, malt, raisin, light chocolate, caramel, and goodness. Medium bodied and sweet. Nice, enjoyable offering from New Belgium.

phaleslu (469), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

3.3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.3	6/10	4/5	6/10	3/5	14/20

Nov 15, 2009

Draft at the Dubliner in St. Louis. Pours a deep but clear brown-amber color with a small beige head. Aroma of dark and dried fruit, caramel, sweet roasted malts, and earthy notes. Flavor has notes of all of the above in addition to nuts, chocolate, and just a bit of bitter hops. Medium bodied, with a syrupy, sticky mouthfeel. Not bad, but strikes me as just average.

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