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New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale 3.51 1105

New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale

Percentile
88
overall

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreABVStyle PctlServe in
11053.51/5.03.51/5.05.6%91.6Dimpled 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 Their first challenge was deciphering antiquated script and outdated units of measurement, but trial and error (and many months of in-house sampling) culminated in 1554, a highly quaffable dark beer with a moderate body and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.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Barreras (128), Diamond Bar, California, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/514/20
Mar 16, 2009    Updated: Jun 7, 2009
On tap, dark brown almost black in color with smells of chocolate and toffee. Not very heavy for a beer of its color, but thats a good thing. Very drinkable dark beer that cures the sweet tooth in your mouth. Flavors of chocolate, and toffee.


 CelticBrew (696), The Crystal Coast, North Carolina, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/57/103/511/20
Mar 13, 2009  
Pours from bomber a very dark ruby color with a small light tan head that diminishes quickly. The aroma is very malty and sweet. Good lacing on the glass. Flavour was of dark bread with hints of lime. Dry finish with taste of cocoa powder and some slight acidity. This has lots of Schwarzbier characteristics. An ok ale, somewhat characterless.


 timmy300 (199), bloomington, Illinois, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Mar 13, 2009  
this one i really enjoyed. it satisfied my sweet tooth without getting gross. smells like musty chocolate bread and tastes like toffee. the high carbonation balanced the sweetness very nicely.


 brewski519 (419), Morrisville, North Carolina, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/514/20
Mar 13, 2009  
From a 22oz bottle this brew poured a light black color with a decent brown head and lots of lacing. Nice nutty, malty, chocolately aroma. On first taste, this black ale actually reminded me of a Carolina Nut Brown Ale - that is not a bad thing as that is one of my favorites. This beer had a nice smioky flavor to it as well but was a little thinner in the mouthfeel that I was expecting. Over all a very solid beer that I would certainly buy and drink again.


 JCB (1777), Durham, North Carolina, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/56/103/515/20
Mar 11, 2009  
Bomber from Whole Foods, Raleigh. Nice to have NB’s core beers here. Not as dark a pour as I’d anticipated, more like an amber in a grumpy mood. Crisp carbonation and moderate head. Fruity malts in the nose, with a hint of chocolate and very, very faint dusky smoke in the flavors. Kind of shifts between ripe and fruity and dark and malty, and I think I’d prefer it if the beer trended more heavily in the latter direction. But it’s still a solid and sessionable brew.


 timsilvia32 (447), from Michigan now in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/516/20
Mar 9, 2009  
22 oz. One of the more interesting pours I’ve seen in a while. Near black brown pour, with the head near straight white. The contrast unusual and interesting looking. Little white bubbly lacing. Malty aroma, roast nut. Tastes simple of roast malt and cocoa. Just the tiniest start of sourness, but it is gone so quickly it might just be me. Could be some slight dark fruits. A little tobacco in the finish is a little odd, but not off-putting. Found this extreamly drinkable after a nice bike ride. Reminded me of a Schwarzbier. Of the 2 I’ve had from New Belgium, this one Fat Tire, I definetely prefer this. Would seek it out for regular consumption.


xs2500 (90), Mississippi, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/57/104/517/20
Mar 9, 2009  
My favorite brew from New Belgium Co. It has a rich dark color with a lite tan head. Good after diner beer.


 bradlyc77 (226), Sebastopol, California, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/514/20
Mar 8, 2009  
Pours dark brown with small tan head that fades. Aroma is of belgian yeast, spicy, with some citrus. Taste is slightly tart (with minor fruit/apricot), chocolate, caramel, fig, hints of spice, and a little biscuit. Some moderate hops bitterness rounding out the malt. Pretty good.



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