New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale 3.51 1108

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
1108	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 Their first challenge was deciphering antiquated script and outdated units of measurement, but trial and error (and many months of in-house sampling) culminated in 1554, a highly quaffable dark beer with a moderate body and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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curly (677), Nashville, Tennessee, USA

3.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.2	6/10	3/5	6/10	3/5	14/20

Mar 1, 2009

Color is a nearly opaque ruby red with a short lasting tan head. Just a bit of sweetness on the nose but nothing overwhelming. Taste is chocolate, mocha and a slight tart fruitiness. A nice and creamy beer, easy drinking.

ljstephenson (114), Lawton, Oklahoma, USA

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

Mar 1, 2009

Dark brown pour with a moderate tan head, very sweet and caramel aroma, taste is a bit toasted with strong caramel, finishing dry and toasted.

grampageoff (13), arvada, Colorado, USA

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

Mar 1, 2009

Pours a killer dark mahogany red with a finger of tan head. Lacing is nice all the way. Nose is tons of sweet malts, caramel and molasses. Taste is sweet malts and lots of roasty goodness. Almost no bitterness at all. Pretty silky mouthfeel which is slightly thinner than a porter, but thicker than most ales. A unique and delicious brew. I drink this all the time.

GuilTTy (538), Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA

3.4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.4	7/10	3/5	7/10	4/5	13/20

Feb 24, 2009

On tap at the Yardhouse in Scottsdale. Pours a very deep mahogany under a thin light khaki head. Roasted malt aroma with burnt molasses and the slightest hint of smoke. Flavor is something akin to a spicy porter with notes of chocolate, toffee, dark toast, caramel and some mildly fruity sweetness. A pleasant yeasty presence floats above the other flavors adding some complexity. Silky mouthfeel and a medium sweet finish with where some hops join the party.

emacgee (1892), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

3.4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.4	6/10	3/5	6/10	3/5	16/20

Feb 21, 2009

Pours a dark brown that allows light. Thin fizzy light tan head. The nose is sweet, malty, mildly vegetal, peaty, dubbelish. The flavor is rusty, mildly sweet, caramel, peaty, kind of like a dubbel, Belgian feel for sure, mild fruity aspect. I’d drink again but it doesn’t drive me crazy.

jamvin23 (162), chicago, Illinois, USA

3.5	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.5	6/10	4/5	7/10	3/5	15/20

Feb 15, 2009

Bottle. Poured brown with a small head that dissipated quickly. Aroma: oaky, with some chocolate. Flavor: also some roasted maltiness with oak and chocolate.

CaryTheDude (1113), Longmont, Colorado, USA

2.6	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
2.6	4/10	3/5	5/10	2/5	12/20

Feb 11, 2009

Crushed with Jakebra. Lotta poop on the nose. Not much else. Flavor is kinda roasty and sweet with less poop than the nose, but not much better. Drinkable but still quite poopy. New Belgium, you have yet to impress me.

swoopjones (1920), Buffalo, New York, USA

3.7	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.7	7/10	4/5	7/10	4/5	15/20

Feb 11, 2009

On tap @ Fatty’s,Breckenridge, CO. Pours a deep dark black. Aromas of roasted malts, slight coffee & chocolate. Very roasty flavor & again with notes of coffee & chocolate. creamy body & mouthfeel. Good brew

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