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
1102	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 Their first challenge was deciphering antiquated script and outdated units of measurement, but trial and error (and many months of in-house sampling) culminated in 1554, a highly quaffable dark beer with a moderate body and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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mmather (113), Colorado, USA

3.5	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.5	7/10	4/5	6/10	4/5	14/20

Apr 16, 2008

from tap and bottle. pour dark and black with a thick dark head. Bready and sweet malty aromas. All the color and flavor of dark malt without the roastiness of a stout. A great beer that is unique

Carl99Fan (186), Suwanee, Georgia, USA

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

Apr 13, 2008

On tap...pours black. Creamy head. Great appearance. Roasted flavor with coffee and chocolate most prevalent. Wonderful thickness...food like quality. A sipping beer. Most enjoyable.

posikyle (165), Alabama, USA

3.1	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.1	7/10	4/5	6/10	2/5	12/20

Apr 11, 2008

Eh, a very forgettable beer. Pours a beautiful black color with a very dense, thick head and a malty aroma. However, taste was incredibly thin. Very little of anything except watered down malts and something else I couldnt quite place. Decent, but definitely wouldn’t buy again.

swanmann (308), Norman, Oklahoma, USA

3.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.2	7/10	4/5	5/10	3/5	13/20

Apr 10, 2008

The bottle poured nearly black with caramel tones and tan foam. I get mild spicy notes, definitely toasted, chocolatey, and mild dark fruits arriving with a bit of warmth. Medium dry finish, flavor of burnt bread crust, palate a bit thin, but it’s nice.

SuperDave70 (1157), Beautiful Sunny Mesa, Arizona, USA

3.3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.3	7/10	4/5	7/10	3/5	12/20

Apr 9, 2008

Pours a dark ruby-black with a foamy tan head. Nice aroma of chocolate and fruit, with some roasted malts. Flavor is similar, with some caremel sweetness. Sour fruit on the finish. A little thin, but otherwise good brew.

49markan097 (9), USA
does not count

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	8/10	3/5	8/10	3/5	18/20

Apr 8, 2008

Poured midnight black from a bottle, with a minute tan head. Aroma of roasted coffee and sweet cocoa with flavor to match. Nice rounded body without a heavy thickness. An excellent and highly drinkable beer.

Brewsmith (136), Torrance, California, USA

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

Apr 7, 2008

From a 22oz. bottle purchased locally. Aroma is a little roasted and a little sweet. Appearance is a dark ruby to brown color with a small tan head. Flavors are grainy, a little carmelly sweet, and a touch of roasted chocolate, but not overpowering. Bitterness balances the sweet evenly. Medium bodied and easy drinking. This is a nice drinking beer that pairs well with food. Almost like a schwartzbier, but as an ale.

KAF (441), Coralville, Iowa, USA

3.5	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.5	7/10	4/5	7/10	3/5	14/20

Apr 7, 2008

Silky dark pour with a two finger thick tan head. Roasted malt on the nose with some cocoa notes. Smooth body with a hint of dark fruit and then the cocoa and roasted malt flavor.

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