New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale

(bottle). Pours a black color. Medium off white head. Moderate lacing. Coffee aroma. Roasted coffee taste. Smooth finish. Soft carbonation.

Bottle. Yeah #960. Pours a dark brown body with a tan head. A nice mess of chocolate coco, malt, a bit roast y with an ashy accent and a creamy body. Odd brew but still solid.

Pours a brown color with a tan head. Aroma is of roasted malts, chocolate, a hint of dark fruits, and a little molasses. Flavor is the same, a little watery but not too much. Thought this was better the first time I had it a couple years ago.

On tap at Red Restaurant in Santa Cruz. Don’t like their description much - calling something "dark beer" is sort of rookieish, I would know being the world’s #1 beer expert. Oh well, the beer is decent. Dark reddish-brown in color with a small off-white head. Aroma of roast, dark fruit, and cocoa. Flavor is roasted malt, yeast, cocoa, and some fruity notes. Mouthfeel a little light, but adds to drinkability.

dark brown, red hue. not much head. aroma is chocolate, malt, bit of rostiness and bread. flavours are the smae, except the chocolate really comes through. light mouthfeel and hardly any bitterness. easy drinking and not too shabby.

Bottle. Dark brown to near black opaque pour with a foamy tan head. Aroma is roasted malts, dark chocolate, light cocoa, and malt. Taste is more roasted malts, but rather sweet in spots with chocolate, light caramel and cocoa. At times I thought this could be a schwarzbier. Body is light-medium with soft carbonation. Someone thought it was flat upon tasting it. Ends with more sweet malts, roasted, smoky notes, cocoa, and dark chocolate. Faint caramel here as well. Good beer!

Ruby red, with a toasty caramel aroma. Reminds me of an English mild, but with more alcohol. Hints of coffee and wholemeal bread. This is a surprising and tasty beer.

Among other brews in the fine new belgium lineup, this one has found the top of my short list. A very fine beer indeed.