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New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale

Percentile
88
overall

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreABVStyle PctlServe in
10983.51/5.03.51/5.05.6%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 Their first challenge was deciphering antiquated script and outdated units of measurement, but trial and error (and many months of in-house sampling) culminated in 1554, a highly quaffable dark beer with a moderate body and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?  
 scoth (274), Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/514/20
May 3, 2009  
Pours clear, very dark brown, with a thin beige head, good lacing. Smells of coffee, caramel, dark chocolate, and figs. Medium-thin and crisp body. Tastes of chocolate, nuts, apple, and citrus. Well balanced and drinkable.


 jbye4334 (652), Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/56/104/514/20
Apr 30, 2009  
(bottle). Pours a black color. Medium off white head. Moderate lacing. Coffee aroma. Roasted coffee taste. Smooth finish. Soft carbonation.


 Rciesla (3565), Exit 15W, New Jersey, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/105/56/103/514/20
Apr 29, 2009  
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.


 Lowe1983 (1029), Fairborn, Ohio, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/56/103/513/20
Apr 27, 2009  
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.


 nickd717 (1327), Palo Alto, California, USA
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/103/513/20
Apr 27, 2009  
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.


 SorenE (111), , New Zealand
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/55/104/516/20
Apr 26, 2009  
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.


 TheBeerGod (3147), Newport News, Virginia, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/514/20
Apr 25, 2009  
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!


 greig (171), Hamilton, New Zealand
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/56/103/515/20
Apr 24, 2009  
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.



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