New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

650ml bottle poured into large tulip glass. Pours black with ruby showing through at the deep end of the glass. In the middle, though, this stuff is as black as Batman’s armor. Bubbly tan head, mostly diminishing. After taking a drink the lace runs down the side of the glass like a crystal waterfall. Aroma is roasty malt, chocolate, slight hop, and berry. Flavor is chocolate all the way, with roasty malt showing up too. Not bitter in the least bit. Body is bedium and very creamy. Leaves me wanting another gulp instantly. Slight dry chocolate finish, but it fits in perfectly. I would love to try this one draft.

Pours black with a tan head. Nose is malty and slightly fruity. Flavor has a little coffee and chocolate with a good amount of malt. Not a bad drinker.