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
1098	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 Their first challenge was deciphering antiquated script and outdated units of measurement, but trial and error (and many months of in-house sampling) culminated in 1554, a highly quaffable dark beer with a moderate body and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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MatSciGuy (630), Rosemount, Minnesota, USA

3.4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.4	6/10	4/5	7/10	4/5	13/20

Apr 20, 2008

[bottle] Poured a deep ruby color with a moderate tannish head. Aroma was subtle. Some dark fruits, a little bit of coffee, and some yeast. Flavor was a little roasty with some chocolate. Reminded me of a bittersweet porter. Pretty light mouthfeel, and overall a very drinkable, refreshing dark beer.

ansermadide (507), Kyle, Texas, USA

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

Apr 18, 2008 Updated: May 11, 2008

Pours a deep black/brown semi-clear color with a lovely tan head. Has a sweet flavor, tigles on the lips. Its light-medium body is great and easy to drink and very satisfying on the tongue. Wonderfully tasty and a safe bet when you find it on tap.

ebrowner88 (113), Rice, Minnesota, USA

4.1	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.1	7/10	4/5	9/10	5/5	16/20

Apr 18, 2008

Pours a deep copper brown (almost black ale?) 1 finger beige creamy head that sticks around. Sharp sweet nose with a hint of raisin at the back end. Semi-sweet malt with hints of roasted dark chocolate and slightly dry hop finish. Medium body, mouth feel is spot on. The best I have ad from this brewer. A great 100th beer!

garretjax (103), Colorado, USA

3.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.2	6/10	4/5	7/10	4/5	11/20

Apr 16, 2008

A clear deep mahogany color and a light tan foamy head. Chocolate and roasted malt aroma, some coffee. Full bodied and nice carbonation. Flavors of dark chocolate and aromatic coffee. Drier finish with a brisk bitter bite at the end.

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 (305), 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.

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