New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale

Had on tap. Appeared a very dark brown. Sweet milk chocolate was in the aroma. A nice mellow and smooth chocolate taste, with a little spicyness in the finish.

Dark red furniture looking color. Syrupy sweet smell. Taste is carmel type sweet. A bit fruity. Smells of strong alcohol but alcohol is well hidden in taste. However the 5.6% really seemed to hit me.

650 ml bottle from Bevmo. Pours a translucent dark brown color with a big sudsy khaki head that leaves oodles of lacing in the glass as it slowly recedes. Aroma is light with plums, light spices and roasted malts. The flavor is weak and un-complex with roasted malts in the forefront and some earthy coffee filling in the sides. The mouthfeel is uneven with the drink starting thin and finishing malty-creamy. The finish is short, sweet and sticky-pasty. Overall: this is a quite ordinary ale, nothing objectionable, just not enough complexity to push it into the top tier. Recommended with reservations.

Nutty, pecan like aroma. Regardless of the style, it’s a pretty tasty beer. Not a ton of acidity but enough to add interest.

Seems more like an Engligh ale to me than a Belgian style. Pours dark brown with a thick head. Aromas of chocolate and coffee. Thin mouthfeel. Tastes of coffee toasted malts, hints of chocolate, hop bitterness.

(Draught) Sampled at Taphouse in Seattle. Mahogany with a thin white head. Belgian-style black ale? Nose of coffee with a thin body. Not much here as it warms up. Below average.

Nice darker brown color with a medium beige head. Aroma dominated by buckwheat, chocolate, and dark fruit. Taste had some funky grainyness that really ruined it. Its drinkable, but not all that tasty. I like trying the ales of old, they just don’t always taste that good.

The 1554 pours a dark brown with a nice thick head. It’s smooth and malty with a hint of chocolate flavor. Very good beer. A must try.