New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale 3.51 1112

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
1112	3.51/5.0	3.51/5.0	5.6%	91.8	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 Their first challenge was deciphering antiquated script and outdated units of measurement, but trial and error (and many months of in-house sampling) culminated in 1554, a highly quaffable dark beer with a moderate body and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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mrhoppy (226), Santa Clara, California, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	7/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	17/20

May 9, 2009

Very good beer as all their beers are. Not my favorite style but tasty. Thin and Very dry.

movolsfan (11), Parkville, Missouri, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	6/10	4/5	9/10	4/5	17/20

Jan 5, 2005

I really enjoy this ale that looks to be thick, but goes down very smooth. This is good year round whether it’s hot or cold outside. One of NBB’s best!

ratman197 (3275), Arvada, Colorado, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	8/10	4/5	8/10	3/5	17/20

Nov 27, 2005

Bottle poured a translucent brownish-black with a long-lasting tan head[ leaving behind Brussels lace]. Aromas of bitter coffee, bitter chocolate, and a hint of smoke. Palate was light bodied, smooth and crisp. Flavors of bitter chocolate, hint of bitter coffee, and a bit of smoke with a lingering, crisp bitter finish.

timmy300 (199), bloomington, Illinois, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	8/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	16/20

Mar 13, 2009

this one i really enjoyed. it satisfied my sweet tooth without getting gross. smells like musty chocolate bread and tastes like toffee. the high carbonation balanced the sweetness very nicely.

tatinek (20), South Dakota, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	7/10	4/5	8/10	5/5	16/20

Jul 21, 2009

Very pleasing beer. This reminds me of a porter with its dark appearance and full bodied feel. Nice malty flavor with the bitterness of hops balanced well with the sweet lingering taste.

walter (359), Staunton, Virginia, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	7/10	5/5	8/10	4/5	16/20

Jul 27, 2007

Bottle. Black, thinning to red at the edges, with offwhite head. Nose of roasted malt, dark chocolate, sour dark fruit, and some faint harsh burnt notes. Flavor follows, with sweet and sour smoky notes in front, followed by a drying sweet roasted grain in the finish. This is pretty tasty stuff, and what a cool story.

trafford (171), Germantown, Tennessee, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	8/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	16/20

Mar 7, 2006

I have been a fan of the New Belgium Brewing growing up in KC and drinking Fat Tire like it was bud light, but this is a much better beer. I had to drive 30 miles to pick up 6 different NB brews. The beer pours a rich dark brown with a nice size foamy head. It has a smooth feel and isn’t as dark as it looks. As it came to room temp it was even more enjoyable. I will be making the 30 mile trip more often.

nicaboy (11), Nashville, Tennessee, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	8/10	4/5	9/10	4/5	15/20

Nov 21, 2009

22 oz bottle - Roasted malt, sweet nose. Lots of bittersweet chocolate on the palate, but immensely satisfying. Super clean and light bodied, but it only serves to accentuate the great malts. Dry and long finish that begs for another sip. "highly quaffable" indeed.

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