1554 Enlightened Black Ale - New Belgium Brewing

Bruiser81

Kansas

4.13/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First tried on tap very dark color almost black with a little almond coloring. A creamy head that lasted through the whole brew. Had a very nice aroma with almost a nutty chocolate smell. This brew was very smooth with a nutty taste. The aftertaste was kind of like unsweetened chocolate. This beer is very easy to drink. This is my favorite beer from New Belgium.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2002 15:15:54 | More by Bruiser81

Zraly

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The color of this ale is not quite black. It appears to be more of a dark brown with a undertone of a deep, ruby red. The head poured okay, nothing above and beyond the call of beer-head duty.

The smell is that, as my better half pointed out, of a sweet, cherry pipe tobacco. The flavor is not strong, not weak...it is rather inviting. The malt is predominant. The only thing I was hoping for was a bit more of a substantial hopness to help accentuate the malt. However, this is a recommendable ale.

Give this a try with grilled chicken or pork, perhaps with cajun seasonings.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2002 18:22:41 | More by Zraly

Morris729

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an almost black color with a thick cream colored head that gives way to some nice lacing. The aroma is of roasted malts and grains, bitter chocolate, and caramel. The flavor is dominated by a taste of dark coffee with notes of toffee and with some hop bitterness in the background. Not my favorite New Belgium brew but still pretty tasty.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2002 16:01:56 | More by Morris729

mjohn27603

Michigan

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottled marked best before 28Dec02. First of the New Belgium products that overflowed in my glass, poured with a big head. Ruby red to dark brown in color. Roasted flavors with a bit of chocolate. Reminded me of a stout or porter. A little bitterness remains lingering on the tongue.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2002 19:10:15 | More by mjohn27603

mzwolinski

California

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Despite the name, this beer isn't actually black. It's more of a deep ruby, with a thinnish head that leaves a nice lacing down the side of your glass.

The aroma is quite terrific. Smells just like fresh grains, very rich and heady.

The grain flavor comes through in the taste too, with chocolate and roasty notes, and a very slightly spicy undertone. Medium to medium-light body, with a dry finish. Very drinkable and quite unusual.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2002 13:12:27 | More by mzwolinski

hyuga

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Black color (obviously) with some amber around the edges where light is allowed to squeeze through. Nice and neat light tan head that stays pretty well and leaves a bit of lace as you drink. A rush of toasted malt aroma hits you when you agitate the beer, along with some bready sourness, a unique aroma. Just a touch of citrus hop character. Toasted and bread-like malt characters rule the palate as well, but with more citrus hop presence that shows up in the middle. Adds a nice little acidic twang. Underneath all of this, a bit of spicy hop flavor. A medium body and very creamy mouthfeel make it quite drinkable, but it's still nice and complex. Very tasty. This is an interpretation of an interesting Belgian style similar to a schwarzbier, which, according to the bottle, New Belgium's researchers discovered in an "ancient brewing book". It seems to have been lost in time until now. I'd like to see other breweries do research like this, there could be quite a few lost beer styles that we don't know about. Way to go, New Belgium!

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2002 01:04:48 | More by hyuga

tang214

Texas

4.22/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Another great brew by New Belgium. This one has a beautiful dark brown-reddish, ruby-like color. You can defiently smell the slighty hoppy aroma after one whiff. The taste is richly malty and smooth. It was very drinkable, although the mouthfeel was a bit lacking. Overall i loved this beer and surely will be getting it often in the future. I might even go as far to say that i like it better than Fat Tire.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2002 16:54:41 | More by tang214

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.47/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

The beer is a dark ruby in appearance. A slight creamy brown head sits on top and recedes to an edging within a minute. Lacing is fairly effective. Roasted tones, carmelized sugar and toffee on the nose. The body of this beer is about medium. Texture is creamy and silky. The different aspects of the taste of this beer are very mellow and subdued, but blended together, they make for a very tasty beer. Milk chocolate, roasted tones, slight vanilla bean, wood and java. This is a highly drinkable, higly tasty beer.

This is the closest Schwarzbier I've had to the Sprecher Black Bavarian, but it falls just short. Definitely my #2 schwarzbier.

A bighuge thanks to marc77 for shipping this brew to me (in addition to his fabulous homebrews).

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2002 21:52:01 | More by Bighuge

beernut7

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This interesting unique brew from NB pours with a nice dark color and foamy head that dissipates into a gentle lace. The aroma is of sweet dark malt with hints of chocolate. The medium body supports a nice clean chocolate sweet malt flavor with enough hopping to keep the malts from taking complete control.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2002 17:11:44 | More by beernut7

bditty187

Nebraska

3.4/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The more I drink this beer the more confused I get. I am not sure how much I like it? The smell is muted chocolate and roasted malt. Sometimes it smells stronger (and better) than the next. Sometimes you get a nice tan head and sometimes it looks like cola.

The flavor matches what the aroma gives you, roasted malt, chocolate hints, and a good sweetness. 1554 is a fairly smooth drink. This is a fair beer to enjoy at your leisure, once in awhile.

A New Belgium product that doesn't blow the roof off? What the hell?

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2002 07:36:32 | More by bditty187

usualpulp

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I have never had a beer quite like this. The name says it all about the color, this beer is very dark, almost black. One of the first things I noticed about this brew was a very sweet malty smell. This was also the most noticeable flavor of this beer. This is very easy to drink and finish's quite nice. I only wish the tan head lasted longer. Overall a very nice beer that i could drink daily.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2002 19:04:55 | More by usualpulp

pbnagel

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

My first black ale. I was impressed by the drinkability. The smell and taste were the caliber of a high quality beer. A very good beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2002 17:06:57 | More by pbnagel

Pegasus

Texas

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep sable color, pours a massive head, such that a pint glass can scarcely contain the billowing cream colored head. Very thick sticky lace that rings the glass. Spicy aroma with prominent roasted malt and chocolate. Very smooth taste; begins with lots of dark malt and caramel, finishes with a slightly sweet spicyness. A remarkable memory from a bygone age.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2002 18:33:14 | More by Pegasus

pbrian

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'll back everyone else up here by saying this is a solid dark beer that is hard to classify. Like a light porter with a slightly present yeast bite that I wish wasn't so restrained. A BIG version of this would make it exceptional.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2002 06:59:17 | More by pbrian

proc

Michigan

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

As the label states, its neither a stout, nor a porter. A medium-bodied black ale that is very drinakable. For some reason, I was reminded of the old Michelob Dark commercial that used to say "Don't be afraid of the dark." As with the other New Belgium products I've tried, it has a very distinct spice to it and an enjoyable one at that. Very, and I do mean very, slight sweetness to it that gives way to the spice on the finish. I could see this being nice off the tap, but the bottle was very good. A hearty "thank you" to jaybeerman for sending this my way!

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2002 17:08:55 | More by proc

marc77

California

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This brew has the appearance of a porter, but any resemblance ends there. Toasty munich malt is discernible in the aroma, with a very subtle chocolate note. Quite similar in aroma profile to a real Schwarz, but there's much more fruitiness from the yeast. Apparently a lager strain is fermented warm. A steam Schwarz? Smooth mouthfeel with a light to medium body. It definitely seems alelike and lacks the crispness that a true lager possesses. The malt flavor is dominated by smooth, tasty and toasty Munich malt, and some residual sweetness, yet manages to remain light enough to keep this brew quite drinkable. The hop bitterness is very mild, but prevents this beer from being overly sweet. Hop flavor is negligible. The color of 1554 is deceiving, considering roasted malt flavors are secondary to the toasty Munich notes. 1554 is certainly an interesting and drinkable brew... don't know what exactly to make from it. I don't think I would classify it as a Schwarzbier, however.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2002 19:47:00 | More by marc77