In this beer blog, we are going to sample out another brew from New Belgium Brewing.  It is their 1554 Black Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a dark black clear with a constant white head on this black ale.  The smell is a slightly chocolate with a nice crisp finish.  The taste is a milky chocolate notes.  It is pretty drinkable.

Here is a description from their website (www.newbelgium.com):

Born of a flood and centuries-old Belgian text, 1554 Enlightened Black Ale uses a 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 Their first challenge was deciphering antiquated script and outdated units of measurement, but trial and error (and many months of in-house sampling) culminated in 1554, a highly quaffable dark beer with a moderate body and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.

Birthdate: July, 1999

Body: Light – Medium

ABV: 5.6%

IBU: 21

Calories: 198

Hops: Target

Malts: Pale, Carapils, Black, Munich, Chocolate

Yeast: Lager Yeast

Aroma: Slightly fruity, herbal, spicy, rooty, coffee, chocolate, toffee

Mouthfeel: Due to the lager yeast ferm at high temps and the chocolate and black malt- this beer starts and finishes dry yet the middle is round and malt rich. session!

Flavor: Starts bitter chocolate with bright acidity, roasty and toasty, sweetness to round it out sweet/spicy, rooty, peppery undertones, lingering fruit acidity,

Visual: Brilliant/clear, mahogany

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com

Twitter:  @newbelgium

Ending, I remember the first time I had this beer.  I was not really too impressed when it hit the Chicago craft beer market.  I guess my taste buds have grown or I found a new way of liking this brew.  There is several different things going on in this brew.  I love the chocolate, fruit, coffee, and slight toffee notes.  There is a nice balance in this brew.  I love how it is not overpowering.  I love the crisp finish and it is pretty drinkable brew.  There is not much to say about this beer.  It is really good and I recommend you trying to this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser