Black Ale

From Brother Jim:

Some friends came for dinner this weekend, and brought with them some beer to share: New Belgium’s (the folks who do Fat Tire) 1554 Enlightened Black Ale. The bottle states that it was based off of an “ancient” recipe found in an old library book. The verdict? Beer was just as delicious 500 years ago as it is now.

The beer was dark, but not as opaque as a porter or stout. It gave up a respectable head that quickly died down. The aroma is heavy on the coffee and caramel. In the mouth, the beer is surprisingly smooth. The carbonation was particularly nice – it made for a creamy mouthful without the density of a stout. It is perhaps best described as “medium bodied”, though full in the flavor department. The dominant flavors are chocolate with a touch of acidity. It has a really nice malt profile, nowhere near a Scotch ale, but enough for a tasty, satisfying full-mouth flavor. The hops are present and give it a dry finish, but don’t take center stage. Yum.

This was a big hit for both Sister Erin and I. A nice switch from the porters we’ve been drinking. Dark, satisfying, and fairly unique. We’ll definitely be drinking more of this, and encourage other brewers to spend more time in the library.

http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/1554