New Belgium 1554-Anything else like it out there?

[MMBB]

I tried New Belgium 1554 for the first time the other night and it was awesome. Are there any other brewers doing something this style? It has the initial smoky bite of a good stout but isn't as "thick" as a beer like Guinness. It finishes smooth and clean with a hint of sweetness and isn't overly bitter. I am looking forward to finishing the rest of the sixer this week.

 

[McHaven]

Austin homebrew's black ale kit is very similar.

 

[ThinkinDavid]

Check out the website: 5.6% abv; 21 IBU; pale, black, munich, and chocolate malts. Make your own judgement on how to put all those together and i bet you come out with a great "enlightened" black ale.

 

[pm5k00]

I'm not familar with other ales like 1554.....Shiner Black is similar but its a lager, also Xingu is a black lager from Brazil thst is quite good.

Sent from my Samsung Epic 4G using Home Brew Talk

 

[ere109]

1554 is a black lager as well, or at least it is lager yeast fermented at ale temps. I actually just cracked open my first bottle of a homebrew version on Friday, and came pretty close to the mark. If you all grain, let me know and I can share the recipe.

 

[MMBB]

I'll have to check out Shiner Black and Xingu if I can find them in my area.

Iere109, I'd like to try the recipe you have! I have two other beers in line but after that I am out to try a third!

 

[Zamial]

I do not know for sure about the Shinner's but I have had the Xingu. Xingu, IMO is nothing like 1554.

When I had 1554 I thought it was a light bodied chocolate beer and I do remember liking it. I recently had New Belgium's "Clutch", it is a sour chocolate beer that IMO is like a 1554 but with a lightly sour finish.

I would point you at Schwarzbier. There is one that comes in a fliptop bottle that I think is fantastic, Mönchshof is the brewery. While not as chocolatly as 1554 I would say it is very similar...

 

[KIAKillerXJ]

1554 is nothing like shiner black.

Austin homebrew does offer a 1554 clone recipe that I've heard is pretty dang close to the real thing.

 

[joeybeer]

Here's a recipe that's really close, though a little crazy !


Recipe: O’Daniel’s Kentucky Common (even smaller grain bill recipe below)
Style: Specialty Beer
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
————————–
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.41 gal
Estimated OG: 1.054 SG
Estimated Color: 15.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 25.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 90.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:N
————
Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Pale Malt (6 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 70.59 % $9
2.00 lb Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM) Grain 23.53 % $3.60
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 2.94 % $0.54
0.25 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 2.94 % $0.60
1.00 oz Cluster [7.00 %] (60 min) Hops 25.0 IBU $1.99
1 Pkgs California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) Yeast-Ale $6.99
TOTAL - $22.50
Mash Schedule: My Mash
Total Grain Weight: 8.50 lb
—————————-
My Mash
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Step Add 12.75 qt of water at 163.3 F 150.0 F

Notes:
——
Mash for 24 hours to sour. Nothing else is added. Leave the top on the mash tun the whole time. If when you open it and it smells funky and the top looks a little funky, just scrape it off and continue to sparge. It will be fine.
Quote:

$25 from Northern Brewer with the liquid yeast, also has .75lbs of Chocolate and Crystal 120 left over..



==========================
NOTES
=========================

5/11 10PM - Started the mash, added between 3 1/4 and 3 1/2 gallons of 165 water to a prewarmed mash tun.. grain bill was pretty spot on.. will finish brewing tomorrow

5/12 6PM - got exactly 2 gallons of water out of the mash, there was a bit of a film on the top, but I just swirled it in.. added 3.5gallons of water @ 175F to sparge, brought to a rolling boil, added 1OZ of Cascade pellets (7.5) and boiled 60 mins, poured directly into fermenter and left on porch overnight

5/13 8PM - High poured wort from fermenter into bottling bucket cleaned with bleach water, then poured back into fermenter.. halfway though added yeast, sealed and added airlock.

5/14 10am - bubbling away nicely in the fermenter, but has slowed down by 11:30

6/18 9:30 - Bottled tonight from primary -
6/18 930 PM bottled from primary - added 5oz of light brown sugar diluted in water

I tried a few bottles around 7/30 and it was drinkable (barely) , but not great...tons in the closet so I chilled a 6er for tabs bday


9/28 drank a few with Doug, and they are delicious !! the extra time in the bottle is exactly what this beer needed !! Definately brew again Similar to New Belgium 1554

10-10 It is exactly the same as NB 1554 beer.. Kasey and I did a blind taste test, and apart from the head retention and lacing of 1554, the beer tastes identical !