New Holland Dragons Milk

Brewed by New Holland Brewing Company
Style: Stout
Holland, Michigan USA

Head is initially average sized, frothy, light brown, mostly diminishing. Body is black (but not opaque). Aroma is moderately malty (caramel, cookie), with a strong note of sweet corn on the cob, notes of bourbon and vanilla, and a light note of cask wood. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Medium body, watery texture, soft carbonation, lightly alcoholic. You want corn-on-the-cob in liquid form? Here it is, tassels, husk, and all. Absolutely uncanny. Honestly, I've never smelled a beer that was more evocative of a food in my life. Not really the stomach-turning, briny, funky DMS smell...just sweet juicy corn on the cob. Just as inappropriate, but at least not as stinky. Bizarre. Not much flavor...bitterness never develops in the end, and the sweetness is kind of artificial...an amateur brew without question, but kind of fun in a weird way.

12 oz bottle. Dark maple-molasses with a thick tan meringue topping...intoxicating big vanilla/oaky nose with notes of butterscotch late, sensuous....vinous, oaky body with some sharp bits of sour cherry and grapefruit and quite a strongly acidic finish...bears more than a little resemblance to an amped-up Flemish Sour, and it works.

Initial green wood aroma dissipates quickly to be replaced with chocolate, rum-like bourbon, lactic flat nose. Opaque, dark brown coloured body with decent tan head that recedes to generously cover. Flavour is complex, but is it good? Very good. Unique. Smooth, medium body is quite still. Lactic character overtakes all else to some degree. Bottle sampled with MartinT and Rastacouere.

Ok, I had this again recently, a much improved experience. There was no butterscotch and funky cheese. A decent strong brew with some chocolate hints and a little bit of bread. The aroma was deep milk chocolate and wood. There was also some potato chips. This pours a dark black with red highlights. The aroma is funky cheese, butterscotch and bourbon.The taste is also cheesy and lactic. Has potato chips and some nuttiness. Too much cheese. Hard to explain, but this would go well with Doritos.

Bottle from Liquor Max in Loveland, CO. Very dark brown color (some garnet) with a fine, high beige head. Aromas of dark roast malt and chocolate? Also dark stone fruit. Medium plus body with near creamy carbonation. A mild ale partaking of some aspects of stout and porter - like I think I taste coffee. There’s a touch of wood. Finishes towards astringent, with very decent bitter to counteract the malt. Wood seems to bite a bit as time goes on.

At the MBG Fest had the Blackberry Dragon's Milk. Had the normal (if that's the word) Dragon's Milk back in March 2003 when visiting the brewery. My comments are based on the fest version since I have no notes other than an overall rating for the original. THE OVERALL RATING IS BASED UPON THE AVERAGE OF BOTH... Opaque as the heart of darkness, this evil little dragon, off with it head. Strange I wondered, how such a foul beast breath could be so wonderful. He must have swallowed a berry farmer and the harvest then decided the burn the forest down, hence the smoky, woody and roasted hints I smelled when venturing closer. Alas, I drew my mighty sword (and pen) and set to deposit this creature to the bowels of hell. The beast blood spilled forth and landed squarely upon my mouth, how odd, the farmer's berry patch has tainted the dragon's blood, a weakness is spotted. With quick wit and sharp cuts, the creature has fallen! Hordes of commoners rush to thank me with strange plastic cup in one hand and wooden coins in the other. A fest is declared, the main course, Dragon meat. While the meat had a pronounced slighty sticky mouthfeel, it was truly delightful. (May have been even better aged and cured with a great oak cask). Cheerio!

Bottle at home ... just missing the demonic rating 666 ... deep brown thin lacing ... sweet cherry toffee roast nose.. wow ... big fruit ... juicy plums and raisins ... lots of oak ... light coffee ... little bourbon ... rich rich deep flavour ...

Poured black with a meidum sized light tan head. On first sniff i got some coffee aroma but after a few minutes of warming it turned to chocolate milk and mildly woody. Like a piece of dry lumbar. Flavor was chocolately and somewhat sweet. Actually light, clean , and nice and creamy. Has a good warming sensation.