New Holland Dragons Milk

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

[GABF, Denver Co - 2006] Dark brown in color almost like a stout. This had a lot of strong flavors and the alcohol was very high. This was a very good brew. Strong Oak presence and a great dry finish.

Wow. Probably the best New Holland I’ve had besides the Czar Imperial stout. Smells and looks like a stout, but again I see I was wrong, and that it is considered an english strong. Either way a very mighty brew. Rich taste of burnt oak, coffee, chocolate and a nice hint of hops both in the body and finish.

Dark pour with modest short lived head. Moderate aroma of bourbon,mild oak and vanilla. Initial taste is watery bourbon with some oak and hints of vanilla. Decent beer but could use some oomph in the mouthfeel. Not as fullbodied as the taste would indicate. O/W nice. 22 oz bomber,$6.59

22oz - (secret santa cousin Rich) - Aroma is vanilla, oak, slightly roasted chocolate malt, and a touch of bourbon. Pours like cola with a very small head and good lacing. Flavor is sweet vanilla and oak. Aftertaste is roasty and milk chocolate. Palate is syrupy and smooth. Very strong flavors that have to challenge each other for attention. Interesting and different.

22oz bottle @ Union Jack’s (Thanks Tom!). The aroma is sweet & carmelly. First sip is creamy, milk-like - somewhat unusual. I could not get the taste of caramel chews out of head as I drank this. Definitely different, but absolutely tasty!! I never would have guessed the 9%abv.

The aroma was chocolate and an espresso roast with a fruity nature and an earthy/oaky presence. Vanilla undercurrents and raisins and other dark fruits team with alcohol for an estery and phenolic character. Caramel and a bit of sweetness also are present. The beer poured into the glass crystal clear black with a ruby highlight. The head was miniature off-white and barely there. The flavor was malty with a moderately strong presence of vanilla and bourbon coupled to oak. The flavor was nutty, toasty, biscuity and fruity. Bourbon was well done and none overpowering, but balanced the chocolate and espresso coffee presence very well. Caramel and vanilla were also along for the ride. The finish was just dry with lasting bourbon light and pleasantly into the aftertaste. The body was medium-full and with hardly any carbonation at all the beer had no creaminess on the palate. A darn nice beer, smooth and well achieved chocolate and bourbon/oak work in concert to create a very enjoyable brew. 24 ounce bottle.

Bomber. Poured a clear, deep chestnut brown with a fizzy cap of beige head. Aroma began with an intriguing blend of soft bourbon and freshly-toasted oak... warm semi-sweet chocolate waves follow leaving offshoots of vanilla.. really enjoyed it. The flavor began with tingly bourbon and bitter herbal notes.. transitioning to grainy chocolate and vanilla on the sweet middle... warm bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, and oak round out the finish... tasty, but had a couple moments of artificial vanilla and some sharper points that detracted from the flow. Medium-bodied with a decent flow. This was some good stuff!

I haven’t drank bourbon for 30 years---but I immediately picked up the sour burbon smell and flavor. Add a black/red color and some nice roasted malt flavors and you have a winner!