New Holland Dragon's Milk Oak Barrel Ale - New Holland Brewing Company

bcm75

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle poured in a snifter.

One of New Holland's better offerings - sweet but not cloyingly so. Booze tastes are definitely there (can't be ignored). It isn't overpowering, but not quite as well balanced as some of the high-end brews in this genre.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 01:30:02 | More by bcm75

Rope

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a pilsner glass.

Appearance-
Dark, but not black. Thin white head, one finger.

Smell-
Oversweet vanilla, not hop presence.

Taste-
Good, a standard in barrel aged stouts. More sweetness than anything else.

Mouthfeel-
Thick, black oil like a good stout should have.

Overall-
Reliving and old beer, and it works as a drinkin' beer but nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 23:04:33 | More by Rope

stooge

Michigan

4.26/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

2012 Vintage, aged approximately one year in refrigeration.

12 oz. bottle poured into a Duvel tulip glass.

Appearance- Dark brown, slightly opaque, with a very little head; laces well, with low carbonation.

Aroma- Not overly aromatic, subtle scents of vanilla, roasted malt, and oak present.

Taste- Slightly sweet with toffee, caramel and chocolate on the front end, followed by a nice vanilla and boozy oak finish. Hints of oak and bittersweet chocolate linger.

Mouthfeel- Very nicely balanced, perfect mouthfeel for the style.

Overall- Very enjoyable, perhaps not on the level of some of the more hyped barrel aged selections that are released in limited quantities, but well balanced and available year around. Dragon's Milk has become a staple in my beer fridge due to it's consistency and availability. Highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 05:31:48 | More by stooge

BB1313

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

I haven't had this one in awhile. 12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Pours black with barely any light getting through. There's a small off-white/kakhi head which fades and leaves solid lacing. Aromas are subtle, but very solid. The bourbon blends very nicely with the oak and milk chocolate. There's also hints of vanilla bean, butterscotch, and caramel malts. Flavors are very solid as well. The oak/wood seems to take control. The bourbon does blend very well with the flavors as well. Roasted dark chocolate gives this one a decent bitterness and the milk chocolate gives it a solid sweetness. There's a touch of heat, but it basically non-existent. Aromas and flavors almost seem one dimensional, but there's just enough to make in pretty interesting. Mouthfeel is very nice. It's very rich, velvety, fluffy, creamy. It has a good carbonation, but still remains very smooth. Like I mentioned, there's a dash of heat, but nothing overwhelming and doesn't effect the drinkability.

I'm glad I revisited this one. It's not a mind blower, but it's pretty solid. Gotta appreciate that it's a barrel-aged stout that's easy to find on shelves. Worth checking out..

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 21:16:34 | More by BB1313

stumac

Texas

4.41/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

So I'm chillin at home last night smoking a little herb and playing Battlefield 3, when I realize... I have a bottle of Dragon's Milk in my fridge!!! Busted it open. Poured it in a glass. This is my experience....

Pours up black as an ageless storm, small head of color I cant remember. Aroma is so easy and pleasant on my senses. Malty, warm, hint of earth. I sip. I go into a coma. I recover three weeks later. The flavor profile was electric. Big barrel smoothness, malty, oak, vanilla, vanilla, vanilla, some hops came by to see how I was doing but left shortly thereafter. The body was big, the carbo was smooth. Then, I awoke. Strange. No bottle in sight. No beer residue in my glass. Had I really drank the elixir...or was it all a dream...

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 16:27:35 | More by stumac

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.96/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.75

Served on tap in a snifter

Appearance- Served a deep brown colored brew with a tiny tan colored head. The head fades almost instantly leaving just scant lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma is of a sweeter caramel, milk chocolate, vanilla and a coffee smell with a strong presence of roasted malt. Mixed with these smells is a moderately strong oaky and bourbon smell, producing when combined with the sweeter and roastier smells, a very warming smelling brew.

Taste – The taste begins with a sweeter caramel and coffee flavor upfront. There is some milk chocolate in the taste upfront with both becoming stronger more toward the middle of the taste. The caramel fades slightly in the middle however, leaving a slightly drier flavor. This loss of caramel is replaced by some flavors of vanilla later in the taste. In the end a strong bourbon, boozy, and oak flavor come to the tongue. These are accompanied by some earthy hop flavors as well as an increase in the roasted malt and bitter coffee characteristics of the brew to leave a lightly bittered and roasty boozy warming taste on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the average side in terms of its creaminess with a carbonation level that is a bit on the higher side. The feel is a bit off as a creamier and thicker body would have really be much more appropriate for the boozy, oak, and roasted flavors of the brew with a lower carbonation level allowing all the darker and boozier flavors time to linger on the tongue.

Overall – A tasty and boozy stout. It has a great warming and oaky flavor with a slow drinking style, even with the slightly lesser mouthfeel quality, it is still fantastic.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2013 00:37:15 | More by Darkmagus82

mountdew1

New Hampshire

4.04/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured into an standard tumbler. Color was a almost completely opaque black, with a thin light brown head. A few occasional bits of carbonation rose from the bottom. Aroma was a slightly smokey acidic, almost reminded me of a smoked meat. Very small bit of sweetness in the very back of the smell. Flavor was mellow and sweet. A bit of brown sugar sweet upfront, finished with some lactose sweet. Neither was overpowering sickly sweet, but it has small bit of additional flavor beyond just the sweet. Felt great in the mouth. A hint of carbonation, with good chew, and plenty of mouth coating. Overall I felt the aroma to be a bit offputting, keeping it from ranking higher.

2012 Vintage 12oz

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 01:07:08 | More by mountdew1

screamking

Ohio

4.46/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into snifter. *my bottle says "bourbon barrel stout". *

Appearance-pours dark brown almost black, small dark khaki head, a little lacing around glass. 3.75

Aroma-very strong bourbon notes, vanilla, toffee, and oak. Chocolate, with coffee undertones. Dark fruits are there as well, raisins and plum. 4.75

Taste-vanilla and toffee right up front with milk chocolate following very strong. Alcohol is very present in the taste as well. Dark fruits come in much more mellow then then in the aroma but dried plum is there. 4.5

Feel-on the lighter side of full bodied, coats palate very well, alcohol burn is very present. Not as smooth as the top shelf bourbon aged stouts. 4

Overall-this is a very underrated beer in my eyes. It lacks some of the softness and class of bells black note. However, its kick of alcohol is one of the things I enjoy the most. Another huge plus is availablity, no waiting list to snag just one bottle, if you get new holland you can get this year round. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 03:29:51 | More by screamking

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

3.98/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

P: Thick creamy cappuccino head that billows over the top of a black mahogany highlighted body. Intricate lacing leaving beautiful walkways around the glass.

S: Sweet oaks drenched in molasses, thick rich malts, cocoa, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, big booze factor, vanilla, French oak, and over ripe bananas.

T/M: Huge bourbon flavor, vanilla bean, French oak, roasted cocoa nibs and milk chocolate. Old leather and cardboard once warmed and in the after taste. Full creamy body with a subtle carbonation sting. Finishes spicy with an aged presence.

O: A fantastic creation that displays a well balanced beer that has the aged bourbon flare but doesn't overpower the creamy richness. Hats off to New Holland.

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2013 21:23:05 | More by Hopswagger

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bomber poured into a snifter

This beer pours pitch black with a small off tan colored head. The beer is more oak forward then I was expecting. A nice oak presence reminds me of a bourbon barrel aged brew and has a nice dry crispiness to it. The beer is fairly roasty but has a strong toffee and burnt caramel presence to it. It is fairly sweet and sugary. A nice chocolate presence from this beer. There is a portion of this beer that reminds me of and English stout like Samuel Smiths but im not sure what the flavor comes from. A solid stout and a nice example of Oak aging.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 00:41:22 | More by TwelveOunces

Dave_in_GR

Michigan

4.28/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Served from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, date on bottle says aged 2012.

Appearance - poured a really nice dark brown color with just a small layer of light brown head. Completely opaque in the glass.

Smell - seems to be dominated by the oak from the barrel aging. No alcohol smell whatsoever. The aroma is relatively mild.

Taste - the taste is dominated by oak and a creamy vanilla flavor. As with the aroma, the alcohol is hardly noticeable. There is a bit of a bitter aftertaste, perhaps from the roasted malts. Definitely a beer to drink slowly.

Mouthfeel - definitely some astringency in the mouth while drinking, and it is a strange mix with the sweet and creamy vanilla flavors. Otherwise very pleasant, very lightly carbonated.

Overall - lovely dessert stout with sweet and distinctive flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 21:09:40 | More by Dave_in_GR

AmitC

Indiana

4.15/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle.

Relatively very thin dark brown colored pour. Dark black inside the glass. Very thin tan colored head. Some shine. Fades easily. Excellent lacing on the sides. Opaque.

Aroma is a mix of oak barrel characters. Good amount of vanilla and creamy sweetness. Dark roasted malts. Strength is moderate to slightly faint. No hint of 10% whatsoever. Slightly porter like feel. Not a very robust aroma by any means.

Taste is perplexing. Good amount of warming but not hurting alcohol upfront. A lot of charred and almost ash like burnt up flavor. Too much charcoal. But distinct. I like it slightly. Some hops as well. Nice to see again. Finish is dry.

Mouth feel is medium and slightly thin for a stout. Decent warmth. No astringency of any kind except for some burnt up smokey flavor. Moderate carbonation.

A distinct brew. Could have used a better body, appearance and aromas and it would be a winner.

Edit: A very nice mix and interplay of robust barrel aged tastes. Excellent towards the end.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 23:49:26 | More by AmitC

Steamer

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a 16 oz Goblet. A dark, dark ruby red appearance with a one finger head that disappears rather quickly leaving a thin rim of tan foam. Smell - Alcohol, ripe plums, heavy vanilla, maple syrup, over-toasted almonds.... did I mention the alcohol! Taste - Burnt toast, nice roasted maltiness, the high alcohol level is prevalent throughout and comes back strong at the very end warming the throat. Medium mouth feel, a bit lighter than expected. Overall - a lot going on with this stout. Complex and very pleasing. Could be a little better balance between the alcohol and other ingredients but excellent nonetheless. Glad I picked up and 4 pack!

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 01:04:30 | More by Steamer

TheSSG

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

(vintage 2011) Pours a nice, dense, tan head. Bright, coffee-like, caramel-vanilla aroma (a slight astringentness is behind it all). Black. Starts with a touch of toasted malt, a touch of bitter, slightly sweet, boozey as hell (this dominates), and moves into a medium bitterness. As the booze swells back, it milds out into a very bourbon-like finish; vanilla, oak, and a hint of toasted caramel. There is a slight floral hop flavor that appears well into the finish.

Overall, the aging really helped this. This isn't too bad. It may still be the most aggressively barreled bier I've had. I find that assertive barreling to not be very well balanced with the bier, which means it's similar to an odd, weak bourbon that is carbonated. Not my favorite, but if you want to try it, buy at least 2 bottles and age one of them. The results are MUCH, MUCH better.

I think I'll pick up one of these sometime and try aging it for 3-5 years. That could be nice.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 04:17:29 | More by TheSSG

BrewskiGal

South Carolina

3.45/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Dragon's Milk is a very sweet beer. I would classify it as a dessert beer, meaning that it is a nice beer to drink once in a while. I wouldn't want to drink more than one and it is definitely not a beer for an upbeat social gathering. If compared to a coffee it would be a sweetened Starbucks blended frappuchino, perhaps a caramel frappe.

It is a thicker, heavier beer, strongly flavored like bourbon. It is sweet and the high ABV is noticeable. The flavor of alcohol outlasts the particular flavor of the brew itself.

For its kind, it was a good beer. It was not, however, my beer of choice due to its overwhelming sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 05:24:52 | More by BrewskiGal

bkc8182

Georgia

3.96/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.75

appearance = Very dark. Just a little dark foam

smell = Smells like bourbon.

taste = Vanilla. Bourbon. Roasted malts.

mouthfeel = Creamy. Very thick.

overall = Liked it a lot but the alcohol content is a little high. One is enough. Not a daytime beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 01:47:36 | More by bkc8182

rodlavers

Pennsylvania

3.84/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

Growler pour for Super Bowl. No head, as dark as you can get before it's black, with hints of red, very slight hints.

Smell is decent, not as intense as other bba beers: weakened vanilla, molasses, etc., some bourbon.

Taste is similar but more complex: dark fruit, some chocolate and coffe in there. Vanilla molasses and light bourbon notes are prominent.

Feel is nice and smooth, extremely light carbonation, a sense of earthiness to it. Enjoyable beer but not in the same league as other bba stouts, re: BCBS, BN, KBS. But don't let that sway you, go ahead and try it it's good. Cheers.

Serving type: growler

02-04-2013 01:27:43 | More by rodlavers

Bills453

Ohio

3.76/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Appearance - dark dark brown to black. Nice mocha 2 finger head. Nice and frothy.

Smell - smells like a sweet dessert almost. I think this one is most certainly a dessert stout.

Taste - good. I like it. Can really taste the barrel.

Mouthfeel - nice and smooth

Overall - very nice stout offering, plus DRAGON,

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 02:23:53 | More by Bills453

MickeyBeer

Illinois

4.06/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass

A- Pours a deep blackish brown that lets just a little bit of light through. Almost entirely opaque with about one finger of creamy tan head. Great lacing as well.

S- Sweet malty smell with notes of chocolate and coffee.

T- Sweet up front with chocolate flavors and a hint of coffee. Finishes with a oaky aftertaste. A little taste of alcohol too.

M- Full bodied and creamy mouthfeel. The sweet and complex flavors mask the 10% ABV well.

O- A tasty brew with a variety of complex flavors. I enjoyed the aged oak taste that this stout provides. It is both interesting and delicious and the ABV certainly packs a punch.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 20:20:32 | More by MickeyBeer

GoldHorde

Minnesota

3.18/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Pours a molassy dark brown - NOT opaque however - light penetrates through with an amber glow. The aroma of vanilla is there - but no clue of the wood. The initial mouthfeel was lighter than expected as this is billed as from the High Gravity Series and I had expected a maltier (thicker) body. The first taste revealed the high gravity was more at> alcohal content than malt and thus more watery. This can be appreciated in many circles - I recall a friend's college dorm homebrew recipe called "Beggers Blend" impressively gifted in a high gravity Alc-by-Vol content that was sought after for any late hours party (it was basically a dextrose bomb). That comment aside, this beer definitely has more craft at work than those creations. The oak shows up in the flavor in front trumpet while the vanilla plays Montovani (cascading background strings). I'd like to see more work on this creation more at> heavier body while maintaining the Alc-by-Vol. It is a nice beer with a great name and crafte base that deserves a little further in refinements.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 06:05:09 | More by GoldHorde

homebrew311

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into New Holland glass. Appearance is a very dark brown with lighter brown light passage at the ends. Next to nothing in the way of head and lacing. The nose starts with vanilla and has a heavy dose of oak. A fair amount of booziness is present on the nose with a slight harshness which seems to comes from the spirit. The base beer seems hidden on the nose, perhaps some light cocoa character, but not much else. Taste is is oaky up front and heavy with vanilla in the middle. Again, not getting much base beer here, not sure if it is supposed to be stout or strong ale, but either way, I get little in the way of malt and hops. Just like the nose, a heavy boozy harshness comes at the end and leaves a slight burn. Mouthfeel is surprisingly light for the high gravity with moderate to high carbonation. Overall, this beer is a little one dimensional and lacks the backbone that I like in barrel aged beers. It's a nice and easily attainable bourbon barrel aged beers, but there are others I would turn to first.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 07:03:42 | More by homebrew311

tectactoe

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

One of the first "big" stouts that I tried on my expedition into the craft world. Now that I've had many more, I can review this one respectively. Pours a very dark brown color, black in spots, with super-deep ruby shades at the very edges of the glass and top of the beer. The pour isn't as thick as you'd expect for a typical 10% ABV stout.

The tan head is pretty small and recessed, but hangs around for a while before vanishing into a simple ring around the glass. The nose is pretty heavy on this one; booze, dark cocoa, oak and woodiness, sugary vanilla, sharp, dark figs and dates. Sweetness is far more apparent on the nose than any kind of bitterness, typically expected for heavy stouts.

The taste of Dragon's Milk is far more decadent, powerful, and commanding than the aroma would ever lead you to believe. Hefty handfuls of roasted malts begin to the lay the groundwork for this complex monster. Musky, wet oak and wood chips, burnt brown sugar, molasses, dark, bitter cocoa beans, sharp vanilla sweetness, and most of all, heavy booze. Many 10%+ ABV beers do all they can to mask and hide their alcohol content, but not Dragon's Milk - the booze is right on the front lines.

The booziness is certainly not a bad thing, however - it adds a huge level of robustness and power, causing you to respect it with slow sips and a drinking session likely to go beyond a half an hour (at least). As expected, this beer just continues to open up with warmth. The booze gets stronger, the vanilla is sweeter, the cocoa is darker and more bitter. It really works well. I don't sense much of a hop presence in this beer. It might be there, but I sure as hell don't taste it. The mouth is silky and slick, albeit still a bit more thin than wanted/expected. Carbonation is pretty subdued overall, but it's not really a nuisance.

My tastes have changed greatly over time, but Dragon's Milk still impresses me and is definitely one of the best barrel-aged stouts that you can get year round (and without having to put your name on a multitude of waiting lists). Sure to satisfy that boozy-beer craving inside of any big stout lover. This one packs a punch.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 16:17:31 | More by tectactoe

RyanWilliamShields

4.53/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

I love strong brew. I love stouts. With that said Dragons Milk from New Holland is one of the best that fits into both of those categories. It starts malty and strong, then bites so good! It has a dry mocha finish. A great bomber pick up on a cold night! Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2013 19:14:43 | More by RyanWilliamShields

DragonzBreath

Michigan

3.64/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This Stout poured dark and had a huge head, very pretty, first taste we looked at each other in amazement. A very strong bourbon smell hit us. This beer is aged in a second generation oak barrel. This beer got very strong as i drank it. I liked it.
It was like a shot and a beer rolled into one. 10 abv.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 16:39:13 | More by DragonzBreath

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Opaque black with a hint of brown around the edges. Very thin light brown head that is now almost nonexistent.

Aroma: Get vanilla right away. Underneath that there are roasty tones, oak, alcohol, and just a dab of dark fruit.

Taste: This one definitely has a pleasant oaky quality to it. Starts like a regular Imperial Stout with dark roasted malts and a rounded flavor. About halfway through you start to get the vanilla and oak which only builds from there. The end adds a moderate alcohol note that stays through the finish. Leaves a bitter chocolate and slightly hoppy flavor on the palate as well as some dark fruit and an alcohol bite. Real nice warmth in the back of the throat long after drinking. The 10% ABV is by no means hidden but it seems to work well that way. The only drawback is that it's not quite as robust as one would expect it to be.

Mouthfeel: Medium in body which is a little light for the style. A little more carbonation than I had anticipated but fairly easy to drink.

Final Thoughts: A little let down because of the slightly thin body. However, it hits all the right notes in terms of flavor and doesn't disappoint when it comes to the oak aged quality. Would I drink it again? It would not be my go-to Imperial Stout but I would give it a try on-tap.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 06:05:15 | More by JamesMN