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

HoppyHomo

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

I picked up this beer right after finishing the Game of Thrones books. Anything to do with Dragons I'm a fan of.While im not the biggest fan of Oak aged beers, i have to say that this is a good tasting beer.

I would compare this beers blackness coming out of the Bottle like oil found on Jeb Clampetts farm. The beer pours a dark black with a light head.

The first sip is smooth, and at 10% alc its not over powering. It really is something to behold; halfway through the bottle and im already feeling it. But then again im kind of a pussy.

Overall while not being a huge fan of barrel aged stouts i have to say this was pretty impressive.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 02:33:14 | More by HoppyHomo

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.65/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

650 mL bottle poured into a de Struise chalice.

Appearance - Black, but not quite inky. Nice khaki head. Excellent retention and lacing. Nice.

Smell - Very nice.Oaky and bourbony. Nice deep roast. I detect some sweetness but not sure if it's lingering sugar or lactose.

Taste - Not quite as nice as the smell. Oaky notes and roasted malt. Slightly bitter malts. Vanilla integrates nicely. Very sweet in the back end. Not syrupy, but sugary. Detracts slightly.

Mouthfeel - Very sweet, too sweet. A sipper, but still very pleasant to drink. Medium carbonation and medium bodied.

Overall - It would be really good if it wasn't so sweet. Just too much extra sugar. Nice barrel and roast, though.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 00:07:30 | More by Alieniloquium

BeerDocT

Georgia

4.68/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a chilled tulip glass.

-Appearance 3.5: Really cranked the pour and at first there was no head. Then, a 1/4" head magically popped up! Very attractive reddish black in color with a tan head.

-Smell 5.0: Oh, wow. What a bouquet on this beer. First, the grains and hops hit and then immediately the vanilla and wood resins from the oak hit you. There's also this dark sugar essence in here...wonderful.

-Taste 5.0: Front is slightly malty with a very subdued sweetness. Middle is BIG with malt, raisin, caramel and oak tannins and vanilla. Finish is also big with more sweetness and vanilla and slightly tart on the edges of the tongue. Aftertaste is a monster and this is where you get hit with the hops...and the oak tannins again. Just an amazing beer experience.

-Mouthfeel 4.5: Well-balanced level of carbonation and the warming properties of the ABV are very noticeable (and enjoyable) in this brew.

-Overall 4.5: Just a fantastic beer that takes everything you may have heard about Innis & Gunn and multiplies it by at least five. This is a beer for fans of big ABV beers, but also a beer for fans of BEER. This brew is fantastic and worth every penny you will spend tracking it down. Worried about paying $5 shipping to get a big bottle of this? Dont. Just order it and order it now. Paradise awaits. WARNING: the ABV in this baby will creep up on you and knock you off your perch. I'm just saying.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 03:22:58 | More by BeerDocT

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.18/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into a snifter

A: Pours a very, very dark brown, just a shade of black. Two and a half fingers of dense off white head forms on top of the beer. Retention is good.

S: Sweet caramel, milk chocolate,bourbon, and a bit of coffee and roast. I also get a distinct malted milk ball smell in the background. This could use more roast and chocolate to balance all this sweetness.

T: Tastes similar to how it smells. Lots of sweet caramel and milk chocolate with bourbon in the background. Also some sweet lactose. Behind that, I get some coffee, stronger than it was in the aroma. This still does not have enough roast or chocolate for the style. Booze is strong, but appropriate for the style.

M: Medium thickness with creamy carbonation.

O: There is not nearly enough roast or chocolate in this beer to be world class. There are no major defects to the beer and the bourbon adds complexity, but I want less sweetness and more robustness in my RISs.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 01:29:18 | More by coreyfmcdonald

Homebrew35

Connecticut

4.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with a bit of white head. Blackish body, brown is easily seen when the glass is tilted. Nice alcohol legs and minimal lacing.

Big vanilla, bourbon, alcohol, carmel, toffee, carmel and raisins. I could smell this all night.

Tastes of burbon, vanilla, rum raisins, alcohol. The alcohol tastes doesn't detract too much from the overall flavors. A light bitterness, chocolate and roast finishes out the flavors.

Medium bodied with a slightly oily coating finish. Low carbonation.

Overall this is a very solid barrel aged beer. I'd like to see it a bit more opaque and maybe a bit more head. The smell and flavors are quite good. It may not be the most interesting but for the price at $8 a bomber it's hard to beat.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 22:55:50 | More by Homebrew35

ksimons

New York

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-very dark brown with almost no highlights seen, a very thin layer of tan head quickly disappears to leave some lacing around the top

S-boozy, chocolate, vanilla, sticky malts, and a light roasted coffee smell

T-taste has a lot of nice roasted notes to it, chocolate, vanilla, oaky, coffee, and a strong amount of alcohol.

M-medium to full body, smooth, very light carbonation, a slight burnt taste left in the mouth

Overall this is a very interesting beer. It is heavy on the booze taste/smell/feel, but a lot of other flavors come out which are often missing in high ABV beers. It is expensive but if I found it again I would probably buy it.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 23:43:46 | More by ksimons

Alextricity

Michigan

3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pitch black. Seemingly no lacing. Not much to be said here.

Smell: Coffee, smokey, and chocolatey.

Taste/feel: Interesting. Very interesting. It has a lot of chocolate and coffee like you'd expect in a stout, but there's some smoke in there. Another surprise was the feel and carbonation. The feel is rather light, and the carbonation is medium/high. The alcohol is easily detected in this one as well. Stouts and porters and the like aren't my favorite styles, but I do quite like this one. Because of the price alone though, it's hard to give this one a super high rating.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 21:11:04 | More by Alextricity

SometimesIfart

Michigan

3/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A - Pours black with a small mocha head. Light still manages to penetrate. Leaves no lacing

S - Whiskey, slight vanilla, dark roasted malt. And that's about it.

T - Strong booze up front, perhaps a bourbon meets a tequila, slight roasted malt, rich oak and vanilla. Taste gets better as it sits. Chocolate also works it's way into the finish.

M. Very heavy boozy body with almost no carbonation. I simply cannot get over the bourbon boozyness.

O - Overall, I was excited to try this beer after hearing so many good things about it. Sadly it did not live up to what I had expected. Typically New Holland always impresses me but I did no like this beer as much as I had hoped. I wouldn't pay $3.99 for another 12 oz. Bottle

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 01:00:11 | More by SometimesIfart

PEBKAC

New York

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

4-pack from Whole Foods. Rounded pint glass. Dimpled stein at the ready just in case things get serious.

Brown on black body. Ho-hum tan head.

Smells sticky. Melted malt balls & licorice sticks. Macerated brown bread. Chocolate cherries.

Milky texture, very lightly carbed. Lots of residual, warming booze(a bit too potent, but not harsh). Anise. Toffee & wood. Puff of ashy smoke & earthy bitterness on the finish.

Even better on cask. :)

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 09:43:27 | More by PEBKAC

julian89

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

From 12 oz bottle into pint glass

Appearance: Pours a rich chocolate brown with an inch ivory head with fair retention. Opaque reddish brown in the light.

Smell: High in alcohol and molasses. Very sweet smelling. Followed by dark chocolate and freshness.

Taste: Very rich in chocolate and dark sugars. The alcohol is very pronounced. The dark malt bitterness is dominating.

Mouthfeel: This is a rich strong beer. The mouthfeel is medium thick and the carbonation is fantastic for an imperial stout.

Drinkability: Pretty good imperial stout, the taste needs a little more. Maybe a little age will lessen the alcohol burn.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 21:12:27 | More by julian89

Beer_Runner

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Some kind of date stamp on the bottle: E012 (don’t know what that means).

A: A slow pour into a standard pint glass resulted in about one finger of dark mocha colored head that quickly dissipated to a single layer of bubbles and then to only an edge ring. It also left a good lacing. The brew is dark brown and completely opaque.

S: The aroma has dark roasted malt and a bit of chocolatiness along with some booziness.

T: The taste has flavors of sweet dark chocolate, dried cherries, sweet toasty malt, and some alcohol booziness and oak, along with a touch of peppery hops to balance the sweetness.

M: The body just slips over the border from medium to the lighter side of heavy. There is very little carbonation, which seems like a good fit for this beer.

O: This is how a barley wine should taste. (I don’t know what style New Holland Brewing was trying to make with this beer, but to me it seems like a barley wine – and, a darn good one at that.) The focus is on the roasted malt flavors – chocolate sweetness, dark chocolate, and dried fruits. And, the oak helps balance the malt and adds some complexity to the flavor profile. There is also some booziness that works well here – it does not get into alcohol heat, but remains at just a touch to add balance and complexity. This is definitely a must try for barley wine fans.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 22:58:39 | More by Beer_Runner

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.18/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle - $3.99 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Vintage 2012.

Appearance: Pours a very dark body, essentially black with a foaming, beige head that soon settles down to a slim film.

Smell: Jumbled sniff sniffing up the notes of grape soda, light anise, moistened barrels, and roast with already a whiff of the alcohol.

Taste: Sweet chocolate and roast and toast and caramel and even sorghum syrup all come together wonderfully, beautifully even. A somewhat milky oatmeal quality throughout. Vibrant raisins touched with a little splash of Madeira. Woodsy barrel character with touches of vanilla, bourbon. Sweetish, round, luscious maltiness wrapped in the barrel-aging through to and beyond the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium carbonation. Velvety smooth mouthfeel.

Overall: Thankfully, the taste delivered what the nose was just embarrassingly fumbling around with. Almost hazardously drinkable. I'll be honest, it has been several years since I'd last had this -- nice to see it finally in Georgia.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 21:41:18 | More by ChainGangGuy

smalenberg

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Very dark with a slim coffee-with-cream colored foam ring that persists through the whole glass. Light doesn't pass through it.

S - Bourbon! Chocolate, port wine, and rich malty nose.

T - Malty sweetness with the rich complexity coming from the oak that brings along the bourbon character. Deceptively smooth for 10% ABV.

M - Smooth as silk. Slight tingling from the carbonation, but otherwise rich and thick and very smooth.

O - This was a 12 oz serving, which is a good size of a big beer like this. A 22 would be fine to share, but I think it would be "too much of a good thing" and too filling for me. This is a great beer for a cool fall day.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 18:19:47 | More by smalenberg

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.53/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I got a single 22oz bottle of this from Woodman’s in Janesville, WI in summer 2012.

Pours a very dark brown/black color with a thin light brown head. Fantastic roasted scent that is heavy with roasted malts, oak, and vanilla. Texture is smooth and creamy. A great overall taste as bold roasted flavor hint your taste buds teasing with vanilla, coffee, and toffee hints. So complex and so delicious. To me this is like a more readily available version of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. A great brew on a cold night.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 05:06:45 | More by Lemke10

rob119

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My roomate cracked open a 22oz and offered to split it with me. We were both very impressed, slightly above average appearance, nothing crazy.

Smell is fantastic, not overpowering but very smooth and sweet along with everything else youd expect from a stout. I can see why they named it milk oak barrel ale. The oak is a nice touch to the taste which is very balanced. Booze in my opinion is fairly well blended and is not distracting. Nice full mouthfeel but not over the top.

Definitely a beer I look forward to trying again.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 00:48:14 | More by rob119

BeezNeezy22D

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a snifter

A - Dark Brown. One finger of brown head that quickly became just a few bubbles lingering around the edges.

S - A ton of Bourbon. Oak. Vanilla. I kinda like it. Maybe dial back just a smidge.

T - The alcohol is definitely there. Roasted malts, chocolate, oak.

M - Medium. Creamy. Standard Carbonation.

O - I could smell this beer all day and for that I am a fan. As far as the taste goes I felt it lacked a little bit of complexity and the alcohol was super noticeable.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 20:06:27 | More by BeezNeezy22D

hooliganlife

Missouri

3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 vintage

pours black, looks a bit thin. light cocoa and cream head.

very bourbon forward, slightly abrasive and sharp. faint vanilla and oak.

as this warmed to rooms temp, the bourbon tamed itself a bit. very bourbon forward. some light roasted malt and light sweet vanilla.

very moderate carbonation, light body, some tingle from the booze.

pretty decent for an easy off the shelf whiskey BA aged stout.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 00:05:15 | More by hooliganlife

arizcards

Arizona

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a bomber at the end of July 2011 from Opperman's Cork 'N' Ale in Saginaw Michigan for $7.99.

Beer poured jet black with a beige head that is leaving some lacing behind.

Nose is toasted oak, vanilla, and bourbon.

Taste was warm with the initial sips, bourbon, vanilla, roasted malts, slightly sweet as the malts overcome the hops but tasty nonetheless.

Mouthfeel was light for the gravity of the beer but smooth.'

Overall this is a pretty smackable beer, lighter than what i expected. The heat from the booze had subsided to make it just right.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 23:40:45 | More by arizcards

BostonHops

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle served in a snifter.

pours a deep brown / borderline black shade while yielding a finger of mocha colored head lapsing at a normal pace, leaving some patchy lacing. nose offers roasted malt, vanilla, coffee, and alcohol. enjoyable aroma, though nothing otherworldly.

taste follows with the roasted malt, vanilla, and coffee characters flanked by seconday notes of molasses, chocolate, and caramel. lot of tasty stuff going on. the booze isn't as well-hidden as perhaps it could be, which would be my biggest criticism. medium-full bodied mouthfeel with average carbonation.

overall a tasty beer, reminds me a little of dogfish head's palo santo marron. not world class territory here but one i would be happy to have again.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 22:31:18 | More by BostonHops

jmarsh123

Indiana

3.88/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours black with a small wispy beige head leaving lacing down the glass.

Smells chocolate with just a faint hint of bourbon. A little boozy.

Lots of chocolate on the flavor too. Roasty malts and a bit of vanilla. Finishes semi-sweet with yet more chocolate and a bit of a boozy kick. Would not guess bourbon from this.

Good medium thick mouthfeel with medium carb levels. Good creaminess.

Good beer, but not overly complex and docked a point for not having any noticeable bourbon presence.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 21:20:43 | More by jmarsh123

stephens101

Oklahoma

3.43/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Dark brown in color with plenty of light shining through at the edges. Little to no head but a few bubbles here and there. Dark fruits, grain and sour candy to the nose. Malty, fruity and vinous makes for a unique flavor profile. The vanilla and oak is there for sure. Medium bodied and dry. Taste the alcohol my friends. Let's just say this brew does not have all the expected qualities, but it works on enough levels to keep one interested throughout a bomber session.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 23:08:26 | More by stephens101

tjsdomer2

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Very Guinness-esque in the plastic cup it was served in. Good layer of foam and lacing. Very opaque and thick. Coffee-like.

Smell: Burnt vanilla and oak mixed into coffee. Very strong. I was on the fence with rating this as good or very good. Considering I've smelled similar beers before that I thought were good, and since I like this better, I boost this up a bit.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Incredibly mix here. There are different complex layers of dark fruit, coffee, and burnt vanilla with some spices. Initially I get the burnt vanilla. Then, coffee and chocolate, followed by the fruit. I also detect fine balsamic vinegar. What makes this truly special is the heavy and smoke overtones of oak bring everything together and persist throughout. Very versatile use of the oak barrel in my opinion that also creates a smoky, tingly, tobacco-like mouthfeel.

Overall Drinkability: One of the finest American stouts. I'm suprised this isn't rated higher or more well known.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 05:22:23 | More by tjsdomer2

matttttYCE

Arizona

4.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 Vintage

One finger, creamy, medium brown head fades to a tan ring. Pitch black beer color. Light lace, more than I was expecting actually.

Very pleasant bourbon, barrel heat, oak, and vanilla right out of the gate. Light coconut also. Behind that some char, rich roasted malts, milk chocolate, and some brownie, dark fruits like raisins, fig jam. Alcohol is more noticeable as it warms.

Much of the same barrel qualities from the nose, but more toasted coconut in the taste. Melds quite nicely with the roasted and charred malts, milk/dark chocolate mix, light burnt coffee, sweetness, burnt brown sugar, raisins and figs, and some more alcohol heat.

Medium-ish body, silky smooth consistency, low-medium carbonation, and a slightly lengthy finish.

Overall this is a really good barrel aged stout. The aroma is superb and the taste closely follows suit. The mouthfeel could have been a little more full bodied, but the lighter body does make it seem more drinkable. Regardless, this is a great bbal stout. Thank you so much to tut2528 for this as AN EXTRA(!) in our recent trade! You're awesome Ryan.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 07:24:01 | More by matttttYCE

HarrySTruman

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown/red, almost black. Small head that dissipates quickly, slight lacing, but a good lacing for the style.

Smells of dark fruits, figs, oak barrel, alcohol and molasses.

Taste is very interesting. Not hard to drink, tastes like the smell, very well balanced. Actually pretty easy to drink given the oak barrel aging (which I feel can lead to making a beer a sipper, this one doesn't have that effect) and high ABV. Hints of bitter chocolate and malts, mixed with oak, alcohol and dark fruits.

It's smooth but pretty thick. Mild flavors and high ABV make it slightly harder to drink than an average American Stout, but not bad considering what it is.

I really like this, although it will absolutely get you drunk in a jiffy. Either take it slow or drink out of the public eye!

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 06:11:39 | More by HarrySTruman

zac16125

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a snifter
Vintage 2012

A: Pours an opaque black with just under 1 fingers width of mocha colored head which dissipates down quickly to leaves only an outer ring, that remains throughout the drink.  Some patches of blotchy lacing and alcohol legs can be seen clinging to the edges of the glass.

S: Bouron, with a mix of booze and oak,  dark fruits, interesting tart fruit aroma that's reminiscent of tart apples, a hint of chocolate.  Really unique for the style, with that apple aroma, but I really dig it.  

T: Surprisingly mild, at least initially when most of the flavors come out on the backend and include roasted malts, milk chocolate and oak.  As it warms the flavors become more prominent. The apple like tartness comes out in the taste as well.  Pretty tasty but I would have liked if the flavors as a whole were stronger, or if the bourbon notes from the nose came out in the taste.  

M/D: Medium bodied with an appropriate carbonation.  It certainly would benefit from being thicker.  A touch on the hot side going down, but not too bad,  and all things considered retry damn good drinkability.  

O: This was on of the more unique stouts I have tried in a while, and I quite enjoyed it.  I don't think it's something that would make my regular rotation, but I'd definitely recommend trying it.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 00:59:20 | More by zac16125