New Holland The Poet - New Holland Brewing Company

salvo

Indiana

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

From the cask, The Poet is thick and chocolatey, rich and full mouthfeel. Really nice toasted malts are rich and flavorful; very roasty. Nose is chocolate over coffee: more cocoa powder than candy bar. Black coffee. The oatmeal lends body. Mildly and appropriately sweet.

Serving type: cask

09-05-2011 01:56:15 | More by salvo

DCon

Missouri

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Enjoyed @ the Firkin Friday Event @ the iTap House in Chesterfield, MO for free (MoBev Distrubtor). Tapped from an Orange, Plastic Firkin/Cask into a 16oz Pint Glass and enjoyed two back to back.

Aroma- Very strong coffee aroma from the beginning. Also has a sweetness and malty/roast attribute. Strong Espresso but no hint of Oatmeal. Malts and a chocolate aroma came to me as well.

Appearance- Received with a 1 finger of off-white head that dies quickly. Has a pitch black color body that has almost no clarity. Thick, huge lacing is followed up at the end.

Taste- Espresso or Strong Roasted Coffee. This is a great stout by its flavor alone!

Mouthfeel- Full Bodied, Smooth with a Medium Carbonation level. Not much on the finish, maybe hints of oatmeal but very weak.

Overall- Good Oatmeal Stout and almost the same in Cask as I've had on-tap. Go for it! Always know what this one is going to taste like.

Serving type: cask

08-30-2011 02:37:31 | More by DCon

ModemMisuser

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this from a firkin at HopCat in Grand Rapids. The other reviews cover the technical details quite well - it's definitely on-target for color/aroma/etc for the style.

As a major stout fan, I really liked this one. I might choose it over other stouts when/where available.

Serving type: cask

07-06-2011 17:28:40 | More by ModemMisuser

robwestcott

Indiana

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

warmish from the cask at the comet a deep, brown to black to a .3L goblet with a few bubbles on top.

big chocolate and creamy espresso aroma.

creamy dark semi sweet chocolate and mild espresso roast. wow. big wow factor. burnt toffees.

low carbonation, creamy smooth, slick.

great beer. much preferable to the bottled version.

Serving type: cask

07-03-2011 00:38:09 | More by robwestcott

linnymtu

Michigan

4.3/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Overall a very solid stout. Had this beer on a gravity fed firkin

A: dark brown beer with smaller amount creamy tan head

S: a pleasant smell of malt, nothing overwhelming

T: very solid malt flavor, hint of coffee but not much

M: smooth beer, lightly carbonated

D: goes down easy, definitely could have a few of them

Serving type: cask

01-26-2011 22:00:58 | More by linnymtu

danielharper

Michigan

4.47/5  rDev +14%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer tasted sometime last fall (maybe September?). Notes transcribed verbatim.

A: Black body, thick brown head.

S: Oaty, rich with chocolate malt, crisp, somewhat dry.

T: Dry chocolate malt body, rich with roasted barley, caramel malt. Dry finish.

M: Thick mouthfeel, no significant carbonation, no significant hops.

D: This beer is great in bottles, even better on cask.

Serving type: cask

12-21-2009 01:57:05 | More by danielharper

Sark

Montana

3.81/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance- pours with a slightly pebbled tan head of a half finger, deep black, dark red-brown when held to the light

Smell- great chocolate hints with toasted edge on the end, sweet toffee character

Taste- sweet caramel and toffee, a little toasted bitterness on the finish, not too much on the balance

Mouthfeel- full bodied, creamy smooth, fast fade

Overall- A well done oatmeal stout, the sweetness was left to go a little wild without the hop character to tone it down

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 04:01:06 | More by Sark

Lawl3ss

Texas

2.91/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

Lightly chilled 12 oz. bottle into a 33 cl shaker. Bottling date 11.27.12.

Look- Pours a clear deep brown with a finger and a half of dense khaki head that falls quickly, very nice lacing.

Smell- Overwhelmingly smells of leather and tobacco smoke. Pungent, almost abrasive. As it warms, it takes on a more toasted coconut-cocoa aroma, which is nice, but I can't shake the feeling of a fifty-year-old biker bar. Not a deal breaker, but moderately off-putting.

Taste- Still a bit leathery, but feels appropriate. Dark roast coffee, charred hazelnuts, baker's chocolate. Light sweetness towards the end. Mellow, toasted biscuit finish.

Mouthfeel- Medium body, moderate carbonation. Cleaner than expected, light fullness on the back end. Not hefty enough for an oatmeal stout, could use some stick.

Overall- A bit lackluster for an oatmeal stout- misses on a few counts and feels less than cohesive. I wouldn't avoid it, but it's not something I'd purchase/order unless there was nothing else in the category available.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 04:15:56 | More by Lawl3ss

CardiacNP

Louisiana

4.7/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

The Poet. An Oatmeal stout from New Holland brewery in Holland, Michigan.

Appearance dark brown/black with a creamy 1.5 finger head beige in color. Very nice lacing

Aroma roasty malty slightly sweet with hint if chocolate. Not floral at all

Taste very smooth and creamy malty chocolate flavor with just a slight coffee undertone. Minimal hops bitterness

Mouthfeel smooth and cream, lightly carbonated

Overall. One if the best oatmeal stouts I have had. Wish I could get it In Louisiana and would of brought more home from Ohio

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 01:43:17 | More by CardiacNP

morimech

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown color with a massive head that settles to a thick cap. Moderate amount of sticky lacing is left down the glass.

Aroma consists mostly of roasted malt. Mild chocolate and smoke notes.

The roasted malt is the big player in the flavor. Also a little smoke and chocolate. Roasted bitterness on the mild side.

Feels a little thin but it is a low ABV stout. Has a smooth mouthfeel and mild carbonation.

A better than average oatmeal stout. Approachable and being able to drink a couple without fatiguing the palate or getting too much alcohol, aids drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 22:01:24 | More by morimech

ThickNStout

Georgia

2.29/5  rDev -41.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

12oz bottle from bcm75 (thank you!). No bottling date. Served in a Red Brick snifter.

Pours dark brown with a full finger of sandy head that leaves no lace.

Smells mild and unassuming with faint roast and caramel.

Taste is an understated blend of cocoa, sweet oats, plum, nuts and bitter earth. Goes down easy enough but it is missing depth or complexity.

Thin, bordering medium but semi creamy body with light carbonation. Bitter cocoa and plum/ raisin finish.

There's nothing outright bad here but it lacks any real character that would make me want to revisit it. Quite smooth and very subdued. It left me wanting something with more gusto.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 06:29:21 | More by ThickNStout

mecummins

Illinois

4.21/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A- dark rich brown with hints of amber on edges when held to the light. A nice 2 finder creamy looking tan head with wonderful lacing

S- chocolate, dates, some dark fruit and bit of oats on the nose

T- I could taste the the chocolate and a bit of sweetness right away. A bit of coffe under that as well as some raisin and dark fruit. Just a little oats on the taste.

M- medium with a bit of creaminess. The finish was short to medium with just a hint of mild hops.

O- a really nice example of an oatmeal stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 22:58:50 | More by mecummins

PaterMorse

Indiana

4.2/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A very pleasant surprise. Very easy, very smooth. One of those beers that's gone before you know you've finished it!

A: Black, yet top 1/2" has a motor oil gold to it. Nice khaki head, lacing.

S: Oatmeal raisin cookie. Roasty, smells like autumn. Maybe not the ultimate in fun or complexity, but nice nonetheless.

T: Creamy, smooth. More guts than macro-brews like Guinness. "Flavors" not as pronounced as other beers (not sure if that's a bad thing, as this was a good, non-gimmicky blend unlike others that want to scream "LOOK AT ME, I'VE GOT VANILLA & COFFEE..."). Hints of roasted coffee, semi-sweet chocolate, plums, and oatmeal.

M: Very good medium body. Holds together well. Not sudsy. In short, nice body and finish, and sufficiently heavy without being clunky.

O: Very drinkable! Although not intended as faint praise, it's a beer that rates well not so much because of its unique positive attributes but its utter absence of drawbacks.

Repeat? Sure thing. Wouldn't be a beer I'd crave when I came home; but a good staple for the fridge and a very, very pleasant experience.

Where/When? Would make a great beer for a college football tailgate or in the midst of a Fall Road-Trip. Oddly, good palette cleanser after food; would go great wth steak or whte cheese.

Two Words: Fall Roadtrip (or "Easy Drinker", "Absent Negatives")

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 21:47:20 | More by PaterMorse

FosterJM

California

3.65/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

1750th Review on BA
Bottle to snifter
12oz

Purchased @ Binnys Forest Park, IL

App- I was really surprised at how purple this was out of the bottle. Into the glass it was a bit of Welchs grape juice intermixed with Hersheys syrup. A bit thick and creamy with a small one finger head. A nice bit of cling and lace.

Smell- A nice mix of a couple of smells on this one. The opening aromatics are that of pure oats and then moves into a bit of bitter coffee and then the last aromatics are that of chocolate malts.

Taste- This is a very interesting oatmeal stout. I really dont get all that much oats. Instead I am getting a lot of bubble gum with a bit of plums and figs. When it warmed it produced a bit of chocolate similar to the nose. Really a bit above average but not that bad.

Mouth- A solid medium body with a medium creamy carbonation. A nice residual flavor of bubblegum, oats, chocolate, vanilla and plums. Really a unique beer on the feel to me.

Drink- I am rating this a bit high overall. The balance this struck was quite nice with a bit of unique flavors and a different profile. Layered, semi-balanced and tasty. I dont think I would come back to this though.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 03:30:34 | More by FosterJM

Nachos4two

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bottle poured into a tulip style glass.

A: pours a deep brown almost black in color. Little if any light pears through it.

S: loved the smell of this one, as I had toasty chocolaty aroma on the nose from this.

t: as I did like the taste it was all up front on flavor the back-end tapered off pretty rapidly.

m: light in carbonation, and slightly thin almost watery compared to the thickness in looks.

o: I did like the overall flavors and low abv makes it a go to oatmeal stout!

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 15:03:13 | More by Nachos4two

Mavigo

Michigan

3.99/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Got this from Tom's party store in East Lansing. Served it up in a pint.

A: pours a very dark murky black color, not completely opaque but just about there. Had a one finger width caramel color head that dissipated fast with minimal lacing.

S: Smells rich of dark chocolate, coffee, malt sugars, barley, vanilla

T: Very rich flavor, thickness of chocolate, tinges of coffee, very sweet, malt sugars, barley, hints of oatmeal

M: Good amounts of carbonation, getting up there, but balanced by the flavor that it was not bothersome to me, very rich and robust, very dense flavors

O: Overall this was very good stout, I enjoyed it very much, good balance of flavors, rich and complex, great on such a cold day. Would not mind having this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 03:55:59 | More by Mavigo

Luke4

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A very roasty smell that is reminiscent of autumn. The color is great too, very dark with a lingering, creamy head. The taste is robust and roasty but with a great bitter balance. A very nice smooth mouthfeel adds to the drinkability of this beer. i highly enjoyed this stout, and think its one of the best New Holland beers. Top 5 oatmeal stouts out there.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 20:00:40 | More by Luke4

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Not bad. Immediately reminds me of Ed Fitz, with it's bold roasted and hop flavors. Not what I was expecting from an "oatmeal" stout. Not really a smooth quality to speak of.

Roasted barley and (oatmeal) cookie malt potent on the nose, and much the same on the palate. Big roasty and hoppy bitterness. The hop flavor has a lemon peel nuance to it. The cookie-flavored malt character provides some nice balance against the roast and hop, however, a little more malt complexity and/or depth, body, as well as a modicum of additional sweetness (if needed) would have made this more satisfying. As it is, it's nice but a bit too robust in its roasty-bitter elements.

There's a pleasant sort of dark-chocolate chip flavor born of the malt and roast union, but it's not enough for this drinker. The hops are a bit much. Wouldn't hurt to tone them down a notch or two.

Other that that, it drank alright despite the slight deficit in body. Dry, but not sharp. Nice palate cleanser after some fish tacos. They had Ed Fitz on tap, by coincidence. Would've liked to have gone with that instead, but I hadn't tried this before, so...

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2013 03:48:29 | More by Bouleboubier

tito42

Missouri

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle to a tulip glass. Bottled 11/27/2012.

A: Dark, slightly cloudy, mostly opaque. Mahogany and slight purple hues when held to the light. Very nice cocoa tinted head.

S: Dark roasted malt, coffee, oatmeal, and chocolate with notes of plum and tulips.

T: Bitter roasted coffee, malt, plum, semi-sweet chocolate.

M: Medium bodied, very very smooth. Has body without being chunky, just a touch oily perhaps. Very pleasant feel.

O: A solid oatmeal stout. Just a touch too bitter on the palate for my tastes, but there is nice complexity in the taste and especially the aroma. Well crafted beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 02:20:55 | More by tito42

Joshualvsjenny

3.26/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A: black, I can't see any light though the glass. poured with a half a finger of tan head that dissapated quickly.

S: big roasted malt aroma with a hint of coffee.

T: coffee, roasted malts, bit of milk chocolate

O: has a thin watery mouthfeel, leaves an ok lacing on the glass. I'm a little dissapointed in this one, defanitly much better stouts out their. Its drinkable, and still beats a macro brew any day.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 13:38:28 | More by Joshualvsjenny

Justin23060

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Black with dark amber highlights. Medium head diminished to coat and cling.

S - Off the pour I got some fleeting pine but just as quick it was gone and the chocolate took over, followed by some sweet caramel. Well done.

T- Based on smell, though, the taste was somewhat of a let down. Pretty straight forward malty. Dry from start to finish. Linger is pretty short. I did get some nice roastiness as it warmed.

M- Carb is somewhat lacking. Not watery... just thin for the style.

O- I wasn't expecting over the top but this was lacking boldness. I did let it warm before opening. Perhaps not enough though because it's roastiness didn't come out 'till the very end. As for recommendations. I'm not sure either way. To be fair I really need to try this again, much much warmer though.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 04:45:59 | More by Justin23060

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.95/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Aged at least a year, closer to two years...
The beer pours a dark black with a generous amout of tan head that laces. The beer's nose is rich and bready with notes of raisin, caramel/molasses, and a touch of alcohol. The aroma is potent, a trait that carries over to a flavorful oatmeal stout with heavy caramel sweetness and dark fruits in each sip. The body of this beer is a solid medium with a modest sweetness from start to finish. I would have preferred more body. Each sip is quenching considering the beer is borderline cloying, but I don't think it qualifies as having a dry finish. That doesn't make much sense to anyone except me. There is very little bitterness in each sip except for a very slight residual bitterness following a large gulp. This is a drinkable, near-session stout with lots of unexpected flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 04:31:13 | More by ThePorterSorter

jpro

South Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Six pack from Piggly Wiggly. 12oz bottle poured into a shaped pint glass...

A: Black and opaque; creamy thumb of light tan head forms on the pour; nice retention leaves some patchy rings of lace; textbook appearance... some bottle-conditioned floaties may be the only setback.

S: Dark, roasted malts; chocolate; a touch sweet.

T: Roasted malts / grains; chocolate; noticeable oatmeal flavor; some dry bitterness on the end; wholesome.

M: Near full; high carbonation; nice texture / chewy oatmeal mouthfeel.

O: A nice, sessionable oatmeal stout; very nice, in fact; a good one to have a little stockpile of...

*from notes: 12-16-12

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 03:33:44 | More by jpro

McNealc31

Ohio

4.53/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Aroma is a pleasant mix of oatmeal and loads of bitter chocolate. Chocolate continues into the flavor and the oatmeal becomes more assertive in both the flavor and the ultra-creamy texture. It’s almost like velvet in a glass. Hops come in at the back end and linger. Phenomenal balance with sweetness from the oats and charred malt.

Just wonderful.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 03:30:30 | More by McNealc31

Alextricity

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pitch black, but a nice ruby color comes through when held to light. There's a nice little, creamy head, but it goes away after just a minute or two. The lacing left behind is pretty nice.

Smell: Alcohol, oatmeal, chocolate, malt. Doesn't smell particularly good, but it's not bad at all either.

Taste/feel: Almost has an oaky flavor, as if it was in barrels. The oatmeal is there a little bit, but it doesn't taste all-too much different from a typical stout to my taste buds. The Poet also has a bitterness at the end that I'm not too fond of because there's not much sweetness in it. I also get some smokey, woody aftertaste here as well.

The Poet is a quality stout, but not quite the stout for me. The mouth feel is pleasant, the beer looks awesome, and the initial taste on each sip has a nice, slightly sour, chocolate/oatmeal/malt taste for me, but the aftertaste isn't too great. This would be a nice choice with some sort of rich, white cheese, I think... call me crazy, but maybe a Greek salad? I'd drink The Poet again, but I'm not crazy about it.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 00:44:34 | More by Alextricity