New Holland The Poet - New Holland Brewing Company

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

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

Reviewed from notes.

Near black with a solid single finger of foam, light levels of lacing left behind on the glass. Very faint char aroma, light amounts of coffee and *much* more emphasis on roasted malts in the flavor than on the nose. A small amount of baking chocolate bitterness is quickly squelched by all the roasted coffee beans. Somewhat lighter body but still has an agreeable smooth body.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 21:28:39 | More by WastingFreetime

webmanspidey

Michigan

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

Bottle poured into a pint glass. It is a nice dark brownish black with half an inch of head. Smell is very faint but there is a slight scent of sweet roasted malt and oat. Taste is sweet with some hints of anise and black licorice. Easy to drink and light bodied for a stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 21:15:37 | More by webmanspidey

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

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

Poured into a standard pint glass, color is black with dark brown hue on the edges, head is light tan sitting about 1/2 inch thick then dissipating to a ring and clinging to the glass lightly.

Smell is lightly sweet with very solid toasted oats and light chocolate, maybe a touch of roasted malt. the oat type flavor is very strong and pleasant, maybe some biscuit backing this up.

Taste is pretty smooth, clean and sweet malts with some hints of oats and chocolate, the oats are not as strong as the scent but the roast and chocolate do not over power them very nice balance.

Mouthfeel is just right for this brew, sitting and lingering flavors on the tongue with some light lingering sweetness and mouthfeel from the oats.

Overall, great oatmeal stout, not too sweet with great oat presence.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 22:43:18 | More by mvanaskie13

TheDinger

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle to snifter. Nice deep black pour with a small amount of tan head. Minimal lacing and spotting. Smell is very chocolate forward with hints of dark fruits, figs, coffee and oatmeal. Taste follows the nose closely with a nice blend of dark malts, chocolate, and a decent bitter hop finish. Wish it had a stronger oatmeal taste, but it has a good stout quality and a nice dark fruit finish. Feel is outstanding. Nice silky and creamy, full feel that wakes up the tongue with adequate carbonation. Overall- A very interesting take on the stout, with a hint of oatmeal and nice chocolate quality. Wish it was more complex in it's oatmeal. Comes off as more of a milk stout, but still decent. A pleasant surprise that is easy to drink. Solid effort by New Holland and one I will hit again-

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 00:57:24 | More by TheDinger

chinchill

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

undated 12oz bottle, allowed to warm for about 40 minutes, then served in Unibroue snifter.

A: The beer is very dark brown, nearly black, but clear. The sparse head color, with a short dense off-white head that fades very slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is rich but not strong. Roasted malts, plums and other dark fruits, some coffee, oatmeal and chocolate. Sweet.

T: The taste starts out sweet; too sweet were it not for the rapid fill of dark roasted malt and oatmeal flavor that turns very mildly bitter in the finish. The finish also brings out some espresso and a trace of charcoal. Milk chocolate throughout. There's some creaminess but also some metallicness to it. Some flavors of dark fruit and a mild but complementary hops presence in the background that help bring a decent balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Creamy smooth; enough carbonation to impart a light crispness; Medium body.

O: A sweet and rich oatmeal stout,with an exceptionally creamy feel.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 21:50:48 | More by chinchill

CMUbrew

Michigan

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

12oz bottle poured into a mug

A: Just barely poured with a one finger dark khaki head made up of all range of bubble sizes that soon faded into a foam ring with a film of tiny bubbles in the center. The color is quite black with dark garnet highlets when held up to bright light. One small patch of lace sticking to the glass.

S: Dark roasty malts make up most of the smell. Some chocolate can also be detected. A slight bit of coffee may be there, but it is faint.

T: The roasted malt makes up most of the flavor profile, and almost has some burnt qualities to it. Some slight chocolate taste shows up in the middle. Finishes with some toasted oats and chocolate notes.

M: Lighter bodied than I was expecting from an oatmeal stout, but it still has a nice medium body. The carbonation is higher than I was expecting although still fine.

O: This was very good for my first non-Guinness stout. I'm glad I have more of it. Went well with some Hershey's milk chocolate and I highly recommend making a similar pairing.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 06:38:59 | More by CMUbrew

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

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

First had: on tap at the Boilermaker, Philly, PA

Poured like a typical stout, dark brown-black body, foamy tan head; moderate retention and lacing. Aroma of roasty malts, cocoa, toasted grains. About the same in the taste, big on the roast, dark malts, grains, a bit nutty, and a touch of sweetness with a counteracting touch of bitterness in the finish. A little thin in the mouthfeel, about medium-bodied. Nothing really distinctive going on here, but still a solid selection.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2012 14:03:02 | More by Rifugium

hopfacebrew

Colorado

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

Poured from bottle to pint glass the beer arrives a deep rich dark black with brown edges, some retention and lacing. The nose is a pleasant blend of roasted malts together with prominent sweetness, but not overly so, and a hint of the oatmeal. The flavor also starts with the roasted malt immediately on the tongue. As the beer develops a biscuity malt base becomes more prevelant with a mild bitter and earthy mild hop character, chocolate hints, and again a malty sweetness. The oatmeal provides a nice full body. Medium carbonated. Overall, this is a good beer! A treat to have sampled, wish I had more.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 13:13:54 | More by hopfacebrew

cwguy5

North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

poured from bottle into Mother Earth Brewing (NC) stemware.

A - not really any head to speak of, just a tan ring; a quick swirl wakes it up a bit but it fades back down fairly quickly; black color with deep brown highlights; moderate spotty lacing

S - pretty mild overall; some dark malt and some distinct oatmeal at the end; lightly sweet

T - roasted malts up front, then some oatmeal, biscuit/toast, followed by what tastes like bittering hops - it may just be the malts or brewing process, i dunno; also a bit of dark, unsweetened chocolate

M - medium, soft body as expected from style; light-medium carbonation; buttery and bitter linger that hangs around for almost a minute

O - i don't have any complaints here; nice body and mouthfeel; oatmeal flavor is there; slightly dry with a complex palate ranging from buttery biscuit to dark chocolate; pretty high drinkability; super solid beer, will definitely revisit!

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 02:57:25 | More by cwguy5

rickyleepotts

Arizona

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

I don’t care what this beer tastes like, I love the label! It makes me think of Edgar Allen Poe. You know, the poet. Anyway, this beer has a sweet label and based on everything I have read, has a pretty sweet and roasty flavor to it. I like it when a beer is described as “creamy”. I don’t usually like stouts, unless I am in the mood, but this one is an oatmeal stout. Should be good. The oats help to bring down the bitterness of the beer.

In the Glass: This is a very dark beer that has a pretty weak lace. The foam on the top though is something to take note of. It has a thin layer of bubbles that makes me think it will have a hint of carbonation. But I wonder since this beer is supposed to be rich and creamy.

Nose: The nose gives me hints of dark chocolate and caramel. There is a bit of smokiness to it as well. I read somewhere that it has a “campfire” sort of smell. I can see where that comes from. I almost liken this to the nose you get on a properly aged bourbon.

Flavor: There are some serious bubbles at the beginning, and then the sweetness kicks in. When you swallow the dark fruity flavors start to creep up, and you are hit with the bitter aftertaste. I wouldn’t call this beer creamy, but the entire palate gets something here. It’s smooth, sans the bubbles, and that sweetness sticks around on the back of your palate.

Mouthfeel: The bubbles are the first thing you experience, but then the beer rounds itself well as it crosses the tongue and as you swallow. I wouldn’t say it reminds me of a soda… but it’s close. But when the sweet and dark aftertaste kicks in, the roundness fades and you are left with a smokey aftertaste that makes you want to start a fire.

Aftertaste: I have hinted at the aftertaste already, but it’s smooth, sweet, and almost reminds me of a dark chocolate aftertaste. Not good chocolate, like something you get for Christmas, but just decent chocolate that you pick up at the grocery store. It’s good though, and as the aftertaste fades, it’s OK to take another sip as this beer doesn’t have a very big ABV.

I have had this beer before, but now that I am writing to appreciate these beers, I can spend more time thinking about the overall enjoyment of it. I like it. I would order it, but under the right circumstances. It’s not the best stout I have ever had, but it does do a good stout justice. If you are looking for a good stout to have in the winter (wouldn’t suggest drinking this in the summertime) give this one a try. It’s also affordable as well.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 00:52:16 | More by rickyleepotts

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Stone Ruination IPA pint.

A- Jet black with a 1 finger cream head. Lacing remains on glass.

S- Roasted malts and slight bitter chocolate.

T- Chocolate and roasted malts predominantly.

M- Medium body with light creamy feel.

O- Good oatmeal stout but nothing outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 04:04:30 | More by kawilliams81

SickGnar

Pennsylvania

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

A: dark brown, sort of very dark burgundy when held to light & reasonably bright and clear for its darkness. Small to medium tan head that settles with reasonable speed to a skim that retains well and leaves curtains of lace.

S: Nutty malts, toasty and creamy oatmeal (hint of lactose ?), crystal malt sweetness, touch of dark bread, soft hint of vague hops, and a good bit of roast. Good hint of fruit that is surprisingly light for sucha dark beer – almost peachy.

T: Nice open of oatmeal, nutty malts, malty & oatmeal sweetness, & just a hint of scorched caramel. The middle smoothly transitions to roasty grain – firmly rather than darkly roasty. Bittersweet cocoa, chicory, over-backed raisin cookies (the browned edges & crispy raisin bits). The roast lingers into the end & finish and is joined by softly resiny and slightly minty hops with good bitterness.

M: Just slight bit over medium body with softly under-matched carbonation that is finely textured. Smooth, soft, and fairly creamy. Okay amount of chewy dextrins and some sticky sugars. A bit sweet most of the way, but the end eventually does go drying with lots of roast.

D: Superbly balanced & rounded and quite rich. Firm stout character with great oatmeal flair that is accented well by hop aspect. This is a nice & tasty beer. Very easy and pleasant to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 00:28:38 | More by SickGnar

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

2.93/5  rDev -25.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks Kyle!

Pour was a dark brown, almost black. Small white head.

Smell was a bit off. Fusel alcohols, hints of oatmeal.

Taste was interesting. I get hints of leafy tobacco, smoke, and a sweet feeling. Very light body, almost porter like. Rather simple, no real malt backbone. Feels light, and the leafy feeling reminds me of Sugar Plum Brown by CCB.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 02:26:08 | More by VncentLIFE

centurian62

Michigan

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

What a fantastic Oatmeal Stout. With a fantastic aroma and a great finish, this stout is definitely a winner. New Holland serves this stout year round and although stouts are faux pas in the summer, I still enjoy a cold Poet in the middle of July. If you are a fan of oatmeal stouts, this one will not disappoint!

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2012 16:15:58 | More by centurian62

madeofsteel

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Pours pitch black, with a mocha colored head about a half inch high, creamy looking with different sized bubbles. Nice patchy lacing. Very pretty.

S - Warming alcohol, chocolate, roasted malt.

T - Oatmeal, chocolate, and a nice bit of earthy hops. Roasted coffee finish.

M - Creamy, but leaves a lot on the palate.

O - Delicious, and gets better when it warms. A very nice stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 00:35:30 | More by madeofsteel

dexterk1

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours from the bottle as a nice dark coffee/chocolate color. Head is strong and thick.
Odor is somewhat light. Has some roasted coffee notes and maybe chocolate as well.
Taste is nice a solid as an oatmeal stout should be. Some chocolate and coffee are present. Also has high maltyness and little hop bitterness. Feel is pretty smooth and creamy. A nice stout overall.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 15:39:37 | More by dexterk1

jera1350

Minnesota

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

Pours from the bottle a solid black color with a rocky tan head that is thick and luscious looking. Lots of sticky lacing. Is this thing an imperial stout or an oatmeal stout?

What a great smell. Sweet, grainy malt, pretty big smoke presence, a peanut/pretzel thing going on too. Smells like a meal.

Very rich malty taste with very little roast until the finish. Very clean tasting. Subtle notes of chocolate, smoke and coffee though.

Very silky feel. Ever so smooth and the carbonation is just pillowy.

New Holland nailed this beer for the style. Drinks so well too. This is probably the best oatmeal stout I've had out of a bottle and maybe only second to one other overall. Great work right here.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 02:53:57 | More by jera1350

superspak

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, bottled 08/25/2011. Pours crystal clear almost opaque dark brown color with a nice 2-3 finger dense tan head with great retention that reduces to a nice cap that lasts the whole glass. Some spotty lacing on the glass as well. Aromas of caramel, chocolate, molasses, roasted malt, oats, nuttiness, light coffee, and a bit of spicy hops. Nice and well balanced aromas here with decent strength. Taste of chocolate, roasted malt, caramel, light coffee, oats, and spicy hops. Good amount of spicy hop bitterness on the finish. A bit on the dry side; but there are some lingering notes of chocolate, caramel, light coffee, and spices on the finish for a bit. Medium body and carbonation; with a fairly creamy and very smooth mouthfeel that drinks extremely easily. Nice balance of flavors and bitterness; with a fairly robust flavor profile. Pretty much zero alcohol presence noticed. Overall this is a damn nice and straight forward oatmeal stout. Nice robust flavors, balance, and easy drinking make this a session beer I would get again.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 04:16:15 | More by superspak

buyBinboaVodka

New Jersey

4.83/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is by far my favorite everyday stout. I love having this at the end of the night just to have a beer.

A - Pours a pitch black with brown highlights and a small tan head that leaves good retention through each sip.

S - Dark fruits, cocoa powder, chocolate, roasted malts, a hint of coffee.

T - Dark roasted malts with a subtle chocolate taste and coffee shining through. This is a sweet beer that leaves just a little dark chocolate bitterness at the end. Well balanced and smooth.

M - Mild carbonation and the right amount of stickyness left in the mouth that leaves a nice lasting flavor that makes you want more.

O - This is a very well balanced, mild manored stout that is perfect any day of the year. It just comes together very nice with no off flavors. One of my top 10 beers for its complex yet simple profile.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 15:22:51 | More by buyBinboaVodka

Thorpe429

Illinois

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

On tap at New Holland last week. Reviewed from notes.

Pours near black with a good tan head. Spotty lacing and a bit of a cap. The nose is heavy with chocolate and a bit of roast. Really nice oat presence coming into the flavor. Chocolate there as well. Medium body and fairly chewy. Goes down nice and easy. One of my favorite beers from New Holland.

Serving type: on-tap

01-02-2012 14:31:24 | More by Thorpe429

elNopalero

Texas

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

This poured a solid black in color with a generous layer of cocoa colored foamy goodness. There’s a luscious, creamy, roasty aroma to it that’s matched by a roasty smooth flavor that rounds out towards the end. Just a touch of dark coffee to bring things back into focus again. Finishes sharp, not sweet.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 22:37:10 | More by elNopalero

Duff27

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours an inch-tall medium mocha colored head on a black body. Cool drink-by-drink step lacing and above average head retention.

S- Smell is of sweet chocolate, roastiness.

T- More roasted malts, coffee notes. Low hop prescence.

M- Creamy, though slightly thin mouthfeel. Carbonation is on the high end for the style.

D/O- Your basic oatmeal stout, good for people trying to discover new tastes. Low enough ABV to put down a few without thinking about it.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 01:26:39 | More by Duff27

willseph

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

One of the brews in a mixed six pack I got for Christmas, I couldn't wait very long to crack this one open.

It pours an ebony color with touches of deep burgundy. A good amount of sticky lacing throughout the brew. The nose was pretty subtle to me, I smelled a lot of coffee, oats, and subtle hints of booze. For taste, I got a lot of caramel and spices and a soft rye on the very back end/aftertaste. It's somewhere between medium and heavy bodied and left me with a bit of a syurpy mouth. Overall, I think this beer would age quite nicely, I'd love to try one a year or so old.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 20:06:35 | More by willseph

Illtryit

Missouri

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

12 ounce bottle. Pours black as black...naturally for an oatmeal stout. Tan head 1 finger deep. thins out pretty quick, leaving a ring and very little lacing.

Smell that coffee!!! Seriously...its all coffee.

Tastes is mostly toast and coffee. Not necessarily in a bad way though. Kinda tasty.

I'm a little disappointed with how thin this one feels. Just a bit on the watery side.

Very strong coffee. This is pretty much a one trick pony. If you like coffee, you'll love this stout. If your looking for complexity, you'll want to pass on this offering from New Holland.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 01:29:05 | More by Illtryit

vfgccp

New York

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A – Black mahogany with ruby highlights. Light khaki head with low retention and lace.

S – Light coffee roast with savory sage and allspice.

T – Mildly acidic roast is soft and semi-sweet. Roasted chestnut center with a lightly bitter finish.

M – Smooth, medium light body. Ok carbonation.

O – Par for the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 22:29:41 | More by vfgccp