Dragon’s Milk Stout
Beer: Dragon’s Milk Bourbon Barrel-Aged
Type: Stout
Brewery: New Holland Brewing Co
V
Price: $14.99 (4-pk)
ABV: 11%
About New Holland Brewing Co:
It all started for us in 1997 when Brett VanderKamp believed that his hometown and the brewing industry were due for a shakeup. And so, New Holland Brewing Company was born in Holland, Michigan near the shores of Lake Michigan.
Today, New Holland is recognized as one of the leading innovators in the revolution of craft brewing and distilling. With nearly 500 team members, New Holland’s craft beer and spirits are sold across the country, and around the globe. Our retail presence continues to grow with two full-service restaurants, a spirits tasting room, two brick-and-mortar stores, and an online store.
About Dragon’s Milk:
Throughout the ages, the term Dragon’s Milk has been used to describe potent ales and elixirs worthy of celebration – a reward at the end of the journey. We are proud to be stewards of that ancient tradition today, hand-crafting each batch of Dragon’s Milk Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout in Holland, Michigan. The best liquid in our house is now yours.
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Nose
(4)
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Palate
(4.5)
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Finish
(4)
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Value
(4.5)
Notes & Review
Nose: A nice and mellow bouquet of dark bittersweet chocolate, medium roasted coffee, milk chocolate nibs, with slight hints of caramel and vanilla cream. My only criticism is that the nose is thin compared to the swaths of flavor in the palate and finish.
Palate: The body picks up the intensity without diving too far into the bitterness of a stout. It stays surprisingly light and airy with crisp notes of semi-sweet dark chocolate and slight malt. The bourbon flavor is beautifully balanced here with notes of caramel, brown sugar, molasses, and spiced vanilla. There is a bit of Cafe con Leche right at the end before it transitions into the finish.
Finish: The coffee ramps up but there still seems to be a nice bit of the sweetened milk taste that sticks around. There is also a slight bit of spiced oak, and the semi-sweet chocolate fades back into bittersweet dark cocoa.
Review:
At around $14.99 for a 4-pack of Dragon’s Milk, it’s definitely more expensive than buying Rolling Rock. But, it’s on par for a more serious bourbon barrel-aged beer.
However, that’s where the similarities stop.
This beer stands on its own, confident and proud of its delicious uniqueness. This is a surprisingly light, crisp, and refreshing beer for a stout. It maintains a delicate balance between sweet and bitter, and at no point does the beer or bourbon profile overwhelm one another. They both stay respectfully in sync, pulling you through the pour without getting you feeling weighed down or overstimulated by potent flavor.
Overall, this is an incredible beer for the price that I would highly recommend whiskey lovers give a solid go.
Greg Sinadinos started his spirits journey writing a whiskey periodical for Fine Tobacco NYC Magazine. He began answering review requests under a social media page he named “Whiskey Culture,” which quickly merged with Greg’s passion for connecting with others and his interest in history.
Today, Greg travels the country not just looking for great whiskey, but also exploring the history and individuals that the whiskey community is founded upon. He has authored “Whiskey History From Around The World” and is the host of “The Rickhouse” web series.
I would love to try Dragon’s milk sometime, I’ll bet it taste really great and smooth. I like the name of Dragon’s milk because it sounds AWSOME!