New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon

A lot sweeter than expected

Interesting. Tastes like dragons milk - like chocolate milk. I wouldn't use it as a mixer for a Manhatten or anything.

Pours a light golden color. Smells kinda new makish, but with a nice kick, vanilla and caramel and toffee. The vanilla seems most prominent. Taste again has some new make rawness to it, a little more prominent in the taste than the nose, but there is some hints of vanilla in the background. Mouthfeel is light and smooth, hardly even boozy (ah, it’s 80 proof, that explains it). Overall, its a little disappointing, but it’s also interesting enough that I tried it. Dragon’s Milk is a nice, entry-level bourbon barrel-aged beer, but this doesn’t quite reach those levels for the bourbon world… Beer Nerd Musings: The beer barrel almost certainly lent some of those vanilla, caramel, and toffee notes to the bourbon, but my guess is that cutting it down to 80 proof did this a disservice. I’m not looking for barrel proof here, but maybe give us a little more heft, let those beery notes shine, you know? I’m betting this would be fine cocktail material though, and I should really try that.

“Distilled & aged by New Holland Brewing Company…Holland, MI…Bottled by Distillery District Bottlers…Lexington, KY…” Chocolate, bananas, fruity, vanilla on the nose. Fruity, banana, vanilla, a bit of sweetness, a bit of coffee/chocolate/roastiness on the aftertaste.