Beer Man: New Holland captures essence of S’mores in new stout
Beer Man is a weekly profile of beers from across the country and around the world.
This week: Dragon’s Milk Reserve S’mores
New Holland Brewing Co., Holland, Mich.
The New Holland brewery is rightfully renowned for its Dragon’s Milk Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout, which has been so popular it is a year-round offering, where most beers in this category are brewed seasonally or as one-offs by other breweries.
Not one to rest on its laurels, however, New Holland plays around with the core beer by offering Reserve variations of the stout, which have included Mexican Spice Cake, Mocha Mint, Triple Mash and others simply identified by numbers.
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S’mores, which the label states was bottled in June 2017, is the latest and lives up to its name. First off, the base imperial stout was outstanding — a heavy body that avoided being syrupy and maintained a silky, creamy mouthfeel.
It was not overly bitter and there was no heavy alcohol aftertaste, despite its huge 11% alcohol content.
The aroma and flavor of S’mores was prominent — huge dollops of chocolate and marshmallow flavor, with a background of bready graham crackers — just as advertised.
This was a rather sweet beer. Although not cloying, it probably is best served as an after-dinner beverage. It also should be warmed a few degrees after opening; not enough flavors will come out if consumed ice cold.
Even though the S’mores flavors dominated, the bourbon-barrel aging was still apparent with hints of whiskey, vanilla and wood notes in the background.
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As befitting an imperial stout, the black body was topped with a huge frothy head and quite sticky lacing that formed to intensify the aromas even more.
It’s impressive how accurately the brewery nailed the S’mores flavors, especially the marshmallow — a flavor I’ve never experienced in a beer. There was even a bonfire aspect to the marshmallow in the form of roasted caramel-toffee.
This is a complex beer that adds more nuances, in both the aromas and flavors, with each sip. New Holland has wide distribution in the U.S.; its Beer Finder link is, searchable by ZIP code.
Many beers are available only regionally. Check the brewer's website, which often contains information on product availability by mail. Contact Todd Haefer at beerman@postcrescent.com. To read previous Beer Man columns, click here.