New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon

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.

Color is amber. Nose starts with a creamy sweetness. Beneath that, notes of apple and faint vanilla present. First sip is mildly oaky, less sweet than the nose, followed by a definite flash of stout beer. Following sips reveal chocolate notes, as well as very mild nutty flavor. Mouthfeel is just a little thin but not unpleasantly so. Finish is just a little astringent, with the stout flavor coming back for a short linger with the chocolate notes. Overall, probably not an everyday sipper, but not bad at all, especially for a more unique chocolate/stout profile change-up at a lower price.

1.75l $59.00. Nose is mildly woody and malt. Starts quite sweet on pallate with grain forward from the high barley and corn content as well as the extra beer flavor. Heat is there which seems odd as the rye count is quite low and proof is only 80. According to my research mash bill is 70% corn, 25% barley, 5% rye. The grain and beer really come through on mid pallete. Finish carries that burn to back. Is a middle of road sipper for an ok but not great price. Makes a good mixer with traverse city wiskey cherries and will keep it in my bar for those times i want a sweeter sipper.

Don’t agree with the professional review attached to this expression. Its a light spirit heavier on hoppiness than corn or oak or vanilla. Pleasantly sweet, with a nose like bubble gum at first sniff. Unique and enjoyable if you like hoppy beers. Paired with a chocolate it gains a pleasant astringency and strips off the cloying sweetness on the palate. I wish I had taken the risk and purchased the 750 rather than the 375 size, hopefully I’ll be able to find it again locally.

Abalanced, bourbon by New Holland Brewing and Artisan Spirits in Holland, Michigan founded in 1996 by two childhood friends: Jason Spaulding & Brett Vander Kamp. It has a rich birth with notes of caramel & roasted grain; while life is heavy & smooth as cream adding notes of beer & hops; that led to a sweet & long death with floral, toasted oak & grain notes. 'A dessert Bourbon?' May / July 2018 / April 2019 / January 2020 / August 2022

New Holland is great at beer. Their 5-year malt whiskey is also pretty good. But this young bourbon should probably have never been released. Nose: celery and malted barley, hint of brown sugar Taste: bitter candy Finish: a hint of licorice and some weird medicinal after taste Just another young whiskey from one of 10,000 new American “distilleries”.