Dragon’s Milk is an Ale. What kind of ale? You got me, New Holland doesn’t actually qualify this beer as any particular type, so neither will we. Here is how New Holland quantifies the Dragon’s Milk:

The beer you hold in your hand, Dragon’s Milk Ale, is a crown jewel of New Holland Brewing Company. It is the unrivaled result of painstaking processes – both creative and scientific.

We could tell you about the centuries-old tradition of the term, Dragon’s Milk, or we could tell you about the history, craftsmanship and challenges of important, the beer inside this bottle.

Expect a complex ale with a soft, rich caramel-malt character intermingled with deep vanilla tones; all dancing in an oak bath. Unmistakably distinctive example of New Holland’s Art in Fermented Form.

Appearance:

Well, it looks like a stout or porter, a very dark beer with ruby highlights.  Think amber head, that stucks around for a long time,  resulting in some serious lacing.  The foam from the lacing was almost pasted the side of my glass.

Aroma:

Ahhh, this smells good! Strong aroma of Oak, Vanilla, Coconut, and also some chocolate under it all.  Really an amazing complex aroma coming from this beer.

Taste:

Saaaa-mooooth!  For a 9%abv beer this is amazingly smooth and lush.  This was like chocolate milk spiked with bourbon.  Strong oak and vanilla flavors add to the intensity of the chocolate and bourbon.  the coconut didn’t really come through in the flavor, I’m not sure why, but I was relieved about that.  This is a delicious complex beer.

Glassware: Goblet or Tulip

Calories: started at 23° plato (gravity) and ended around 7° plato to reach 9% abv, which would give you 325-340 calories per 12oz

Overall Impression:

Loved this beer.  I thought it was well crafted, well balanced with out being namby-pamby about the bourbon or the oak, but still keeping them in check.  I highly recommend going out and trying this beer.

Got Dragon’s Milk is a post from: Simply Beer

Ithica Beer Company describes this beer

Excelsior Old Habit is our hefty Rye Ale brewed with four different Rye Malts (American, British, British Crystal Rye, and German Chocolate Rye) comprising 40% of the Grist….it takes two mashes to avoid disaster (yes, we learned this the hard way). We age it for no fewer than eight months in Rye Whiskey barrels from the Heaven Hill Distillery (used to make their Rittenhouse Rye, a Pennsylvania style Whiskey). It also gets a healthy dose of American C-hops and is 100% bottle-conditioned.

We’re really proud of this beer, and I think it’s a departure from a lot of the other barrel-aged beers out there, as it’s not very dark and carries a spicy whiskey note that bourbon barrels just don’t have. Add in the viscosity of the rye and the mouthfeel fools you into expecting a sweet finish….nope. Very well-attenuated.

Appearance:

This beer is a deep chestnut color with a big thick amber head.  When I opened the beer, it foamed out all over the place, sign of a well bottle fermented beer.  Check out the video.  Luckily i din’t loose to much of the beer.  The head held up very well, clinging to the side of the glass creating some great lacing.

Aroma:

Right out of the bottle you can smell the oak and whiskey, past that there is a earthy spiced maltiness.  The rye in this beer really worked in harmony with the whiskey giving a real Rye Whiskey aroma.  This beer had an amazing aroma that warms you.

Taste:

Ithaca Beer Co Old Habit

A very tasty beer, the whiskey is a compliment to the flavor of the beer; not the dominant flavor as I’ve experienced in many other beers.  This beer almost borders on a stout with it’s flavors, but is a bit lighter in color. The whiskey, rye, oak, and maltiness all come together very cohesively.

Glassware: Goblet

Calories: at 9% abv this would have about 275-300 calories per 12oz serving (Calorie Chart)

Overall Impression:

A very heady beer, the 9% abv on this beer went straight to my head.  But it is also a very delicious beer, great balance of strong, rich flavors makes this a very enjoyable beer and one I wish I had another to keep around for another year.

Ithaca Beer Company Excelsior Old Habit is a post from: Simply Beer

Dogfish Head Immort Ale

Pour:

As with all beer I pour, started off standard 45° pour, but found there wasn’t much head forming. So I turned the glass just shy of vertical and the beer opened up nicely

Appearance:

Has a beautiful mahogany cherry color, ruby hues shine through when held to the light.  When poured the beer had about an inch of head, and retained about 30% after several minutes, very impressive.  With a steady stream of bubbles rising from the bottom, I anticipate it will retain a good portion of what is left while drinking the beer.

Aroma:

The dominant aroma is sweet and smoky, but there are hints of vanilla hiding behind the smoke. The smoky oak aroma is bordering on the heavy side.

Taste:

The taste pretty much marries up with the aroma. The intense oak smoke really sucker punches you followed by a head warming alcohol heat, interlaced with maple sweetness and hints of vanilla that come and goes throughout the mouth.   This beer reminds me of a coffee I drink occasionally, Café Du Monde Coffee and Chicory.  I think it is the chicory flavor that I taste in this beer, which is why it reminds me of that coffee.

Drinkability:

I think this beer is a love it or hate it type of beer, because of the intense oak, alcohol, smoke, and sweetness.  I enjoyed the complex flavors and the intensity of them, but the oak was bordering on over-the-top.  At 11% ABV, I think I would limit the number of these I drank.

Food Pairing:

Need a food that matches up with the smoke in this beer, I would love this with some smoked brisket with a sweet/tangy BBQ sauce.

Dietary Information:

The Immort Ale at 11% ABV would have a range of about 315-340 calories (per 12oz).  Because of the sweetness of the beer, I would error on the high side.

Glassware: Pint or Stein (I used a Modified Pint)

Tasting Method: 12 oz bottle

Simply Beer Rating: 90

Beer Review: Dogfish Head Immort Ale is a post from: Simply Beer

Southern Tier Iniquity Imperial Black Ale

Pour:

This beer pours a thick head on a conservative pour (Glass at a 45 deg angle) which quickly bubbled up to a inch and a half think head.

Appearance:

Has the look of a porter with dark mahogany hues and a milky thick amber head.  There is a strong head retention and fairly decent lacing.

Aroma:

This is a bold beer; from 18 inches away I can smell chocolate and a floral hop aroma.  The aroma profile is very much a cross between a stout and IPA, which is very appealing and unique.  On closer examination (nose in glass) there are notes of alcohol, mild fruity esters, and yeast.

Taste:

This beer has a very strong malty chocolate upfront feel.  This transitions into a dark plum like flavor that is quickly diluted with effervescence as it rolls through your mouth.  The Iniquity finishes with a hop bitterness that is very noticeable, but well balanced with the lingering chocolate flavor.

Drinkability:

Another great Southern Tier beer,  even though this beer is 9% ABV, it is hard to find any alcohol past the aroma.  An incredibly easy drinking beer, well balanced between the chocolate, malt, alcohol, and hops.  The Southern Tier Iniquity leaves you wanting more.  The only downside of this beer is the sweetness; it tends to build up in your mouth while drinking the 22oz bottle.

I’m not sure I would attempt to classify this beer; the appearance is that of a porter, the aroma is more IPA/Russian Imperial Stout, and the taste brings so many flavors that reminds me of an American Double or Imperial Stout.

Food Pairing:

This is a desert beer, high in ABV with strong chocolate flavors, this would go well with sweet chocolate deserts.

Dietary Info:

While Southern Tier does not list caloric info, the 9% ABV of this beer would put the calories at approximately 275-300 calories per 12oz

Glassware: Tulip

Tasting Method: 22oz Bottle

My Rating: 92

Beer Review: Southern Tier Iniquity Imperial Black Ale is a post from: Simply Beer

Stone Double Bastard

Pour:

The beer seems to like a good hard pour, start with almost no head, but right at the end of the pour it built into a big billowy thick head.

Appearance:

Dark auburn color with ruby hues you could see as you held it to the light.  Think cream colored head, fairly good lacing.

Aroma:

Wow, intense.  Alcohol, toasted maltiness (is that a word???), plumb,  and dark sugar.  Complex and very appealing.

Taste:

This arrogant beer starts of rich, thick, and molassesy sweet, then hits you with some heat so you know the alcohol is there, then finishes with a grapefruit – hop bitterness. Delicious.

Drinkability:

An excellent beer.  Glad I still have 2 more bottles!  With the intense aroma, flavors, and high abv (10.5%) it is extremely well balanced so that you can drink it and experience the flavors, one doesn’t really dominant another they just blend together.

Food Pairing:

This is a tough one, excellent beer, would pair it up with something that goes with the sweet in the beer, like creme brulee.

Tasting method:22oz Bottle

My rating: 9.4

Beer Review: Stone Brewing Double Bastard Ale (2008) is a post from: Simply Beer