Dragon's Milk Reserve Coconut Rum Barrel Stout

Review Date 3/3/2017 By John Staradumsky

  Style: Spiced   Brewery: New Holland   Country: USA   State: Michigan   $ Per OZ: $.68 (D)   ABV: 11%

OK, Taco Mac, you’re slipping. I’ve noticed a few times lately that you’re identifying beers you tap incorrectly. Latest case in point: New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Coconut Rum Barrel Stout. You had it on the draft list as Dragon’s Milk Reserve Stout Aged in Oak w/ Coffee & Chocolate, and that sounded good to me. So, while I was waiting for Lyft to arrive (don’t drink and drive, friends) I ordered up a 5-ounce nooner on January 19^th.

It arrived, and I lifted the small glass to my nose to analyze the aroma as I am always wont to do, awaiting lush notes of coffee and coconut and…WAIT! That’s coconut! Big, beautiful, tropical coconut with hints of spicy rum to boot. Clearly, this was mislabeled. I wasn’t complaining, though. I sure do love coconut. I loved the beer so much I vowed to order a full 11-ounce glass on an upcoming visit, and a little more than a week later, I did just that.

From the website:

Coconut complements the roasted chocolate flavor of Dragon's Milk, coaxing flavors that are reminiscent of lazy summer days. Rum barrels add a tropical character.

Ingredients, also from the website:

Grains: 2 row, Munich, caramel, crystal, black, chocolate malt, flaked barley

Hops: Glacier, Nugget

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Coconut Rum Barrel Stout has an alcohol content of 11% by volume with 30 IBUs. It was newly introduced in 2016 and I paid $7.50 for 11-ounces at Taco Mac. I have yet to see it in bottles.

My glass of New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Coconut Rum Barrel Stout arrived jet-black in color with a moderate head of creamy tan foam and an amazingly robust nose of coconut and rum; indeed, they were not in the nose, they were all over the nose. Taking a sip, I got deep dark luscious roasty chocolate goodness in the palate intensely infused with sinfully tropical coconut and boozy island rum. The beer finishes soft chocolaty and gently roasty with rich and warming alcohol. That's some of the best $7.50 I would have spent in a long time, although technically the beer was free since I’m still using bonus gift cards from last November and December.

When a beer says it has coconut and rum, I want coconut and rum, and they’re both abundant here. I’ve had far too many “coconut” infused beers that just didn’t deliver the featured ingredient. That is not a problem here, and as a result, I’ll be back for more of this beauty.

Glad I tried it?  T

Would I rebuy it??