Dragon's Milk - Solera
New Holland Brewing Company
- From:
- New Holland Brewing Company
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- American Strong Ale
Ranked #145 - ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 88
Ranked #18,554 - Avg:
- 3.94 | pDev: 9.39%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 40
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Aug 01, 2024
- Added:
- Aug 15, 2020
- Wants:
- 4
- Gots:
- 5
SCORE
88
Very Good
88
Very Good
Aged in a series of American Oak foeders using a blending technique known as Solera, nuanced flavors of caramel, toffee & fig create an experience made to be savored. This legendary ale will continue to evolve with each pull from the foeders, becoming more complex over time.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BeerForMuscle:
Rated by BeerForMuscle from New Jersey
4.15/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Jun 09, 2022
4.15/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Jun 09, 2022
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by TiredTed
4.55/5 rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.55/5 rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Sometimes, innovation is taking the ideas of a different field and doing it proper.
Solera beer. The rich layers of plum fruit and blackberries tango with sweetened toffee, nougat, and caramel sweetness. I haven’t seen this in stores for a while, so I hope they still make it, but I’m worried this remarkable beer has been replaced with crimson keep.
Aug 01, 2024Solera beer. The rich layers of plum fruit and blackberries tango with sweetened toffee, nougat, and caramel sweetness. I haven’t seen this in stores for a while, so I hope they still make it, but I’m worried this remarkable beer has been replaced with crimson keep.
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
4/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle. Copper colored pour, ring of off-white head. Aroma is sweet and malty, light hoppy notes. Taste follows with sweet malts, bourbon, woody and light fruity accents. Not overly boozy
Mar 07, 2024
Reviewed by scootny from New York
3.95/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.95/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A cloudy and ruddy mahogany. Sizeable head and decent lacing.
Nose is full of toffee, caramel and figs. Oak and vanilla with I Beth cherry sweetness. Taste is malty sweet. Light alcohol. All those nose characters on my tongue. Layer after layer of complex tastes. A smoky tobacco and a hint of leather. Mild, tight leafy bitterness with a touch of earth.
Full, creamy mouthfeel. Smooth and easy drinking.
A great strong ale with lots of character and highly nuanced flavor.
Jul 10, 2023Nose is full of toffee, caramel and figs. Oak and vanilla with I Beth cherry sweetness. Taste is malty sweet. Light alcohol. All those nose characters on my tongue. Layer after layer of complex tastes. A smoky tobacco and a hint of leather. Mild, tight leafy bitterness with a touch of earth.
Full, creamy mouthfeel. Smooth and easy drinking.
A great strong ale with lots of character and highly nuanced flavor.
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina
3.77/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Look: It pours copper with a tan head. Head retention is moderate.
Smell: It has some pine aromas up front with some spiciness. There are caramel notes with bourbon and very low oak.
Taste: It has strong caramel flavors with bourbon. There are low levels of toast with some pine. There are some cherry elements well into the background with very low oak.
Feel: It has a medium body with a bit of sweetness off set by some bitterness.
Overall, there are some complex elements as this is maltier than a Red IPA.
Jan 22, 2023Smell: It has some pine aromas up front with some spiciness. There are caramel notes with bourbon and very low oak.
Taste: It has strong caramel flavors with bourbon. There are low levels of toast with some pine. There are some cherry elements well into the background with very low oak.
Feel: It has a medium body with a bit of sweetness off set by some bitterness.
Overall, there are some complex elements as this is maltier than a Red IPA.
Reviewed by tzbel013 from Tennessee
4.58/5 rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.58/5 rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours a muddy hazy brown and you immediately catch the oak barrel aging on the nose. Then you really catch it on the first sip fig, toffee and caramel notes on the finish. These flavors become even more prominent as it warms to room temp. I must say this just became my 2nd favorite from New Holland.
Aug 15, 2022
Reviewed by MadMadMike from France
3.42/5 rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.42/5 rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
A completely unremarkable supermarket beer devoid of any unique character. Thin, kinda fizzy, taste of muddled prune and a weak Heath bar picked up from the carpet. The ABV saves it from a lower rating, IMO.
Aug 14, 2022
Reviewed by Beersnake from California
4.06/5 rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.06/5 rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured at fridge temp. Pours a muddy brown with tan head. Tons of small bubbles rising throughout. The nose is really nice. Toffee, figs, plums, grass, and candy. Maybe a touch of brown sugar. Super smooth.
The taste is really unique. Leather, tobacco, toffee, dark bread, maple, a floral note, nuts, and oak. The sweet toffee and musty smoky taste really mix nicely. Each sip makes me think of something slightly different and I keep coming back for more. Lovely.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied. Long aftertaste. Very enjoyable overall.
May 20, 2022The taste is really unique. Leather, tobacco, toffee, dark bread, maple, a floral note, nuts, and oak. The sweet toffee and musty smoky taste really mix nicely. Each sip makes me think of something slightly different and I keep coming back for more. Lovely.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied. Long aftertaste. Very enjoyable overall.
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!