Dragon's Milk Reserve - Rye Barrel-Aged w/Cinnamon, Toasted Chillies, and Vanilla (2022 Reserve 1)
New Holland Brewing Company

2022 Reserve 1 Vintage: 11.8% ABV

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle dated 12-23-21 into a snifter at 51 degrees.

Look- Deep brown, opaque, plentiful large visible particulate at the margins, medium brown sudsy head, average head retention, above average lacing.

Smell- Cinnamon, apple, vanilla, chilies, high strength of scent.

Taste- Chilies, cinnamon, slight whiskey, medium strength of flavor.

Feel- Between thin and medium body, below average carbonation, highly spicy, highly mouth warming, mildly creamy.

Overall- Deep brown and opaque with copious amounts of large visible particulate at the edges. No mention of apple on the label, but the bouquet reminded me of apple pie. As the beer warmed the chili also started to come through. The flavor was very chili dominant to the point that it masked the other flavors. I picked up some cinnamon and slight whiskey character, but that was all. The body was much thinner than expected with no mouth coating properties. The high spiciness lead to high mouth warming properties. I am a fan of spicy stuff, but if spice isn’t your thing this would not be the beer for you. Bolder flavors to complement the spice would have helped give this beer a more balance. Overall it wasn’t a bad beer, it just didn’t have enough complexity.

Black in color and nearly completely impenetrable to light. There’s a fingernail of brown around the rim and covering two thirds of the top. The aroma is of cinnamon, chiles, vanilla, and bourbon.

 

 

12 oz bottle of the 2022 Reserve 1 edition served in a Belgian snifter.

Appearance: Dragon's Milk, but perhaps with a bit weaker head.

Aroma: Appealing, but with cinnamon and vanilla in the foreground I fear these additives may be overdone. Whisky is also apparent but chili peppers are not.

Flavor: A nicely balanced mix of flavors. The chilies provide little flavor but moderate heat that builds overtime as you continue to drink this. Despite their prominence in the aroma, the cinnamon and vanilla seem very well proportioned, especially with the spiciness and hints of chocolate in the 'milk'.

Feel: full bodied with enough chili heat to warm up your throat and stomach.

 

A - Pours a very dark brown with a one finger fizzy tan head. Decent amount of light soapy lacing.

S - Aroma is cinnamon, chilies and chocolate.

T - The taste is dark chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, vanilla and light bourbon. Finishes with a good punch of chilies.

M - Medium/light body with medium carbonation. Crisp mouthfeel with a soft prickly finish.

O - Not my favorite Dragon’s Milk variant. The chilies overpower the other flavors leaving nothing but lingering heat.

 

Not only does there seem to be plenty of yummy flavors in this, the initial pour is close to perfect. All considered, it shouldn't take more than the contents of one twelve ounce brown bottle to fully appreciate this. Thus, all of the ounces fit ideally inside a clear pint glass. The color of the brew is the black coffee brown standard to the good ones. It's head is biege, modest and relatively enduring. Even at cellar temperature, it's less aromatic than expected. Of course, there's some roasted barley, although unpronounced; but, where's the cinnamon, vanilla and chili? Well, they're there, albeit mildly in the taste. Moreso is the chocolate, as this tastes much more like a chocolate, rather than spiced, nor cask aged stout. It's not bad at all, as it's very smooth going down, especially for something with an ABV approaching 12%. Thankfully, the bourbon barrel tannins are in check, but unfortunately so are the cinnamon, chili and vanilla additions. Overall, this is a very pleasant AIS that just doesn't deliver the additional flavors it advertised.

 

12oz bottle from Brewers Haven. Black pour, patchy beige head with ring. Aroma is roasty malts, chilis and cinnamon. Peppers bring quite a snap to the taste, sweet chocolate and vanilla, savory cinnamon. Heat from the chilies, not from the ABV. Not much rye barrel present, however it might be joined up with the peppers behind the scenes for an overall spiciness.

Nice looking pour; pitch-black with two-finger tan head. Smells strongly of cinnamon and…that’s about it.

Cold, that’s what leaps out first: cinnamon. The chili heat is subtle, but there, with a nice mellow burn in the throat after the sip is long gone. Upon warning, not much else pops out; it’s pretty two-note. Which, for me, isn’t all bad, as I’m someone who adores New Belgium’s Atomic Pumpkin, but I was hoping for a nice peppery Rye note in here somewhere. Good, but one was probably enough for me.

 

 

When I try variants of this offering, I generally come to the same conclusion - they are good, but not great.

This version was exquisite in the nose. Whiskey notes were present with a specific spicy rye essence.

The flavor was decent but underwhelming. The cinnamon and heat from the chillies are the most prominent note but there is also a coconut flavor on the back end.

This hit the spot for me - pours out that standard Dragons Milk dark brown with khaki head. Satisfying notes of cinnamon, toasted chili, and vanilla. Mild notes of chocolate and alcohol warmth as well, combined with the chilies, this seems like an ideal, seasonal sipper.

 

 

I’m sitting by a campfire, man. Big Sur… Yep. That’s my place. Drinking this one here now, I’m feeling good like many nights I have enjoyed there. Comfort. This beer is comfort. Like mustard on a hot dog, and a clean bill of health post visiting The Bunny Ranch. Sometimes you just have to exist and be. And right now, Raul is.