New Holland Pilgrims Dole

Brewed by New Holland Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Holland, Michigan USA

Had a few different vintages at New Holland. I believe an 05’ and an 03’. I think this beer was made to lay down for a few years. Poured a nice burnt orange color. Taste is nice and rounded. Full and big with the 50% wheat seeming to smooth everything out, still nice hops in the background, caramel, toasted grain with a hint of vanilla. This paired great with the pilgrims dole infused chocolate they served. Re-rate: tried a fresh batch on tap at crunchys. This was way different than the aged versions. Not nearly as good. Big caramel, brown sugar, overly ripe dark fruit. Leaves an unpleasant after taste.

GABF ’07. Pours clear dark yellow with a small, frothy, white head, diminishing with fair lacing. Aroma is average malt (bread, hay, straw, meal), average hops (flowers, grass), average yeast (earth) with notes of vanilla. Light bodied, oily texture, soft carbonation, and a metallic finish. Average duration, light sweetness, moderate acidity and bitterness.

12oz bottle shared by WeeHeavySD. Pour and hazy orange without much head into a little sample glass. Sweet nose with a fair amount of hops, The flavor was sweet and sticky with a lot of spice, I’m not sure what it was, but thi spices didn’t quite work for me. Jon got the last sip, and I’m glad it worked for him.

Aroma of licorice, anise, pear. Hazy orange amber hue. Flavor is big and licorice, spice, sweet sticky malt and yeast. Full bodied and sticky. Intense brew.

12oz bottle via trade with someone, who I cannot recall, but to you I thank. Shared with bikesandbeer. Pours heavily cloudy orange with a thin tan head. Sweet, wheaty, fruity, hoppy nose. This is a really nice delicatly different hoppy bw. I have to say I enjoy it and it hits the spot, the spot on me that is hit by it.

I found this in a grocery store discounted for $0.99! So far this is the best bargain I’ve stumbled across, because this is a first class beer. Poured into my small snifter, mild brown color with an amber tint. Swirly light tan filmy head and streaky lacing along with a nice constant carbonation. Thick malt nose, lots of dark roasted grains. The wonderful aroma is reminiscent of plain breakfast cereal that is lightly sweetened. Hearty and cozy it’s nice to the nose. Tantalizingly sweet with a touch of fresh alcohol, it eases the taste buds with a grand smoothness. The half wheat and half barley malts blend well. I can tell that the wheat is a major contributer, but the flavor is still similar to a nice English Barleywine. A fermented dry sweetness from both malts are dominant in this beer. Tasty cereal grains with toffee and caramel. Some brown sugar as well, it’s mealy and rich. All about the malts here, hops if even present don’t contribute except for some balance. What a great treat enjoyed on the night of my 5th wedding anniversary. I have no idea on the age of this bottle, but it seemed perfectly conditioned.

This beer was a huge dissappintment. I has a burnt orange unfiltered color. More hopy then I expected. One of my least favorite barley wines.

12 oz 2005 bottle opened in Sept 07. Pours a translucent orange amber with a medium creamy lacing off white head. Aroma of caramel, dark fruits, vanilla, bready, tobacco, toast, toffee and light alcohol. Flavors of dark fruits, vanilla, toffee, honey, some woodiness and some tart notes possibly from the wheat. This rating is on a 2+ year old bottle and the beer is very smooth on the palate. I thought this was a very nice BW.