Noel: The shorter and darker the days get during winter…the darker the beer should get too. It’s an unwritten law of the universe that just makes sense. It’s on those bitter cold, dead-of-winter nights that you just can’t say no to a pitch black porter or stout.

Thankfully, New Holland Brewing Co. out of Holland, MI has just such a beer. With a nice, dark Edgar Allen Poe inspired logo and plenty of dry, oatmeal-y kick, The Poet is pretty special. As fate would have it, my parents recently took a trip up into the “pure Michigan” countryside and returned with a sixer of this stout, saving me a trip to the liquor store and some much needed cash for the holiday season.

This beer pours smooth and black with a nice frothy head (as–in my professional opinion–all stouts should). But the head dissipated quickly due to its fairly high carbonation, which was apparent once I tasted it as well. Can’t say I’m a huge fan of highly carbonated stouts…but then again, that’s about the only bad thing I can say about this brew. The Poet is like a glorious oatmeal and chocolate roast party in your mouth. You’d almost swear you were in a chocolate factory after taking a couple big sniffs. But this is still an oatmeal stout, and if you’re not a huge fan of the oat…you may just need to steer clear. It’s about as oat-packed as they come. Thankfully, though, it doesn’t overpower the beer…it’s one of those flavors that just seems to add body (and class). The aftertaste is also heavy on the bitter side, which just serves to prove why “dry” and “stout” work so well together. As with many beers (especially dark brews), don’t ice this one in the freezer before enjoying it. The flavors really bust out when you sip it lukewarm or just slightly chilled.

If you haven’t yet begun to stockpile for long nights and sub-zero temperatures, add The Poet to your shopping list. You’re welcome. Grade: A

John: It is a cold winter day. The fire is roaring. The snow is coming down and I have a stout in my hand! What a combo and I haven’t even tasted The Poet yet! This is a perfect setting for any stout. Expectations are high. Here I go. This is a very nice beer. It pours black, rich and bold. Not much of a head but has a nice roasted nuts, chocolate aroma. The taste is lighter than I like but a stout none the less. Molasses and chocolate dominate the flavor. The mouthfeel is not as creamy as I’d like for an oatmeal stout but good enough. What surprises me is ABV, only 5.2%. This makes this stout sessonable. The finish is uneventful and dry. What redeemed the whole thing was eating with Reese’s Buttercups. Good pairing. You can find better oatmeal stouts but if you want more than one this is a good option.  Grade: B

Tom:  In order to set the right mood for this beer I would recommend reading this.  After reading this poem I realized that New Holland did a great job representing this beer in liquid form.  Silky, raven black, and smooth.  The beer itself almost takes on the cadence of the poem as you sip.  I had this beer within the first 6 months after I started drinking beer.  Back then, I swore this was THE best oatmeal stout on the market and 4 years later I will still affirm that statement.  Yes, there are a handful of great oatmeal stouts out there, but some incorporate various flavors/ingredients.  I’m talking about a straight oatmeal stout pure and simple.

The body on this beer is full, slick, slightly oily, and velvety.  However, it is not overly heavy allowing a minor Porter coffee finish to present itself.  The rich dark brown/garnet brew is topped by a creamy, dense tan head which laces and almost seems to lift the oatmeal aromas to your nose.  The taste is earthy and roasted.  Light dark chocolate notes invade my palate as the oatmeal flavors are supported throughout the brew.  This is a premier example of what the style in my opinion.    Grade: A