New Holland Brewing Co.

New Holland brewery is… well… a brewery. And a good one. We had a wonderful visit at the retail pub location in June 2011.

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Located in the center of downtown Holland, parking can be a little challenge, just head down a side street and there are parking lots behind the storefronts. The address is 66 E 8th St, Holland, MI 49423. Phone: (616)355-6422

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They have renovated a bit for more space lately. It has (surpise, surprise) a pub feel. It is loud. They frequently have bands in of various genre’s so you may need to youtube them to decide if you will enjoy them. Some of our favorite local bands have been seen the first time at New Holland. (Classic Fix for example). They also have a patio in back in the summer time , sometimes with live music. For this visit, Lynn Thompson was playing on the patio, another of our favorite local musicians. Oh yes, and the staff. I have never had anything but a super friendly waitstaff here. They look out for you.

Our 4 star rating is not for the food. They do serve up a competent mix of pub grub with some surprising twists, like the spicy olive mix for an appetizer, but you don’t go to New Holland for the food. We were going to go for a burger, but they had new york strips on the grill for 10 bucks. Shoulda stuck with the basics. The steaks were thin and marinated and cooked over not-enough-heat. Steaks not seared are not wonderful. My buddy Mike complained that his was pretty fatty. On the other hand, the sides we got were very good. I had tabbouleh which was excellent and the potato salad (not my choice) was very good as well. The women got pizzas that they labeled “pretty good”.

Drinks at New Holland on the other hand are … actually…. pretty close to fabulous. Let’s start with the beer. Their standard beers are very good. Full Circle is a german style lager. If you have had Dortmunder Gold it is similar. The Poet Oatmeal Stout is a complex rich dark beer. Sundog amber is also good, but maybe not a standout like the others. In addition they are always experimenting with new versions. I can’t wait to try the El Mole Ocho based on the spicy Mexican sauce.

Liquor

A while back, New Holland expanded into the distilling arena. Their first attempt was Knickerbocker gin. We first had it a year or so ago and the bartender made the martini with no vermouth. It was fabulous. It had the fresh complex taste most similar to Tanqueray. I have not let bartenders put Vermouth in my martini since !! Strangely, we at this visit, we ordered another one without vermouth (naked) and the taste was dramatically different, it was still delicious, complex and fresh tasting, but the was missing the classic juniper taste. I have emailed the distillery to see if they changed recipes or what. In any case, it was well worth a try and a nice change. I will add a comment below if I find out what changed. They also have their own brand of whiskey, vodka, etc. We will add comments as we try these over time.

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Prices are reasonable. Specials are very reasonable. Beers are not cheap, but they are worth it.
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New Holland has decent food and great beverages. I seem to remember good desserts on previous visits, but I can’t promise. Try a naked knickerbocker martini, you’ll never go back to vermouth