New Holland Brewing Company
Independent craft brewing and distilling from Holland, Michigan.
New Holland Brewing Company, an independent craft brewery and distillery, is based in Holland, Michigan. The company runs several brewpub-style restaurants and spirits-tasting rooms throughout West Michigan. Following the acquisition of Bell’s by Kirin, New Holland became the largest craft brewery in Michigan.
The company was founded in 1997 by Brett VanderKamp and Jason Spaulding, childhood friends from Midland, Michigan, who later attended Hope College together. Their shared interest in homebrewing, developed during college, led them to reunite after graduation. After spending two years refining their business plan, they secured investors and launched the brewery in Holland, Michigan. Their original aim was to create beer with a distinct character tied to Western Michigan. The beer proved popular, and production reached just over 5,000 US beer barrels in 2006, then climbed to more than 7,500 barrels in 2007.
New Holland expanded into distilling in 2005, producing bourbon, whiskey, rum, gin, and vodka, and began selling these spirits in 2008. In August 2018, the company announced a rebranding of its flagship Dragon’s Milk Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout. The new packaging launched in 2023, alongside two new Dragon’s Milk offerings: Dragon’s Milk Crimson Keep BA Imperial Red Ale and Dragon’s Milk Tales of Gold BA Imperial Golden Ale. The company’s beer and spirits brands—including Dragon’s Milk, Tangerine Space Machine, Dragon’s Milk Origin, and Beer Barrel Bourbon—are distributed across the United States and exported to Canada, Europe, and Asia.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Holland, Michigan
- Opened
- 1997
- Production
- ca. 50000 USbeerbbl (2020)
- Other Products
- Beer, Spirits, Canned Cocktails, Alternate Beverages / Restaurants and Tasting Rooms
- Key People
- Brett VanderKamp / David White
- Num Employees
- 201-500
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Brett VanderKamp and Jason Spaulding, who grew up together in Midland, Michigan, and later attended Hope College, cultivated a love of homebrewing during college. After graduation, they spent two years formulating a business plan, quickly lined up investors, and founded New Holland Brewing Company in 1997 in Holland, Michigan. Their original goal was to produce beer characteristically unique to Western Michigan. The beer was well received, and production increased to just over 5000 US beer barrels in 2006, then to over 7500 US beer barrels in 2007. New Holland began distilling bourbon, whiskey, rum, gin, and vodka in 2005, and started selling those spirits in 2008. On August 23, 2018, the company announced a rebranding of its flagship Dragon's Milk Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout. The new Dragon's Milk packaging launched in 2023 alongside new items: Dragon's Milk Crimson Keep BA Imperial Red Ale and Dragon's Milk Tales of Gold BA Imperial Golden Ale.
Reader's Guide
New Holland Brewing Company's significance lies in its growth from a small homebrewing venture into the largest craft brewery in Michigan following Bell's sale to Kirin. The company's craft-style beer brands, including Dragon's Milk and Tangerine Space Machine, along with spirits brands such as Dragon's Milk Origin and Beer Barrel Bourbon, are distributed throughout the United States and exported to Canada, Europe, and Asia. The company's flagship Dragon's Milk Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout underwent a rebranding announced in 2018, with new packaging and additional barrel-aged offerings launched in 2023. New Holland also operates brewpub-style restaurants and spirits-tasting rooms across West Michigan, reflecting its dual focus on brewing and distilling. The company's legacy is tied to its founders' commitment to producing beer characteristic of Western Michigan, a goal that has sustained its expansion over decades.
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