Dominion Millennium Ale - Old Dominion Brewing Company

theformula

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled on 2/1/08 from my cellar. Let's see what 4+ years have done with this.

It's got some age so appearance isn't staggering, small wisp of a tan head that recedes into a thin layer. Pretty hazy an there's some small chunks of sediment resting at the bottom.
Now the good part..

Smells fan-freaking-tastic. If English Barleywine is your style then this suffices. The biggest aromatic is the vibrant sweet, raw honey that's the closest thing to real, local honey I've had in a beer. It's the balls! Some oxidation is obvious but doesn't detract too much. This gives it a sherry-like layer that works well w/ the honey. Wet grains and caramel round it out. No alcohol or hops come through.

Tasting it reveals the age, taste has definitely changed since bottling. Some slight oxidized flavors at first but what's great is the honey...a nice thick layer of sticky "bee spit" up front with steeping grains, caramel malt, sherry/rum combine deftly. It's complex but drinks WAY too easily for 10.5%. Hops are not aromatic but finish pretty hugely with some leafy, earthy bitterness that's surprisingly bitter & sticky after 4 yrs. Dry finish.

Awesome. Not perfect and showing it's age so I wouldn't wait any longer. A damn good English BW that's worth putting some time into.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 03:58:06 | More by theformula

TonyTalon

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

05-16-2013 00:56:50 | More by TonyTalon

Dave_Treat

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -19.2%

04-18-2013 03:16:55 | More by Dave_Treat

BGsWo22

New York

3/5  rDev -25.4%

03-23-2013 18:29:09 | More by BGsWo22

jwc215

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours dark ruby with a head that has decent staying power, especially for style/abv. Some trailing lace sticks.

The smell is of rich toffee-like maltiness with a hint of tart fruitiness and a touch of honey.

The taste is of rich, sweet toffee/caramel-like maltiness balanced by tart fruitiness and an earthy hop spicing. Just a hint of honey adds to the complex taste. Alcohol is well-hidden.

It is full-bodied and very smooth. Drinks "too" easily for its alcohol level and richness. This is a well-balanced, well-made, enjoyable barleywine!

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 18:02:12 | More by jwc215

Flying_Moose

Maryland

4/5  rDev -0.5%

02-24-2013 13:41:31 | More by Flying_Moose

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev -0.5%

02-24-2013 01:15:13 | More by Sludgeman

NikD

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%

02-21-2013 15:46:00 | More by NikD

DIM

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

a: This was a clear, light amber color. It poured with a thick sticky head

s: Lots of toffee, Plus surprisingly strong honey aromas. As it warmed sugary fruit emerged.

t: Very sweet overall, but the alcohol helps keep it in check. I love the way the honey and toffee flavors work together. The finish is a lingering heat with some grassy bitterness. Not all that complex for a barleywine, yet it is extremely satisfying.

m: Nice and chewy with lush carbonation.

o: Quite a nice surprise. An excellent barleywine and a bargain to boot.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 19:49:46 | More by DIM

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.11/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle into a snifter

A: Pours a hazy amber color with just over a finger of white head with a very vigorous pour. This beer does not seem to be very carbonated, but it's certainly not flat.

S: Toffee and caramel mix with honey, dried apricots, and a hint of floral honey. A bit faint, but quite pleasant.

T: A fruity sweetness upfront - I get dried apricots like in the aroma. I get some plums as well as a nice toffee sweetness. Again, there is a light floral honey keeping the beer on the dry side. A touch of sherry oxidation in the aftertaste. Booze is apparent, but very restrained.

M: On the light side with very light carbonation.

O: A very light, yet tasty and fairly complex Barleywine. Nicely aged, I think this is at its peak.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 02:03:11 | More by coreyfmcdonald

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

02-10-2013 13:55:59 | More by mendvicdog

BeerInspector

Delaware

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

01-18-2013 02:26:20 | More by BeerInspector

ChefHopMeister

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

01-13-2013 02:10:27 | More by ChefHopMeister

marlinsfan4

Maryland

4/5  rDev -0.5%

01-09-2013 00:10:39 | More by marlinsfan4

cjbeckman

Delaware

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

01-06-2013 00:09:53 | More by cjbeckman

TrickkyGangsta

Florida

4/5  rDev -0.5%

12-29-2012 20:55:44 | More by TrickkyGangsta

cliff1066

Virginia

4/5  rDev -0.5%

12-24-2012 03:45:42 | More by cliff1066

larryi86

Delaware

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

12-16-2012 18:09:05 | More by larryi86

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This poured out as a golden orange color with a soapy white head on top. The retention is pretty good as well as the lacing. The smell of the beer had a good amount of floral and citrusy hops with some mild malt sweetness on the nose. The taste had a powerful bitterness and sweetness blended together. The mouthfeel had a medium body, it also has a solid amount of carbonation as well. Overall this beer to be seemed more like an American Barley Wine than an English one. It's a very nice beer though and I could see myself drinking this one again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-16-2012 01:32:53 | More by Knapp85

dsshuck

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%

12-15-2012 13:16:17 | More by dsshuck

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev -0.5%

12-04-2012 03:25:25 | More by t0rin0

EFR94

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%

10-17-2012 01:57:13 | More by EFR94

JacobMutberg

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -0.5%

10-10-2012 23:45:49 | More by JacobMutberg

DRyan

Texas

4.65/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is for a bottle that has been cellared, with an apparent "brewed on" date of 4/2/07 (was kind of hard to read) that I got in a trade for some Jester King.

a: Pours a dark, almost purple-ish red with very little head that dissipates quickly and does not really lace at all

s: vanilla, almost caramel like maltiness

t: Oh. My. God. That is awesome. Heavy vanilla with an undercurrent of toffee, this is like dessert in a glass. The hops bitterness is still there, but all on the aftertaste, quickly followed by just a teeny bit of alcohol bite, but very minimal. Does not show its hand as far as the alcohol content is concerned.

m: Velvety is the only way to describe it. There is very little carbonation, really just enough to not say it's flat, but the mouthfeel slips and slides down the throat, good goddamn that's nice.

d: Very drinkable. I would happily celebrate my birthday today by having three or four of these and then regretting it tomorrow, alas, this is the only one in my cellar. This is a great barleywine, and a great present to me!

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 00:03:28 | More by DRyan

jp312

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +24.4%

09-03-2012 23:44:38 | More by jp312