Dominion Millennium Oak Aged

Brewed by Old Dominion Brewing Co.
Style: Barley Wine
Dover, Delaware USA

Vintage 2006. Pours a bright, filtered shade of red-orange. Translucent coals. Aroma is rugged and rich, with lots of decadent malt and wild fruit character; begins as a pungent blend of roasted cherries and tomato, softening and layering in some pineapple, honeydew melon, and rotten banana. All this settles as a sugary film, thinly coating a massive, dirty, earthy fullness of gingerbread, cinnamon and caramel. Complex and pretty heated, with a somewhat predominant note of acetone and worcestershire sauce; very loud. Flavor brings a soft, rounded molding of oak, malt, and aged bitterness; toasty vanilla, toffee, sherry, and bland citrus. Mid palate, a whisk of floral bittersweetness keeps it from being burdensome in its heavy sweetness. Lots of dirty, biscuity malt, tangy strawberry and blackberry, caramel, and honey; palate is full, juicy, and chewy. Finishes with a wet, port and candy sweetness and an almost greasy degree of oiliness. Not outstanding; filtration has stripped it down a bit, and though it remains quite complex, it seems vaguely hollow at its core. Thanks Ken!

2006 Vintage (bottling date 111706)

3/05/2008: Dominion Millennium Barley-Wine Style Ale Agied in Oak Barrels has a light honey color, is mostly clear, and has a mild to moderate level of carbonation. There is a really thin beige to ivory crown that forms on the pour and then quickly fades away. The really mellow vanilla aroma also contains sweet butter toffee, a meld of various dark and ripen fruits, and hints of charred oak. The flavor is a bit more dry overall than the regular <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/dominion-millenn Millenium, but it does contain a really rich and creamy blend vanilla and soft butter toffee malt with some caramel as well. It is definitely sherry-like and an oaky quality can be picked up in the finish. The hop flavors and bitterness are more subdued in the Oak-Aged version compared to the regular one. A mild to moderate level of herbal and floral bitterness comes out toward the end and lasts through the finish. The alcohol is hardly noticeable in this beer and there really aren’t any huge bourbon notes. In that regard this is a very well-balanced beer. It also has a medium-full body that is mellow and milky on the palate and has a smooth texture. Overall I liked the malt profile, flavors, and mouthfeel of this beer over its non-oaked sibling. It still isn’t quite big or bold enough or something to make it into my top barleywine picks. Also, what I really don’t like about this beer is its enormous price tag of #23.99+tax/6-pack! Ouch!

12 fl. oz. bottle (Alc. 11.4% by Vol.) from River’s Bend Wine and Spirits in Maineville, Ohio. Rating #192 for this beer...

2006. pours a clear gold copper, sweet whisky hop aroma. flat palate with mild hop bitter finish. semi sout front, mild after to finish.

2006 vintage. Pours a slightly hazy orange caramel with a medium sized beige head. Aroma of candied sugar, malt, dark fruit, oak wood, vanilla and a hint of bourbon. Taste of candied sugar, malt, dark fruit, vanilla, oak and bourbon. Very nicely done. Could drink this one all day.

Light hazy orange, amber colour with a white head. Malty, fruity and alcohol sweet aroma with vanilla notes. Malty, fruity, quite sweet flavor with a clear vanilla/ oak note. Light dry and vague alcohol sweet finish.

12 oz. bottle. Bottled on 11/20/2006. Pours a beautiful medium ruby red with a thin off-white head. The carbonation level in this beer is perfect, looks almost flat, but just enough tiny bubbles to hold up and not detract from the overall mouthfeel of the beer. Aroma is pure oak with hints of vanilla and toffee. Strong caramel malt presence on the palate that fades to oak and vanilla at the end. Body is surprisingly light for a beer that packs this much punch. Alcohol is mildly noticeable in the aftertaste. Looking forward to putting a few of these away to see how they mellow with age. Outstanding beer from a brewery that I’ve never otherwise been impressed by.

Bottle courtesy of hopscotch. Pours a cloudy amber color with a thin offwhite head. Nice aroma of wood, caramel and hops. Very good flavor of wood, caramel, hops and vanila. The body is light with a liquorous texture and gentle carbonation.

Bottle, 11.4%. Vinous, fat vanilla aroma. Hazy brown/red colour. Very small tan head. Distinct vanilla flavour and medium bitterness in good balance. The vanilla somehow reminds me of vitamin pills, but it is quite good. Very late alcohol flavour, but not that noticeable.