Dominion Millennium Oak Aged

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

Bottled-on date is 11/17/06; drink date is today, 1/14/08. Pours a dark buttransparent amber color (not at all murky like others have posted), not much foam at all. Aroma of some spice I can’t identify, but very pleasant, with a strong alcholol zing to it. Taste is strong bourbon with vanilla flavor and those same spices I can’t quite identify. Not my favorite barleywine, but very good.

12 oz. twist-off bottle, bottling date in the upper right hand corner of the front label (112006), blurb on the back label, sampled in a snifter. A: Cloudy tarnished copper with a compact beige head of creamy foam. Decent head retention, settles into a thin soapy lacing. S: Candied fruits and sherry-like alcohol, vanilla with woody accents, light amount of earthy spices and grape must. M&T: Syrupy thick feeling body makes this a smooth sipper. Mildly crisp from the carbonation, finishes with an alcoholic dryness. As it slowly warms in the glass more the malt flavors come out, caramel, toffee and toasted grains. Spicy, grape vinous alcohol provide a continuous and lingering warmth in the palate. As this nears it’s finale the vanilla and oak woody barrel flavors become more pronounced. A really nice barleywine, perfect for a chilly rained soaked night.

12 oz bottle. 2006 vintage, bottled November 17th. Pours a murky, dark reddish orange. Thin, whispy white head. Big thick aroma of bourbon and vanilla. Flavor is a special treat, with notes of dark fruits, oak chips, and some malty sweetness. Finish is slightly bitter. The warming alcohol comes through as the beer opens up. This one still is a bit hot, will keep a couple in the cellar.

12-oz. Thanks, Boboski! Pours a deep dark caramelly, baked-bread-y brown with a thick moussy tan head that falls quickly away to nothing. Very little lace. Not much carb, but it’s not flat, either. Big cherry and caramel nose. Medium body, a bit sticky, a bit possessed of carbonation, but not too much possessed. Cherry and caramel join a wash of wood, oak, vanilla, and toast on the mid-palate. Nice light peppery hop finish. Very good stuff.

2004 Vintage:
Finally cracking into my first bottle of this - and I have to say, I’m impressed. Deep rich amber coloured body with a ruby highlight and a thinnish tan head. Aroma of toffee, figs, pit fruits, plums, nuts and malt. Medium-bodied; Strong fruity flavour with sugars coming out of every direction and a malt kick along with the taste. Aftertaste shows some malty flavours, coupled with toffee and tobacco - a bit of nuts noticeable as well. Overall, a more ’jaded’ barleywine showing some tobacco notes (hey, it is Virginia), toffee and even some fresh fruit flavours. Overall, a good barley wine that really doesn’t show much oak nor vanilla! I sampled this twelve ounce bottle, purchased from the Dominion Brew Pub in Ashburn, Virginia, dated: 22-July-2004, sampled on 24-December-2007!

Thanks to boboski for opening this brew. Pours orange to clear copper with off white head. The aroma is light with hints of sweetness and oakiness. The taste seems to start off neutral and then becomes smooth and sweet followed by some hints of alcohol and mild tartness. This isn’t as chewy or rich as similar barleywines.

Bottle at ØLbaren. Clear reddish - white head. Barrel, bourbon, vanilla, barley, sweetness, coconut, raisins, light hoppy, perfumed, light synthetic aroma, too much obvious alcohol.

Vintage 2006
Beautiful red-amber color. The aroma has an elegant vanilla presence and Bourbon whisky touch. Full mouthfeel, sweet, malty, with a vanilla touch and rum flavor. Well balanced by a strong bitterness.

Comparison to the non oak aged version. This one has less malt aroma, less complex flavor, less alcohol feeling, less bitterness, a thinner body. It’s softer. A different beer, to drink once in a while.