Dominion Millennium

February is the time that Dominion releases their very special barleywine called Millennium. It is called Millennium, because it was the 1,000th batch of beer the Old Dominion Brewing Company had brewed. Millennium has a stellar reputation in US craft beer circles, and rightfully so in my opinion. This beer is a world class brew, one of the finest barleywines on the market today. This is the only beer that Old Dominion brews exclusively with imported English malts, and dark Virginia honey. Honey is used more to boost the alcohol than to impart flavor, but I believe one can detect a trace of honey sweetness in Millennium. What amazes me so much about this beer is its balance. Millennium is HUGE in every sense of the word. This beer is brewed with twice the amount of malt than their regular ale, it is hopped with MT. Hood, Perle, Liberty, and dry hopped with imported East Kent Goldings. This gives Millennium an amazing 100 IBU level, but with such big malt character, you would never guess the bitterness level is that high. The Virginia honey gives this beer a high octane boost, Millennium weighs in at 11.4% abv, making it a soothing, warming, comforting brew. Dominion Millennium 05 pours to a beautiful, bright, deep amber color with a slight tan head, and a moderate carbonation. The nose on this beer is incredible. Very aromatic, flowery hop aromas, sweet malt aromas, and peppery waves of alcohol flood the nose. The palate is as impressive as the nose, nice and hefty. Flavors of sweet malt, biscuit malt, toffee, vanilla, and traces of honey sweetness coat the tongue. This beer is very rich, and complex, with layers of flavors, sip and savor this beer. Millennium finishes with more big sweet malt flavors up front, balances with some good hop bitterness, and ends with a long, soothing, warming, high octane burn. This beer is liquid glory. A masterpiece of the brewers art, and as stated, one of the finest barleywines on the market today. Millennium is also bottle conditioned, so you could lay this beer down for several years, and it will continue to improve with age. In my experience with Millennium, the agressive hop aroma and bitterness will fade in time and more malt and alcohol character will come through. This beer is world class. I wouldn’t reccomend pairing this with food, but I believe it would work with desert. I suggest drinking this on a cold winter’s night next to a roaring fire, or as a night cap.

Deep hazy orange in color. Light head and sticky lace. Sweet and strong nose of rich mollasis, carmel and fant citrus notes. Mouthfilling sweetness, then slightly portish, sherryness with slight alcohol tingles . Lingering finish that is cleaned up well.

Bottle. Quite malty flavour with some pepperiness from the alcohold. Aftertaste has a little hops.

Bottle, from trade with The Beer God. Bottling date Feb 11 2005. Ok nose, little funky. Ripe fruit. Pear, banana, apple, plum. Lite whisky. Caramel and or vanilla. Hazy orangy brown color. Small head that faded to nothing. Minor lacing. Malty flavors. Sour. Like aroma with a little grapefruit. Damn this has a taste to it that I can’t quite place. Medium body, creamy smooth mouthfeel, sweet & Sour finish. Tasty enough, but I’m not diggin it. Little of the rotten fruit thing.

(on bottle at CPH Yeha05, thx for the bottle hopsctotch) Not a highroller i my book; but for danish BW it would still kick butt. Full of all the malts and hops, kind of fat in the mouthfeel. Finish is really alcoholic. An unbalanced brew, would love to taste it aged, especially barrel.version.

Bottle at Monks. Smelled like scotch, wine, vanilla, honey, brown sugar, courant and caramel. Taste was very nice but a bit young. An aged version of this would be really good.

12.04.05 12oz bottle at HW open house. Whoever brought this bottle is a real gem, I tell ya. Deep red amber pour is mostly still with a film of head. Aroma is immediately oxidation and old with cardboard, cellar, mattress, sherry, and wet leaves. Fair woodsy bitterness from hops competes with a sharp bite of alcohol. I’m certain this beer will get even better with time, but for now it’s an unbalanced mess of a bw. Finish is abrupt, though lingering pepper driness.

reddish wood satin color with a thin grey head. aroma is pear and brown sugar honey and slightly overripe fruit. plum, tea, banana, cherry, and honey flavor. pepsi notes in this. some green bean notes. very dry cotton candy finish.