Dominion Millennium

Brewed by Coastal Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Annapolis, Maryland USA

2004 bottle. chilly to room temp. orangey-copper color, lightly hazy. foamy light tan head that goes real quickly. leaves a foam ring inside the glass. sherry notes, young white grapes too. sweet resiny malt aroma. flavor starts very mild for a barley wine - thin, then hoppy. sweet vinuous malt reaches the palate, then enhanced at the finish and aftertaste. alcohol heat surfaces in the aftertaste. high carbonation for a barleywine also pretty tame.

Bottle: Courtesy of The_Beer_God via trade. Aroma is nice with some banana bread, caramel, a hint of citrus, and a pretty big alcohol presence as well. Pours a mostly transparent reddish-orange with a moderate off-white head that lasts a minute or so. Apple, banana bread, and light caramel up front with a lightly citrus hopped finish with some alcohol, but not as strong I expected based on the aroma. Smells like it’s 11.4%, but doesn’t taste like it.

March 2002 Bottle: Fiery amber pour with a slim off white cap. Buttery aroma is surprisingly hoppy. Minimal oxidation. The body comes alive with lots of hop bitterness and caramel sweetness. Honey is present through and through. Sweet cherry and apple esthers in the body. Really original.

2001 Vintage courtesy of Rob (and I think Illinismitty had something to do with this, so thanks to him as well) and poured at Rob’s gathering. Sampled alongside an 03 Smuttynose and 03 Dogwood Excellent Adv. Its certainly showing its age and the virtues of laying this down, although I wonder if its just a tad (maybe 1 year) past its peak. Hard to tell, but I thought it had some hints of starting to slide. There’s nutmeg and plum, and some notes of apple cider and apple cider spices. Its drinkable despite the 10.4 ABV. Well done. Not as exceptional as the others, a bit thinner and not as flavorful, but still very good. Thanks, Rob!

bottle - Pours orange/brown with a thin head. The aroma has malt, caramel, mild hops, and perhaps a bit of oak. The flavor is caramel malt well balanced by some moderate hops taste and some fruit tones. Full bodied and tasty, it’s worth a try.

12oz bottle. I can’t remember when I bought this bottle, but I need to
re-rate a new one when I see it again. It has more hops than I was expecting.
Hazy orange with a small head. Aroma of citrus hops, candied fruit and honey. Warm and mostly sweet caramel and honey. But I bet it was better fresh.

12 oz bottle from State Line Liquors. Pours a clear reddish amber with a medium sized foamy off white head that leaves some nice lace. Very hoppy aroma with lots of floral hops upfront, some caramel and toffee coming out as it warms and a touch of honey. Medium bodied with a light syrupy coating left on your mouth and a good dose of carbonation especially considering this is a barley wine. Flavor of bread, alcohol, slight honey and perhaps a touch of toffee. I enjoyed it and the 11.4% although noticable was decently masked for such a high ABV.

Pours a copper brown color with no head. Has hints of caramel, malts, oak. Has a hoppy bite toward the end of the beer. Finishes with a dry sweet taste on the tongue. Thanks Dragonstout.