Dominion Winter Brew 2001
Fordham & Dominion Brewing Company

Copper with an amber hue to the light. Low constant light brown head. Big malt aroma. Malty flavor but not overly so. Medium bodied, smooth and creamy but a bit light for a Wee Heavy.

Label States: "120 Shilling Wee Heavy"

Bottled: 11/09/01
Tasted: 04/08/03

The beer pours a deep amber color, with an impressive head that is frothy in consistency, the lace thick sheets that coat the glass. Malt and caramel nose, sweet, fresh and inviting to the senses. Sweet malt start, top is middling, the finish is pleasantly acidic, the hops provide a nice spicy taste to the beer, and a malt dry aftertaste lingers on, quite a nice and a good drinking beer.

Deep amber / light bronze hue, covered by a slowly receding off white large bubbled head that leaves sparse lace. The aroma is comprised of pleasantly sweet, toffeeish nutty malt, and a light, dryish mineral note. Ripely floral Kent Goldings hop nose. Although devoid in the aroma, bright, fruity yeast esters are more pronounced in flavor, and are akin to those of Fuller's, albeit more subdued. Caramel malt and residual sweetness is permeated by a surprisingly strong Goldings hop flavor, leaving the overall balance oddly skewed towards esters and hop flavor. Biscuit malt barely eeks into the flavor profile, but provides some additional depth. Lightly bodied for a Wee Heavy, but crisp and lightly dextrinous in mouthfeel, lending excellent drinkability. Old Dominion Winter brew is an eccentric, somewhat off balanced brew and probably would benefit from more cellaring. (my bottle was capped 1/2002) In its current form it is reminscent of a wee heavy / ESB hybrid. Old Dominion considers it a "120 Shilling Wee Heavy." Regardless of style, it's a tasty brew.