Dominion Hop Lips IPA

Just a couple weeks ago we were at an event where the bar was stocked with good beer, including selections from the Dominion "Pinup Pack." I was telling friends about an upcoming addition to the series, Hop Lips IPA, that I hadn't had yet but was looking forward to trying out. As if the brewery heard my laments, just a few days later a smile-inducing box appeared from Fordham & Dominion Brewing, containing samples of that new beer.

Being an IPA fan, I was of course anxious to try it out, and finally had the chance this week. Dominion Hop Lips IPA pours a deep marmalade color with a thick white head. The foam is persistent, leaving behind copious lacing. (The head was either persistent or I drank the beer too quickly.) The aroma is earthy and malty, with a hint of tropical fruit. The flavor profile contains all of the above, with the addition of bitter citrus hops. The finish had lingering bitterness and a hint of white wine-like astringency. Hop Lips hits a tasty balance of the rich malt base and citrus fruit. At just 6% ABV, it's at the lower end of the range for an IPA, making it quite suitable for Summer sipping. Hop Lips should be appearing on Mid-Atlantic beer shelves soon.

Even though founded in Virginia in 1989, Dominion Brewing has never before brewed an IPA. I'm glad they finally got around to it in 2015, adding Hop Lips as a year-round addition to their lineup. Dominion Brewing and Fordham Brewing joined forces in 2007.

The beer reviewed here was a promotional sample from the brewery. My impressions are provided of my own free will.

Dominion Abbey Ale

Abbey Ale is the latest release in the Dominion Brewing "Pinup Series." The slightly irreverent artwork actually has some basis in history. It was a Benedictine nun, Hildegard von Bingen (1098 - 1179), the Abbess of Diessenberg, who first wrote about the preservative powers of hops in beer.

I shared the sample bottle with Colleen this weekend; after all it was Mother's Day. The Dubbel-style beer pours a deep copper color with a thin off-white head. The aroma is yeast and caramel. The flavor brings in caramel, butterscotch, banana, and a hint of dark fruit. A touch spiciness comes through at end. The finish leaves behind a mild sweetness while a moderate carbonation tingles the mouth. The 7.5% ABV adds just a touch of detectable warmth, but the overall profile is quite smooth.

We both enjoyed the Abbey Ale. It was a delightful late afternoon "appetizer" on a relaxing Mother's Day. Splitting the 12 ounce bottle left plenty of room for dinner, dessert and drinks to come later.

Abbey Ale replaces Candi Belgian Tripel in Dominion's Pinup variety pack and will also be available on draft in the mid-Atlantic states.

The beer reviewed here was a promotional sample from the brewery. My impressions are provided of my own free will.

Dominion Candi - Tasting Gold

I was going through the various newsfeed I follow yesterday evening and came across several headlines like this one, "Dominion Brewing Candi Belgian Tripel Takes The Gold." I then remembered that I had a couple bottles the brewery had sent last Fall and I never got around to trying out. After digging around in the basement a bit, I found them. What better time than now to open them and find out what the judges in Denver liked? Is there a better excuse to have a beer?

Dominion Candi Belgian-Style Tripel pours a bright copper-marmalade color with a thick, but short-lived white head. Immediately during the pour, I could detect the rich aroma of Belgian yeast, bread and honey. The flavor is a mix of clove, yeasty bread and sweet fruit with just a hint of alcohol burn. There's a hint of happiness that comes through near the end as well. Carbonation is on the low side. The mouthfeel is moderately "thick." The finish leaves a dry, lingering sweetness behind.

At 9.5% ABV, Candi is a sipper, especially on a "school night." During our tasting, Colleen asked if we were drinking a high alcohol beer. When I answered in the affirmative, she replied, "Huh, I don't get that burning aftertaste like so many high alcohol beers." It's true, while I could detect a bit of alcohol in the taste, it doesn't burn.

Candi is, as one can deduce from the label, part of Dominion's "Pinup" series. It's available seasonally on draft and in Dominion’s Pinup variety 12-Pack. Despite my lateness in getting to the review, you can still find the variety pack on store shelves.


The beer reviewed here was a promotional sample from the brewery. My impressions are provided of my own free will.

Dominion Octoberfest

While doing out grocery shopping this weekend, I checked the beer aisle for any Oktoberfest beers still in stock. After enjoying the Oktoberfest beer at Blue & Gray's celebration last weekend, I was in the mood for some more Märzen style beers. Lo and behold, not a single Oktoberfest to be found, except the ubiquitous Sam Adams seasonal. Well it is almost October after all, the season's all but over! However, upon arriving home, I remembered that I had a bottle of Dominion Octoberfest in the fridge. It was part of a sample box sent from Old Dominion Brewing last month. I opened that bottle after dinner Sunday evening.

The beer pours a reddish-orange color. I had to pour hard to build up the off-white head, which dropped quickly to a persistent, but thin ring. The aroma is very malty, with toasted, sweet bread hints. The flavor turns on the malt aspect full bore. It's bready, slightly sweet, with an ever so slight hop bitterness. There's a bit of sharpness in the finish, but overall the flavor is malt, pure and simple. It's bready, but not overly sweet. The mouthfeel is creamy, with low carbonation. 

I guess I've been lax in picking up stash of Oktoberfest/Märzen beers this season. So many beers, so little time. I'm glad I had this bottle to open to satiate my craving a little bit. Officially, Oktoberfest runs through this coming Friday, but my marking of the "season" may be shortened.

The beer reviewed here was a promotional sample from the brewery. My impressions are provided of my own free will and mind.

An Afternoon of Beer & Food

On Saturday, we hosted the Beer and Food Tasting Event we had donated to our school's fundraising auction. Even though we've now put on this event for six years, the days leading up to it are filled with both anxiety and excited anticipation. Choosing just eight beers from the hundreds available is tough enough, but planning the accompanying food menu is a challenge too. The hardest part isn't picking what we're going to serve, it's narrowing it down! Even though planning, and beer shopping, starts weeks in advance, changes happen right up to the day of the event. But the work and stress all pays off when folks arrive and the fun begins.

Table ready for people, food and beer

We had eight people in for the tasting. Over the course of 4 hours we enjoyed eight different beers accompanied by eight different plates of food. I picked beers that showed the wide range of flavors available in craft beer, and purposefully selected beers that are easily found in the area. Colleen did an excellent job with the food. After deciding the type of food we wanted with each beer, she searched for recipes. One of the things that makes this exciting, is that she also uses this as an opportunity to try new recipes, so most of the recipes we've not had before. The menu pairings are based on our prior experiences with beer and food. With few exceptions, we don't repeat things we done previously. If I do say so myself, this menu was one of the best we've put together. All the combinations worked very well, and a few of the pairings were especially notable.

Vienna Lager

Devils Backbone Brewery, Roseland, Virginia

Vienna Lager (4.9% ABV)

Paired with Artichoke Dip and Tortilla Chips

Schwartz Bier

Devils Backbone Brewery, Roseland, Virginia

Schwartzbier  (4.9% ABV)

Paired with Antipasto Platter

Port City Optimal Wit 

Port City Brewing, Alexandria, Virginia

Belgian White Ale (5.0% ABV)

Paired with Peaches and Cream French Toast Casserole

Festina Pêche

Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, Delaware

Berliner Weissbier (4.5% ABV)

Paired with Goat Cheese and Salmon Bites

Grateful Pale Ale

Star Hill Brewery, Crozet, Virginia

American Pale Ale (4.7% ABV)

Paired with Pork BBQ and Cornbread

Hercules Double IPA

Great Divide Brewing Company, Denver, Colorado

American Double/Imperial IPA (10% ABV)

Paired with Salty-Sweet Bacon Panini

Morning Glory Espresso Stout 

Old Dominion Brewing Company, Dover, Delaware

American Double / Imperial Stout (9.0% ABV)

Paired with Chocolate Lava Cake

Horn Dog Barley Wine

Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, Maryland

Barley Wine Style Ale (10.2% ABV)

Paired with Blue Cheese, Sugared Walnuts and Pears

The two opening beers were chosen with a specific purpose in mind. Both beers are lagers, from the same brewery, both are equal in alcohol content, but the beers could hardly be more different. I wanted to address the false adage that dark beers are "heavy" and/or high in alcohol. Devils Backbone Schwartzbier is light bodied and very flavorful beer. One guest even commented before I made my pitch how she was expecting the beer to be heavy, and that she didn't usually like dark beer.

The Dogfish Head Fêstina Peche with Goat Cheese and Salmon Bites was a very popular serving. We'd never tried this combo, and in fact it's been a couple years since I drank this beer, but my memory of it was spot on. The sour, fruity beer stood up well to the strong flavors of the goat cheese and smoked salmon.

We served another grilled sandwich, this time a hearty, Salty-sweet Bacon Panini, with Great Divide Hercules Double IPA. I selected Hercules specifically for the shocking, strong flavor of the beer. One participant took a sip and immediately let out a "eeww"exclamation, so it worked. We all had a good laugh. The flavor of the beer held up well to the strong brie and bacon fillings.

The wrap up course of Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine with Blue Cheese, Sugared Walnuts and Asian Brown-skinned Pears was a fitting, and surprisingly refreshing pairing. I selected a barley wine style ale specifically as a digestif. By this point in the feast everyone is quite full. Even though the beer is high in alcohol, it's a refreshing sipper especially in combination with the sugar-coated walnuts and fresh, juicy pears.

At the end of the afternoon even the more experienced craft beer drinkers in the crowd had a new appreciation and awareness of the variety available. And the one person who noted she really wasn't a beer drinker at the start, concluded that she actually does like it. It's just a matter of finding the right beer!

As good as the beers were, I have to admit that it's the tasty foods prepared by Colleen which make the event special. It's not just the beers that folks talk about, the tasty delights that Colleen prepares always impress. As one participant noted, "I liked the beer, but it was even better when I had the food with it." And that's why we do it.

All done but the cleanup

Three Girls & A Beach House

Gotcha. :-)

However, that is an accurate summation of the beer sampler sent by Old Dominion Brewery last month. The three "pin-up series" beers have already been covered; here, here, and here. However, this first day of Summer seems the perfect occasion to post comments on the remaining bottle in the package, Beach House Golden Pilsner.

Beach House Pilsner pours a translucent straw-yellow with frothy bright white head. The aroma is grainy, with a hint of lemon citrus. The flavor is bitter at the start, with distinct grassy and floral notes as well. A citrus zest follows that lingers in the finish along with a very dry bitterness. The flavor profile is distinct and rich. The moderately low ABV of 5.2% makes Beach House Pilsner a flavorful option for Summer enjoyment.

The beer reviewed here was a promotional sample from the brewery. My impressions are provided of my own free will and mind. The only outside influence being the beer itself.

GiGi's Farmhouse Ale

I enjoyed a recent evening in the company of another of the Old Dominion "pinup girls" this week. (The beer series. What did you think?)

Gigi's Farmhouse Ale pours a copper-orange color with a frothy white head. The aroma is a yeasty, slightly funky malt, with cloves and a hint of citrus. Tasting the beer I was at first struck by the Belgian-ish funk and bitterness. Then the complexity of the Saison-style follows. I get hints of cloves, bitter citrus fruit, cinnamon, pepper, and tart apple, to name a few. The finish has a drying bitterness, with strong pepper and yeasty flavors lingering behind. The 7.2% ABV is well-masked allowing the spicy flavors to come through unhindered. 

Whenever I drink a Saison or Farmhouse Ale, it takes me a few sips to "get into" the beer. There's typically some spice or funky yeast flavor that takes my tastebuds by surprise. It's different, rather then unpleasant. But after a few sips, I've adapted and find the style quite enjoyable. I can still recall my very first bottle of Saison Dupont, right down to the place and the friends who were there. I wasn't so sure about that beer at the time! But now I enjoy these beers frequently, despite the initial sip adjustment. Likewise, I enjoyed my glass of GiGi's, despite the added distraction of trying to make notes on the flavors. (All for you, dear reader. All for you.)

GiGi's Farmhouse Ale is the summer entry in the Dominion "Pinup Pack" assortment, along with the previously reviewed Double D IPA and Morning Glory Espresso Stout. While the other two girls are available in stand-along six packs, GiGi's is available only in the variety pack or on draft. Candi, a Belgian Tripel, will replace GiGi in September. I'll be looking for a "date" with Candi this fall.

The beer reviewed here was a promotional sample from the brewery. My impressions are provided of my own free will and mind. The only outside influence being the beer itself.

Cherry Blossom Lager

When I received the sample package from Dominion Brewery, I was very interested in trying out the Espresso Stout and the Double IPA. Admittedly, the included Cherry Blossom Lager did not greatly interest me. I'm not a fan of fruity beers, and the label inscription "made with real cherries" made me hesitant. However, a beautiful Spring evening, after a quick trip to the range, seemed like a fitting time to try it out. Besides, if it was not to my liking, I could pour it out, never to be mentioned again.

Dominion Cherry Blossom Lager pours a hazy, dark amber with a reddish tint. Despite active carbonation in the liquid, the head was thin and short lived. The aroma was a bready malt with a faint fruity aspect. The taste is a grainy, barely sweet lager, with a slight fruit flair. A tart, though mild, hint of cherries comes through at the end. The overall flavor profile is pretty subdued. Mouthfeel is clean with active carbonation.

There's no ignoring that this is a fruit beer, but the fruit profile is fairly innocuous. The cherries provide a bit of a twist in the flavor, but do not have enough impact to hide the lager nature. The beer was refreshing and the added tartness was enjoyable. I will admit I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the drink as much as I did. My personal preferences may not make this a beer I seek out in the future, but I didn't have any trouble finishing my glass.

Morning Glory Espresso Stout

Morning Glory Espresso Stout is another entry in Dominion Brewing's "pinup girl" series. This bottle of stout has been sitting in the fridge tempting me since it arrived. (No pun intended.) I finally had the chance to sit down to enjoy the beer this week. I was not disappointed.

Morning Glory pours dark, make that black, and opaque, with a rich cappuccino-colored head. The dark coffee aroma is apparent right away. The dominant flavor is that of dark espresso. Hints of dark chocolate and a bit of roasted malt come through as well. There's just enough sweetness in there to keep the bitterness in check, creating a very well-balanced flavor. The mouthfeel is creamy and smooth. Despite record-setting high temperatures outside, this rich dark beer was quite refreshing and enjoyable.

It's no secret that I enjoy rich dark coffee as much as beer; I frequently drink a cup or two after dinner. (Despite the supposed caffeine effect, I am still apt to fall asleep with a book on my lap.) As I enjoyed the Morning Glory Stout, I couldn't help but think about the wonderful convenience of combining these two brewed beverages. (And still fall asleep in my chair after a hard day.)

After taking the accompanying photo, I split my glass with Colleen. She enjoys a good coffee stout too. Even at 9% ABV, half a glass was not enough. I will have to look for this in my local store. We are planning another beer tasting fundraiser event for the school, and I told Colleen we should work Dominion Morning Glory into the menu. I think our guests will enjoy it as much as we did.

The beer reviewed here was a promotional sample from the brewery. My impressions are provided of my own free will and mind. The only outside influence being the beer itself.

Double D Double IPA

Originally a one-time release, Double D IPA is the latest addition to the year-round list of beers from Old Dominion Brewing. The promotional package I received recently also included another beer in the brewery's "pinup" series, Morning Glory Espresso Stout, as well as a sample of Cherry Blossom Lager. It should be no surprise to regular readers that I opted to try out the IPA first. I look forward to sharing my experience with the other two beers in the near future.

A fairly robust pour builds a small, but persistent head over the dark orange beer. Copious creamy lacing is left in the glass. The aroma is sweet malt, grass and a hint of alcohol. The flavor profile combines a sweet malt base, with grapefruit pith and resiny pine. The sweet malt predominates and overtakes the citrus notes at the end, leaving an astringent and sweet finish. The 9% ABV provides some warmth. The overall impression tends towards a mild Barleywine, though in my mind, there is a blurry line between a Double IPA and a Barleywine Style Ale.

The artwork for both the Double D and Morning Glory packaging is based on the WWII practice whereby a pilot would embellish the nose of his airplane with a very personal piece of art. Though often frowned upon by the upper echelon, these paintings were intended to inspire and motivate with their provocative nature. Also in the package I received were two 17" x 11" heavy paper posters of the artwork for Double D and Morning Glory. They'll make nice additions to the breweriana corner in the basement.

Bottles of Double D IPA are showing up on store shelves now. And, in good news for craft beer fans in Ohio and Michigan, your states are included in the Old Dominion distribution range.

The beer reviewed here was a promotional sample from the brewery. My impressions are provided of my own free will and mind. The only outside influence being the beer itself.

Revisiting An Old Favorite

One of the joys of keeping a lot of beers on hand is that I never know what forgotten treasure will work its way to the front of the refrigerator shelves. Recently, Colleen and I were standing in front of the open fridge, trying to decide just what we beer we were in the mood for. She spied a bottle of Dominion Oak Barrel Stout, while I grabbed a New Belgium Snow Day.

I carried the bottles upstairs and poured the stout first. As much as I have been enjoying the Snow Day recently, as soon as I saw that rich dark beer and creamy beige head, and took a good sniff of the aroma, I changed my selection. Fortunately there was another bottle to be had.

As noted, Oak Barrel Stout beer pours jet black with a beige head. The aroma is that of dark chocolate and roasted malt, with faint vanilla notes. The taste is rich in roasted malt and espresso with a touch of smokiness. The mouthfeel is creamy and there's a lingering, and pleasing, mild bitterness left behind.

I recall Dominion Oak Barrel being one of my early "discoveries" when I started exploring the world of craft beer. Of course, that was when Old Dominion Brewing was still in the "Old Dominion." I can remember distinctly enjoying draft pints of this beer, and a huge plate of nachos, at a local pub many years ago. It's interesting what memories, and distinctly vivid memories at that, can be invoked by a simple glass of beer.

Dominion Hop Mountain

Lately I've been making a point to focus my beer purchases on readily available, year-round beers. Hop Mountain Pale Ale from Old Dominion Brewing Company, in Dover, DE, is one of those "grocery store" beers that's found in many stores around here. As such, it's easy to overlook or take for granted. Indeed I've walked past it many times.

The beer pours a dark, copper-orange color. There's an attractive and thick off-white head that persists. The aroma is slightly sweet, with a hint of citrus. The flavor is initially bitter; think grapefruit rind, but that is offset and balanced by sweet malt. The finish is dry and the bitter citrus notes linger.

Apparently this beer replaces Dominion Pale Ale, brewed when Old Dominion was located in Virginia. Looking back through these Musings, I see that I reviewed Dominion Pale Ale a couple of years ago. And indeed, my notes are similar.

Dominion Hop Mountain is a standard Pale Ale that's a good choice for an "everyday beer." And there's no need to make a trip to a specialty store to find it.

Millennium Ale - Virginia Brewing Nostalgia

Yes, Old Dominion Millennium Ale. I still have a few bottles of Dominion Millennium Ale stashed away in the basement. Old Dominion Brewery is now located in Delaware, but these bottles, dated January 31, 2008 were produced when the brewery was still located in Ashburn, Virginia.

Poured into a brandy snifter, in preparation for an evening of relaxed sipping, Millennium Ale is a dark amber color and nearly opaque. The beige head lasted only a few minutes. The aroma is faint and indistinct, a little bready malt with some apple and pear-like notes. The flavor is sweet at the start and then finishes with a mild bit of bitter citrus hops. After three years I'm pleasantly surprised that the hop notes are still there. A sweet, resiny coating is left behind in my mouth. The bottle label has no ABV noted but I seem to remember it used to be listed in the 11-12% range. The beer still has a pleasing alcohol warmth going for it.

As I was enjoying this Dominion Millennium Ale I couldn't help but think that I'm drinking a bit of Virginia brewing history. The Old Dominion Brewing Company was a Virginia landmark for 20 years. They still make the same good beers, but the Old Dominion name is historical nomenclature now.

Old Dominion Brewing - The Bottles

I have been saving beer bottles for many years. There are several hundred bottles on shelves in our basement. While looking at them recently, I was struck by some of the changes in labels from some of our favorite breweries. I'll be posting pictures of parts of the collection in the future.

First up, Old Dominion Brewing Company. This is not representative of every beer produced by Old Dominion, but you can see some of the label variety. Note the Spring Buck, Ale, Lager, and Oak Barrel Stout label changes. Yes, that's a Dominion Ginger Ale bottle.

I hope you will enjoy seeing the variety of craft beer labels and bottles. At the very least, I'll have an excuse to get the bottles down and dust them off!

Click on the photo for a larger view.

Last Year's Beers

Winter seasonal beers have started appearing on store shelves and it's time to start drinking some of my favorite beers. But not the stock that is on the shelves now. No, I'm talking about the beers I stashed away last winter. While many winter-release beers are fine to drink right away, they are often even better with just a bit of age on them. Over the past few weeks, we've enjoyed several of these "old beers."

Not surprisingly to regular readers of these musings, one of the first beers to come out of storage was Clipper City Winter Storm. One of my all-time favorites, I've had a case stashed away since last fall. The 2009 release made it to the stores a few weeks ago. I've enjoyed quite a few from the stash already.

Tröegs Mad Elf is one that is eagerly awaited by area craft beer fans. I too look forward to its release. However, I am not a big fan of this beer when it's "fresh." Aging in the basement for a year serves to blend the flavors. I find the fresh version a bit harsh, but I'm certainly enjoying the previous season's batch.

Barleywines are great beers for holding on to. Old Dominion Millennium Ale is one we picked up last year, but saved for later. It seems a touch sweeter than I remember from last year.

In additional to barleywines, imperial stouts are perfect candidates for a bit of aging. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout is a favorite around here. Indeed, there's a case from last year waiting to be enjoyed on a cool evening in front of the fireplace.

Of course, many folks store these, and other beers, for much longer than a year. I too, lay down a few bottles to keep for a longer time. But these are just a few that I look forward to enjoying after a short rest in the cellar. As the weather starts to cool, and I start hearing folks on the look out for their favorite winter seasonals, I'm ready. No trip to the store needed.

Naturally, I'll need to restock for next year!

Get Your Own Virginia Brewery

Here's your chance to pick up your very own microbrewery, or at least the start of one, right here in the Old Dominion. Now that (Not In The) Old Dominion Brewery has moved their operations to Delaware, the surplus equipment in Ashburn is being sold at auction. The items available include 40+ stainless, jacketed fermentation and bright tanks, a 250 bottle / minute bottling line, and labeling and packing equipment. The equipment is available by the piece or in-bulk. But you better be quick, it's first come, first served.

See the auction announcement here. Anyone want a piece of Virginia brewing history?

The Session #25 - Love Lager

This month's edition of The Session is sponsored by John Duffy at the "The Beer Nut" blog in Ireland. In announcing this month's theme, John writes:

So for this Session, let's get back to basics. I'm sure I'm not the only one whose early drinking career featured pale lager in abundance, so consider this a return to our roots as beer drinkers. Don't even think about cheating the system: leave your doppelbocks and schwarzbiers out of this one: I want pilsners, light lagers, helleses and those ones that just say "beer" because, well, what else would it be?

So basic lagers it is. Often maligned as flavorless, bland, and ignored, this group of beers owes their undeserved reputation to those truly flavorless, bland beers foisted upon unsuspecting and ill-informed drinkers by the big factory brewers. Despite that confusion, there are indeed plenty of good, full-flavored lagers available for our enjoyment.

Although Pale Ales, IPAs, Stouts and other ales get most of my attention, there's always a basic lager or two on hand. Whenever I'm selecting beers for a party, I keep at least one lager on the menu. Friends who drink macro-lagers will usually be willing to try a craft lager. Starr Hill Jomo Lager is an excellent lager that I've used to introduce folks to craft beer. Brooklyn Lager is another craft lager that's readily available locally.

My aversion to inappropriately ice-cold beers is well-documented. However, when a very cold beer is warranted, a cold lager is often the best option. A good lager will stand up to being enjoyed extra cold better than a double IPA or a stout. Old Dominion Beach House Golden Pilsner is a good Summer lager, excellent after a day of yard work. Locally, Blue & Gray Classic Lager is a popular choice. After a day of tasting beers at a festival, it's often a crisp lager that I'll end my day with. The lower alcohol is welcome, and the fresh, sharp flavors refresh the palate.

For this Session review I selected Dominion Lager from Old Dominion Brewing. Dominion Lager is readily available at the local grocery store and is a staple in my beer refrigerator. This Dortmunder-style lager pours a copper-tinted yellow with a thick white head. The head is long lasting and leaves behind sticky lacing. The aroma is that of sweet bread, with some citrus and grass notes. The flavor is bready malt with a hint of tartness. Bitter hops come through in the finish and linger in the aftertaste. Overall, this is a simple yet refreshing beer.

Good lagers are certainly not hard to find. If you think lager is synonymous with bland, think again. Don't let the reputation of the boring American macro-lager get in your way of enjoying a refreshing, classic beer.

Be sure to check back at The Beer Nut for the Session roundup. Meanwhile, you can participate in The Session live via Twitter by adding #thesession to your posts and following along here.

Update, March 10: John has posted his summary here. Apparently this was a graded assignment. Some bloggers' interpretations "failed".

The Pub - The Secret Is Out

Friday evening our Dads Group got together for an evening of good cheer and theological discourse. This monthly gathering is usually held at The Pub. We always sit in the so-called non-smoking section and typically have the place mostly to ourselves. This weekend when the first four of us arrived we ended up getting the last available table. I asked the waitress if they were giving something away and she replied that they were "reviewed in the paper." The Free-Lance Star has let the cat out of the bag. A good review last week was the cause of the evening's crowd.

The Pub features excellent "pub grub". The burgers are the main attraction, but the fish and chips platter is another popular selection. However, don't expect a late night meal as the kitchen closes at 9:30PM even on weekends. The tap list consists of some macros, a couple of "irish" beers, along with a few craft beers. They do keep a Sam Adams seasonal on hand, and also currently have an old favorite, Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout on draft. The oak and roasted flavors of the draft Oak Barrel Stout are a bit more robust than in the bottled version. I've not had this one on draft in awhile so a few pints with dinner was a nice treat. You can also get a number of "black and tan" combinations poured if you are so inclined

After a few table shuffles, we did manage to seat our entire group of eleven. We had a good time and eventually heard from the staff that "the door is locked but you can let yourselves out anytime," indicating it was time to go home.

Odds & Ends From Around Virginia

Beernews.org let us know that Old Dominion Brewery will release their popular Dominion Millennium Ale in February. When asked about the possibility of a release party, Casey Hollingsworth, VP of Sales and Marketing for Coastal Brewing told Beernews.org "that there is the possibility of release events taking place at the two Old Dominion Brew Houses (DC Convention Center and College Park)." Last year Millennium did not make it to Fredericksburg, and I had to look northward for a supply. Perhaps with the recent distribution improvements for Old Dominion beers I'll be able to buy Millennium locally this year.

First Tracks Online Ski Magazine has a report on Wintergreen Hibernator Doppelbock. This is a new beer brewed by Blue Mountain Brewery specially for the Wintergreen Ski Resort. Wintergreen is a popular tourist attraction so it's good to see craft beer promoted there. According to the brewery's website Wintergreen Hibernator is also available on draft at the brewpub.

The online version of the Roanoke Times has an article on a new brewpub in Blacksburg, VA. Bull & Bones Brewhaus and Grill opened to the public on January 1. The 10,000 square foot restaurant features a 100-foot granite-topped bar. The brewpub will feature seven house brews, as well as three macro-beers. The owners say they hope to "eventually win skeptical customers over to their handcrafted brews." Amen to that.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports on expansion plans at Legend Brewery. The Richmond brewery plans to add a bottling line, fermenters, and storage tanks. The plans also call for making Legend beers available in 6-packs of 12 ounce bottles. The brewery hopes to expand its distribution range as well.

The Session #23 - The New Year

The January edition of The Session is being coordinated by Brewmiker (a.k.a. Beerme) at the Beer and Firkins blog. The theme is The New Year: What will you miss about 2008 and what do you expect will excite you most in 2009, in the "Beer World"?

Tough topic. I already did the requisite end of year post. I prefer to look forward to what's coming up rather than lament what's gone by. However, in the Old Dominion we are witnessing a passing of sorts. One stalwart Virginia brewery prepares to relocate out of the state, while another stands poised to claim their spot as Virginia's benchmark brewery.

It's old news now that Old Dominion Brewery plans to close the Ashburn, Virginia facility and relocate to Dover, Delaware. Old Dominion was established in 1989 and after 20 years was the brewery that came to mind when one thought of Virginia breweries. It's not the beers I'll miss, it's being able to associate Old Dominion Brewery with the Old Dominion. I do expect to the quality and availability of the beers to remain, it's the Virginia connection that will be missing. I have seen signs that under the new ownership distribution might actually be improved.

But enough of the old, it's in with the new. Starr Hill Brewery was established in 1999 in Charlottesville, Virginia and is now located in nearby Crozet. That same year they won a Gold medal (for Dark Starr Stout) at the Great American Beer Festival. Despite earning recognition at festivals almost every year, the breweries beers were limited in distribution. Then, in late 2007 Mark Thompson signed a distribution agreement with Anheuser-Busch. By the Spring of this year, the beers were available in Fredericksburg, and their range continues to expand.

What does this mean looking forward to 2009? It is my belief that Starr Hill is poised to become the new patriarch of Virginia breweries. All of their year-round beers have won multiple medals. They've also won a medal at the GABF for The Love seasonal, and also medaled in the Pro-Am competition with Smoke Out. Talk about putting a shine on the star! (Oooh, sorry.) Wider distribution, award winning beers — it all bodes well for Virginia's reputation as a beer state.

In addition to Starr Hill, there are numerous breweries making their mark in Virginia, and even more are soon to open. (Blue Mountain Brewery in Afton, VA is another up-and-comer worth watching.) It's a great time to be a beer fan in Virginia. I look forward to enjoying more Virginia beers in 2009 and sharing those experiences here.

Update, January 3: Brewmiker has posted the Session roundup here.