Old Dominion Imperial Pilsner

[LJDolan]

On my way home from work, I stopped by to see if the Old Dominion spring seasonal was on tap, an imperial pilsener this here. It was, and I experienced beer nirvana today. I have already had my favorite new beer of 2004.

Imagine Tupper's Hop Pocket Pils on steroids. I found nothing wrong with this beer. Perfect body, perfect hoppiness (and they wanted to make it hoppier), and not overly alcoholic, though it weighs in at 8.5% ABV.

They will be bottling it next week.

Malarkey, if you read this, the offer is still open to send you some.

[malarkey]

and malarkey would LOVE to receive some! we could do a trade...

[Susan in FL]

Yum, and I just sent you a PM about this and some Millenium!

[jparrott]

Honestly, I tasted this and thought it was way out of balance and didn't hold a candle to last year's spring brew (a saaz bock). YMMV.

[Susan in FL]

Honestly, I tasted this and thought it was way out of balance and didn't hold a candle to last year's spring brew (a saaz bock).  YMMV.

I surely hope you thought it was out of balance as in leaning too heavily on the hoppy side. For me, that's an endorsement! Yum.

[Wilson]

Rogue makes an Imperial Pilsner, and I just finished a bottle yesterday. It's extremely malty and 8% alcohol. I didn't much care for it. I don't know what it is about the brewers in the Pacific Northwest. They seem to be deathly afraid to make a balanced brew.

[jparrott]

Honestly, I tasted this and thought it was way out of balance and didn't hold a candle to last year's spring brew (a saaz bock).  YMMV.

I surely hope you thought it was out of balance as in leaning too heavily on the hoppy side. For me, that's an endorsement! Yum.

The hop level was fine. The alcohol was out of balance.

[LJDolan]

Honestly, I tasted this and thought it was way out of balance and didn't hold a candle to last year's spring brew (a saaz bock). YMMV.

I thought last year's was the regular maibock.

[jparrott]

Honestly, I tasted this and thought it was way out of balance and didn't hold a candle to last year's spring brew (a saaz bock).  YMMV.

I thought last year's was the regular maibock.

I certainly remember one of the casks they sold as "spring brew" was a saaz bock--what they bottled, I'm not 100% sure, but I seem to remember the bartenders saying that the CO2 spring brew at the brewpub was a saaz also.

[LJDolan]

You are right. They last did the regular maibock in 2001.

[Steve Klc]

I picked this Dominion Spring Brew up at Wegmans the other day, for the bargain price of 4.99, and while I find myself agreeing with Jake as far as the perception of alcohol, it did pair beautifully with the jambalaya we made that night. Thank you for the suggestion LJ.

[LJDolan]

I picked this Dominion Spring Brew up at Wegmans the other day, for the bargain price of 4.99, and while I find myself agreeing with Jake as far as the perception of alcohol, it did pair beautifully with the jambalaya we made that night.  Thank you for the suggestion LJ.

Steve,

I did talk to Head Brewer Bill Madden today at Capital City Brewing in Arlington. He was able to try the imperial pilsener last week and really liked it. He told me that Clipper City is also coming out with an imperial pilsener.

BTW, my first name is Lloyd.

Edited March 26, 2004 by LJDolan (log)

[sylunt1]

Rogue makes an Imperial Pilsner, and I just finished a bottle yesterday. It's extremely malty and 8% alcohol. I didn't much care for it. I don't know what it is about the brewers in the Pacific Northwest. They seem to be deathly afraid to make a balanced brew.

There are a few balanced brews out here... somewhere. But most are rather highly hopped - too much kills my palate. Possibly because most of the hops in the US are grown there? What's your choice for a well balanced brew?

[Susan in FL]

We got a whole case of this Spring Brew last year and I drank a couple of them recently. I don't know if it was my imagination, but it tasted better to me. I didn't expect that this would be a beer to benefit from aging. Any thoughts?

[gbredben]

I really enjoy everything brewed by Old Dominion. Their selections are wonderful. I hate having to go all the way to Maryland to pick up their beer. Looks like another road trip to State Line Liquors is in order.