Dominion Baltic Porter

Here we go.  My first beer review.

With the temperature being a balmy 44 degrees, I decided to try the Dominion Baltic Porter in my refrigerator as I watched Packers vs Bears.  As I searched for a glass in which to pour it, I could not find my Dominion glass, so I looked for my Olde Richmond Brewery glass.  I chose the Olde Richmond glass as it is a Virginia brewery as Dominion is, or so I thought.  It turns out that Old Dominion is brewed in Dover, Deleware.  What a disappointment.  This whole time I thought Dominion was a Virginia brewery.  Why wouldn't I?  Old Dominion is the nickname of the state of Virginia.  We have a university with the same name, a freight liner, and many other things sharing the name.  Apparently it started in Loudoun County in VA so the name made sense then.  However, I still feel cheated by the name now that it is no longer a Virginia brewery. 

Anyway, the Olde Richmond glass I had was for a brown ale, and I like to use a glass that says porter on it if I'm drinking a Porter, so that and the lack of a current Virginia connection, struck the Olde Richmond Brown glass from the list.  Yeah, I know it's weird, but if you know me, you should not be shocked. I settled on Redhook's Blackhook Nitro Porter glass (a porter glass).  Nitro Porter is a beer I had on my second visit to Capital Ale House with Jonathan.  Our first visit was for Murphy's Steal the Glass Night while on spring break 2004, barely a month after we turned 21.  The second visit was a little more memorable, not only because I got a cool Nitro Porter glass and first tried a very good Nitro Porter beer, but because Jonathan got a Redhook growler which we still reminisce about today.  I can't remember if it came full of Sunrye Wheat or just said it on the bottle, but it was pretty cool nonetheless.  I think it was my first Porter but surely not my last.  Note:  With the exception of later that year and maybe a year later, I have never again seen Nitro Porter on the shelf.

Baltic Porter is only the second Old Dominion beer I've tried.  I like the Oak Barrel Stout they provide, which is a combination of good taste and a reasonable price.  I'm a sucker anyway for anything that has been aged in oak or bourbon barrels so it's not a surprise I jumped all over it.  However, this entry is not about the Oak Barrel Stout but about the Baltic Porter.

I actually was not expecting great things.  My first sip had some chocolate notes usual for porters and some stouts.  I slightly cheated by first reading the bottle where it says "hints of chocolate," but I swear I really did taste it.  I have a good sense of taste.  It's my third best sense only outdone by my sense of hearing and smell.  But seriously my mom made chicken salad once using mayonnaise of a different brand than we normally use and I called her out on it even though she wouldn't admit there was anything different. 

Back to the beer.  It's actually not bad.  I'd probably order it again if there were no Breckenridge Vanilla Porter or Stone Smoked Porter.  It doesn't have the aftertaste that lingers like some porters and even more stouts, but that's a good thing.  Some tastes you like to linger, a chocolaty beer taste you don't.  It didn't really warm me up like it said it would but that might be due to its paltry 6.8% ABV.  I've gotten to the point where most of the darker beer I drink are Imperials so I'm used to them having quite a kick.  A 10.5% Bluegrass Brewing Company Jefferson Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout, on the other hand, will warm you up, and it'll get you drunk.

Verdict:
I'd recommend it as a single-beer buy.  I don't think I'd want a sixer of it.