Based in
Ashburn, Virginia, approximately thirty miles outside
Washington, DC, Old Dominion Brewing Company is one of the many fledgling
microbreweries in the United States. Chances are, however, if you're a
beer drinker somewhere along the
east coast or within the
mid-Atlantic states, you've had a beer brewed by Old Dominion, as they are a major supplier of branded beers for restaurants and (sometimes
kitschy) tourist spots in the region.
There are actually several different "major" beers marketed under the
Old Dominion name; those marked with an
asterisk are labelled using the aformentioned co-branding strategy. They are as follows:
Dominion
Lager
Golden Lager
Victory
Amber
Hard Times Select *
Aviator Amber
Tuppers’
Hop Pocket Pils
Dominion Light
Oak Barrel
Stout
Dominion Ale
Old Dubliner Amber
J.Paul’s 1889 Amber
Black & Tan
Pale Ale
Real
Ale
Tuppers’ Hop Pocket Ale
New River Pale Ale
Starr Hill Amber
Sweetwater Pale Ale *
Dominion
Stout
Oak Barrel Stout
In addition, Old Dominion produces some seasonal and yearly brews. Finally, alongside their regular ales and lagers, Dominion also produces a very heavy, but thoroughly drinkable
root beer.
Their main brewing facility in
Ashburn (which is, by the way, conveniently accessible from the
W&OD Trail) features a full-service restaurant and beer bar -- there are no
hard liquors served, which some may find unfortunate. Furthermore,
brewery tours are available on Saturdays, and make for an excellent diversion for weekend activities. Finally, Old Dominion also holds its
annual three-day Old Dominion
Beer Festival during the summer, which features thirty or more microbreweries from across the United States, allowing visitors to try many six
ounce samples of various
microbrews for a very reasonable fee.
Like many microbrews, Old Dominion beers tend to be somewhat on the
hoppy side, but unless you're a
stalwart Budweiser fan, this shouldn't bother you. DC resident and visitor beer enthusiasts alike should visit this place when given the opportunity. It's a bit out of the way, but it's worth it... and if the explosive turnout for
2003's beer festival is any indication, the opportunity to see it as a small-time beer venue is quickly slipping away.
Old Dominion can be found at 44633 Guilford Dr. Ashburn, Virginia 22011; Their phone number is 703-724-9103
Works Referenced
Old Dominion Brewing Company webpage:
http://www.olddominion.com/