If you are a regular reader here at BrewChief.com, you are already familiar with my current brew challenge with Old Dominion Brewing Company. I accidentally stumbled upon their Oak Barrel Stout and ended up with my socks knocked off, so I then proceeded to procure a few more of their offerings with the hopes that the rest of their line was just as tasty. I sat down with their Hop Mountain Pale Ale and had a little voice in my head say ''It looks like they have done it again''. Now after getting a chance to try their Dominion Lager, I am fully ready to proclaim that if it says ''Old Dominion'' on the label, I must have it in my glass.

When poured it takes on a golden brown coloration that is crystal clear, and two fingers worth of fluffy bright white head sits on top while providing plenty of lacing throughout the session. Most of the aromas are light, but pretty spot on for the style. There is a sweet grain smell that catches you at first, and then it moves to the side to let some notes of caramel malt peek through. Give it a minute or two to warm up, and you can pick up on some hints of lemon, wheat, and a slightly musty honey smell. An earthy smell sits down below everything else and adds a nice bit of weight to the nose.

The first taste actually caused the phrase ''Now that's what a lager should taste like'' to pop into my mind. A grainy caramel malt flavor greets you right off, and it holds your tongues attention for a few moments before there is a bit of a hops tingle to break things up. Just as the nose suggested, it has a lemon vibe to it, as well as some unexpected souring quality. It creates a nice balance between the malts and hops, and it allows some of the more delicate flavors like butterscotch, lemongrass, and fresh baked biscuits to be detected in the process. There is a lively amount of carbonation that helps keep things moving along and the finish quite clean. Only a slightly sticky feel is left behind, and the aftertaste comes across as a light combination of lemon zest and bread.

So it seems that Old Dominion Brewing Company has now climbed their way into some very rare company indeed. There are very few breweries out there that I am willing blindly follow, no matter the style, but it seems as though they have rightly earned this new level of trust. I've tried three of their offerings, and all have been great examples of their respective styles, with Dominion Lager being the most recent. I would highly recommend it to all levels of drinkers, new and old alike. If you see it, by all means take it for a spin. And for that matter, if it says ''Old Dominion'' on the label or menu, demand it be brought to you with a hurried quickness. The sooner they bring it to you, the sooner you will see what I am talking about.