Fordham & Dominion Brewing Company - Double D Double IPA

Dominion's double IPA presents nicely with a bright copper hue boasting crystal clarity and a robust head of foam which descends to a persistent ring, leaving behind a good deal of sticky lace. Five different hop varieties contribute plenty of aromatic fireworks; look for a distinct grapefruit-like citrus character, some herbal, pine-like notes, and a ton of soft tropical fruit character suggesting pineapple, mango, passion fruit, and even a touch of berry. On the palate, this brew comes across both richly malty and brightly hoppy. Lots of caramel and toasty notes form a strong base with a little residual sweetness onto which the huge hop contribution can rest. The hop bitterness is big, but equally big are the aromatic hop flavors, including spiciness amplified by the big ABV. In fact, everything here is big – we suppose that's why it's called Double D! The sharper citrus notes and softer tropical flavors open up quite a few pairing options. A salty pork dish with a fruity sauce should play nicely off the tropical notes in the beer. Sharp cheeses, including blues, will stand up to the intensity, and spicy chicken wings would be a good call, too. Cheers!

In 2007, Fordham Brewing Company formed an alliance with Old Dominion Brewing Company, and in 2009 the two breweries joined their operations and became a unified company under the name Fordham & Dominion Brewing Company at their location in Dover, DE, while maintaining separate brand line-ups. Both breweries have an interesting history, and as we're featuring Fordham brand beers in this month's U.S. Microbrewed Beer Club shipment, we'll focus on Fordham below.

In 1703, England’s Queen Anne commissioned Benjamin Fordham to begin a brewery in America, in her namesake city of Annapolis. As the port city grew, so did the popularity and demand for Fordham’s beer, and he secured a position in the history of the region, becoming one of the city's first aldermen. Sadly, when he passed away in 1716 the brewery was shut down.

For nearly three centuries, the Fordham brewery remained closed. Or should we say, on hiatus? The Fordham name was resurrected in 1995 with the establishment of a new brewery by William Muehlhauser and Jim Lutz. In researching the history of Annapolis area breweries of days gone by, Lutz, currently Fordham and Dominion’s president, discovered the story of this once famed brewhouse. As he puts it, “I just went back to see what breweries existed in Annapolis and ran across this Fordham Brewery. I contacted the Fordham family and asked them if we could resurrect their great-great-great-grandfathers name. The family was happy to oblige.”

After five years of strong growth, they moved to a larger facility in Alexandria, VA, and three years later they had outgrown that building too. Fordham’s brewing and bottling operations moved to their current facility in Dover, DE in 2003 and four years later they joined forces with Old Dominion, as mentioned earlier. For more information about the unified breweries, their tasting room, and scheduled tours, call 302-678-4810 or check out their web site at www.fordhamanddominion.com.