Fordham & Dominion Brewing Company - Morning Glory

This tasty stout presents an opaque black color capped by a rich brown head of fluffy foam. Brewed with locally-roasted coffee beans, it's no surprise this "espresso stout" boasts a bold coffee aroma. Look also for complementary notes of chocolate and a touch of smoky char, along with a wisp of floral hops. The coffee contribution comes through prominently on the palate too, and we were pleased that the intensity level—though bold—leaves room for supporting notes to come through: chocolate, hints of deeply toasted bread, scorched caramel, and a bit of smoked malt. We also found it nicely balanced on the palate, with a light residual sweetness offering a counterpoint to the roasted notes and hop bitterness. For pairing options, try a steak with a spicy coffee rub, or other grilled meats, including game. A chocolaty dessert 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.

In 1703, England’s Queen Anne commissioned Benjamin Fordham to begin a brewery in America, in her namesake city of Annapolis, MD. Sadly, when he passed away in 1716 the brewery was shut down. The Fordham name was resurrected in 1995 with the establishment of a new brewery by William Muehlhauser and Jim Lutz. 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 a few years later they joined forces with Old Dominion.

Old Dominion was founded by Jerry Bailey in 1989 as a brewpub in Ashburn, VA, but soon expanded into a full-fledged production brewery to serve nearby restaurants, pubs, and supermarkets. In the years since, the brewery has been well-recognized in the industry for their excellence, bringing home over a dozen medals from the Great American Beer Festival, as well as being ranked one of the country’s 20 best breweries by Gourmet Food and Wine magazine. After outgrowing their location in Virginia, the brewery was moved to Dover, DE, where they ultimately teamed up with Fordham.

For more information about the unified breweries, their tasting room, events, and scheduled tours, call 302-678-4810 or check out their web site at www.fordhamanddominion.com .