Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special 16 Reserve
Whiskey barrel aged old ale, 8%
Scotland
Old Engine Oil, produced by the Scottish brewery Harviestoun, is definitely among my top ten favorite beers produced by humans on planet Earth. It looks and tastes like it sounds: dark, slick, and chewy. The body's density and combination of burnt, bitter, and slightly sour flavors can be too much for the mainstream domestic beer drinker. However, since I am a professional, I pine for a more extreme version of this delightfully acidic, oily sludge of a brew.
Harviestoun Ola Dubh is Old Engine Oil after it has been matured in whiskey casks. Highland Park single malt scotch barrels, to be exact. Harviestoun turns out 12, 16, and 30 year batches. If your beer preferences lean toward light lagers that lack strong flavors, Ola Dubh is not for you. Now, please excuse me while I wipe the drool off my chin because this beer is most definitely for me.
This article appears in Feb 18-24, 2009.