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Beer Reviews

Ola Dubh Ale

Harviestoun
Alva
United Kingdom
http://www.harviestoun.com

Style: Ale
ABV: 8%

Baby-Boy’s Rating:
   (Outstanding within its style.)


Comments:
Ola Dubh Ale is aged in the same barrels used in a previous life to age Highland Park’s 18-year-old single malt scotch. The scent of those delicious whisky barrels comes through in the beer. There is a malty, sweet smell, that carries a whiff of alcohol, giving you fair warning of this beer’s 8 percent ABV.

The beer is dark, a rich brown/black with a minimal amount of carbonation, just enough to give it a smooth mouth feel, despite the thickness of the beer. That said, it is without a doubt a heavy beer.

The flavor is rich and malty, living up to the promise of the scent, but there is a surprise in store. The finish is like a sip of whisky and lingers on the tongue. It feels like you finish a drink of it with more alcohol than you started.

A good American analog to this beer is a bourbon barrel aged brew like Bourbon County Stout. This would be a good beer for someone who likes their whisky, or a good boilermaker, except when you are drinking for the flavor—not the blitz-faced hammering—you can skip the shot.

Reviewed by Baby-Boy Jackson on February 20, 2012.

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