Harviestoun Ola Dubh (30 Year Old)

Brewed by Harviestoun
Style: Old Ale
Alva, Central, Scotland

Bottled 6/21/2007. Body poured a dark chocolatey black almost completely opaque - almost matte black - with a thin chocolate head that left beautiful lacing. Redolent of peat, earth, oak, vanilla, roast barley, dark chocolate, caramel, toffee, dates, port, and scotch. Flavor was equally complex: earth, peat, roast barley, oak, vanilla, dark chocolate, subdued caramel and toffee, raisin and dates, port, licorice, and phenolic scotch. Palate was sweet up front, smokey around the sides, phenolic up top, and heartily warming as it went down. Real good but Old Viscosity was better.

In short: An unclassifiable moderately roasted black beer with a complex flavour spectrum.
How: Bottle 11.2oz. Drank about 1 year after the beer release. Side by side comparison of the Old Dubh 12, 16 and 30
The look: Black body topped by a small tan head
In long: Nose takes the elements of its 16 year old little sisters with peat, dirty wood, earth, date and a little smoky touch and ands vanilla and some roastiness. Medium carbonation. Compared to the 12 and 16 this one has the most satisfying full body. Smooth but tasty chocolate that you buy from a specialized shop, unlighted charcoal for your bbq, a little soy sauce (but not unpleasant), tobacco leaves, some caramel, dirty wood. An unexpected astringency coming from the roastiness, peat an freshly cut grass. Moderate sweetness. That’s the best of the Old Dubh series so far. I really preferred the 30 over the 12 and 16 and I’m really surprised to go with the flow with this one, not my style usually. Last time I remember going with the flow I was screaming for help cause I can’t swim.

Very smooth. Full body. Thick hocky puck like head. Scotch finish. holds like bread in the mouth and very filling. Oak, smoke, coffee and malt 100% balance.

Bottle #21490 - 9/07. Excellent stuff! The aroma is all Scotch (which I like much better than Bourbon.) Poursblack with tan head, soapy at first but receding into a foam ring around the glass. Flavor is leathery and full of tanins. Finishes smooth with lasting tannic notes.

Pours a pitch black with a good thick chocolate head with better retention than the 12 year-old, and a lovely chocolate malt aroma. Much more mellow than the 12 year-old: smoked and sweet, but more meaty. Nice, but reserved. Decent carb, creamy body. I do like this, but it’s much more laid back than the younger 12-year-old. Tasty! Thanks to TheCheeseMan for the trade!

Delilahs Vintage Tasting. Poured black with quick disappearing tan head. Aroma of molasses, wiskey, malts. Flavors similar and a bitter finish. Interesting, but wouldent pay an arm and a leg for this.

Deep brown in color with a small tan head. Aroma is of spices, black pepper, oak, smoked pork, tobacco, and roasted malts. Taste is of roasted malts, oak, coffee, and smoke.

Pours a three finger brown head that leaves some lace. Black, no highlights. Molasses/whiskey nose. Light carbonation and heavy bodied. Flavor is smooth, molasses and whiskey. Slight burnt coffee finish. Bottled Sep 2007. Worth trying once - $15.00 for a 330ml bottle from Tully’s Beer & Wine Wells, Me.