Beer of the Month – Ola Dubh 40

Ola Dubh 40
RRP: £9.95 in off-sale, £18-£25 in restaurants

This fortified, inky brew is an extreme example of the brewer's art. Created in Clackmannanshire, Scotland by Harviestoun, it starts life as Old Engine Oil, a lovely, dry 5% stout.

Seeking a richer and more complex drink, Harviestoun decants the stout into a Highland Park 40 Year Old whisky barrel, where it remains for six months. It emerges as Ola Dubh 40, an extraordinarily decadent, almost port-like beer, which is a versatile enough to be a beguiling match for chocolate or cheese.

Charlie McVeigh, founder of the Draft House