Bottoms Up

New beers headed our way…

I was talking to Ed Chainey, Anderson Valley Brewing’s Northern California rep the other night at the new Trappist Beer Cafe in Oakland. He said the brewry’s got a dynamite new beer to mark Anderson Valley’s 20th anniversary.

It’s an Imperial India Pale Ale, 100 IBUs (International Bitterness Units: Bud’s 13 IBU), 9 percent alcohol by volume. Release date will be Feb. 2, 2008. Can’t wait.

Also Matthias Neidhart, the German-born proprietor of B. United International, importer of a string of excellent beers, promises a new one from Harviestoun, , Alva, Scotland, the primo UK craft brewer in February. This one’s called Ola Dubh (Gaelic, I think — for Black Oil).

It’s 8 percent, aged in Highland Park Scotch Whisky barrels. The beer, Matthias says, is a collaboration between Harviewstoun and Highland Park, named Distiller of the Year in the UK.

The beer itself is based on the recipe for Old Engine Oil, an English, 6 percent, strong ale, which has many fans. Now, all Matthias needs is a distributor in the Bay Area and some customers.