YOUNG HENRYS MOTORCYCLE OIL

Why are some blokes more likely to open up to taxi driver? Rather than let our mates share with strangers, let’s assure them that it is ok for them to tell us they’re not ok. It’s true that oils ain’t oils, so here’s a perfect liquid to lubricate those conversations.

ORIGIN. Newtown, New South Wales

ABV. 5.5%

SIZE. 375mL can

STYLE. Porter

It was in a 1983 Valvoline television advert when John Laws coined the now famous line ‘I switch my cars, but I don’t switch my oil, y’know what I mean’. I guess if you’re as filthy rich as good old Golden Tonsils, and own twenty of them, you’ve got the luxury of switching cars every now and then! Given Richard Adamson doesn’t own one, like many who live in the diverse suburb of Newtown, he can’t switch his car. But what the founder of Young Henrys does have is plenty of different oils.

In fact, since putting down the first batch in their Newton brewery six years ago, Richard and the lads have gone on to craft 46 different conversational lubricants. Yet it’s this 46th that has finally convinced Rich to make the big switch from his go-to 2L growler of YH Newtowner Pale Ale. And he hasn’t been the only one – their first limited edition batch of the Motorcycle Oil sold out in only a few weeks. From the moment you grip this tinny, which looks so hip and old school that it should grow a beard and ride a Chopper, you get the feeling you’re about to enjoy something special. Yet this black bikie beer is anything but old and dated. Unlike the heavy, thick dark beers that John Laws grew up with, this smooth, black, hoppy porter is sessional enough that you’ll be reaching for a second.

On the pour, you get plenty of the dark roasted characters that you’d expect from a porter but take a mouthful, and you’re hit with a hop punch more likely to be seen in a pale ale. The two stokes (nice pun!) of genius come from the addition of Bairds Roast Barley for malt, and the Warrior, Centennial, Cascade and Citra hop mix that serves up a balanced but mind-bending flavour combination of dark chocolate, espresso, licorice, pepper, pine, and citrus. The finish is smooth but lingers on, greasing the gullets long after the liquid is gone.

As you’d expect, a case of tall cans isn’t cheap, but for oil this good I’d happily swap my car for a few cases – y’know what I mean’!

YOUNG HENRYS