Harviestoun Old Engine Oil (Bottle)

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

Perhaps the smoothest dark Ive ever had. The nose is a light roasted nut/coffee blend, wafting from a deeply dark amber, bordering on black, brew with a moderate tan head. The flavor is a lightly chocolated coffee with a caramelized sugar undertone.

Had this on draft.Poured a jet black-with a small head.Aromas of coffee and chocolate and malt.All those aromas were also in the taste of the beer as well as light fruit.Thought the beer was a little thin,but all in all an ok beer.

Nose is VERY chocolate laden with notes of dried fruit and floral accents. Beautiful in a glass, dense quickly disapating head of tan leaves nice lacing. Flavor is CHOCOLATE dominate... or mayb it’s COFFEE.. Get the idea? The chocolate and black patten perhaps darker crystal malts really shine. Well balanced with a nice bittering. Mouth feel is nice, thick to a point just shy of chewy. Overall this was a real supprise. Now one of my favorite beers. While alot of complex flavors are not apparent this ale really hits the spot. It shines the way bananas do in banana pudding, ham, or a corn on cob cooked on a grill... simple, singular in flavor, but an awesome flavor. There’s beauty in it’s simplicity. I’m a big fan of porters, and this ale reminds me of alot of good porters I’ve had. VERY enjoyable and drinkable. Will trade Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan or others. Message me.

Pours pitch black, thick, and no head. Aroma of raisins, dark chocolate, and espresso. Flavor is mostly bittersweet chocolate, with some dried fruit (raisins, prunes?), molassas, and alcohol. There is a ton of flavor, but for some reason, and I can’t quite put my finger on it, the tastes don’t mesh. Palate is creamy and extra smooth, but finishes way drier than I’d prefer. Overall an interesting beer that I’m glad to have tried, but this one won’t be going in the regular rotation.

Dark black amber with light brown head. Aroma has nice burnt roasted aromas of bitter chocolate and malts and a load of fresh ground coffee grinds. Thick flavour that equally compliments the aroma only changes is the acidic tartness that carries the flavours into a very well balanced body. Very nice!! As complex as this beer is it still offers an easy drinking enjoyment.

11.2 oz bottle pours an opaque pitch black color with virtually no head whatsoever. Aroma includes dark chocolate, roasted malts, campfire wood and soy sauce. Lots of bittersweet chocolate in the flavor with some black cherry. Really enjoy the bitter finish.

330 ml bottle from LCBO, served almost cold in a tulip glass. BB April 2009.

App.: Deep brown-black with a minute greyish-tan head. Aroma: Lots of very dark aromas – molasses, burnt malt, a bit of dark chocolate or black coffee, light dark, dried fruits; there’s a faint, underlying brightness and slight sweetness, like lemons and caramels too shy to show themselves (wow, that sounds pretty stupid). Palate: Medium body (thinner than anticipated), very soft carbonation, fairly powdery. Flav.: A bit more restrained than the nose – there is certainly some dark dark roasted malts, some of the black coffee, but the molasses and fruity notes have vanished; there is a bit of wood, a certain brightness (more than the nose) and a citric quality; on swallowing, it is very dry dark cocoa, a touch of lemon and a little bitterness.

Seems to me that the Reserve was a bit better, more rounded due to the time in wood.

Opaque black, thin cream-colored head, milk chocolate and malt aroma that continues into the flavor with a mild hop bitterness.