Harviestoun Old Engine Oil (Bottle)

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

I drank this in honor of the fact that I just rooted out my bathroom sink pipes with one of those twisting wires, and the result was a bunch of guck that truly looked like engine oil (this beer didn’t). This was a wonderful beer--the kind of a beer that, if Americans tried to brew it, they would no doubt screw up by West Coastifying it or something with a fork-lift full of hops. Here you have a great bolt of chocolate with underlying resonances of grape, blueberry, and Madeira. Moderately sweet, none of the bitterness that is mentioned in the commercial description, except for a slight roast quality (but it doesn’t hang around). Somewhat thin; not much carbonation, but it’s all fine and good by my palate. Great stuff, and a happy journey back to Scotland for one moment on my sofa. Bottle.

Draught. Wow, this was pretty durned good. A scotttish ale lots of scottiseness and etc.

1/11/2008: Regardless of the name, Harviestoun Old Engine Oil does have the appearance of used motor oil. It is dark brown in color with a fine, frothy tan head. The creamy, milk chocolate aroma is rich and inviting and goes perfectly with the semi-sweet chocolate flavor. In the middle some tangy/sour fruit or something (maybe a burnt malt flavor?) is noticeable which detracts slightly, but it does seem to disappear somewhat as the beer warms. However, the roastiness and soft bitterness toward the end create a good, coffee-like finish with lots of molasses characteristics. This beer has a medium-full body and is smooth and creamy on the palate. It coats the mouth pretty well which allows the flavor (caramelized malt with a twist of black liquorice) to linger. Pretty good overall (even the wife thought it was good); average value.

11.2 fl oz bottle (6.0% Alc./Vol.) from Dilly Deli in Mariemont, Ohio. Rating #526 for this beer...

Pours like its right out of the crankcase. Wonderful dark almost black color. Lots of coffee and choclate on the taste with just the right hoppy bit on the finish.

Bottle. Pours a dark oil (I wonder where the name came from) color. Aroma is chocolates and malts. The flavor is roasty and full of coffee and chocolates. Very smooth and has a nice creamy body to it.

Pours nearly black with a smallish head. Aroma is roasted malt, chocolate and a hint of hops. Mouth feel is thick and creamy. Flavor is mostly roasted with chocolate and a hint of coffee. A touch of hop bitterness rounds out the flavor nicely. A very good beer.

Pours a deep, dark brown, almost black color into the dimpled mug. Scents of roasted malt and coffee. A thick, filling taste with chocolate, malt, espresso and slight hoppy bite in the finish. Wasn’t as complex as I would have hoped for with this old ale.

Bottle at home ... Rate Beer, Beer of the Day, Christmas Day 2007 ... Deep Solid Black with thin tight off white Head ... Lots of coffee and roast malts plus a little sptirit on nose ... Tad cold as i fetched out of storage as it was beer of the Day ... smooth and creamy ... Lots of chocolate little blackcurrent...

Heres to you all at Rate Beer this Christmas moring.

Bottle at home. Deep deep black,rich chocolate, deep roast malt little blackcurrent, little hop resin lot of chocolate. Cask Edinburgh bbeer fest 07 Deep black ... smokey nose ... rich smokey deep sweet roast ... lots fo coffee ... lots of chocolate ... smooth also 3.7