Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Special Reserve

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

jet black with small brown head, the aroma is chocolatey with a hint of venilla. creamy and smoky.

on cask at richo’s gravity head 2006. looks like...you guessed it, old engine oil. very dark thick dark black. smoky vanilla coffee aroma. a lot of sweet cherry and vanilla in the flavor with a bit of smoky bitter chocolate and coffee to balance things out. fantastic creamy full body with a bitter mocha finish.

The only disappointment in this beer was that it was it seemed really thin. It poured a dark blackish-redish hue. a thin head which was gone in a matter of seconds. Aroma was sweet like maple syrup and alcohol. Inital taste was very sweet chocolate and fiished with an alcoho mix. interesting to say the least.

Black body, small brown head. Sharp and pretty weird aroma of malt and chocolate with oily salty notes. Malt, chocolate and salty flavor, very odd and a tad too unbalanced.

On cask at The Maproom. I would have guessed this was an imperial stout, and a weak one at that. Maproom says this is 8.5% abv. Pours black with a soap-sized bubbles brown head. An old ale? This was quite chocolaty and a little bit of alcohol. There was also some smoke lingering on the aftertaste. Palate was quite watery. Overall, a very mediocre beer.

This beer is aptly named. It is the blackest brew I have ever seen. It looks like old engine oil. Almost no head but just a tiny bit of tan lacing. Aroma is of malty fruit. Whisky is also present as is some toffee. Definitely a unique beer. As I drink there is something that catches at the back of the throat with every sip. It lasts only a few seconds and then fades. Interesting. Flavors are complex. Sweet malts, fruit, whisky are all there. There is also a mild bitterness that is almost of grapefruit. It is my guess that on different days there would be distinct flavors noticed. You have got to love that in a beer.

11.2oz bottle. Poured a dark black, with red edges, and an averaged sized tan head. Aromas of whisky (on the stronger side), chocolate, light vanilla and light coffee. Tastes of chocolate, whiskey (lighter than the aroma), vanilla (stronger than the aroma), and roasted malts. There was definitely a whisky quality to this one.

Pours a black color with thin tan head. Aroma is of whisky and a hint of coffee and chocolate. Sweet flavor with little carbonation. Finishes with an alcohol warming. Very dissapointed by the flavor. A little to sweet for my liking.