Old Engine Oil Engineer's Reserve Blackest Ale - Harviestoun Brewery Ltd.

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.4/5  rDev -20%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked this up at Bier Thirty last week, I think I paid about $7ish. Poured into my slim tulip... short lasting dark brown head.. big bubble lacing is okay at best... the brew is pretty much black except for the most remote ruby highlights near the stem.

Nose shows a bit boozy light dark malt.. not nearly as "black" as I would expect..

Flavor is more dark.. but odd. Something that I associate with fermented out molasses.. background char that is sweetened a bit by dark raisin... some pronounced cocoa with warmth.. Palate dies off pretty quickly.

Body seems thinned out by EtOH.... carbonation is pretty solid but goes away quickly on my tongue..

Not sure that I would identify this as any type of "porter"... Strong ale, probably... or a damn boozy porter, I guess too.

3.5/3.5/3.5/3.5/3

Okay... glad I got a chance to try it, but I want Harvieston to bring back the Special Reserve... I would like to try that again.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 05:36:43 | More by JohnGalt1

Dope

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: A black pour with a big, dense chocolate brown head. Retention is excellent. Lacing is quite heavy as well.

S: Smoked meat and roasted malt up front. Touch of chocolate.

T: A ton of hickory smoke. Bitter coffee and roasted malt along with a touch of chocolate. Smoked meat pervades in the aftertaste.

M: Fairly thick mouthfeel. Somewhat creamy.

O: A pretty decent porter but way overpowered on the smoke. I much prefer the normal old engine oil.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 05:51:13 | More by Dope

nickfl

Florida

3.73/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours with one finger of medium brown foam on top of an opaque, black body. The head settles quickly and leaves average lace on the glass.

S - Dark, sugary notes of molasses, licorice, and smoky caramel.

T - Smoky caramel and dark brown sugar up front. Some more intense dark sugar in the middle with notes of cola and licorice. Finishes with smoke, green hops, molasses, and lingering sweet caramel.

M - Medium-thick body, moderate carbonation, and a sweet finish.

D - The aroma is full of promising rich malt character and while those characteristics come across in the flavor profile they don't have the sort of complexity I might have expected. The sugary character is cloying in the end and while there is some hop character for balance it could use a little bit of roast to help push back against the sugar.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 01:13:36 | More by nickfl

CityBoy1986

Mississippi

3.88/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

11.2 oz. bottle poured into a pint glass.

They're not kidding about this being the "blackest;" there is only a slight lightening of colour near the edges. The nose consists of chocolate, with some roasty and smokey hints. Just a bit of booze.

When tasting, the smokiness definitely takes centre stage. Mouthfeel is thick and creamy.

Overall, it's worth a try, at least. I won't be adding it to my regular line-up as I could see myself tiring of it after a couple. However, it's a very decent brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 01:49:50 | More by CityBoy1986

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap at The Brick Store Pub 9/2/2012. Reviewed from notes.

(Appearance) deep brown body, big chocolate cream brown head with above average retention. 4

(Smell) Aromas of sour dark fruits, licorice, oak, and cocoa. Aroma is dry, mildly sweet and certainly complex. Overall pretty nice. 3.5

(Taste) Bready sourdough malt, sweet chocolate and lactose like that of a milk stout, followed through by a mildly smoky, black malt finish with a lasting licorice impression. Very complex although I found the finish more pleasant than the rest of the brew. 4

(Mouthfeel) Slick, mildly creamy, low carbonation, quite dry. Alcohol presence is medium, body is medium/heavy. Nice pairing, could be a bit thicker and creamier. 4

(Overall) Second time around, I found this a pretty good beer but not as unbelievably good as the first time around. While the flavors were all well developed, I feel a little more time to mellow out this brew would do it some good. 4

Harviestoun Brewery Ltd.'s
Old Engine Oil Engineer's Reserve Blackest Ale
3.9/5.00

Serving type: on-tap

09-18-2012 23:19:03 | More by Jadjunk

shand

Florida

3.95/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 11.2oz bottle into a snifter.

It's black. I'm not sure if I'd say blackest, it's not a Zhukov or a Hunahpu, but I sure can't see through it. The aroma is roasted with a huge coffee component. The taste isn't nearly as roasty, with sweet caramel flavors dominating the flavor. Dark fruits struggle though a bit on the opening, with a bit of that roast hitting the tongue in the middle, but the sweetness really rides through, on the edge of cloying. It's really quite good though, I'm just thankful it isn't in a large-format bottle. The mouthfeel feels a little bit thin at first, but it does a nice coating and drying thing at the end. The drinkability is decent. Overall, it's a pretty good beer, but I don't really think it's better than the base Old Engine Oil.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 04:27:01 | More by shand

Bung

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2 oz. very dark brown/mohoghanny pour, just a ring and a few wisps light tan.

Aroma, heavy earthy chocolates. Lighter malt and anise.

Taste, Some earthy malt and dark chocolate. Mostly do instead by a heavy roast and anise however. Actually works pretty well, just more RIS, as others have pointed out.

Heavier than mid bodied, but enough carbonation. Just about creamy. Only a little warming. Good, definetely worth a try, though I prefer the regular as well.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 02:18:52 | More by Bung

avalon07

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a black color and a thick consistency. There was a small amount of foamy, tan-colored head that quickly dissipated. Good lacing.

S: An interesting smell of coffee, chocolate, and a burnt quality as well.

T: Tasted of roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, light hops, and the aforementioned burnt quality. A solid flavor, very subtle and underplayed, as a lot of British beers are.

M: An average amount of carbonation with a dry finish. Medium-bodied.

O: On the whole, an enjoyable, easy to drink brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 13:33:08 | More by avalon07

soju6

Missouri

4/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a black color with a thick head that fades slowly to nice lacing.

S: Aroma of roasted malt and chocolate, with some coffee and dark fruit to round it out. Very inviting rich aroma.

T: taste is similar to the aroma, with roasted malt and chocolate up front there is a bit of coffee and dark fruit to round it out with a mild bitterness and a dry finish.

F: Body is quite full, smooth and creamy. very well balanced. No hint of the 9% ABV.

O: Overall a very good beer that is not overpowering. Nice choice when you want something different.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 21:34:05 | More by soju6

popery

California

4/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours black with just a hint of dark coffee brown along the edges. Small tan head. The aroma is molasses, dark stone fruit, chocolate and roast. It's sort of a beery bittersweet chocolate flavor, sweet but with a good dose of dark malt backing it up. Mild herbaceous hops. The taste is luxurious dark malt. Sweet, rich chocolate leading into a gently bitter finish, roasty and hoppy. Thick, velvety feel. Fills the mouth. Relatively low carbonation. It's a very nice beer full of dark malt flavor. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 04:16:20 | More by popery

superspak

Michigan

4/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330 ml bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating. Pours dense pitch black color with a nice 1 finger dense tan head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Spotty lacing on the glass. Aromas of dark chocolate, char, roasted malt, coffee, caramel, toffee, earth, and light herbal hops. Very nice aromas with good balance and strength. Taste of dark chocolate, coffee, char, roasted malt, toffee, molasses, earth, and herbal hops. Light spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, char, coffee, toffee, molasses, and herbal on the finish for a bit. Nice balance of flavors; with minimal cloying flavors. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a fairly creamy and slick mouthfeel that is nice. Not as dense feeling as the original version though. Alcohol is well hidden with a small warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice imperial porter. Nice robust and balanced flavors; very smooth to sip on. The original version still tops this one, but I enjoyed this quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 03:27:30 | More by superspak

MasterSki

Illinois

4/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from Puerto Rico Food & Liquors. Served in a taster pint glass.

A - A thin tan foam settles to a collar, wisps, and a few specks of lace. Dark brown and fairly opaque body.

S - Chocolate, smoke, fruity yeast, slightly vinous, with some mild floral hopping. Biscuit and butter toffee sweetness, with some raisin and other dark fruits. Smells like more of a cross between an English porter and an old ale. There's a bit of sherry-esque oxidation, although this is pretty new so perhaps it's deliberate?

T - The taste is smokey, with some meaty glazed ham flavors, as well as caramel, toffee, fruity yeast notes, buttermilk, chocolate, and a hint of tobacco leaf. Alcohol is very well-hidden.

M - A tad thin for a 9% beer, but there's no alcohol heat and it's quite easy to drink. Lightly grainy texture, medium body, with a fairly dry and crisp finish.

D - Solid stuff, particularly if you like fruity English ales. Might not have been worth the somewhat steep price tag ($7.99 for an 11.2oz bottle) bit it was easy to drink, with a rich and complex flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 23:17:58 | More by MasterSki

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

4.03/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

lNice imperial porter...

Presentation:33 cl brown capped bottle. Oval label with shiny copper frame, and the faded image of old cars among the borders. Front already starts to describe the brew, and the back notes expand the ingredients, and intent. Shows a faded code on the neck and 9% Alc. by Vol. Served in a snifter.

A - Black pour with deep dark brown edges, rich creamy head, good retention, nice surface memory and lacing.

S - Nice roasted nose, very malty with chocolate and coffee notes leading to a fruity bitterness…

T - …which hold their own very well in the palate. Rich roasted notes, chocolate and coffee, and that bitter/sweet note is slightly punctuated by a touch of charred wood. Fruity, slightly sour dash in the horizon over a floral hoppy insinuation.

M - Medium/full body with medium carbonation, which punctuates nicely a very creamy and smooth ride.

O - Quite a nice rich porter.

Notes: Solid through and through, maybe nothing special but hits all the notes of the style with great dexterity. A tad too expensive with the import and all, but a nice brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 17:05:29 | More by Daniellobo

Jamesthebrit

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Hard to believe this is a porter not a stout. Pours black and thick with a head that is thick and creamy and brown.

S: Smells surprisingly sweet, oaky and very roasty.

T: Chocolate, oak, alcohol really comes through. I think the alcohol seems to overpower some of the other flavors here. Otherwise pretty solid.

M: Sits pretty good. Gets a little sour as the bubbles take affect. Heavy body. Some good lingering notes.

Overall a really good beer but I'm not sure it's as good as the unaged version. The alcohol seems a little unbalanced but it is still much better than the average brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 18:03:07 | More by Jamesthebrit

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle, no bottled-on date, poured into a snifter.

A- Pours black with an inch of creamy brown head, leaves some nice lacing.

S- Chocolate, dark fruit and a lot of smoky, roasted grain.

T- Lots of roast and some subtle hops with a center of chocolate, caramel, and some dark fruit. Has a dry, smoky finish.

M- Medium-bodied, smooth feel, dry finish.

O- A solid porter, very drinkable stuff and with some great flavors.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 04:15:38 | More by WillCarrera

teromous

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: It appears just as the beer is described on the label; old engine oil. It's black in color, with a decent tan foamy head. It sticks somewhat to the glass, but not a lot.

S: I get some roasted scents, but it is overwhelmingly boozy.

T: I'm happy to say that it doesn't taste like strong alcohol. The beer tastes somewhat like a bourbon, but without the huge alcohol flavor. There are burnt flavors, along with chocolate, and oak. It tastes very good.

M: The beer relies heavily on bitterness and an oak body. It's a stronger side of a medium body, and has excellent mouthfeel.

O: I would drink it again and I would recommend it. It's a fine porter with a lot of body and flavor. The only negative that I found with the beer, was the strong alcohol scent. It's odd that it was hidden in the flavor (in a good way).

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 00:54:03 | More by teromous

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2 ounce bottle. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch tan head. Head retention is decent, and there's a lot of lacing left behind on the glass. The brew smells like roasted malt, chocolate, coffee and some molasses. It tastes like roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, coffee, dark fruit and some burnt/charred malt. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit creamy and coating, and has a good amount of carbonation. I can't tell this is a 9% ABV beer at all, the alcohol is hidden very well. I think this is a good overall brew, I'd certainly buy this again in the future. Definitely worth trying!

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 23:42:46 | More by bluejacket74

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

ours jet black with a brown-ish head. In the aroma, a light roasted malt and sweet chocolate. In the taste, a quite rich chocolate taste, and a small alcohol in the end. Quite smooth and a medium to bigger bodied mouthfeel, with a note of alcohol and chocolate in the aftertaste. Quite nice, with rich chocolate and note of alcohol, yet smooth and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 17:33:09 | More by OWSLEY069

BeerNemesis

New York

4.15/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Old Engine Oil (Engineer's Reserve) | 330 ml. | 9.0% ABV | 2011

Brewer: Harviestoun Brewery Ltd.
Style: English Porter
Glass: crystal mug

Appearance:
Black as, well, engine oil, with an enticing cocoa head.

Aroma:
Roasty and chocolatey

Taste:
Deep roasted, almost burnt, malts hit you up front. A wave of warming alcohol soon follows. Grassy and spicy hops make an appearance towards the finish and into the aftertaste. The bottle says Harviestoun used Fuggles, Kent GOldings, and Galena.

Mouthfeel:
Delightfully smooth, rich, and thick. Engine oil indeed!

Harmony:
This is an amped up version of Old Engine Oil--and i like it. The extra alcohol gives it a manic quality and a pure intensity. I still prefer the deep, mellow flavors of the original.

Would I get it again?:
Yeah, though Old Engine Oil is preferable.

Bottled: ?
Served: January 28, 2012

Price = $5.99 at Whole Foods NYC

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 00:25:40 | More by BeerNemesis

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.18/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Prime 16, served in a 3/4 pint glass.

A: Totally opaque black body under a finger of creamy, frothy dark tan head. Great retention, sticky lace. Lovely.

S: Rich, dark, and intense. Huge dark chocolate, licorice, coffee, and cocoa powder. A hint of herbal character, too. Terrific.

T: Follows the nose, with a bit of caramel sweetness following all the intense roastiness to balance everything out. A bit of booze, bitterness, and licorice on the finish - ends a bit harshly. The dark chocolate is great, the aftertaste isn't. Quite good overall, though.

M: Frothy, lively, and creamy. Too bubbly, but fun.

O: This one is simply huge for the style, being much closer to the average RIS than the average English Porter. I'm not complaining, as it was delicious.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2012 23:36:08 | More by woosterbill

bashiba

Iowa

4.18/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured a deep dark brown with dark mahogany highlights and a thin ring of dark tan head.

The smell is a mixture of light smoked peat, a bit of anise, and a touch of sweet alcohol.

The flavor is very black and bitter, a nice bit of sweetness starts to creep through after you get through the smoke and roasted barley flavors along with the moderate earthy hops. It seems to get a bit sweeter as you go with a touch of oatmeal and caramel malts coming out along with a Worcestershire fish oil type flavor as well that seems to give a very english like flavor, could be black treacle?

The mouthfeel is thick and oily, very heavy leaving a long lasting tongue coating.

Pretty nice big porter, has a great English quality to it along with a nice range of flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 01:53:33 | More by bashiba

DavoleBomb

Ohio

4.23/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

4.0 A: Black color. One and a half fingers of frothy light brown head. Retention is very good given the ABV and a short ring of lacing is left.

4.0 S: Lots of sweet malt chocolate, but also a large earthy component with a touch of mineral. Caramel sweetness and supple roastiness. Well put together. Booze is hidden well.

4.5 T: Much like the nose. Sweet malt chocolate, caramel, molasses. Vanilla, supple roastiness, and mineral. Booze is well hidden again.

4.0 M: Heavier medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Light to moderate creaminess. Good here.

4.0 D: I find this to be the best of the series, beating out the regular OEO and all of the Ola Dubhs. More than solid all around.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 23:19:55 | More by DavoleBomb

metter98

New York

4.23/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a quarter finger high beige head that quickly died down, leaving a collar of large bubbles and some wispy lacing on the surface.
S: There are light aromas of roasted malts and smoke in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the taste has flavors of dark roasted malts and is accompanied by a very slight amount of bitterness and some hints of chocolate and smoked peat.
M: It feels medium-bodied and somewhat smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is incredibly drinkable—no traces of the alcohol whatsoever are present in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 05:31:30 | More by metter98

UCLABrewN84

California

4.23/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, marshmallows, vanilla, cocoa powder, and milk chocolate. Taste is much the same with char-like and smoke flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer with a fantastic smell and some really nice flavors. Definitely a step above normal Old Engine Oil in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 09:52:18 | More by UCLABrewN84

flagmantho

Washington

4.28/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 330mL bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: rich black hue whose edges suggest an extremely dark brown. Head is a thick finger of frothy dark tan foam. Quite nice.

Smell: rich, smooth aroma of creamy chocolate with a hint of vegetal hops. Not terribly complex, but well-crafted and enticing.

Taste: much deeper and more complex than the aroma. Chocolatey malt flavors provide a backdrop against which earthy and vegetal hops play; fruitier alcohol compounds provide good complexity. Bitterness is relatively high. There is plenty of sweetness here, but it is well-balanced almost to the point of being hidden by the bitterness and alcohol. Very tasty.

Mouthfeel: big body with a good level of carbonation. The body and ABV make this a very silky drink, and the creaminess adds even more luscious texture. I love it.

Overall: this is a really tasty and chewy beer, although I must admit I would like a little bit less of the vegetal hop character present. Still, it's very good.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 21:28:07 | More by flagmantho