Old Engine Oil
Harviestoun Brewery Ltd.

Old Engine OilOld Engine Oil
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From:
Harviestoun Brewery Ltd.
 
Scotland, United Kingdom
Style:
English Stout
Ranked #7
ABV:
6%
Score:
92
Ranked #4,960
Avg:
4.13 | pDev: 10.17%
Reviews:
883
Ratings:
1,910
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 01, 2024
Added:
Sep 10, 2001
Wants:
  177
Gots:
  272
Down your tools and take a swig of this classic craft stout. Beautifully engineered with premium roasted malt for a velvety mouthfeel. It’s proper vintage stuff. All thanks to the meticulous handiwork of our master brewers.

This dark and rich stout was first created in 1999 for a well-known supermarket beer competition, which it won with resounding success. Ever since it’s been a much-loved beer by the brewery and customers alike.

Brewer’s Notes: As soon as you arrive in the car pack you know Old Engine Oil is being brewed from the aroma. The blend of malts and hops produce a balanced bitter-sweet beer with smoky notes and lingering finish.

Hops: East Kent Goldings, Fuggles, Galena
Malts: Lager Malt, Pinhead Oats, Roast Barley
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Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Cwrw
Reviewed by Cwrw from Canada (AB)

4.09/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours into my thistle glass with a nice looking viscosity. Beer is indeed fairly opaque and borders on a very rich mahogany colour, in certain lighting appearing entirely ebony. Head is a solid 2 fingers of creamy mocha coloured head. Looks fantastic!

Lovely aroma up front of licorice, a bit of cinnamon and milk chocolate, and something sweet akin to dried dates or prunes. There is also a hint of raisins, and a nice leathery/smoky component as well. There is a detectable resin aroma as well, as the hops come into play after the beer breathes for a few minutes in the glass. Very, very appetising.

Taste is dryer than I expected, indeed the hops are definitely making their presence felt in the finish. A very creamy mouthfeel, goes down ever so smooth and velvety. Less of of the sugary fruits than I expected from the aroma, but I can't complain too much about that, because the flavour is still quite lovely. There are definitely those same chocolatey/licorice notes in the flavour profile. A bit of molasses, some of that meaty/leathery flavour, and perhaps even roasted almonds.

Excellent. I am very pleased with this Scottish stout.
Feb 01, 2024
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

4.46/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
"Best before July 2024"; drank 1/1/24 @ the Yarchives.

Black/brown appearance.

A rough pour yielded a HUGE tan head; strong, frothy tree-rung lacing remained.

Fresh earth, mild dark chocolate & faint cream notes in the nose.

Creamy medium mouthfeel.

Fresh earth & dark chocolate flavors up front; faint cream notes on the finish.

An earthy, satisfying English stout. A classic for a reason.
Jan 02, 2024
Photo of MikeWard
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

3.64/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
11.2oz can into a pint glass. No freshness dating.

Black as black pour with a small tan head. Little lacing. Light coffee and chocolate aroma. On tasting, bitter roasted coffee. There is a light sweetness early on. Finish a bitter roast. Overall, a bit too fierce for this palate.
Sep 10, 2023
Photo of DarkLordScott
Reviewed by DarkLordScott from Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours black with little carbonation and a thin head. Aroma is dark, roasted malt. Taste is much lighter than expected with a moderately dark roasted malt profile. This comes across much like a donut; some flavor but there's a hole in the middle.
Jul 21, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by alexsergio from New York

Jun 25, 2023
Photo of illusionistlynx
Reviewed by illusionistlynx from Maryland

3.89/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Old engine oil is a great name for this beer and is truly evocative. While it's a bit too dry for my taste overall, the flavor is still quite enjoyable. I like the burnt [insert multiple nouns] notes and the finish is very clean. Serve at 50F.
Jun 17, 2023
 
Rated: 4.17 by Sellen from Connecticut

Feb 13, 2023
 
Rated: 1.92 by bruindre from Massachusetts

Feb 10, 2023
Photo of Jmsandberg17
Reviewed by Jmsandberg17 from Missouri

3.72/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
330ml can pours a true inky black color with a moderate amount of very dark tan head that recedes to a ring and some islands in the center. Aroma is charred and roasted malts. Deep, rich malty flavor with a very robust burnt note. Definitely some chocolate in there as well as a heavy molasses flavor. Hops are not very noticeable, and instead the charred malt adds most of the noticeable bitterness. Thick, viscous feel with medium carbonation. Bitterness really sticks with you and lays a somewhat unpleasant aftertaste in your mouth.

Very interesting beer, pretty good, definitely lives up to the "engine oil" name. Probably will opt for other english stouts or porters in the future, but it was fun to try.
Feb 05, 2023
Photo of LoganFarinhas
Reviewed by LoganFarinhas from Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
C: Deep black color, Opaque. Small head with minimal lacing

S:Rich roasted malt with notes of vanilla

T: Very malty rich flavor. You can taste the roasted malt and toffee flavor

F: full bodied heavy in the mouth, creamy and smooth.

Overall: 11.2fl. oz can, poured at 39.9ºF, no canned date or best by, 6%ABV, $4.50 can. Really good beer a little over priced in my opinion but tastes amazing. Probably would it buy it again but not a beer I would drink all the time.
Jan 15, 2023
Photo of kflorence
Reviewed by kflorence from Texas

4.28/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours a beautiful, opaque black in color with two fingers of off-white foam on top with good lasting abilities. Carbonation looks average, the smaller bubble variety, although it's a bit hard to see. Generous lacing as you drink, although it slides down and eventually disappears. Viscous-looking, as advertised.

Predominantly roasty/smoky aroma with some nuttiness and spice. Some lemony hoppiness to round it out. A bit sweeter on the nose as it warms; almost cola-like. On point.

Tastes of burnt barley and oats, cacao, a hint of nuttiness and some lovely spiced bitterness coming through towards the swallow. Actually a lot more hoppy that I would have expected, almost a bit piney. A mixture of bitterness from the hops and the burnt grains and cacao linger on the tongue after the swallow.

Full bodied with light, zesty carbonation and ample chewiness. Finishes rather dry. Not quite viscous, but quite drinkable, a perfect mouthfeel for the style.

Quite pleased with this find. Never heard of this beer or this brewery before, but was looking for something darker for the winter months. This was labeled as a porter on the can, but it does come off a bit more like an English stout, perhaps a bit heavy for a porter. Regardless, I really enjoyed this one. It's probably the best dark beer I've had in years. Cheers!
Dec 28, 2022
 
Rated: 4.24 by LunchMoney from Minnesota

Dec 23, 2022
 
Rated: 3.79 by not2quick from Missouri

Nov 22, 2022
 
Rated: 3.75 by QuintusHorace from California

Nov 18, 2022
Photo of HarlotBronte
Reviewed by HarlotBronte from District of Columbia

4.16/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
L: Pours a jet black with a half inch brown head that recedes to a splotching of bubbles.

S: Roasted malt, cocoa, coffee, char

T: Charred barley, coffee, cocoa. Deep and rich.

F: Medium-full bodied with good carbonation.

O: Outstanding example of the style.
Oct 19, 2022
Photo of Iamaskier
Reviewed by Iamaskier from Idaho

4.11/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Nearly jet black body with a huge pillowy head. Smell is faint and sweet; cola, a hint of grassy hops, a bit nutty. Taste is upfront cola, then burnt bread and a hint of cacao, then a pronounced leather on the finish with black coffee notes. Feel is creamy and smooth. It’s damn nice to have a bitter beer that relies on malt rather than hops these days.
Sep 14, 2022
Photo of BFCarr
Rated by BFCarr from New Jersey

3.94/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Tasty and a bit unusual.
Sep 10, 2022
 
Rated: 4.29 by Shiredave from New York

Sep 05, 2022
Photo of naikwot
Rated by naikwot

2.74/5  rDev -33.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Roasted malt, a little coffe, a little bitter. Creamy yet pretty easy-going. Not impressive yet quite enjoyable.
Aug 16, 2022
 
Rated: 4.19 by mattreitz49 from Florida

Jul 28, 2022
Old Engine Oil from Harviestoun Brewery Ltd.
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 1910 ratings