Old Engine Oil
Harviestoun Brewery
- From:
- Harviestoun Brewery
- Scotland, United Kingdom
- Style:
- English Stout
Ranked #7 - ABV:
- 6%
- Score:
- 92
Ranked #6,005 - Avg:
- 4.13 | pDev: 10.17%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 894
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Today at 03:56 AM
- Added:
- Sep 10, 2001
- Wants:
- 179
- Gots:
- 272
SCORE
92
Outstanding
92
Outstanding
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
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
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Tburk1997:
Reviewed by Tburk1997 from Canada (AB)
4.2/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.2/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Found a bottle of this at my local liquor store and bought one its really good and I was quite a fan of the taste and smell sat there wishing i had more then one the taste kind of reminds me of Barking Squirrel but better
Jun 20, 2025More User Ratings:
Reviewed by rapayn01 from Kentucky
4/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had this in August 2022 in Louisville at the Holy Grale. My notes say that it is "Tasty," but I asked: "Is it a porter or a dark lager?" Finally: "I'm not getting coffee."
Today at 03:56 AM
Reviewed by DraftMonger from Denmark
3.79/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Copenhagen 30/5 2017. 33 cl bottle from Meny. An old car on the label which seems to be in dire need of some Engine Oil.
Pours opaque dark brown with a dense light beige head. Settles as 2 cm thick layer of dense foam. Moderate lacing.
Aroma is strong. Licorice, strong bitter coffee, roasted malts and a surprisingly bitter streak.
Soft carbonation and soft, creamy palate.
Flavor is medium sweet followed by surprisingly strong bitter licorice. Aftertaste is mostly bitter.
Very fine old engine oil with a nice touch of licorice.
Dec 18, 2025Pours opaque dark brown with a dense light beige head. Settles as 2 cm thick layer of dense foam. Moderate lacing.
Aroma is strong. Licorice, strong bitter coffee, roasted malts and a surprisingly bitter streak.
Soft carbonation and soft, creamy palate.
Flavor is medium sweet followed by surprisingly strong bitter licorice. Aftertaste is mostly bitter.
Very fine old engine oil with a nice touch of licorice.
Rated by ttoadee from Texas
3.99/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Transfer from RB
Jun 12, 2025
Reviewed by Sinte from Italy
4.24/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
Bottle 0.33L.
Dark brown-to-black body with a large, creamy, tan head, mostly lasting with some lacing.
Moderate malty (toasted) aroma with notes of coffee, licorice, nuts and light red fruits; notes of coffee become more intense when the beer warms up a bit.
Moderate bitter and sweet flavour with a long-lasting round finish.
Full body with oily-to-creamy texture; soft carbonation.
May 03, 2025Dark brown-to-black body with a large, creamy, tan head, mostly lasting with some lacing.
Moderate malty (toasted) aroma with notes of coffee, licorice, nuts and light red fruits; notes of coffee become more intense when the beer warms up a bit.
Moderate bitter and sweet flavour with a long-lasting round finish.
Full body with oily-to-creamy texture; soft carbonation.
Reviewed by ZebulonXZogg from Illinois
3.5/5 rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A very thin dark brown pour, no head.
Roasted malts, chocolate,same for the flavor.
Thin, watery not much carbonation.
A disappointment, the "Reserve" is superior.
Apr 27, 2025Roasted malts, chocolate,same for the flavor.
Thin, watery not much carbonation.
A disappointment, the "Reserve" is superior.
Reviewed by mpruden from Ohio
4.5/5 rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from 11.2 oz bottle into a Nonic pint glass.
Look: A beautiful pour! Nearly black, with a two-inch light tan head that lingered and left plenty of lacing.
Nose: Medium dark roast, a little bittersweet chocolate, a little floral, and a little ripe stone fruit — this is very nice.
Attack: Immediate slight sweetness, then follows the nose very nicely with complexity and depth.
Finish: A perfect bitterness to balance.
Mouthfeel: Thick, adequate carbonation.
Overall: This is exactly what I would hope for were I ever fortunate enough to visit a pub in Scotland. I’m enjoying it all by itself today, but this would pair wonderfully with any Scottish meal.
Apr 12, 2025Look: A beautiful pour! Nearly black, with a two-inch light tan head that lingered and left plenty of lacing.
Nose: Medium dark roast, a little bittersweet chocolate, a little floral, and a little ripe stone fruit — this is very nice.
Attack: Immediate slight sweetness, then follows the nose very nicely with complexity and depth.
Finish: A perfect bitterness to balance.
Mouthfeel: Thick, adequate carbonation.
Overall: This is exactly what I would hope for were I ever fortunate enough to visit a pub in Scotland. I’m enjoying it all by itself today, but this would pair wonderfully with any Scottish meal.
Reviewed by Sinfull from New York
3.97/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.97/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Black color. One finger thick, beige head. Roasted malt and milk chocolate in aroma. Sweet taste with moderate, roasted bitterness. Smooth and easy to drink. Great, old-school porter.
Mar 13, 2025
Reviewed by Braunmeister_1943 from Pennsylvania
3.98/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.98/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A beautiful black ale, almost IPA-ish, yet richer and smoother. Tantalizing dark roasted malts with hints of cappuccino. Lush mouthfeel with the perfect amount of carbonation. This is a spectacular beer!
Mar 01, 2025
Reviewed by Bluerabbitbell from Pennsylvania
4.25/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a bottle.
Dark, not like old engine oil though. Lol.
Leah really loves this one! Dark and bitter, smokey and dark chocolate. No sweetness. But Dave doesn't like his chocolate as dark as I do anyway ;)
Dec 01, 2024Dark, not like old engine oil though. Lol.
Leah really loves this one! Dark and bitter, smokey and dark chocolate. No sweetness. But Dave doesn't like his chocolate as dark as I do anyway ;)
Reviewed by StBrewnard from France
4.56/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.56/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Very bitter. Pours an almost grey black, little to no head. A wonderful balance of hop and roast character. Dry, with only a hint of chocolate sweetness, then what I think is a heavy hop bitterness on the aftertaste. Gentle carbonation.
Nov 05, 2024
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