Old Engine Oil Black Ale
If there’s one thing that can be said about Harviestoun’s Black Ale, Old Engine Oil, it’s that it’s it doesn’t mince words on the bottle. I can’t think of any other beer that labels itself “viscous.” That right there was enough to sell me on the bottle and when paired with the made-up words “chocolatey and roasty” you would think you are talking about a mocha or some other beverage other than a beer. Can’t go wrong there…or can you?
There are a lot of over-the-top alcoholic beverage names. And to be honest, the actual drinks usually suck. A good gimmick will often sell the first bottle, but most “witty” beers just don’t live up to the hype. So despite my hope that this “thick, gloopy” beer would be something unique, I wasn’t really expecting it to be good.
From pour to first sip, the beer really lives up to the packaging. The beer truly is almost opaque and looks more like a really dark coffee than a beer, though the foamy head tells you otherwise. And while it’s not really “viscous” the beer drinks like a thick dark ale should. The surprising thing comes after the first sip; the beer is actually quite good. It has a great smokey flavor that you don’t often get in a dark beer. Many dark beers are just strong and bitter and don’t have much flavor beyond that. This one actually has a flavor to go along with the bitterness.
The verdict: It may not be Guinness, but Old Engine Oil lives up to and exceeds it’s witty marketing with a nice smokey and strong flavor.
