Brewery: Harviestoun (Caledonian), Alva, Scotland

Brewery Description: A superb, rich, full-bodied beer derived from a 1970s homebrewing recipe. Wickedly smooth chocolate dominates the flavour, which is nicely balanced by the bitterness of the hops.

Brew Style: Old ale, 6.0% ABV

Recommended Glassware: Dimpled mug, Stein

The Ugly Truth: This beer is correctly named, I’ll give it that. It pours a slick black color, much like engine oil, with very little in the way of a head to it. It just looks thick when it pours and when you roll it around the glass. Good strong aroma to it, with a fairly heavy aroma of chocolate to it. I’ll preface this whole review with the statement that I’ve never been a fan of either heavy chocolate or coffee flavors in my beer. I’m just not a big believer in those things being in beer. However, Old Engine Oil is a solid beer. Its designated as an Old Ale, and I had no idea what that was until I went and read a definition of it (link via RateBeer.com). It has a really nice roasted taste to it that I found good, and it definitely kicks harder than its 6.0% ABV when you drink it. There is a definite chocolate taste to it that doesn’t do much for me, but it wasn’t a very long lasting taste. The taste overall seemed a bit harsh; it seemed like I skipped whatever taste might have been there and went right into the bitternes. Old Engine Oil is a solid beer, not something I’d go out of my way for, though. If you enjoy chocolate-flavored beers, I’d give it a try since it would probably warrant a point or two higher on the scale for you.

Verdict: While not up my alley, I’ll give Old Engine Oil a 6 out of 10 bottlecaps.