Have you checked your oil lately? I don’t mean in your car, I mean in you. You may be a couple of quarts low. I know I was, until I stumbled upon the Dollar, Scotland Harviestoun Brewery’s Old Engine Oil ale. It’s an apt name for the beer, in more ways than one. The beer may have the consistency of motor oil, but its brewer has a firm footing in the motor industry, the main reason the beer has the name it does. Its brewer, Ken Brooker, made a living working for the Ford Motor Company, first near London and later in Scotland, hence the moniker “Old Engine Oil”.

This is a very tasty brew that is, while hard to find, worth seeking out. But how long will it be available? A good question. In my many years of beer hunting, I’ve seen a lot of beers come and go. Of late, more have gone than come I think, and that is especially true of imported beers. Why might that be? I suspect that many foreign brewers see the opportunity for some short-term profit by selling their beer in the United States market.

Do these brewers expect to gain a long-term presence? Probably not. But they are aware that many American craft beer drinkers are always looking for something new to try, and that spells extra sales now matter how you pour it. Should their brew prove to have staying power, so much the better. Either way, we beer enthusiasts get to try some very special brews like Old Engine Oil.

Old Engine Oil pours to a deep, dark chestnut color with a thick creamy tan head formation and a spicy malty nose. The rich malt palate is wonderfully deep and complex. It’s best described as being caramelly and chewy with hints of raisin, pronounced fruit, almond, pineapple, light coffee, and subtle chocolate. There’s a gentle minty hop finish and a slight lingering hop buzz in the aftertaste. A touch of sweetness is noticeable in the middle of the palate as the brew warms. Reminiscent of a barley wine, all that’s lacking is the alcohol warmth (Old Engine Oil is 6% by volume). An incredibly complex and delicious brew, perfect just after dinner as I enjoyed it.

Old Engine Oil is an award winning old ale/winter warmer. Generous quantities of roasted barley, oats, Golding, Fuggle, and Galena hops impart some of its many flavors. It is imported by Beverage United, a company dedicated to bringing wonderful beers to America.

Update August 15, 2011: This one is nice with a little age, too. Just popped a bottle that I bought in September of 2008. I've kept it refrigerated since, and the complexity might be a bit reduced, but the notes of licorice, cocoa, raisin and coffee have very much intensified. The finish is a bit less hoppy, though a light kiss of minty hops are still discernible. Truly a wonderful beer even at three years of age.



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