Old Engine Oil Black Ale (6% ABV)

Harviestoun Brewery

Alva, Scotland

This brew pours a deep black with a thin brown head that disappears quickly. Smell is intensely roasty and sweet, reminiscent of burnt marshmallows and dark chocolate. The taste is sweet upfront then quickly countered by a roasty almost burnt toast flavor. The aftertaste is decently bitter but more in the way that dark chocolate and coffee are bitter rather than the bitterness that comes from hops. Despite the depth of flavor, the body is quite light with little carbonation. This is certainly a well made, easy drinking black ale and one I would buy again. Something I would recommend to dark beer lovers but not one I would go out of my way to find.

90/100

Fort Point - Pale Ale (6.6% abv)

Trillium Brewing (Boston, Ma)

This pale ale pours a hazy, yellow-orange with a bright white head that dissipates quickly. It has a bright aroma of fresh peaches, oranges and pineapple! The taste mirrors the aroma of fresh fruit with moderate bitterness and a little pine it the after taste. This is an exceptionally well designed pale ale, likely the best I've ever had.

97/100

Bonus review:

Fort Point - Pale Ale dry hopped with Galaxy hops (6.6% abv)

Obviously this beer is very similar to the original Fort Port pale ale with the difference being that Trillium put a healthy dose of Galaxy hops into the fermenter with this batch. The dry hopping adds a noticeable punch to the nose bringing the excellent aroma fresh peaches, oranges, and pineapple to the next level! 

98/100

double pot & kettle - Oatmeal Porter (9% abv)

Trillium Brewing (Boston, Ma)

Double pot & kettle pours a deep brown, almost black color with a thin brown head. It smells of smooth, dark chocolate and dates with just a touch booziness. The body is very smooth and deceivingly light for a 9% porter. The taste is predominately roasty and of bitter, dark chocolate in the aftertaste. I've had my share of oatmeal stouts before but this was my first oatmeal porter (and a double to boot). This was an exceptionally smooth drinking porter with great depth of flavor but certainly not overpowering. 

93/100