Harviestoun's Old Engine Oil is a beer that seriously impressed me when I first tried it, and since then I've held the brewery in pretty high regard. Why I've waited so long then to try the rest of their range is a question I can't answer and a delay I can't offer an excuse for - Dunnes Stores sell a few Harviestoun beers at a decent price. I picked one up a few days ago.
Bitter & Twisted appears to be an IPA. This is judging by the nose of the beer, considering it pours a slightly darker amber than I'd expected. It's exceptionally well balanced without being boring, with fresh citrus hops and malt biscuit qualities complimenting each other, while the light fruitiness of the aroma develops more caramel with time and warmth. This biscuit malt backbone to the beer becomes more evident on tasting, with the zesty citrus peel and bitter bite still making themselves known. It's definitely more English in style than the Alpha Dawg, which was leaning toward the more American West Coast style IPAs. As such, I'd say the Alpha Dawg is more summery and refreshing, while the Harviestoun is better balanced and really quite quaffable.
Really enjoyable beer that went quite well with a very mild, very Irish curry.
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