Oyster Stout Beer: Where To Buy This Unique Brew

Oyster stout is a type of beer made with oysters. It was first brewed in New Zealand in 1929 and has since become a well-recognized style among craft brewers. Oyster stouts are dark, semi-sweet beers that are often brewed using oyster shells, although some brewers use the entire oyster. The shells are rich in calcium carbonate, which serves as a clarifying agent for the beer. Oyster stouts can be found in various places, including pubs, breweries, and beer shops. Some popular brands that produce oyster stouts include Flying Dog, 21st Amendment, and Porterhouse Brewing. These unique beers can be enjoyed with a platter of freshly shucked oysters, providing a distinct and intriguing sensory experience.

Oyster stouts in the US

Oyster stouts may be an unusual combination of flavours, but they have been around for over a century. In the US, there are several breweries that have experimented with this style of beer.

The HenHouse Brewing Company, based in Petaluma, California, has created an oyster stout using whole oysters and flakes of sea salt. The result is a "briny" stout with a salty, oceanic flavour. Another California-based brewery, this time in Savannah, also offers an oyster stout.

On the other side of the country, in Maryland, Flying Dog has created Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout, a 5.5% stout made with whole oysters from Virginia. This beer has a traditional stout flavour, with a malty, toasty, roasty character and a butter-toffee finish.

For those looking for an even stronger oyster stout, the 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco offers an oyster stout with an ABV of 7.9%. This beer is rich and smoky, with a faint briny sauciness, possibly from the shells of local Hog Island oysters used in the brewing process.

Oyster stouts may be an acquired taste, but for those looking to try something unique, these breweries offer an intriguing option.

Oyster stouts in Ireland

Oyster stouts have a long history in Ireland. In the 18th and 19th centuries, oysters were a common, cheap food for the working classes, and they were often served in pubs and taverns alongside stout. The two were a kind of cheap and cheerful meal or bar snack. The bitter, roasted, smooth flavour of a dry Irish stout is a beautiful contrast to the creamy, salty, sweet taste of oysters.

In Ireland, you can buy oyster stouts from Porterhouse Brewery Co. in Dublin. Their beer is brewed with fresh oysters and has notes of oyster, caramel, roasted malt, coffee, and chocolate. It's available in pubs around Dublin and at the brewery itself.

Oyster stout is also available from other breweries around the world, including Marston's in the UK, Dunedin Brewery Company in New Zealand, and Hammerton Brewery in London.

If you're looking for a food pairing with your oyster stout, oysters are a classic choice. The slightly bitter, slightly sweet notes of the stout pair well with the briny flesh of an oyster.

Oyster stouts in the UK

Oyster stouts are made with a handful of oysters in the barrel or with oyster concentrate. They are one of the least common styles of beer internationally. Oysters have been consumed with beer since the 18th century when they were a common food served in pubs and taverns. Oyster stouts were first created in 1929 by an unknown master brewer in New Zealand, who put a whole oyster, shell and all, into the wort during the boiling process. The style was then brought to London's Hammerton Brewery in Barnsbury in 1939, where it became extremely popular.

Today, oyster stouts are not as common in the UK as they once were, but there are still a few options available for those looking to try this unique style of beer. One option is the Wright Brothers Oyster Stout, which is a collaboration between the Wright Brothers and the Cornish craft beer brewery Harbour Brewing Company. This oyster stout has a bittersweet caramel and nutty aroma, a light mouthfeel, and a long finish, making it a perfect pairing for surf and turf. It has an ABV of 4.5% and comes in 330ml cans.

Another option for oyster stout in the UK is Marston's Oyster Stout, which uses the name to imply that the beer would be a good pairing for oysters. This beer does not actually contain oysters, but rather pays homage to the traditional pairing of stout and oysters.

In addition to these options, some breweries in the UK also offer oyster stouts on a seasonal or rotating basis. For example, the Hammerton Brewery in London, which first brought oyster stout to the UK, may still offer this style of beer from time to time. It's always a good idea to check the websites or social media pages of local breweries to see if they have any special releases or seasonal offerings that include an oyster stout.

Finally, for those willing to travel, the Galway International Oyster Festival in Ireland is a great opportunity to taste a variety of oyster stouts served with oysters. This festival takes place every year in September and is the most important event dedicated to these molluscs.

Oyster stouts in Italy

Oyster stouts are dark, semi-sweet beers brewed using oyster shells. While the Beer Judge Certification Program categorises oyster stouts under "sweet stouts", they are quite different from milk stouts and cream stouts. Oyster stouts are recognised and appreciated by American craft brewers, although they are not a product of the craft beer revolution.

Oysters and beer have been enjoyed together since the early 1900s in England, where drinking stout with oysters was commonplace. In fact, Guinness once advertised with the slogan, "Opening Time is Guinness Time. Guinness and Oysters are Good for You."

The origin of oyster stouts is uncertain. It is possible that the style started as a myth, with Colchester Brewing Company's Oyster Feast Stout for an oyster harvest party not actually containing oysters. The more likely story is that brewers used oyster shells as a refining agent to clarify the beer. Modern oyster stouts, however, use oysters primarily for flavour.

Oyster stouts are available in Italy, with two examples being "Perle ai Porci" from Birrificio del Borgo in Rieti, and "Impe Stout" from Birrificio Lambrate in Milan. "Perle ai Porci" is made with Fin de Claire Breton oysters and Telline del Litorale Romano oysters, while "Impe Stout" is made with mussels and dulse seaweed.

Oyster stouts in Belgium

Oyster stouts are dark, semi-sweet beers brewed using oyster shells, which add a subtle salty taste. While oyster stouts are recognised and appreciated by American craft brewers, they are not a product of the craft beer revolution. In fact, oysters and beer, particularly stout, have been paired together for a long time. In the early 1900s in England, it was common to drink stout while eating oysters at the pub.

One of the unique Belgian stouts is the Oesterstout by Scheldebrouwerij. It is a full-bodied stout with a refined malty bitterness and briny tones in the aftertaste. It is recommended to serve it with dark chocolate or oysters.

Belgium also has many oyster hotspots, where you can try this gourmet shellfish. De Oesterput in Blankenberge is a family-owned restaurant with over 130 years of oyster excellence. Another great place for oysters is Ghent, where the annual oyster market organised by Brasserie Pakhuis takes place. De Blauwe Kiosk in Ghent, a former newspaper stand, is also a charming spot for oyster lovers. L’Entre Sambre et Mer in Namur offers sumptuous platters of shellfish and oysters at very reasonable prices. Brasserie Dock’s in Antwerp serves six different kinds of oysters all year round and also hosts a popular oyster and fruits de mer market. Lastly, Het Nieuwe Palinghuis in Antwerp is known for its old-school way of handling produce, from raw and ready to heaven on a plate.

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