Thundershuck Oyster Pale Ale
49th State Brewing Co.

 

an oyster pale ale, yes, not an oyster stout, an oyster pale ale! never in my life have i seen such a thing, how exciting! the hops and the salinity of the oysters somehow are perfect together, and this has to stand as one of the most unique pale ales i have ever had, both in terms of idea and in flavor, its subtle, but its wild. a not quite clear golden brew from the tap, frothy white head on it, great lace and retention. it smells earthy, wet, mineral forward, and almost ipa level of hoppy, lots of clean citrus to this, seemingly brought even more to the fore by the oysters, which are salty and clean in here to me, nothing fishy about it or anything, more shells than meat to me as well. the malt base is light and simple, has a honey flash to it but is mostly dry, its out of the way enough for the oysters to be tastes. there is a richness beyond the brine contribution from the oysters too, an oily thing that adds a lot and also loves the hops. green melon rind, papaya, and tangerine notes to the hops really are fresh and prominent in here. i love the way this comes together, its unique in flavor and texture, and is such a cool use of the oysters. if it sounds weird to you, give it a try, the oyster adds something totally unexpected to this thats tough to describe. a very cool surprise, highly recommended! loved it!