Oystercatcher Stout
Grace Ridge Brewing

nice classic oyster stout here, a little sweeter than i think it needs to be, which limits how much of this i really want to drink, but its a well made beer and the oyster element is easy to appreciate, with some salinity, calcium type minerality, and smooth texture through the whole thing, quite a neat beer, understated in some ways. black in color, a little viscosity for its restrained abv, big bubbled lighter brown head, fine retention, looks the part. it smells like brown sugar, driftwood smoke like from a beachside fire, milk chocolate, possibly salted chocolate, toffee, and is also decidedly oceanic to me overall, not oyster meats or anything coming through, but the essence is there, certainly of the shell as much as anything else, lots of dark and rich grains here. the flavor is similar, and there are cool layers to this from raisin to pumpernickel bread to old world ale yeast, i think this is quite well composed overall, i just wish it were a little drier, it sits too long on the teeth and tongue and carries more weight in the belly than it should. still, i think the oyster aspect is great, the slickness and texture overall is solid, its just the sugar left at the end. good depth on the grain side, plenty of carbonation for the style, and unique overall. a fun bottle to pass around with the boys, we dont get this kind of thing in idaho! my first from grace ridge brewing.

L:. Pours a dark brown black with a small tan head and several tan fingers of lacing.

S:. Roasted malt, chocolate, some smoke from the oyster, a bit of salinity, a light stone fruit.

T:. Smoky and toasty, with chocolate, a medium bitterness, a light salinity.

F:. Smooth body, body is a tad lighter than expected.

O:. The oyster add a nice uniqueness to this stout. A very nice stout.

 

05/27/2016