Oyster Stout Recommendations

16 Mile Brewing

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/20688/79800/

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/339/53950/

 

The porterhouse brewing co. Dublin Ireland
Oyster stout.

I had it on tap at Fraunces tavern in downtown Manhattan. It was good.

 

Great Lakes made a really nice oyster stout that hit distro. Probably not an easy find, though. There may be some BA bombers still left in the gift shop.

 

I had one from FFF that was pretty tasty, but I suspect that was a one off. I dig the brine.

 

This. Also on tap at Lovelace, which is Fraunces Tavern sister restaurant on the same block at Pearl Street.
I love Oyster Stout.

 

Never tried one, unfortunately. And now that I am a full time vegetarian, it’s probably never going to happen. Lactose in beers though, I will never give that up!

 

Oyster Stout originally did not have any oysters, it was intended to accompany them. Presumably some breweries got the wrong end of the stick and put some in.

 

They are quite satisfying. My local favorites so far have been:

Oyster Tompkins
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/36113/330819/
and
Bold Man Oyster Stout
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22783/149239/

I look forward to looking up and trying to get some of the recommendations here!
Great post!

 

Id like to see some documentation of that notion. I was told by several brewers that it's traditionally brewed with oyster brine and shells. I did find one brewery recently that does add whole oysters but all the others I'm aware of use the shell and brine. One brewer told me the calcium from the shell changed the water chemistry in some beneficial way, but that's above my pay grade

 

Oh and HenHouse brewing oyster stout is the one using while oysters and it was also interesting because it's only 4.5% when they are usually much higher abv in my experience

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16842/50959/

It has been a few years since I've had it but I do have fond memories of this oyster stout. IMO The oysters do add an interesting briny note and possibly alter the mouthfeel as well.
I think one could argue that if you're not in a region that actually produces good oysters then perhaps you shouldn't be making oyster stouts.

 

I have to ask... your profile says Washington... you're getting O Connor way out in Washington, or did you trade?

 

Track down a bottle of Apple Brandy Unloved by The Veil Brewing. That’s, in my experience, a really nice oyster stout. The barrel adds a nice depth to the salted chocolate flavors w/ body to boot.

 

As @mambossa said, Great Lakes made one that used fresh shucked oysters. I thought it was really good. The description is here.

 

I have read this - what @marquis wrote - somewhere before but can’t seem to find it online. From memory, oysters were dirt cheap in the 19th century and available at all the pubs. Brewers would hawk their wares as a good accompaniment to the oysters. An oyster stout was a stout that went well with oysters. Guinness still advertised this into the 70s or 80s I’m pretty sure.

Anecdotally, whilst living in Cork, Ireland in 2006, I can say that stout and oysters were commonly advertised at pubs and the farmer’s market. I enjoyed several plates of oysters with a pint of Beamish that year.

All that said, I don’t remember seeing an oyster stout locally that didn’t contain some part of the oyster, not that they are that common.

 

Decent article on oyster stouts here (http://allaboutbeer.com/article/oyster-stouts/).
The gist of which is that oysters and stouts were an historical pairing

and that

 

Hmm. Good point. I think you may be right that I got that as an extra in a trade. My mistake.

 

Throw away the Oysters and drink the Stout!