Looking for Oyster Stout

[Sunriver]

I live in bend OR.

I dont suppose anyone knows where i can find some Oyster stout? I am having no luck, infact I cant find a brewery that makes any, I would also be interested in a good recipe if anyone has one.

[BluesHarp]

I had one from Dogfish Head on tap in Illinois last year, but I don't know if it is available retail.

[steveh]

Dogfish doesn't even list the Oyster Stout at their site. Hmm. The only other OS I ever had was at the Porter House in Dublin, Ireland. If you look up the style at Beer Advocate, they list some that are available these days, including a Hopback brew.

S.

[newportstorm]

DFH doesn't list many of their special brews on the site, unfortunately. Gotta keep the eyes and ears open at your favorite pubs and packies.

They had some kegs of the DFH Oyster Stoutin the Boston area as well. Didn't get a chance to try it - it's a style I've never had and don't really understand. Seems some brewers use only the oyster shell and others toss in the whole snotty mess (appetizing, huh?) ;)

Cheers!

[steveh]

What? No experimental brews for you Newport? ;)

Seriously, I've always been intrigued by the style - if not more than a bit hesitant to try it. Faced with the opportunity, and in Ireland no less, I had to try it. It's, um - interesting, and the DFH take on the style was more stout tasting than the Porter House's - the PH version having a definite undertone of oyster. Maybe DFH uses "essence" of oyster, as some breweries did, and the PH uses the whole creature.

Stout and oysters have been paired as a delicacy for years and there are festivals around the coast of Ireland each year, but the OS style actually has its origins on the Isle of Man. I guess the brewers thought the two went together so well, why not mix them in a recipe? Wonder why the Bavarians never thought to do that with pretzels... ;-)

S.

[stronk]

Whitstable makes an oyster stout here, but I don't think they use oysters in it. I thought the style was just supposed to be paired with oysters, not made with them.

Maybe there's been some huge misunderstanding when US microbrewers heard of the style and interpreted its meaning too literally! I'll have a search.

[beerbastard]

Yards Love Stout is an Oyster stout and a good beer at that.

I don't think that'll help you though - Yards only distributes in the Mid-Atlantic/North East.

[steveh]

Originally posted by stronk
Maybe there's been some huge misunderstanding when US microbrewers heard of the style and interpreted its meaning too literally! I'll have a search.

Well, then it spread to Ireland too, the Porter House's listed oysters in the ingredients.

"Several other ingredients have been used in stout over the years. Essence of oyster was employed by some breweries, notably Castletown, on the Isle of Man. Oyster Stout is no longer made in Britain, despite the harmony enjoyed by these two items." '88 The New World Guide to Beer, Jackson.

S.

Addendum:
Porter House Oyster Stout

Alcohol By Volume: 4.8%
Grain: Pale Malt, Roast Barley, Black malt, Flaked Barley.
Hops: Galena, Nugget, east Kent goldings.
Special Ingredients: Oyster.

Brewed with fresh oysters. A smooth drinking aromatic stout with a discernible but unidentifiable aromatic aspect. Not suitable for vegetarians.

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by beerbastard
Yards Love Stout is an Oyster stout and a good beer at that.

I don't think that'll help you though - Yards only distributes in the Mid-Atlantic/North East.

Yes, we just got some Yards products here in RI this year. I dig the Saison, the IPA is OK...would love to see some Love Stout show up some day.

Cheers!

[noby]

According to the OBBD (www.bottledbeer.co.uk) it's the other way round:

"Oyster stouts originally had oysters, or oyster shell, in the ingredients (supposedly to make the stout even healthier for you). Today, an 'oyster' stout is an alternative to Champagne as a mollusc accompaniment."

I did enjoy a few pints of Porterhouse's Oyster stout a couple of weeks ago. Interesting taste alright.



edit: This (http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-000740.html) is what Michael Jackson has to say.




noby

[chazwicke]

Fordham Brewing in Annapolis also makes an Oyster Stout. It is delicious. As are a dozen or so raw oysters. I love em!

[fretlessman71]

Oysters are like eating pencil erasers stewed in tuna juice... :eek:

[chazwicke]

NO WAY!! I can eat dozens. Chicoteague Oysters are superb and I like most of the Nova Scotian and Prince Edward Island oysters too. And when in New Orleans, Never go too far without having a plate of oysters.

[stronk]

I have been enlightened. I'll look out for one (but I won't look too hard, just in case I find one! ;)).

[BluesHarp]

Originally posted by chazwicke
NO WAY!! I can eat dozens. Chicoteague Oysters are superb and I like most of the Nova Scotian and Prince Edward Island oysters too. And when in New Orleans, Never go too far without having a plate of oysters.

I'm with you, my friend! On the half shell with some nice fiery hot sauce...when in New Orleans, I had oysters at least once every day...sometimes even cooked. ;)

[steveh]

Originally posted by BluesHarp
I'm with you, my friend! On the half shell with some nice fiery hot sauce...

And you taste the oyster, when..? ;)

S.

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by steveh
And you taste the oyster, when..?

S. See, now THAT might be the way to go! Erasers in hot sauce.... Hmmm... one out of two ain't bad! :D

[chazwicke]

Fret, you don't know what your missing. I'm hungry for some now.

I know some people who mix oysters into their Thanksgiving Stuffing.

[fretlessman71]

I DO know what I'm missing - remember where I used to work? YEEECCCCCHH!!!!

Now, mixing green apples into stuffing.... MMMMMMMM.... :)

[chazwicke]

My son won't eat them either. I had to bribe / pay him to try them several years ago. Cost me $40.00.

[fretlessman71]

Worth every penny to see the look of revulsion on his face, I'll bet... :D

[chazwicke]

Yep! :D I also had to bribe him to eat Blue Stilton. I had to order the new Vice City San Andreas Video game for him. But again, worth it.

[fretlessman71]

When I was 18, someone called the house who wanted to speak to my mom. When I asked who it was, and what the nature of their business was, the caller informed me that my mother had been selected to receive (for a small nominal fee) vouchers to about 20 restaurants in the area. When I went to retrieve my mom, she refused to come to the phone, didn't want to talk to anyone like that, and told me what to tell them. I said I'd only tell them THAT if she bought me a new car stereo. She agreed. So I went to the phone, calmly picked it up, and said through a s**t eating grin:

"I'm sorry. Mrs. Olson does not EAT."

There was about 10 seconds of silence, a chuff - sort of a stifled laugh - and the response: "Ohhh-KAYYYYYY! Thanks for your time!" And he hung up. Earned me a new Alpine stereo and some pretty nice speakers! :D

[chazwicke]

Very nice.

[chazwicke]

Maybe you could go on that show Fear Factor where they pay you to eat road kill, blended rat or maggots. Those people who do that are crazy. It is not worth whatever they pay them. I've only seen the show a couple of times.

[fretlessman71]

Yeeeccchhh -- the grand prize is $50,000.00, I think, and that's not near enough to cover the medical expenses required to turn your body and your brain back to normal if you progress that far. I really feel bad for the runner up! :rolleyes:

[chazwicke]

Like I said, Not enough money.

[fretlessman71]

Hey! I got it - a new show to get people to try brews they wouldn't have otherwise considered: BEER factor! :D

[chazwicke]

Yeah! Or maybe pay people to drink the BMC products. That seems like torture.

[gallowd7]

Not to hijack this back to Oyster Stout, but from another post about Ramsheads' (Annapolis) Oyster:

Oyster is a regular. They also call it Genius Stout which they put through nitro. I think it is a very good stout, however, I believe they call it "Oyster" because of the location rather than any ingredient. If you make it out there, try to get there for happy hour (which invariably turns into "happy evening"), the "homebrews" are $2 and they have good free food.
Something to try with the stout is a "Stelles less Helles", which we coined several years ago for a 75-25 Stout-Helles mix.

As for regular oysters, I'll eat them any way you put 'em in front of me. I've also got some great recipes that will appease the non-believers, but what's the point in that?

[fretlessman71]

Well and good, but let it be known that I'm only trying oyster-less oyster stouts... you wouldn't want to be near me if I had any of the former.... :o

[theincumbent]

This is what Yards Brewing says about their Love Stout:

An English style stout made with pale and dark English malts, English noble hops and 150 whole oysters -- shell and all. The oysters are thrown into the brew kettle during the boil stage of the brewing process, adding calcium to the wort. The result is a passionately smooth stout. (Mysteriously, a large number of friends gather in the tasting area of the brewery during the brew.)


So, the oysters are removed. Just to clear up any confusion.
Anyone have any tasting notes on this particular Oyster Stout?


James

[BluesHarp]

Originally posted by steveh
And you taste the oyster, when..?

S.

Well, you don't float the oysters in the hot sauce...a few drops; you taste the oyster with the flavor of the sauce, then the heat follows...sheeesh....amateurs...:p

[steveh]

Originally posted by BluesHarp
...sheeesh....amateurs...

I like Oysters Rockefeller. ;)

S.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by BluesHarp
Well, you don't float the oysters in the hot sauce...a few drops; you taste the oyster with the flavor of the sauce, then the heat follows...sheeesh....amateurs...:p

Agreed! Leaves more for us if they don't like em.