Sea You At the Bottom

While I may say that I never buy anything based on a label, even I have to admit that is not always the case ... especially when the label has Cthulhu on it. Recently, I came across another Cthulhu-inspired label on a beer.  This one is for the Sea You at the Bottom, a farmhouse ale from D.C. Brau in collaboration with the Sea Line, a seafood and oyster restaurant just a ball's throw from Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. 

The thing about a "farmhouse ale" is that the name is not a style. Instead, it refers to a range of styles, that differ from country to country. The styles include saison, biere de garde, gueze or sahti (if you happen to be in Finland). These beers tend to have orangish to golden colors, with a lighter in body and a noticeable dryness in the taste.  Some of these styles, such as a saison, also have elements that could work well with oysters, such as citrus (think lemons) or pepper notes.

Yet, a farmhouse ale is hardly the type of beer that one would associate with Cthulhu. If someone is going to brew a beer that will feature Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'naghl fhtagn (the full name of the literary beast), one would expect a darker beer, such as a Russian Imperial Stout, along the lines of the The Death of Cthulhu brewed by Virginian craft brewer Adroit Theory. 

D.C. Brau and the Salt Line nevertheless went with a farmhouse ale brewed with oysters. (The oyster part was as compelling of a reason for me to purchase the beer as the image of Cthulhu on the label.) Conceptually, I guess, the oysters are what ties the beer to the waters from which Cthulhu emerges. Yet, oysters don't live deep in the ocean. They are usually found in brackish waters that are eight to thirty-five feet deep. If one wants to be true to the them, one should consider brewing a beer with squid. (Surprisingly enough, someone has brewed beer with squid ink.)

In any event, D.C. Brau did a great job with Sea You at the Bottom worked very well. The beer pours a golden hue, with only a thin layer of foam that recedes as quickly as the sea foam.  The aromatic elements of the beer track a typical saison, with some citrus notes and some other less recognizable, but pleasing elements.  As for the taste, that is where the oysters truly reveal themselves. The brewers used Skipjack oysters from the Chesapeake Bay. Named after the iconic vessels that once plied the bay to dredge for oysters, the Skipjack is an average-sized oyster has been with a mild salinity but meaty texture.  That salinity, which gives the oyster its briny flavor, is noticeable in what I could only describe as a "salty" element. That element is not too pronounced.  It took several sips before I could identify it amongst the more traditional citrus notes that one would expect in a saison.  That was not a bad thing, as the Sea You At the Bottom is a very drinkable beer.

This beer presents a very good case why oysters can be used in styles other than stouts. I purchased a four pack from D.C. Brau for $14.99. If you happen to make your way to the Salt Line in Washington, D.C. or make a stop by the D.C. Brau brewery, I would definitely try or buy this beer.  Until next time ...

ENJOY!