Smith Island Oyster Stout

As one would expect, oysters have a special place along Virginia's eastern shore. This year provided me with opportunities to learn about that special place, whether it was the tour of the Lambert Shellfish oyster farm in Vaucluse Shores or a more general look at the work of the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences in Wachapreague. And, of course, given my family's love of oysters, we ate a lot of fresh, local oysters. We sampled oysters straight out of Hungar's Creek; we ate fried oysters out of the local fixture, the Machipango Clam Shack, and I shucked a couple dozen from Cherrystone Aqua Farms, whose operations are centered in Cape Charles, Virginia, for us to enjoy at our leisure. 

And, as we sat in the only brewpub on the eastern shore of Virginia, Cape Charles Brewing, I had to try the Smith Island Oyster Stout. I am a big fan of oyster stouts. The combination of a dark, robust style of beer with the very subtle salinity elements of oysters is a combination that seems just natural. 

And, indeed it is, because the oyster stout style has a relatively long history, at least one that dates back to 19th century England. At that time, porters and stouts were popular, everyday beers. As one sat at the bar in the pub, they would have been served a stout alongside oysters. Indeed, although in Ireland, Guinness would advertise that its famous stout paired perfectly with the shucked bivalves. 

At some point, most likely around the end of the 19th century, brewers discovered that oyster shells, which are rich in calcium carbonate, could be used to filter beer. And, it was only a matter of time before the oyster meat would also make its way into the brewing process.

The first brewery to produce an oyster stout was not in England or the United States. It was the Dunedin Brewery in New Zealand, which offered the first oyster stout in 1938. They did not use fresh oysters, but canned oyster concentrate. To be sure, others followed in Dunedin's footsteps, such as Castleton Brewery on the Isle of Man and the Manx Brewery in the United States. 

The brewers at Cape Charles Brewing describe the oysters' contribution to the Smith Island Oyster Stout as follows: "We gave it an Eastern Shore twist by adding hundreds of fresh, local oysters to the boil," adding "you won't taste the oysters themselves, but rather a subtle, pleasant salinity."

To be sure, the Smith Island Oyster Stout checks off all of the markers of a typical stout: a dark, nearly impenitrable color, aromatic elements of roasted malt, and a flavor profile that hints at earthier tastes, like a little chocolate or coffee. As for that salinity, I could sense it a little, especially as the beer warmed and opened up. 

I have tried several of Cape Charles Brewing's beers, including but not limited to, the Assateague Island IPA and the Cobb Island IPA. Yet, while all of the beers are very good, the Smith Island Oyster Stout is my favorite. Both the brewery, and the opportunity to drink a pint of this beer, are reasons enough to visit Cape Charles. Until next time ...

PEACE.