Oyster Stout!

[Brew Cat]

I've yet to brew one myself, but plan to. Most places that carry oysters around here (Gulf Coast) also sell just Oyster Stock, which is water the sacks sit in prior to hitting market. (Meat is also held in water and packed in it if shucked, and some of that water is available as 'stock') I plan to use that instead of the actual Oysters or shells when I finally brew it. (in the boil) It is an excellent umami addition for any Gumbo or Stew, so I can't imagine it would be terrible in a Stout. If you buy it, it is usually filtered so there are no shells/sand, but of course, it would qualify as a 'shellfish' warning product.

I have my ingredients all measured out and ready to go but the local beds keep getting flooded with the rain. My nephew is over in Mystic and he may come on brew day so hopefully he can get some up there. They have some in the grocery but I'm hell bent on using local.
All the oysters are the same animal but every river mouth has a different flavor some more briney than others. I've had farmed in baskets and they seem to be kind of bland. There seems to be a lot of small oyster/clam outfits popping up. Guys get a boat lease some flats and work them. I think the state my be giving some incentives like they do for small breweries. They actually have an oyster trail here in CT like a brewery trail which they also have.

 

[Brew Cat]

Had some fresh shucked for lunch yesterday! (I guess I should have ordered a Stout to go with them!)

well that was how it was originally done in Brooklyn which at one point was the oyster capital. Brooklyn famous for Beer and Oysters

 

[Mont Y. Märzen]

I have my ingredients all measured out and ready to go but the local beds keep getting flooded with the rain. My nephew is over in Mystic and he may come on brew day so hopefully he can get some up there. They have some in the grocery but I'm hell bent on using local.
All the oysters are the same animal but every river mouth has a different flavor some more briney than others. I've had farmed in baskets and they seem to be kind of bland. There seems to be a lot of small oyster/clam outfits popping up. Guys get a boat lease some flats and work them. I think the state my be giving some incentives like they do for small breweries. They actually have an oyster trail here in CT like a brewery trail which they also have.

Best of luck getting some. I've only ever tried them from Chesapeake Bay and the northern Gulf Coast, and I have to say, Gulf oysters win hands down for flavor in that match up. (the Bay was good, but *too clean* for my raw preference.) I don't know what NE varieties are like. I find all Gulf seafood to be much saltier than other locales. (sometimes that is good for the variety, sometimes not, depends on the species)

And yes, even here, different areas/beds have different flavor based on the waters they feed and grow in. Some are practically buttery on their own.

I'd love to hear how it turns out!

 

[Bigbre04]

Oyster stout is getting great reviews! Planning a double batch next week with most of it going out to a local restaurant group! pretty pumped to get the beer out there!

It has been on tap for a week or 2 and is aging nicely!

 

[Mont Y. Märzen]

I just so happen to have another dozen raw last night at our club's monthly social. And yes, this time I ordered a stout, St. Arnold's Irish Hello on Nitro. And on a whim, as I was done eating each oyster, I poured the liquor into the stout. On a 13oz pour, it took the liquor from the whole dozen to be noticeable. Then, in a fit of insanity, I stirred in a smidge (≈1/8tsp) of raw horseradish in! Both versions were delicious. When I finally get around to brewing this, I'll definitely use stock, saving the oysters for eating, and find a way to incorporate horseradish too. (similar effect to a chili stout, though at that dosage, more of a hint than assaulting like some brews)

 

[Brew Cat]

I just so happen to have another dozen raw last night at our club's monthly social. And yes, this time I ordered a stout, St. Arnold's Irish Hello on Nitro. And on a whim, as I was done eating each oyster, I poured the liquor into the stout. On a 13oz pour, it took the liquor from the whole dozen to be noticeable. Then, in a fit of insanity, I stirred in a smidge (≈1/8tsp) of raw horseradish in! Both versions were delicious. When I finally get around to brewing this, I'll definitely use stock, saving the oysters for eating, and find a way to incorporate horseradish too. (similar effect to a chili stout, though at that dosage, more of a hint than assaulting like some brews)

Interesting. Do you put horseradish on your raw oysters? Around here it is a faux pas to put anything on oysters that stuff is pu on clams

 

[Mont Y. Märzen]

Interesting. Do you put horseradish on your raw oysters? Around here it is a faux pas to put anything on oysters that stuff is pu on clams

Yes, but it varies. I always squirt fresh lemon over them when they arrive. Some I slurp right out of the shell, others might get dipped in a mix of cocktail sauce and horseradish. (hot sauce if no horseradish available) And then some get dipped and eaten on a cracker. I vary it as I'm snacking. (and that's just for raw. Charbroiled is another universe)

 

[sarlandt]

 

[Brew Cat]

Well finally brewing my Oyster Stout today. My nephew is coming with Mystic oysters. Picking up my grand nephew a student at Yale. Wants to learn something useful I guess

 

[Brew Cat]

Well the Oysters ended up being Wellfleet oysters . Of course we ate them raw and fantastic. They seemed saltier than the last ones I used. The Nottingham dry yeast started fermenting within hours which was impressive. My grandnephew was very interested. Im hoping he will take up the hobby. He will come back to bottle.

 

[Bigbre04]

Well the Oysters ended up being Wellfleet oysters . Of course we ate them raw and fantastic. They seemed saltier than the last ones I used. The Nottingham dry yeast started fermenting within hours which was impressive. My grandnephew was very interested. Im hoping he will take up the hobby. He will come back to bottle.

I used different oysters for this double batch(locals are out of season). Used slightly more then double the original weight for a double batch, but i dont think that they were nearly as salty as the previous oyster. I will likely add salt post fermentation to adjust flavor.

This is another reason not to use actual shells for production! the next batch will just contain some additional calcium/salt in the boil.

otherwise it is looking like a good double batch of stout. OG was within .1p between the 3 batches! looking like FG is gonna be pretty close between the 3 batches as well!

 

[Brew Cat]

I used different oysters for this double batch(locals are out of season). Used slightly more then double the original weight for a double batch, but i dont think that they were nearly as salty as the previous oyster. I will likely add salt post fermentation to adjust flavor.

This is another reason not to use actual shells for production! the next batch will just contain some additional calcium/salt in the boil.

otherwise it is looking like a good double batch of stout. OG was within .1p between the 3 batches! looking like FG is gonna be pretty close between the 3 batches as well!

Here is where I disagree. The terrior of the oysters is important. I realize you're trying to offer a consistent product but save that for your pale ale. Many breweries do that like seasonals. Good advertising as well. This way people will come to try the new version. Probably going to not be a hell of a lot different. Not sure how much salt your adding but regular salt is not the same as the brine from the oysters

 

[Bigbre04]

Here is where I disagree. The terrior of the oysters is important. I realize you're trying to offer a consistent product but save that for your pale ale. Many breweries do that like seasonals. Good advertising as well. This way people will come to try the new version. Probably going to not be a hell of a lot different. Not sure how much salt your adding but regular salt is not the same as the brine from the oysters

i get what you are saying, but im spooling this up for contract brewing @ 20bbls a batch scale for a local restaurant chain. It will likely be a year around beer on their end, so i need it to be the same beer whether its in season or not. We shall see how it turns out when fermentation wraps up and its cold. There may be a happy median in the long run.

its at 4.2P so right around 5.7% and 71% attenuation. the first batch finished at 5.9% and 73% attenuation. but this was my first double batch of it. and i noticed that my temp controllers need to be tuned and are reading fairly off. first batch of the 2 got a little colder(64f) then i wanted, second batch warmed it up but it was not as strong as i wanted :{

 

[Brew Cat]

Yeah that's the problem with those we make beer to places. They are not really focused as much as they should be on the beer side. But hopefully you still have time to brew for yourself here and there.

 

[Bigbre04]

Yeah that's the problem with those we make beer to places. They are not really focused as much as they should be on the beer side. But hopefully you still have time to brew for yourself here and there.

generally at my nano brewpub scale, I keep 2-3 year around beers (golden lager, Session IPA, a sour, and a black lager in summer or a stout in the winter). everything else is just whatever i feel like at that time. Im working on a collaboration with another local brewery, not sure where that will end up, but a previous one was a lightly smoked apricot amber which i loved alot. i ended up brewing it twice.

Generally i have:
1. IPA rotates(6.3-9%)
2. dark beer rotates(oyster stout)
3. sour rotates(painkiller sour)
4. session ipa(bongwater)
5. golden lager(about lager time)
6. rotates(esb)
7. rotates(belgian dubbel)
8. rotates(dry hopped amber ale)

The last 3 are can be anything, sometimes i have 3 IPAs a Big ~7.5%+, med ~6.5%, and the session at ~5.3%

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

generally at my nano brewpub scale, I keep 2-3 year around beers (golden lager, Session IPA, a sour, and a black lager in summer or a stout in the winter). everything else is just whatever i feel like at that time. Im working on a collaboration with another local brewery, not sure where that will end up, but a previous one was a lightly smoked apricot amber which i loved alot. i ended up brewing it twice.

Generally i have:
1. IPA rotates(6.3-9%)
2. dark beer rotates(oyster stout)
3. sour rotates(painkiller sour)
4. session ipa(bongwater)
5. golden lager(about lager time)
6. rotates(esb)
7. rotates(belgian dubbel)
8. rotates(dry hopped amber ale)

The last 3 are can be anything, sometimes i have 3 IPAs a Big ~7.5%+, med ~6.5%, and the session at ~5.3%

interesting no pale ale ?

 

[Brew Cat]

Well the Wellfleet Oyster Stout finished quite quickly. Brewed Saturday and pitch lellamand Nottingham around 2pm . By Sunday morning nice layer of Krausen. Krausen dropped Tuesday. Terminal gravity by Wednesday. Fermented under pressure 5psi with temperature control set at 67F. Letting the yeast drop out for a week or so before bottling. Those yeast guys love oysters. I had activity within hours. Didn't bother to hydrate the yeast wich I've found never to make a difference. I hydrate on top of the wort. Usually use US-04

 

[Bigbre04]

Well the Wellfleet Oyster Stout finished quite quickly. Brewed Saturday and pitch lellamand Nottingham around 2pm . By Sunday morning nice layer of Krausen. Krausen dropped Tuesday. Terminal gravity by Wednesday. Fermented under pressure 5psi with temperature control set at 67F. Letting the yeast drop out for a week or so before bottling. Those yeast guys love oysters. I had activity within hours. Didn't bother to hydrate the yeast wich I've found never to make a difference. I hydrate on top of the wort. Usually use US-04

im carbonating my double batch today. finished at the exact same attenuation(73%) as the first batch and combined to 14.4P vs 14.5P on the first batch! Consistent!

I used Apex Chico, not super familiar with the nottingham yeasties.

Hydrating dry yeast is not need. most suppliers advise against it even. just an additional path for infection and stress on the yeasties.

 

[Bigbre04]

interesting no pale ale ?

i rotate in a pale ale every now and then. the last 3 taps generally have a different thing on them each time. Brewed a kolsch to follow the ESB and my Belgian Dubbel just took the spot of the Prepro lager.

 

[Brew Cat]

im carbonating my double batch today. finished at the exact same attenuation(73%) as the first batch and combined to 14.4P vs 14.5P on the first batch! Consistent!

I used Apex Chico, not super familiar with the nottingham yeasties.

Hydrating dry yeast is not need. most suppliers advise against it even. just an additional path for infection and stress on the yeasties.

Generally use the British yeast for stouts and porter only because of tradition . I use the Chico strain for many of my beers. Im going to repitch the Nottingham to an ESB