Flying Dog Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout, Ale Brewed with Oysters. 5.5% ALC/VOL. Brewed with Rappahannock River Oysters. Proceeds benefit Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration. (Question: Can you restore oysters by placing them in a tank of boiling water?)
Here's a beer that sort of got away. I included it in last year's StoutFest, the first oyster stout I'd tapped at the Blue Nile. When I re-tapped it after the event, it emptied too quickly for me to take notes on a pint. Now, I have a handful of bottles through the "Shock and Awe" sample pack, which also included the lager previously reviewed, as well as Doggie-style pale ale, and Snake Dog IPA, which are beers, and I can drink them. But enough of my yakkety-yak, let's have an oyster stout.
It's a black one, but I can't use my usual repertoire of adjectives. Not inky, nor stygian, not solid, nor impenetrable. Crimson highlights peek at random curves. Head is a thin, soon-slim, brownish thing.
Aroma: not much going on here. Small amounts of detectable roast. Minor traces of bitterness. Some caramel tones, mingling with minuscule espresso tinges. Something is happening, but it's quiet.
Taste: Loads the mouth humbly, takes it's seat and waits it's turn. Falls shyly upon the palate, and rests there. Medium mouthfeel, very medium, Some chocolate, some…some…I don't know. Perhaps I need to class or a seminar, an intensive workshop with oysters to determine where the flavor shows up when brewed in a stout. I will stop with the self-flagellation now.
As a vehicle for oyster delivery, I'm not sure how I feel about this one. So far, I'm really on the fence about the style. Maybe I need to try a few more, perhaps there's another one that tastes more "oyster-y". And what would that taste like?
As it is, it doesn't bring out what I want in a stout. Too light, too lean, not meaty enough.
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