Half Full Brewery: Grace & Darkness Oyster Stout

ABV: 8.0%

IBU: N/A

Availability: Seasonal – January to March

@untappd says: 3.74/5

Today the Window Sill goes somewhere I never thought it would: Oyster Land!

Can we talk about oyster stouts? If you’re new to the craft beer game, you might think this is an odd concoction, but stouts have been linked to these marine mollusks for a long time. When the stout style emerged in the 1800s, oysters were common pub fare, so the two were naturally paired. At some point, someone figured out that oyster shells are very alkaline, making them an effective antacid to prevent souring in beer, so shells were often added to barrels. The debate rages on about who the first crazy person to use actual oysters in the boil of a stout, but it happened in the late 1920s, or early 1930s. Have you had an oyster stout?

Half Full Brewery’s Grace & Darkness was my first foray into the world of oyster stouts. It’s part of Half Full’s Community Sourced Ales Project—releases made in collaboration with local ingredient providers. In this beer’s case, the oysters come from Copps Island Oysters in Norwalk, CT. Surprisingly, I really liked this beer. It’s full-bodied and roasty, with hints of brine and sea salt flavors from the oysters. The chocolaty, creaminess of the stout balances nicely with all of it. Who knew?

Keep Stout Season going on our Instagram, now!