Oyster Stout (UK)
Oyster stout is a style of stout brewed with oyster shells. It's unclear how it came about, but it's possible that oysters were primarily used to clarify and improve clarity – the shells were used to help remove impurities.
Oyster stout is often classified as a sweet (milky) stout, but most people consider it a separate category. Nowadays, it is mainly brewed with whole oysters. Specimens are dark, smooth and richly flavored. They have a bitter-sweet taste with a mineral and salty character and the usual roasted notes reminiscent of cocoa and caramel.
If the beer is made with shells only, it will have more subtle salty notes. Although it is unclear how and when oysters were first added during brewing, oyster stout has a long history in the British Isles. Bars would often serve oysters on the shell, and guests would often pair them with their favorite brew.
This style is still rare and only produced in craft breweries.
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