Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout - Flying Dog Brewery

shand

Florida

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout pours out a deep brown color with a finger of head that quickly drops to a cap. The aroma is pretty stout-typical, with roasted malt and sweet chocolate. Thankfully, the taste does offer a bit of salty brininess that too many oyster stouts miss out on, providing a great amount of depth to the chocolate flavors akin to a sea-salted chocolate bar. The mouthfeel is on the light side of medium and gently carbonated, and the drinkability is good. Overall, Pearl Necklace is a good oyster stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 01:43:31 | More by shand

sweemzander

Illinois

3.59/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz. bottle poured into an imperial pint glass.

(A)- Pours practically pitch black in color. Produced a really nice head of tan froth with good retention behind it. Some lacing left behind.

(S)- A deep roasted profile overall. Dark malts with bits of coffee, raisin, cocoa, brown sugar, and molasses. Not in your face potent, but quite a nice rustic aroma feel.

(T)- Pretty similar to the smell. A good underlying roasted component throughout the beer is still there. Hints at raisin, prune, cocoa, and molasses are present. Ever so marginally sweet but with a good dry finish on it.

(M)- A good carbonation level and balance. A good dry roasted quality overall that is supplemented well with subtle sweet flavors. Not super thick or boozy which is nice and fitting the style.

(O)- This is just a nice, easy drinking stout when you want those classic stout flavors without having to tear into a thick and meaty Russian Imperial or American Double. Simple but satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 21:50:43 | More by sweemzander

wac9

Pennsylvania

3.05/5  rDev -18%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

this is the frist oyster stout i have had and it just taste life a stout thought a oyster stout tasted diffrent but this beer pours dark with a big head nothing more i can stay a dark beer worth drinking yes but thats it drinks dark looks darks what do oyster taste like because its not in this beer drink this beer if you like dark beer but it you have drank oyster stout before then you know what they should taste like and i think there better ones out there because this just taste like a regular stout

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 01:45:38 | More by wac9

tronester

Oklahoma

3.81/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a very dark brown, almost black in color. Thin but creamy tan head. Aromas of roasted meats and a bit of salt. Taste begins with an almost briny character, followed by a savory coffee middle, and an earthy, coffee finish. Mouthfeel is good. Overall quite a good beer. This may be the first Oyster Stout I've had.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 00:00:27 | More by tronester

chinchill

South Carolina

3.71/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle poured clear, dark mahogany but looks nearly black in the glass. It has a modest size tan foam cover. The head reduces rather quickly, leaving a durable ring but little lacing.

Aroma: dark roasted malts with a hint of briny oyster.

Taste: Toasty, salty and smokey with just a touch of briny oyster in the surprisingly smokey finish. Sweet/bitter more-or-less in balance.

Mouthfeel: medium-full body; medium carbonation; less dry than expected.

Overall: A nice stout with plenty of rich, dark roasted malt flavor.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 19:19:09 | More by chinchill

Steelcitynsouth

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Lot of great art on the cover - for a cover of a semi-good beer. Don't get me wrong; were this the 1st stout I ever had I may love it. However, I am a stout / porter fan, so I naturally feel I know them best... This is marginal for a stout and a slightly tasty porter at best...

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 04:18:57 | More by Steelcitynsouth

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

With Urban Dictionary alive and well with Flying Dog's adolescent-minded marketing team, Pearl Necklace hits the market with shock value and in-your-face flavor. When the beer's label starts with gimmicks, its hard to overcome that in taste.

Amply carbonated and with the darkest of dark brown color, the ale erupts in the glass and nearly overtakes its rim. Building a tall head of varying bubble sized shows long-lasting staying power and laces impressively with sheets of foam that cling to the glass.

Sharply roasted aromas start off with strong coffee grounds, cocoa, and nutty malt scents. There's the minerally tinge of drywall that gives the beer a calcium-rich tone before hop aromas of spruce tips lead into the first sip.

The beer's taste also starts out with the bold taste of spent coffee grounds, burnt grain, campfire, and mild ash. Somewhat abrasive, the taste moves quickly into a middle of bitter cocoa and walnut oils. Hop flavor of pine and spruce turns to bitter resins before the dry brine taste of sea salt and sulfur sets in.

Powdery and full on the palate the beer's high carbonation promotes dryness and a creamy ash character. The roast and short-lived sweetness turns plaster-like as the dryness and mineral-rich oyster shell character dries the beer with a snap.

The stout's high level of carbonation, dryness, and hop character suggest an American-style Stout as opposed to more supple, sweet, and calmer English versions. Those need the salty must of shellfish for balance and palatability. But in this design, the salts exacerbate much of it's already overbearing quality.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 16:10:23 | More by BEERchitect

Uncle_Jimmy

California

4.14/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - Inky black half a finger of brown foam that goes away instantly no retention. No Lacing.

aroma- roasted briny-ness- like nori seaweed paper a little bit like buttered bread

Taste- Roasty and smokey and just a touch of briney-ness in the finish the hops get a bit lost in this but I like it. Its not sweet as a result of a lack of hops. In fact as it warms the hops become a bit more pronounced. This Oyster Stout is one of the first I have ever had and I really like it. The buttered bread (like squaw dark bread) comes out towards the end along with the hops. They are a bit piney. Noble?!

Mouthfeel- medium to full bodied, a bit high on the carbonation but i think as it mellows it is quite tasty. not too much alcohol that it wouldn't compliment a plat of oysters

Overall- yes- two of my favorites, dark beer , and oysters very tasty. Obviously it would compliment seafood and I think any dish where lemon was a feature ( oddly enough). Not having much to compare it to in the oyster stout category I would say that this is a winner!

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 00:33:10 | More by Uncle_Jimmy

jwc215

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours pitch black with a thick head that lasts awhile before becoming a thin lasting cover. Spider-web lacing sticks.

The smell reminds me of the Atlantic Ocean (which I live near). The smell is wanting me to get to an oyster bar... salty...with a roasted chocolate undertone. Coffee comes through.

The taste is salty with roasted notes. Chocolate with a hint of licorice. The taste is on the mild side - if it were more robust I would appreciate it even more. Still, it is delicious.

It has mild carbonation, is on the full-side of the spectrum, and is very smooth.

This is a nice oyster stout. English in character, with American "craft" touch. It would go well with oysters. Well-made!

My bottle says 4.7 abv.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 16:38:48 | More by jwc215

nukem5

Pennsylvania

3.89/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours a black cola color with a nice tan cap of 3/4 inch.

S: Aromas are of malts rich and dark roasty with a bit of piney hop note tucked it there.

T: Taste is of much the same. Rich dark maalts roasty goodness and a touch of briney brakishness from the oysters perhaps.

M: Mouthfeel is of medium body with a light carbonation level which gives it a silky feel.

O: Overall a nice beer to have with some fish and fries went nicely.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 19:12:55 | More by nukem5

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.91/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Nice to see an oyster stout out there and this is a nice one, I have to say. Nice little sweet thing going on, in a stout kind of way. Consistent flavor. Carbonation seems a bit high. Probably detracts from the flavor delivery. But this is a very nice beer. I like it.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 05:49:31 | More by RblWthACoz

CHickman

New York

4.18/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours pitch black with no light coming through and a foamy/creamy 2 finger light tan head that faded slowly, leaving good spotty lacing and rings as it went down.

Smells of malt, seawater, oyster shells, roasted grains, coffee, cocoa, caramel, charcoal, herbs and light vanilla or licorice; it’s a nice smelling stout with a good blend of all the ingredients that allows it all to work together well.

Tastes of coffee, cocoa powder, malt, seawater, oyster shells, roasted grains, caramel, toffee, charcoal, herbs, floral hops, lemon zest, light vanilla and faint licorice; the sweet coffee and cocoa up front lead to the salty oyster flavor, followed by the slightly bitter hop finish. An easy drinking stout that went down like water, I really enjoy oyster stouts and this was up there with the best of them. It has a complex flavor with a fair amount going on, yet it’s simple and sessionable.

Mouthfeel is light, smooth and almost watery, with very mild carbonation, a healthy bitterness, and a finish that is a combo of hops, salty oyster, coffee and roasted grains.

Overall this was very good and quite enjoyable. This was much better than I expected it to be and a beer that I’d seek out again. The low ABV made this go down very quickly, and it is a definite session beer to me.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 03:35:31 | More by CHickman

superspak

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, best before 3/27/2013. Pours crystal clear very dark brown color with a 1 finger dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass. Aromas of milk chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, coffee, caramel, toast, toffee, light oyster, and light floral hops. Very nice aromas with good strength and balance of roasted malt notes. Taste of milk chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, coffee, toast, caramel, toffee, light oyster, floral, and earthy spiciness. Light roasted bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of milk chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, coffee, toast, caramel, toffee, and earthy spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice balance and robustness of roasted flavors, with good complexity; and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a creamy and lightly slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very nice stout! Nice balance and robustness of roasted flavors; and really easy and smooth to drink. Really enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 06:52:04 | More by superspak

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Part of the Shock & Awe Variety Pack - $16.99 at Bullock's Wine & Spirits in Marietta, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a very dark brown, near black body with a smallish, light beige head.

Smell: Chocolaty scent with a fair amount of roasted barley grains within. Light, leafy hops. A little berry accent. Really not picking up much oyster-anything in the nose.

Taste: Lightly charry breadcrusts, some milk chocolate, and a little splash of mild coffee. Modestly sweet. Lightly fruity. Leafy, spicy hops, not overblown, and giving a light bitterness. A little briny, salty, but not much, really. Gently roasty, lightly chocolaty finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium carbonation.

Overall: A particularly light oyster stout with only the faintest hints of the salty, briny, mineral-laden overtones that most have. Go on, slip one to your vegan friends.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 20:58:26 | More by ChainGangGuy

VinoGuy

Maryland

3.18/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Good color, a bit more head on the pour would be nice. Not much smell of the oysters and not much in the taste. A little disappointing since it is prominently displayed on the bottle. Balance is good between hops, malt and alcohol. Good roasted notes from the grain without being overly done or burnt.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 22:49:56 | More by VinoGuy

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.85/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft at Buffalo Wild Wings in Waldorf.

The beer is black with a half inch of creamy, beige head that coats the glass with filmy lacing. The aroma offers roasted malt, biscuits. It certainly smells like an English stout. I can't detect any oyster presence in the aroma or the flavor, but perhaps it's better if the oyster character is subtle. Still, I'd like it to be more present. The beer tastes fine otherwise. Light to medium in body with appropriate carbonation. Low alcohol and well balanced. What it lacks in character it atones for, at least to a certain degree, with drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2013 17:44:29 | More by Huhzubendah

BeerNinja007

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle from a 6-pack, served cold in a tulip. Code 005A13 on the label.

A robust pour gives 1/4" of tan head that settles in short order but leaves a thick ring of foam along the glass. Solid dark brown brew prevents any light from passing through, aside from some very dark ruby highlights around the edges. Smells of semi-sweet cocoa powder and a dry briny ash. The malt body is fairly light with a dry molasses flavor, rounded out with baking soda and a hint of bitter cocoa. In the finish a mild generic bitterness endures with just a little herb/ grass/ pine character. Not unlike a semi-smoky baltic porter. Body, as stated previously, is fairly light, with a mild carbonation. Easy to drink and not filling. Alcohol not perceived.

A good example of one of my favorite styles.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 04:22:59 | More by BeerNinja007

srandycarter

California

4.4/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A - Very dark, with amber hue, small near white head, spotty lace.

S - Light cocoa, chalk.

T - Bigger cocoa, chalkiness, sweet dark malt and hops.

M - Medium to light body, fair balance, good carb.

D - Good to try. The sixer will be enough for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 02:03:40 | More by srandycarter

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

What a Picasso. Stuff everywhere. Nice dark black stout with a good tan head. No lace.

Smell is deep and rich, with smoky dark roasted malt, molasses (very strong), charred notes. Very nice.

But this does not taste like the smell. Dark roasted malt, lean flavors. Some bitter licorice. Mild sweetness and a balance of bitterness in the finish.

Too thin for stout. Some body, but no where near enough.

OK brew. Blind I'd think this was porter. Nice aromas; decent flavors, but nothing spectacular.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 21:12:23 | More by OtherShoe2

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

First had: on tap at TJ's, Paoli, PA

Dark brown-black color with a small foamy tan head. Aroma of dark malts, toasted grains, unsweetened cocoa. More of the same in the taste, dark malts, bitter cocoa, toasted bread, some mild leafy and earthy hops, and a bit of mineral from the oysters, that was really more implied in the mouthfeel than in the taste, as with most oyster stouts (in my opinion). Body was mid-range, about right for an English-style, so no real complaints there, though the roastiness added a little oomph. Pretty good overall.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2013 16:28:28 | More by Rifugium

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

12oz bottle poured into mini snifter

Opaque blacked-out pour with a fluffy crop of tanned head. Fades into some wispy lacing and a collar of retention.

Lightly roasted dark malts in the nose with touches of chalky cocoa powder and chocolate. Faint sweetness and caramel, slight mineral note.

Malty and softly sweet with roasted warmth. Dusty cocoa, decent backbone, soft mineral note from the oysters. Finishes creamy with a touch of nutty malts.

Fuller medium body, milder carbonation, creamy and full on the tongue. The chalky mineral tones in this threw me off a bit, but the body was really the highlight of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 12:54:35 | More by xnicknj

JoshatTownHall

3.98/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Drank straight out of the bottle from a Flying Dog variety pack. Another great offering from Flying Dog and an attempt at a unique Maryland style brew. This is a very drinkable beer that is also a great example of this style. While I did not pair this with seafood I would imagine that this is a great beer to slug down along with some crabs and oysters.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 06:57:42 | More by JoshatTownHall

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle. Bottled on code 292A12, so sometime in 2012 I'm guessing. Poured into a Boulevard tulip glass.

A - Pours a very dark almost-black. There is the tiniest little ruby dot showing some bubbles rushing up to the top which resulted in a nice one finger mocha colored sizzling head which dissipated quickly.

S - Creamy coffee. Some mild dark fruit. Mild dark chocolate creeping out as the beer warms.

T - Roasted coffee dominates most of the flavor. I wouldn't really say I can taste any oyster in there at all. A very mild sweetness in the back end somewhere, which I suppose you could attribute to a salty shellfish like taste? I really don't know. It doesn't taste like seafood though, if you ask me. Tastes like a nice coffee stout with some milky smoothness in it.

M - Slick medium body goes down smooth. Not thick or heavy-sitting in the stomach. Almost has a creamy milky smooth texture. Maybe a little bit of a resinous mouth feel.

Overall, I guess it isn't a bad stout. This is my second bottle of this stuff, and I can honestly say it doesn't taste as bizarre as I was expecting it to taste. It almost tastes to me like a very creamy, smooth, regular coffee stout. Moderate 5.5% abv, drinkable for sure. Doesn't really break any new spectacular ground, but a beer I would drink again.

Flying Dog Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout ---3.5/5

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 00:20:23 | More by mfnmbvp

TheSixthRing

California

3.6/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours black with dark ruby highlights where light can penetrate. The head is off-white, about a finger thick with sub-par retention.

Smell - Roasted malts in the form of a mocha aroma. Oyster comes through with a subtle, underlying quality.

Taste - Roasted coffee and dark chocolate dominate the flavor. A bit of smokiness comes through on the back end. The oyster comes though, very lightly, in the aftertaste. Not much variance from start to finish.

Mouthfeel - Medium to full body. Moderate carbonation. Smooth. Somewhat creamy. Very drinkable.

Overall - A pretty typical stout. I can't believe I'm writing this, but where's the oyster? Ahh, there it is, very subtle at the end, after the beer warms. This is my first stout brewed with oyster, so I wasn't sure what to expect coming in. Outside the aroma, it's nearly non-existent. Is this a good thing? Guess I'll have to give other oyster stouts a go to find out.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 23:55:46 | More by TheSixthRing

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle. Served in a Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass, the beer pours dark brown with about a half inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both decent enough. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like roasted malt, chocolate, and some coffee. The taste is similar to the aroma, but the oyster mineral/brine flavor is noticeable. It's a sweet smelling brew, but overall the flavors are more bitter. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it has good carbonation, and it's also easy to drink. I think this is a good beer overall, and I'd try it again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 22:16:56 | More by bluejacket74