Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout - Flying Dog Brewery

Mitchster

Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

$1.89 for a 12oz bottle @ BigTen.
Brewed with oysters, roasted barley, midnight wheat, carapils, and black patent malt. Hopped with Perle hops...get it.?
35 IBU, 5.5% ABV.

Pours out to a clear black, forming a small off white head with poor retention and no lacing. Carbonation is moderate, ~2.5 carbs. The nose is really nice...a nice balance between the base and specialty malts with notes of black walnut and vanilla. Very cleanly fermented. No briny maritime nose, thank god. The mouthfeel is bright, crisp, clean, and with a medium-light body but very rich with taste. The taste is really nice as well...the black walnut and vanilla are wonderfully balanced. The bitterness is at a perfect level, sitting nicely with the astringency of the roast barley and the hops have a nice herbal flourish but don't overwhelm the subtleties of the malts. Clean finish.

What a wonderful beer. I don't get any oyster flavor, which is good in my book. This is just a really solid very drinkable medium-light bodied stout. Love it. Will have to pick up more.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 03:31:37 | More by Mitchster

tophers

Michigan

3.8/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This one sat in my fridge for quite awhile before I had the courage to pull it out. Was very hesitant with the oysters (like everyone else I would imagine).

I knew I would be OK when the aroma that came off was a predominate roastiness (no fishiness!). The flavor was predominately dark roast with moderately high bitterness. They did a nice job with this beer as the strong roastiness in not tannic or burnt. There a unique flavor to this beer that I just cannot describe that I am relating to the oysters.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 22:58:46 | More by tophers

BuxMontBeerLover

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle was purchased at The Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA

Poured and sampled from a DFH Signature Glass

A - Beer pours a dark brown, almost black color. Totally opaque. A half-finger, tan colored head that faded within a minute to a wisp on top of the beer. Little to no lacing left on the glass.

S - A roasted malt aroma. Nothing that says "wow".

T - I wasn't sure what to expect since this was brewed with oysters. The initial taste is of roasted malts, coffee, chocolate and a slight metallic/tangy aftertaste with a tad of bitterness. A slight saltiness that is probably from the brine of the oysters. Honestly, if you didn't know it was brewed with oysters, you'd probably wouldn't guess this was different from a normal stout. The alcohol is not noticeable.

M - A thin to medium consistency. Lots of tangy carbonation.

O - Well, this was a first for me. Oysters and beer? Now that is a combination that most people would turn their nose up to. But this is a decent stout that really doesn't exhibit any off tastes from the addition of the oysters. It's an easy drinking, good tasting stout. Not the best stout I've ever had but I do have bragging rights saying I drank a beer made with a shellfish!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 20:58:34 | More by BuxMontBeerLover

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

I'm not gonna make the obvious joke here, but I do know a girl who's told me she always thought she'd look good with a pearl necklace, and it's hard to keep from laughing. Call me immature. Anyway, this stuff pours a deep black-brown topped by a finger of glowing wan-khaki foam. The nose comprises roasted malts, watered-down coffee, dark earthy greens, and mineral water. The taste brings in more of the same, but with more minerality (the oysters at work) and a stiffer coffee component. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a slick feel. Overall, a nice stout, though one that could stand to have a bit more meat on its bones.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 19:06:56 | More by TMoney2591

jjanega08

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

No freshness dating.

A= Pours a nice deep black color with a brown two fingers of head on it that holds great retention and lacing.

S= Smells big and roasty with a little bit of a sort of brownie type of sweetness to it. It has a sort of unique doughy sort of thing going on in the nose. It smells like brownie mix to me. I've never had oysters but tey may be my new thing.

T= The taste is a nice roastiness to it. The brownie sweetness is somewhat subsided with a little saltiness to it. There is a briney character to the finish but it isn't overpowering. The finish is nice and roasty.

M= The mouth is a little overcarbonated I think but the flavors are nice and lasting with a good weight.

O= This is a solid beer. I've never had an oyster stout but for only 5.5% this baby packs a lot of flavor in. Check this out. I've never had oysters but this is good.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 05:51:23 | More by jjanega08

CaptDavyJones

New York

3.75/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle, with a code on the label that was difficult to spot. No visible date of bottling anywhere else, other than the code.
Dark mahogany pour settles to a pitch black color in the glass with a very nice one finger dark tan colored head that dissipates very slowly.
Aroma is very malty with notes of roasted coffee and dark chocolate.
Taste is roasty and bitter upfront, but towards the finish there is a distinct salty taste. Dry finish with not a lot of after-taste, just a hint of the oysters. The oyster is definitely more in the taste.
Decent mouthfeel, a more on the thin side. A little more body would have made this an even better stout.
Drinkability on the other hand is good; goes down very easy.
Worth a try if you enjoy something different in your stouts.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 23:43:04 | More by CaptDavyJones

mckenziac

3.68/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Samuel Adams Boston Lager glass.

Appearance: Pours a deep, black color. Has a medium-sized, frothy, tan head that dissipates slowly and leaves some spotty lacing.

Smell: Smells of roasted malts, coffee, and a bit of chocolate. Also has a strong, salty smell to it than I can only assume is the oysters.

Taste: Starts bitter with good roasted malt flavors. Finishes roasty, with chocolate and raw coffee flavors. Throughout the whole thing, there's a sort of earthy, salty taste which is probably from the oysters.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and lightly carbonated.

Overall: A fairly decent stout. I'm not sure what the oysters really add here except a bit of saltiness. Still, it's a well put-together stout and something I wouldn't mind having again.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 20:27:12 | More by mckenziac

dfillius

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass
A: Moderate pour yields 1/2 finger of tan head with fair to good retention. Clear dark brown to black liquid. Nice looking stout that could benefit from some better head retention.
S: Roasty malt, some caramel sweetness, coffee, maybe the slightest salt air whiff. Maybe a tad of lactose. Pleasant slight candied black licorice.
T: Rich flavored. No noticeable oyster flavor, which I guess I'm a little disappointed by! I'm definitely thankful, but I was prepared and it was an anti-climax. What does the oyster add to it? Maybe a bit of saltiness to enhance the flavor? Some chocolate, no coffee, lots of cream. Some caramel.
M: Smooth, silky and full. Creamy. A tad thin and metallic or green in the finish.
O: Quite enjoyable. A very good stout that stands out in my mind. Where's the oyster though. Maybe it adds a certain Je ne sais quoi maybe?

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 16:57:21 | More by dfillius

StoutHunter

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I picked up a bottle of Flying Dog's Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout last week for $1.69 at The Lager Mill. This beer just showed up in my area, the concept of an Oyster Stout peaks my interest so I just had to pick up a bottle to try out so lets see how it goes. No visible bottling date, but I think it's fairly fresh. Poured from a brown 12oz bottle into an imperial pint glass.

A- I really like the label and the name of this beer it's pretty edgy and it really sticks out on the shelf and grabs my attention. It poured a nice dark black color that didn't let any light come through and it had two and a half fingers worth of fluffy tan head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end and left some nice rings of lacing. This is a very good looking beer, from the color to the head I have no complaints at all.

S- The aroma starts of with some nice roasted malts aroma that have a lower amount of sweetness and impart some nice coffee aromas with a slight bit of chocolate and some nice slightly charred aromas. Towards the end I get a light an earthy hop aroma followed by a slight briny/ salty aroma that must be from the oysters. The aroma was nice, it had some nice roasted aromas with some slight briny aroma, I would say it a little above average.

T- The taste seems to be pretty similar to the aroma and it starts of with lots of roasted malts that have a lower amount of sweetness and impart lots of nice roasted flavors along with some chocolate and charred flavors followed by a slight bit of coffee. After that comes a slight salty/briny flavor followed by a light amount of earthy hops on the finish with a pretty roasted and charred aftertaste. This was a good tasting beer, the stout flavors were nice and roasty and the oysters added a slight briny flavor that made for good complexity and didn't seem out of place, I like it.

M- Pretty smooth, slightly creamy, rich, on the lighter side of being medium bodied with a good amount of medium carbonation. The mouthfeel was good, it worked well with this beer and it was true to style, I have no complaints.

Overall I thought that this was a good beer and a good example of an English Stout brewed with Oysters, I don't have much experience with English Stouts and I have never had a beer with oysters in it before, but it seemed to fit the style nicely and the oysters added a nice layer of complexity that didn't stick out too much. This beer had pretty good drinkability, it went down smooth and the flavors held my attention nicely, I could probably drink two of these before the charred flavor would be too much. What I like the most about this beer was the taste and appearance, it tasted pretty good with some nice roasted flavors and a slight briny flavor and the appearance was really good. What I liked the least about this beer was that aroma had a little too much char to it, I wouldn't mind the char being toned down a little with a little briny aromas. I would buy this beer again when looking for a good and drinkable English Stout and I would recommend this beer to just about anyone, don't let the oysters scare you this is a good stout. All in all I was pretty happy with this beer, I have to admit that I was little intimated by the fact that they threw some oysters in this brew but it turned out that they didn't impart any fishy aspects to this beer, it just made it richer and added a slight briny flavor to it which I liked and I thought it worked well with this beer. Good job Flying Dog at first glance this is one crazy sounding beer, but once you get down to it and drink it it's really not all that crazy, it's just a good English Stout, nice work guys, I'll be interested to see what other crazy ideas you guys got.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 03:51:24 | More by StoutHunter

madvermin

California

2.08/5  rDev -44.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Pours dark brown, almost black with a red tint when held in the light. Head is fine and fizzy, and dissipates entirely as you pour the beer. No lacing.

Smells weakly of coffee with not much else. Maybe a bit of dark fruit? Overall quite weak.

Taste is bitter, smoky, and a bit gritty. Easy, balanced flavor with the smokiness hitting the back of the throat. Aftertaste is pleasant balance of dry and sticky, if that makes any sense.

Mouthfeel is light and thin, but well bodied for an english stout I guess. I'm still looking for a real oyster taste, and other than the slight gritty, rock taste midway through, there isn't much. Fizzes a bit when swished, but more foamy than harsh. Drinkability is good balance of flavor and thin body, so it's a winner there at least. Overall a disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 02:26:44 | More by madvermin

Jason

Massachusetts

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

12oz brown bottle with no freshness date.

LOOK: Black, opaque, tiny bubbled tan head

SMELL: Dark caramel, faint ocean, mineral, dark chocolate, soft charcoal, sweet

TASTE: Very smooth, medium bodied, burnt sugar, soft charcoal, mild salt, creamy, cocoa powder, restrained hopping, earthy, chicory, semi-sweet roasty finish

Great balance from start to finish, very subtle oyster shell flavor which works quite well. This beer lingers on the palate, wish I had a dozen Island Creek oysters right now ... on its own still a lot of fun.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 02:45:21 | More by Jason

kangarooAdam59

Maine

3.48/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Out of the bottle into my pint glass:

A: dark black colored body that gives spotty tan lacing clinging to the glass leaving some nice rings. The body is too dark for any carbonation to be seen rising.

S: cocoa, roasted barley and a nice smokiness.

T: basically the same.

M: medium with nothing harsh on the tongue. This is extremely drinkable, perhaps because of the lower ABV.

O: I was expecting some oyster smell and taste as the notes say, and was slightly dissapointed I didn't get that. No worries, the beer was still good for the style and for me, I'd have this again.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 17:35:22 | More by kangarooAdam59

magine

Pennsylvania

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

Poured into a nonic.

Pours a near black with a tan head. Head settles to a patch layer and leaves minimal lace. Standard looks for the style.

Brew smells of cocoa, roasted barley and almost smokey - some yeasts. Good nose.

Brew is smooth up front and has a peppery middle then finishes slightly bitter. Good malts and flavors. Nice solid mouthfeel here as well. A nice roated stout here, that is a great session brew. It drinks really well. Very good stuff here.

One to seek out for sure, a case worthy brew here.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 01:22:18 | More by magine

Keyportnick

Wisconsin

3.45/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-nice deep black with a nice white/tan head
S-great deep coffee roasted malt, chocolate, mild vanilla. Didn't smell anything associated with oyster
T- rich toasted malt up front, dry coca, light vanilla finish that fades quickly to a dry almost iron like finish

M-strong flavors And carbonation on the front of the tounge, body fades fast halfway across and almost nothing on the end.

O-was a bit nervous at first to try out a oyster stout, not being sure what was In store for me. I found it to be easily Approachable and tasted more like a stout than anything. I think the oysters play more so into the finish than anything and just add a bit of iron/saltiness.

Overall good beer in my eyes

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 00:46:52 | More by Keyportnick

tjsdomer2

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Excellent tan lacing and decent foam. Solid, oil-slick black stout. The lacing is definitely the best part of this.

Smell: Faint musky sea salt with a hint of coffee. Just a hint.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Vague sweet caramel with a faint salty seaweed payment. Very pleasant flavor. It's not fishy or overly salt at all. Well, it's maybe a bit salty in the finish. The mouthfeel is very frothy, which I didn't expect. Foamy might actually be a better description.

Overall Drinkability: My first oyster stout. Certainly not my last.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 00:25:47 | More by tjsdomer2

Josiah2729

Tennessee

3.48/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle poured into snifter.

Appearance: dark black/brown, light brown head

Smell: Dark roasted malts, some light hop smell

Taste: Coffee, dark roasted malts, bitter finish, some saltiness

Mouthfeel: Lightly carbonated, medium light thickness

Overall: A very unique experience

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 06:55:33 | More by Josiah2729

beer2day

North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dark black pour with 1-finger khaki cream head. Faint retention. Some thin wispy lace.

Nose is sweet with notes of chocolate and vanilla, lighter roast coffee, cocoa, and light hop esters.

Taste has bitter coffee, cocoa, and burnt malt. Slightly astringent in the finish with a little too much rough bitterness.

Feel is very light, but probably about right for the style.

Overall, worth a shot if you like the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 00:39:17 | More by beer2day

Arithmeticus

Maryland

3.65/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured chilled in ale glass

A: solid back; two-finger head that settles nicely into a foamy cushion
S: good salty-smelling roasted barley aroma
T: a gritty-flavored stout; smokey barley dominates the hops (subtle); what starts to taste like a tin can moves into the toasted flavor

Overall, a solid addition

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 23:47:47 | More by Arithmeticus

dbrauneis

New Jersey

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

A: Pours an opaque very dark brown, almost black in color with highlight of reddish brown when held up to the light and some light amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall foamy dark tan head that slowly reduces to a thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer and a thin to medium ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate aromas of dark roasted malts with just a hint of chocolate.

T: Like the smell, the taste of this beer starts out with dark roasted malts and just a hint of chocolate. As the beer warms up, there is a very subtle hint of brininess from the oysters.

M: Light to medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: Good but not great, it takes a while for the oyster flavors to become noticeable - otherwise it tastes like a fairly average stout. It is easy to drink and enjoyable but there are some better examples of oyster stouts out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 03:02:15 | More by dbrauneis

57md

Pennsylvania

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

Appearance is dark brown with almost two fingers of fluffy, tan head that left a decent set of foam rings on the glass. The nose is roasty; there is no hint of oyster or fish so far. The taste is reminiscent of an oatmeal stout with some extra body. There is a slightly salty note present, but it may just be my imagination. There is solid roasted malt bitterness on the finish.

My first oyster stout - a solid effort.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2012 23:30:27 | More by 57md

kylehay2004

Florida

3.08/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thin dark tan head with little retention on a jet black body. Almost no aroma with only hints of chocolate and vanilla. Flavor is a little tart and sour for the style mostly from the roasted malts that have the sourness and bitterness of stale coffee without much coffee flavor. Some mild sweetness from chocolate and hints of vanilla. Medium body, not too thick with moderate to high carbonation. This one is just not very good. The drinkablitly is really hurt by the sourness.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 01:06:22 | More by kylehay2004

outdoor7or24

Georgia

2.78/5  rDev -25.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass, purchased at highlands wine cellar in highlands, nc

A: pours a dark reddish black with a chocolate milk colored head and plenty of carbonation
S: cocoa, malt, sea salt scent, not much oyster scent going on here like other oyster stouts I have had.
M: carbonation, kinda light
T: cocoa, roasted malt, slight salty and metallic finish
O: okay beer

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 03:28:23 | More by outdoor7or24

StoutCream

Virginia

3.8/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Underground in Blacksburg. Fyi, FD has two breweries. They are based in Colorado, but have an east coast brewery in MD. The oysters come from Virginia and proceeds go to the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Foundation. I would be interested to know if this beer has national distribution, but for now if you are on this side of the US, please support the Bay.

Pours well into a pint glass with ample tan head that clings to the glass like oysters to their beds (lazy oysters!). Deep brown color like the mud of the Rappahannock. Doesn't smell much, but I didn't ask for a tasting in the bottom of the glass. We'll see what she smells like after a few gulps. Roast, toasty malts remind me of rich breads we used to make flavored with oyster liquor when I was young. Lots of chocolate and coffee - a true stout. Dark sugars, a touch of char, cloyingly dry-these are all my favorite things about stouts. What a tremendous offering from FD. The oyster flavor is only at the beginning with some brine lingering to the end, adding to the beautiful balance of this beer. Still doesn't smell like much, served too cold. Need to grab some bottles and take them home to do it right. Find a shop that ships, worth the cost. Enjoy!

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2012 13:28:04 | More by StoutCream

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.78/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12oz served in a snifter.

A - Pours very dark brown almost black with a thin tan head that forms a seal aroung the edges of the glass. Specks of lacing left around the glass.

S - Roasted chocolate malts, anise, molasses, caramel, smoked nuts.

T - Roasted/smoked malts, hints of cocoa, some raisin and molasses sweetness, overall very dry though. Suggestions of smoked oysters. Finishes with a clean saltiness and a smoky cacao aftertaste.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, chunky feel.

This was my first oyster stout and it was quite good. The oysters were subtle but really added to a solid English stout. This would pair well with food or by itself.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 01:57:51 | More by StaveHooks

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

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

Poured from a bottle into a tumbler pint, the beer is a dark, well carbonated, hazelnut-highlighted, dark brown coloring with a thin, bubbly ring of film on the surface. Pretty steady flow of small carbonation bubbling throughout the body. Aromas of dark roasted coffee remain light and restrained, with an overall toasty feel and a touch of brine hidden deep. Flavors are light and bitter, with a dark, sweet ribbon throughout the palate. Coffee flavors are present throughout, with a touch of the brine and molasses comprising the highlighting characteristics. Dark, bitter chocolate profiles are deep in the backbone as you continue to drink and allow your palate to open up. Light, dry body that is kept with both a touch of hops bitterness and the carbonation. Bittersweet aftertaste, both coffee and chocolate, leading into a dry, clean finish. Tasty, and very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 22:21:43 | More by GarthDanielson