Oyster Stout

What is Oyster Stout?

Oyster stout is a dark, mildly sweet beer with a delicate saltiness, brewed with either oyster shells or whole oysters.

Originally, oyster shells were used as natural filters for clarifying beer, but later brewers started adding oysters for their flavour. Oysters are generally added to the wort at the beginning of the boiling period to impart as much flavour as possible. They primarily give the beer a subtle salty taste, which complements the sweet and roasted flavour notes typical of stouts.

Whether oyster stout is a separate beer style is up for debate as oysters can be used as an extra component in various stouts.

Origin Story

Oysters and beer have a long-standing connection. Oyster shells were used in the 19th century for filtering beer, not only for stouts but also for other beer styles. Additionally, oysters were a typical cheap tavern food in England, often consumed by workers alongside beer. Whether they appreciated this pairing or consumed it only because there were no better options, salty oysters and stout became linked. 

In the early 20th century, when oyster farms were struggling, Ernest Barnes, a manager at a New Zealand oyster farm, had the idea to put oysters into stout. They prepared an oyster concentrate for this purpose, and in collaboration with Dunedin Brewery, the first oyster stout of its kind was released in 1938. The following year, the British also started producing it using the same recipe.

Oyster stout is brewed today with both whole oysters and empty shells. Whole oysters are generally used for stronger-flavoured and richer-bodied stouts (e.g. oatmeal stout), while empty shells are used for lighter ones (e.g. dry stout).

When you see a beer labelled oyster stout, be sure to check the ingredients to see if oysters were actually used in its brewing. Nowadays, many breweries also use the term oyster stout to indicate that their stout pairs well with oysters.