Black Pearl Oyster Stout - 6.2%

You may have noticed that I've been developing a bit of a thing for Stouts over the last two years; ever since we moved into our pysonshed (and the first brew was Exodus Stout) I've been developing a keen pallet for the stuff and an ability to find excuses (customers) to make it in any of its styles. Well three then (styles that is): Strong, Oatmeal & Oyster. The later has lately come into condition and I'm sat 'testing' one or two bottles to see if it works....

[Pours with a tight & light tan head and gorgeous near-black body. Roasty aroma, creamy roasty/chocco/mocco fruitless flavour & rich mouthfeel. Bitterness lasts and lasts. Begs for more.. and gets it!]

It'll be on sale in a couple or three weeks time when I get some labels from the printers.

I mashed just pale malt and roasted barley a tad cooler than usual (it is dry in style) and bittered well with Fuggles - the house favourite for dark ales. I maintain the trick with stouts is to use your hops solely at the start of the boil allowing the bitterness and mouthfeel but not the flavour of them to come through. This lets you taste the grainy roasted barley flavours cleanly: try a Dogbolter next to a Black Pearl and you'll get the idea.

The inspiration for this brew came from Jonny the Fish and I'm hoping to taste some more, along with a bit of seafood, tomorrow evening. If that goes well, I'm hoping he'll sell it in his not-yet-finished fancy restaurant.

In the meantime, do please waddle up to the shop and demand a taster to see for yourself.

Information: No Oysters were harmed during the production of this stout.