Oyster Stout
The Unique Stout of the Good, from Iwate, Tohoku

Date：03, Nov, 2013
Investigated and Written by Misaka Youhei
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Guys, have you ever drunk any oyster stout? It smells and tastes so unique. You are going to find a new kind of beer when you have. Why not knock on the door to the new world, with the stout from Iwate, Japan…?

We Japanese usually have oysters in many ways like eating raw, fried and the like. But do you know the custom to eat oysters originally came from the Western in Meiji era? You can see them as an hors d'oeuvre at French cuisine. That is to say, oyster stout also used to be made there.

When it was the early half of the twentieth century, they had often seen oyster stout supplied at usual bars in United Kingdom and other Western countries. That somehow all died in the middle of the twentieth century though it is said some American breweries have lately made it come back to life.

Seki-no-ichi Brewery, they have brewed in Iwate since Edo era. They had thought they had to brew the beer becoming Tohoku and tried to make oyster stout also in Japan, with oysters caught at Hirota Gulf in Iwate. By the way, According to the data in 2009, Iwate has the haul of No. 4 in Japan.

Using the flesh and the shell together, they say they were surprised at the more vehement fermentation at the first time, than other kinds of beer. It is sure we can easily imagine that strong smell, is not it? However, it tastes so good and unique as their oyster stout got the bronze prize at the International Beer Competition 2007 and got the silver prize at World Beer Cup 2008.

Regrettably, Tohoku Earthquake made them unable to use oysters at their gulf for the safety. So they are always keeping on doing the best they can and you can get their oyster stout limited from October to spring.