Franklin County Stout
 |
| Grayton Beer Company Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 7.2% abv Oyster Stout |
Stout: a dark
beer made using roasted malt or roasted barley, hops, water and yeast.
Oyster: a common
name for a number of different families of saltwater clams, bivalve mollusks
that live in marine or brackish habitats.
Now that we have a couple definitions laid out in front of
us, we can start talking about beer. You may be thinking, I know how Stout
relates to beer, but why oyster? Well, that’s because today, I am drinking an
Oyster Stout. The awesome people at Grayton Beer Company hooked me up with a
bottle of their Franklin County Stout, a 7.2% abv beer brewed with oysters.
Yes, real, bivalve sea animals. I’m going to be honest, I was looking forward
to trying this because I like the brewery and the people who work for them, not
because it’s an Oyster Stout. I don’t like seafood, but I love beer especially Stouts, so I had to give it a try.
This week’s Brew Review features this unique style. Stouts are one of my
favorite styles, so I may be a little harder on this beer than I would, say a
Kolsch. Let’s see what it’s all about...
Appearance…
I was Impressed as soon as I poured the brew into my glass
(sorry I don’t have a Grayton Beer glass). A thick tan head formed effortlessly
on top of the dark, jet black brew. It retained that beautiful head for a
decent amount of time. After a few minutes, the foam dissipated but left a
nice, khaki ring around the top of the liquid. I wish there was a little more
lacing, and I did notice a lot of
sediment on the bottom of my glass after the beer sat for a little while. It is
a good looking beer, but I wish there wasn’t so much stuff hanging out on the
bottom of my glass. 7/10
Aroma…
I love the smell of a good Stout, and this beer smells like
a good Stout. Rich, dark chocolate notes are accompanied by the typical roasted
coffee scents you find in a quality Stout. But that’s not all that is there, a
smell something else too. I get light amounts of cinnamon and a little lemon.
The more the beer warmed up, I also got a little chili pepper vibe and some
salty brininess. I really enjoy the smell of this beer, I hope the taste
matches. 9/10
Flavor…
This is a key factor when it comes to a beer. People want a
beer that taste good above anything else. Flavor here is not an issue. When the
beer was still cold, I got lots of rich velvety dark chocolate. If the flavor
was to end there, I would have been happy. But it didn’t, it gave me a lot more
and that’s not a bad thing. As the brew warmed up, I started to get some flavors
that matched the aroma. The salty, briny flavor started to poke its head out.
That paired, again, with a light lemon note. One thing is for sure, as the beer
warms up, it really warms up. I got more of the chili pepper spice on my palate
as well as the back of my throat. I didn’t however, get any oyster flavor and that’s
not a complaint. 8/10
Mouthfeel…
This beer was spot on when it comes to mouthfeel. Thick
enough for a 7.2% beer, but not super sticky. I guess you could call it right
at the beginning of what would be considered heavy. The carbonation is also
right where I like it for the style. The body was in as good of shape warm as
it was cold. 8.5/10
Overall…
I was a little skeptical at first. An Oyster Stout? I know
it’s not a new style, just one I’m not too familiar with. Grayton Beer Company
did a really good job with this one, and it’s a beer I would definitely drink
again. That is if Andrew will give me another one. It’s not available in
Alabama yet, but I hope that changes. My overall score of this black libation
is…
8.25/10
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