Whitstable Brewery Oyster Stout
Nothing is more appealing to me when I travel, than having an opportunity to sample some of the locally available food or beverages. When I find that there is not only a local food AND beverage, but that they are specifically intended to be paired together, then clearly this is not an opportunity I can’t pass up.
I was recently traveling with some friends in England, and happened to be passing through Whitstable, a seaside town well known for its oysters. In England the local beverage is often beer, and in Whitstable the local food is clearly going to be oysters. When we stopped into a beachside pub, and saw that one of their specialty ales was an “Oyster Stout” by the Whitstable Brewery, we clearly knew what to order!
Personally I love a nice dark beer, their full malty flavor seems to be a perfect choice for a chilly England (or Seattle) afternoon, but their light crispness is also very refreshing. The Oyster Stout was a perfect fit for a quick round of oysters before we headed back out along the beach. The light and subtle sweetness of the stout didn’t overpower the oysters, nor did it get overwhelmed by them. Instead the two suited one another with great harmony. We even picked up several bottles, as well as a bag of oysters as we headed back home for the evening so we could repeat our repast in order to celebrate the local cuisine.
I’m glad you liked Whitstable Robert. It’s a bit off the beaten track for many tourists but is well worth the visit on a Sunday in winter for the wonderful “fishy” Sunday lunches followed by a bracing walk along the beach.