I received this Email from Harpoon Brewery's media relations contact:

Hello Rich,

I hope all is well with you! This Thursday, January 21st, Harpoon brewer Katie Tame will be joined at the Boston brewery by Island Creek oyster farmer Skip Bennett to brew the first and only batch of the Harpoon Island Creek Oyster Stout. This beer, the 30th installment of Harpoon’s limited edition 100 Barrel Series, will be bottled at the brewery two weeks later, on February 5th.
While Katie begins mashing in on the brewhouse platform Thursday afternoon, Skip will get to work shucking freshly harvested oysters from Duxbury Bay in preparation of adding the oyster bodies to the brew kettle.
Katie went out to visit Skip on the Island Creek oyster farm last month to learn more about the oysters and the oyster farming process. If you are interested in seeing photos from that visit, I will gladly send some along to you.
Below is a press release about the Harpoon Island Creek Oyster Stout. If you have any questions about the beer or brewing process, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I am happy to answer your questions and/or put you in touch with Katie Tame and Skip Bennett. My contact information follows the press release.
Thank you, Rich!

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TWO LOCAL COMPANIES UNITE TO CREATE A TRUE NEW ENGLAND OFFERING: HARPOON BREWERY AND ISLAND CREEK OYSTERS BREW A LIMITED EDITION OYSTER STOUT

Boston, MA (January 19, 2010) – At 2:00 pm this Thursday, January 21st, Harpoon brewer Katie Tame will begin brewing the 30th installment of the Harpoon 100 Barrel Series, the brewery’s line of limited edition beers.  Joining Katie on the brewhouse platform will be Skip Bennett, owner of Island Creek Oysters, shucking hundreds of freshly harvested oysters straight from Duxbury Bay to add to the brew.  The Harpoon Brewery and Island Creek Oysters have teamed up to create the Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Island Creek Oyster Stout.  This beer represents a celebration of New England as it incorporates local, quality oysters from Duxbury, MA paired with fresh, handcrafted beer brewed in Boston, MA.
The one-of-a-kind, limited-batch creation has a rich body and a smooth feel derived from a combination of roasted barley and chocolate rye malts. The roasted notes of the stout blend beautifully with the briny, mineral flavors of Island Creek Oysters, shucked minutes before being added to the brew.  An addition of hops adds a hint of bitterness and aroma to balance the sweetness from the malt combination.
Brewed by Harpoon Brewer Katie Tame using Island Creek Oysters harvested by Founder, Skip Bennett, the idea of the Island Creek Oyster Stout came organically after years of sharing freshly harvested oysters over locally brewed pints of beer together. Historically, oysters have had a long association with stouts. One theory suggests that the pairing originated centuries ago in an old English town with a plethora of great breweries and an abundance of oysters.

“Everyone at Island Creek Oysters is honored to have this opportunity to partner with our friends at the Harpoon Brewery after years of working together and create something unique that we’re all so proud,” explained Skip Bennett. “To be able to continue to partner with a like-minded brand that sources local ingredients and has strong ties to the community is truly a pleasure.”

"It is exciting to work with the people at Island Creek who, like us, are enthusiastic and passionate about the freshness and quality of their product,” remarked Katie Tame.  “This beer is not only a merging of two great New England offerings, it is also a merging of history.  Stouts have long been paired with oysters, though seldom brewed with them.  This is our contemporary twist on an age-old tradition.  We hope beer and oyster lovers have as much fun drinking it as we had brewing it." 
The Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Island Creek Oyster Stout will be available in early February 2010 in 22 oz. bottles and on draft at select retailers and restaurants throughout New England.  This beer is best enjoyed in a pint glass with a plate full of Island Creek Oysters.

Let's keep and eyo-out for this interesting and historically traditional beer! Let's see who can taste it first!