Fordham & Dominion – Rosie Parks Oyster Stout – A First Sampling

Fall is in the air…at least in the air of the care package that arrived today at mybeerbuzz headquarters from Fordham & Dominion Brewing.  I big thank you to F&D for giving me the opportunity to try an early sample of Fordham Rosie Parks Oyster Stout.

We brought you an early peek at the packaging for Fordham Rosie Parks Oyster Stout back in April, so it was exciting to see the packaging in person.  The bottles look great and the beer pours a beautiful chocolate-brown color.  This beer is brewed in partnership with Ryleigh’s Oyster Food & Spirits and the beer uses Avery’s Pearls oyster shells in the mix.  This proprietary oyster variety is farm-raised on Hog Island in Virginia and it does impart some unique flavors into the stout.

If you’ve never had an oyster stout, you’ll love this beer.  if you’ve had one before, you’ll find Rosie Parks to be a unique example of the style.  The beer has cocoa aromas and some prominent chocolaty & roasty flavors up front.  The beer finishes dry, thanks in part to the Bravo and Glacier hops on board and while we didn’t sample it with oysters, I’m told the pairing is what the brewers had in mind with Rosie Parks.

Fordham chose to bring back their oyster stout to benefit the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and their efforts to restore the 1955 skipjack oyster boat called Rosie Parks.  Check the label above to get a peek at the skipjack.

Fordham Rosie Parks Oyster Stout will hit 5%-AbV as well as 12oz bottles so be sure to try one for yourself and let me know what YOU think.

As a bonus, Fordham & Dominion sent a long some of their 2015 Octoberfest and Spiced Harvest Ale 2015.  These classic fall beers return in 2015 in 12oz bottles.  Octoberfest is loaded with classic Marzen-style malt flavors and the four hop varieties help balance out the sweetness nicely.  Spiced Harvest Ale uses allspice, cinnamon, clove ginger and yes pumpkin, and you’ll find every one of them in the nose and flavors of this fall amber ale.  If you’ve never had the chance to try these beers, get out there and find them.

Thanks again to everyone at Fordham & Dominion and cheers to some new and retuning fall classics.