The Cupitts are proud of their home region. The restaurant menu includes seasonal produce from local farmers, and even produce from the Cupitt estate itself, giving the menu a great sense of place. Their winery produces wines that showcase the distinct characteristics of the vineyards. Thus, for their brewery to make an Oyster Stout in collaboration with a local, award-winning oyster farmer makes a lot of sense.
At first, the classic stout aromas of roastiness and coffee are all you can detect. But spend some more time and find the hint of salty sea spray in the background. The addition of gold medal-winning Shoalhaven Appellation oysters from Australia’s Oyster Coast also brings a dryness to the mouthfeel, and leaves a light metallic bitterness around the edge of the mouth.
While the oyster stout is new in 2019, the Smoked Porter is a returning favourite for fans of the brewery. While some smoked beers come across as heavy-handed, this one is more nuanced; the New Zealand Manuka smoked malt brings only a subtle smokiness, which blends with the clean aroma of chocolate milk.
Mick Wust
Published July 26, 2019 2019-07-26 00:00:00
