Beer notes: Sanriku Oyster Stout and Wind
April 13, 2025
I had two standout beers recently: Sanriku Oyster Stout and Wind.
Sanriku Oyster Stout
- Style: Oyster Stout
- ABV: 7%
- IBU: 30
Iwate Kura (いわて蔵) is an brewery from Iwate Prefecture, founded in 1995, that has won many international beer awards. I tried their Sanriku Oyster Stout (三陸牡蠣のスタウト) and was absolutely delighted.
I hadn’t heard of oyster beer before; it’s a stout style brewed with oyster shells, popular in 19th-century England. Iwate Kura’s oyster stout uses both the oysters and their shells from the Sanriku region of northeastern Honshu.
This was a dark stout with a rich flavor. I’m not sure I would have noticed the oyster taste if I didn’t know about it, but with that context in mind, I felt I could taste a subtle briny note and a certain kick unlike a typical dark stout.
I would definitely repeat.
Wind
- Style: IPA
- ABV: 6.0%
- IBU: 56
Brasserie Knot is a brewery in Hokkaido, founded in 2021. I was delighted to have their IPA called Wind.
It’s described as a standard U.S. West Coast-style IPA with a crisp, flavorful, and dry finish, all of which I heartily agree with. I’d happily repeat this when in the mood for a great IPA.