LEWES, DELAWARE
Inside a cavernous maroon barnhouse with river rock stone base along Kings Highway, Lewes-based BIG OYSTER BREWERY is only a few miles northeast of the original Rehoboth Beach joint. Its wood-floored interior features a Cathedral ceiling, Industrial metal-wood dining area, a few TV’s and tall glass-encased brew tanks behind the eight-seat bar. At the entrance, a smiling moose head, antique Coca-Cola machine, upside down canoe and several wall-hung items greet patrons.
During June ’20 dinnertime trip after soaking up sun at beautiful Cape Henlopen beach, sat at metal-furnished grass field just past the six-tabled back covered deck. Grabbed some raw clams and oysters as well as nachos to go with four India Pale Ales, a pilsner, witbier, tripel, and stout.
Retried brisk flagship, Hammerhead IPA, a sharply citric moderate body with mild piney resin and astringent Citra-Mosaic hop bittering guiding its floral lemon-seeded grapefruit and orange rind musk.
Creamily lactic-sugared India Pale Ale, Double Delaware Dreamsicle, let zesty orange tanginess obtain bittersweet Madagascar vanilla beaning in a cold-conditioned kettle hop setting.
For a pleasingly sunshiny Dreamsicle offshoot, vanilla-creamed orange juicing enhanced the pureed mango tang of dry-hopped Double Mango Dreamsicle, leaving cotton-candied sweetness upon the candied tropical fruited finish.
Richly frothed Cascadian Dark Ale, Hello Darkness Double IPA, retained mild coffee-roasted dark chocolate bitterness that overrode piney citrus hop char.
Maize-dried straw wheat, pasty sourdough and herbal Saaz hops informed German-styled moderation, Public Pils.
Zesty orange peel sweetness and mild coriander spicing picked up bitter lemon rind, candied peach, salted mango, tart peach and sweet banana bubblegum illusions for Solar Power, a delectable witbier with a honey-dripped pale malt wheat base.
Sweet-tart blueberry steeped in black tea bittering mildly affected politely spelt-malted tripel, Noir Et Bleu.
Caramelized coffee vanilla stout, On Point, retained creamy lactic mocha resilience and sweet toffee splendor for a durable dessert treat.
