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 briskness and mild coriander spicing picked up candied peach, salted mango, tart peach and sweet banana illusions for Solar Power, a delectable witbier with a dry pale-malted 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.
