Fishtowne Brew House B y K aren a. M ann There was a time when people who inhabit the coast of North Carolina wouldn’t dare eat a green gill oyster. According to local lore, a green gill, which gets its distinct color from algae in local
inferior,” McClure says. Next thing you know, the lowly Green Gill was the starring
wanted to do
ingredient
a brewery for years,”
in
the
brewery’s
“Atlantic Emerald Oyster Stout.” “We power washed them,
waters, would almost certainly
got them all nice and clean. Of
make the consumer sick. All the
course you put them in boiling
while, the same species of oyster
water so it’ll kill whatever’s in
was eagerly sought after across
there
the ocean in France, where the bivalve’s distinct, briny flavor made it a delicacy. Joey McClure, one of the owners of Beaufort’s Fishtowne Brew House, was among those
anyway,”
says
brewer
Schuyler Munden. “We separated them out into three onion sack bags and put them in the last 10 minutes of the boil. You just ease them down in there.” The result is a balanced beer
Carteret County natives who
with a good mouthfeel that’s
were taught not to eat green gills,
not overly roasty and a non-
but changed his mind after a local
aggressive salinity. It’s guaranteed
marine biologist, who had created a company selling the “Atlantic Emerald” oyster, told the oyster’s story and explained why they are actually the cream of the crop of local shellfish. “I was fascinated because I grew up thinking they were
to impress craft beer afficionados while
satisfying
the
random
tourist who finds his or her way into the tiny brewery, centrally located in America’s favorite small town.
30
says McClure, who owns the
Fishtowne came to life after
re.
tripped to
Clu
c dM
n na
e
nd
Mu
Deep River in a
camper and helped brew
a 15-barrel milkshake IPA.
restaurants Aqua and Clawson’s
Though the brewery has only
in town. Then McClure’s business
been open since May 2018,
partner found out that the owners
they’ve already built a solid
of a local seafood restaurant had
following. Business climbed over
decided to sell their centrally
the winter, signifying a strong
located building and get out of
local following. Meanwhile, the
the business. After crunching
brand new Beaufort bridge and a
some numbers and realizing they could rent two-thirds of the space to Turner Street Market, the group decided that the idea was viable. For McClure, there was only one choice for a brewer. “It
was
natural
to
have
Schuyler be the brewer,” McClure says about his partner. “That’s what he wanted to do. We still do things together but Schuyler is the one who brews and runs the brewery.” McClure, for his part, helps with the recipes.
new upscale hotel down the street are bringing tourists into town to tour the sights and sample the beer. Signature brews include the Munden Fog, a hazy New England style IPA and the Three Sheets tripple. Even people from outside the county are beginning to notice. The Oakwood Pizza Box and Daily Pint in Raleigh are carrying the brewery’s beers. Having the beers available to an outside audience is especially meaningful to McClure. “Being
in
the
restaurant
McClure and Munden, two local
A large part of Fishtowne’s
homebrewers who got to know
success can be attributed to the
business, people come and eat
each other over Facebook, took
camaraderie many North Carolina
and enjoy your food, and that’s
first prize at the annual Mill
brewers feel toward each other.
neat,” McClure says. “It’s different
of
when people are like, ‘I want to
with their “Love the One You’re
us opening up was like this
take your product and sell it in my
Wit.” Mill Whistle, of course, was
brotherhood of brewers,” says
business.’ It’s just different — not
the first brewery in Beaufort,
McClure, noting help from Deep
only do you want to come and
and its annual competition has
River Brewing, Mother Earth
have something, but you want
become
awaited
Brewing, Atlantic Brew Supply
to take it and showcase it in your
showcase of local homebrew
and Crystal Coast Brewing. At one
business. That’s kind of special to
talent.
point, the Fishtowne team road
me.”
Whistle Home Brew competition
Atlantic Emerald Oyster Stout
“I had
an
eagerly
“The
whole
process
