A couple of years ago, Flying Fish Brewing Company launched their Exit Series of beers. The “Exit” refers to an exit of the New Jersey Turnpike, and is Flying Fish’s way of messing around with the ubiquitous “What Exit?” joke that every NJ resident is subjected to whenever someone finds out that they live in the Garden State (for the record, I live between Exit 3 and Exit 4. Interestingly enough, Flying Fish is located between the same two exits. We’re practically neighbors!). As of this writing, the following 8 different beers make up this series:

• Exit 1 – Bayshore Oyster Stout
• Exit 4 – American Trippel
• Exit 6 – Wallonian Rye
• Exit 8 – Chestnut Brown Ale
• Exit 9 – Hoppy Scarlet Ale
• Exit 11 – Hoppy American Wheat
• Exit 13 – Chocolate Stout
• Exit 16 – Wild Rice Double IPA

Here’s what our neighborhood brewery has to say about their Exit 1 Bayshore Oyster Stout:

The southwest bayshore has been supplying oysters to Americans since colonial times. Until the 1950s, hundreds of millions of oysters were harvested annually. Now, thanks to efforts by many organizations, the oyster is coming back.

Oysters and stout had long been associated in the UK, but the tradition was gradually lost. Exit 1, an “export style” stout brewed with oysters, celebrates this tasty combination. The creamy flavor of English chocolate and roasted malts harmonizes with minerals from the oyster shells. Irish ale yeast adds a bit of fruitiness and a dry crispness. This rich stout is perfect for cool weather–and especially delicious when paired with a few Jersey oysters on the half shell.

And now for my review…

• Appearance: Deep dark brown color with a thick tan head that peaks at an inch and dissipates slowly.
• Aroma: Chocolate all the way! To be more specific, it smells like freshly made dark chocolate truffles that have been dusted with cocoa powder. Also a hint of dried figs or raisins in the background.
• Taste: Medium mouthfeel with some light and kinda fizzy carbonation. Dark dried fruit sweetness to start immediately followed by those dark chocolate flavors. A bit of booziness shows up at the middle, but not in an overwhelming or harsh way. The finish is loaded with dry, dusty chocolate. The aftertaste is a bit astringent.
• ABV: 7.5%

When the Exit series was first released back in 2011, Exit 1 was easily my favorite, so when I saw that this beer would be re-released, and this time in 12 ounce bottles, I jumped at the chance to try it again. Thankfully, Flying Fish didn’t change a thing and brewed up yet another delicious batch of this beer. Rich, flavorful, and even a wee bit boozy, this is a beer that I will definitely buy again. Well done Flying Fish!