Frederick, MD — Since its inception in 2011, proceeds from Flying Dog Brewery’s Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout helped the Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) plant nearly 3 million oysters in the Chesapeake Bay.
Now, proceeds from 2013 sales of the beer will enable ORP, the leading nonprofit restoring oysters in the Chesapeake, to plant an additional 2 million oysters in the Bay.
Declining water quality, historical over-harvesting, disease and habitat loss have reduced the oyster population in the Bay to a mere 1% of its historical peak. Acting as filters and providing a crucial habitat for other marine life, oysters are a critical piece of the Chesapeake’s fragile ecosystem.
“Every oyster we plant has an immediate impact on the Chesapeake Bay and contributes to long-term improvements in the environmental, economic and recreational health of the nation’s largest estuary,” Stephan Abel, executive director of ORP, said.
All February long, Flying Dog is asking beer drinkers in the mid-Atlantic to “give a shuck” through a series of educational initiatives and events to benefit ORP for what they’ve deemed as “Pearl Necklace Awareness Month.”
“Every bottle of Pearl Necklace sold enables ORP to plant 10 oysters in the Bay,” Flying Dog CMO Ben Savage said. “We want people to realize that they can help this ongoing cause by simply drinking a locally-brewed craft beer.”
Pearl Necklace is brewed with local Rappahannock River Oysters and is a rich, roasty stout with sweet chocolate notes and a dry finish. In addition to brewing this beer year round, Flying Dog Brewery has also become the first shell recycling collection site in Frederick County.
Pearl Necklace Awareness Month will culminate on Saturday, March 1, as Flying Dog presents its annual donation to ORP. From 7 to 10 pm, there will be live music, fresh-shucked oysters from Rappahannock and chocolates from The Perfect Truffle. And, of course, 18 different styles of Flying Dog beer will be on tap. Tickets are $30 and available through Flying Dog’s website.
About Flying Dog Brewery:
As one of the fastest-growing regional craft breweries in the mid-Atlantic, Flying Dog has been brewing world-class beer that pushes the confines of traditional styles for almost 25 years. Flying Dog attracts everyone from craft beer connoisseurs to those just catching the wave with up to 20 styles available at any given time and its Gonzo ties to writer Hunter S. Thompson and artist Ralph Steadman. Named the Mid-Size Craft Brewery of the Year at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival (the highest honor for its size in the United States), recent accolades for Flying Dog include its Pale Ale ranked as the #1 American Pale Ale in the U.S. by The New York Times. For more information, please visit www.flyingdogbrewery.com.
About the Oyster Recovery Partnership
The Oyster Recovery Partnership, with its coalition of partners, have produced and planted nearly 5 billion oysters on 1,600 acres of oyster reefs and recycled 2,400,000 pounds of oyster shell. In addition to its large-scale oyster recovery activities, ORP operates the Shell Recycling Alliance, supports the Marylanders Grow Oysters program, and provides aquaculture and wild fishery support services. Visit www.oysterrecovery.org to learn more. And to make a $10 donation to ORP, text PEARL to 80077.