DRAFT Magazine

In DRAFT’s May/June 2010 issue, we serve up our guide to all things oyster, and suggest a few places to try one of the greatest beer-food pairings known to man. One spot, though, mastered the art of beer and oysters before most: Raleigh, N.C.’s landmark 42nd St. Oyster Bar dedicated itself to the duo back in the early ’30s. Now, beverage director Ryan Tyson manages the restaurant’s 130-plus craft beers that include the likes of Big Boss Angry Angel and Victory Golden Monkey. We caught up with Tyson while he was sourcing summer seasonals; below, his thoughts on the restaurant’s beer, oysters, and marrying the two.

42nd St. Oyster bar is no stranger to good beer, but now that North Carolina’s making huge waves in the industry, how has your beer list changed?

We started in 1931 as a hole-in-the-wall on the same property we’re on today, and when Prohibition ended in 1933, we were the first establishment in Raleigh to serve beer in frosty mug again. Then, we were the first place to purchase a keg from Carolina Brewing Co. when they started in 1995, and we continue to carry their products; their Carolina Pale Ale is our No. 1-selling draft to this day. So, beer’s part of our history. Now, there are so many great up-and-coming breweries in North Carolina; 10 years ago, we had a few local beers on tap that were sort of popular, but now, they’re what everyone asks for. That’s what led us to make the decision to focus on local beer.

What beers are you ordering for summer?

We have 12 taps and 120 bottles; we have a core bottle selection with a few spots for seasonals, and we focus our taps on local breweries. There’s a newer brewery in Eastern North Carolina called Mother Earth Brewing Co.; they’re a green company using a lot of sustainable practices. We’re awaiting their Weeping Willow Wit, and really looking forward to getting that on draft. We have a Belgian tripel from Aviator Brewing that’s done well, too. For our bottled seasonals, we’re getting Bell’s Oberon; from Terrapin out of Atlanta, their Sun Ray Wheat; and from Highland in Asheville, their Cattail Peak Wheat.

What are your favorite oyster varieties?

The past couple years we focused heavily on oysters from the Gulf area, but we’ve started focusing on half-shell varieties from all over the country. Now, my favorites from the East Coast are Island Creeks from Maryland and Blue Points from Connecticut. From the West Coast, I like Hootenanny and Naked Roy’s Beach oysters from the Washington/Vancouver region.

Any general rules for pairing beer and oysters?

A lot of people feel that stronger beers — porters, stouts, IPAs — tend to go better with oysters, probably because those are winter beers and people generally associate oysters with colder weather. But we’ve found that oysters and beer go hand-in-hand, period. People just like to pair the two; they drink what they like when eating them. I like a milk stout or a winter porter, but this season’s golden ales, pilsners, and witbiers pair just as well.

What’s the one beer-oyster pairing everyone should try at the restaurant?

Right now, we’re getting some oysters from Virginia, so I’d pair a Virginia oyster and Highland’s Seven Sisters abbey style ale. It’s a Belgian dubbel with a really strong flavor.