Home Collections Fresh Oysters Butter & Brine Oysters from Portsmouth, RI
Butter & Brine Oysters from Portsmouth, RI
Oyster farm cages and longline racks in Portsmouth, Rhode Island seen from above with a small workboat near a grassy island
Hand holding a Butter and Brine oyster from Portsmouth, RI close up showing creamy meat and blue rimmed shell
Butter & Brine Oysters from Portsmouth, RI
Butter & Brine Oysters from Portsmouth, RI
Butter & Brine Oysters from Portsmouth, RI

Butter & Brine Oysters from Portsmouth, RI

Sale Price: $140.00

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Quantity: 50 Count | $2.80 per Oyster
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Farmer: Kyle Hess

Size: ~2.5"

Like the name suggests, they’re perfectly balanced with a splash of briny seawater up front and a creamy, freshly churned butter-like finish.

About Butter & Brine Oysters

Harvest location: Hog Island, Portsmouth, RI

Where Exactly?

How they’re grown: Kyle and his crew of 2 grow their oysters in a small, protective cove that’s almost fully enclosed by a sandbar. They start in an upweller system before moving into different sized intertidal flip bags and floating cages suspended in the top few feet of the bay where the water is the warmest and the phytoplankton are populous. Suspending the cages contributes to a nutrient-rich environment and lots of food for a plumper, faster-growing oyster and also helps protect from unwanted predators chowing down on the oysters before we can get to ‘em. Since they hang out at the top of the water column, they get bumped and tumbled around in the current, which produces a tender meat, enhances the cup shape, and creates a stronger, thicker shell. The grow out process takes about 1.5-2 years.

Why they’re unique: Butter & Brines are grown in a cove off of Hog Island, located in Narragansett Bay, where Kyle’s ancestors were some of the original settlers. This particular Hog Island is one of over 20 in the US–there are 5 in Maine alone! Legend has it that the name “hog” was the perfect three letter word for cartographers to write on a map for a small island that would still be legible.

Story: After completing an aquaculture course at Roger Williams University (under the tutelage of fellow oyster farmer Dale Leavitt), Kyle secured a lease in 2012 and started growing oysters…while still working a full-time desk job. With a background in engineering, Kyle’s farm is orderly and streamlined, and he even built a house on Hog Island so he’s never too far away from his farm and can always keep an eye on his bivalve kids. He loves the location of his “farm office” and being out on the water to handle his product as often as he can.

⚠ Prop 65 Warning

Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including lead, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

Oyster FAQ

How long do my oysters keep?

Your oysters keep in the refrigerator for 5-7 days!  You can order a day or two early to make sure you have them in time for your gathering.  They are totally fine hangin’ out in the cool air.  

How do I store these bad boys?

When you receive your package, pull them out of the box (these guys need a little fresh air!). Grab a mixing bowl and throw the mesh bag in the bowl so that the oysters don’t leak all over your refrigerator. Grab a damp cloth and throw the cloth over the bowl.  You are good to go for the next 5-7 days. Doesn’t hurt to dampen the cloth each day to keep them moist and chilled.

Should I keep them on ice?

Only put the oysters on ice before service.  The oysters will actually die in the melted fresh water so do not store the oysters on ice.  They will not like this.

How are they shipped?

We ship using FedEx Overnight service. You will receive tracking info after the label has been printed the day before your oysters are set to arrive.  We do not require a signature – Fedex will leave your package at your doorstep.

Is your packaging recyclable?

Short answer: YES!

Our ClimaCell thermal liners are made of 90% FSC certified virgin kraft paper and corn starch, which allows you to recycle the insulated liner at home along with the cardboard box.⁠
⁠
Not only are the liners water repellant, they’re just as insulating as traditional styrofoam AND they can be recycled up to 5 times. Saving the planet has never been easier.⁠

Click here for more information on ClimaCell.

Overall rating: 4.7826085 / 5 from 23 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

Butter & Brine Oysters from Portsmouth, RI are grown in a nutrient-rich environment, resulting in plump, tender meat with a balanced briny and buttery flavor. Customers praise the freshness and taste, appreciating the unique growing method and the story behind the farm.

Summary topics

  • Flavor Finish: 20%
  • Taste: 30%

Review topics: [flavor, order, oysters, finish, brine].

Review highlights

  • "yes you get nice brine to start with a delicious meaty butter flavor finish." — Yoryos Y.
  • "This past order was on time and every oyster was fresh and delicious" — James D.
  • "Very fresh, great salt at first and a nice rich butter finish." — Quentin F.

Reviews

Butter and brine

"These were pretty good. . . certainly the best I've had from rode Island. What i appreciated was they were firm and meaty. I hate a flimsy transparent oyster but these were full and plump. I would order again"

— Richard S. (5/5)

Family's Summer Visit

"The Brine and Butter Oysters were exactly as advertised. They came fresh as could be, and the size and taste were just as stated in the description. . . everybody totally loved them."

— Mike B. (5/5)

Amazing Oysters For The Seasoned Palate

"Briney for sure. Easy to shuck - I did 150 in a half hour while chatting. Butter…. . maybe. Didn’t miss that at any rate. Small, tight, complex flavor. Right in my target zone. Perfect all by themselves. A squeeze of lemon didn’t hurt. A little mignonette on some for variety. Nothing going on in the oysters required masking. Two open out of 150. I’ve come to expect perfection from Island Creek and these did not disappoint. For context, I’ve had well over a thousand oysters now from Island Creek. Total of six inedible, four from the same batch. I’d call that stellar."

— Seth H. (5/5)

A new favorite

"Butter & Brine oysters are sooo good. Excellent salty brine and perfect size. Easy shucking too."

— Michele M. (5/5)

Best Oysters

"These oysters were amazing and always enjoy ordering from Island Creek, fast delivery and everyone is always excited at our cookouts"

— Isaac K. (5/5)

Would order again

"We ordered a hundred, about half is gone by now. Complex taste, on the briny side. Relatively easy to open for a large-ish oyster. Seriously dirty, with a bunch of immature shrimp mixed in, so I had to wash them before storing. Normally I store oysters as is, and scrub the ones I am about to serve. Size varied from 2. 5” to 3. 5”. Happy overall, would order again."

— NS (5/5)

Awesome oysters

"As usual they do not disappoint. This past order was on time and every oyster was fresh and delicious"

— James D. (5/5)

Baby oysters?

"Disappointed!! Simply put these are very small and very chewy how they were flavorful but disappointed"

— Randy N. (2/5)

Awesome Oysters

"Very happy with the oysters and the Island Creek staff. We ordered 100 Butter and Brine to be delivered to our sons where we were celebrating Thanksgiving. I noticed the address was our home address so I e-mailed and asked for a change and it was handled perfectly. We will buy more for Christmas. Pat Coady"

— Oliver C. (5/5)

Great brine, easy to open,

"Great brine, easy to open, super fresh taste. We ate half the order as we were opening them!"

— Anthony M. (5/5)

Q&A