Rich in calcium carbonate, oyster shells started appearing in beer in the early 1900s. It is believed that shells were used as finings to clarify the beer and that their calcium carbonate content may have improved the water chemistry. At any rate, with all of the oysters around Long Island, it only made sense for us to take a crack at brewing a version of our own. Today, we use local oyster shells and bay salt as a modern method of continuing the tradition of the style.