Copps Island
Crassostrea virginica
A bold Long Island Sound oyster from Connecticut's historic Copps Island Oysters farm. Large and strong with heavy shells, delivering an intensely briny and metallic flavor with sweet undertones. Cultivated using traditional methods for over 150 years.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Strong, metallic, memorable with sweet undertones
Expert Notes
Copps Island oysters are cultivated using traditional methods in the deep, cold, nutrient-rich waters of Long Island Sound by the fourth-generation Bloom family. These large, strong oysters showcase the classic characteristics of wild Long Island Sound oysters with heavy shells and a distinctive briny, metallic flavor profile. The plump meats offer a bold taste experience with pronounced minerality balanced by sweet undertones, reflecting over 150 years of sustainable farming heritage in Connecticut's ideal oyster-growing environment. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- USA
- Grown in
- Long Island Sound, Norwalk, Connecticut, Westport, Connecticut
- Size
- Large (3-4 inches)
- Shell Color
- Gray-white with heavy, gnarly appearance
- Meat Color
- Plump, cream to light gray
What Experts Say
Across 8 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: iron, metallic, bellybutton characteristic, springy, ivory hint
"The epitome of Long Island Sound, bold, briny, and very meaty, with a bracing iron finish. Note the 'bellybutton' near the hinge of the oyster–you often see this on these, something they share with deepwater Wellfleets."
boldbrinymeatyiron
"One of the meatier oysters from southern New England. A very clean taste with some iron/mineral finish, but not off-putting. They can be flatter and larger than their LI or RI neighbors, and they definitely are not dainty like pond raised oysters. A great choice especially close to the source."
meatycleanironmineral
"Very juicy, medium brine, slight metallic finish. These were refreshing as at this time of year I am weary of the oysters here in VA."
juicymedium brinemetallic
"Very plump and not too salty. Good finish"
plumpnot too salty
"Mild brine and springy meats with a hint of ivory."
mild brinespringy
"Our oysters are famous for their unparalleled freshness, sweet briny flavor and plump meats."
sweetbrinyplump
"Copps Island oysters have medium salinity and a sweet crisp minerality. These meaty oysters are the ones that made Bluepoints famous."
medium salinitysweetcrispmineralmeaty
About the Farm
Norm Bloom & Son / Copps Island Oysters
Est. 1994Copps Island Oysters is a fourth-generation, family-owned shellfish farm founded by Norm Bloom in 1994 with a crew of three and one boat. Today, the company operates one of the last-standing traditional oyster farms in the United States with a fleet of 15 boats.
- Cultivation Method
- wild harvest
History & Background
The Bloom family has been harvesting oysters from the waters around Copps Island for generations, dating back to the 1800s when Norwalk, Connecticut was known as the 'oyster capital of the world.' After Norm Sr. passed in 1989, Norman decided to branch off on his own, starting from the bottom with help from close friends Gary Dillion, Henry Backer, and others.
These oysters represent the finest of the historic Bluepoint tradition from Long Island Sound, harvested from the renowned oyster beds of the Norwalk/Westport Island Chain that made the region famous.
Did You Know?
- The oysters grow wild on the waters around the islands and are harvested with large 52-foot oyster boats that dredge the seafloor
- Copps Island oysters often have a distinctive 'bellybutton' near the hinge, similar to deepwater Wellfleets
- The oyster beds are located in shallow waters with swift currents and sandy bottoms that provide prime growing conditions
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 8 sources.
- Copps Island - Oysterater — Oysterater
- Copps Island Oyster — Oysterology Online — Pangea Shellfish Company
- Shellfish - Copps Island Oysters — Copps Island Oysters
- Copps Island Oysters - Company Homepage — Copps Island Oysters
- Oysters - East Coast - Crassostrea virginica | Copps Island — Fortune Fish & Gourmet
- Norm Bloom & Son Copps Island Oysters — The Martha Blog
- Copps Island Oysters - The Oyster Encyclopedia — Oyster Encyclopedia
- New York and Connecticut - The Oyster Guide — The Oyster Guide
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