Pemaquid
Crassostrea virginica
A Maine institution. Large, powerful oysters with rock-hard shells, plump firm meats, and clean briny-sweet flavor with lemony zest.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Clean, sweet brine with lemony zest
Expert Notes
Pemaquid oysters are Maine icons, grown slowly in the frigid waters of the Damariscotta River. Their density and deep cups deliver plump, firm meats with a powerful brine punch balanced by mild sweetness and bright lemon notes. Bottom-planted on marine clay and purged in saltier water at Clark's Cove, they achieve a pristine, complex flavor that justifies their premium price. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- USA
- Grown in
- Damariscotta River, Maine, Great Salt Bay
- Size
- Large (3-5 inches)
- Shell Color
- White with thick, rock-hard shells
- Meat Color
- Pale gray-white
What Experts Say
Across 12 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: lemony zest, powerful brine, savory, bright burst
"Pemaquid Oysters are cultivated in the frigid, deep waters of the Damariscotta River. Firm, mildly sweet, and have a clean, lemony zest flavor."
firmsweetcleanlemonyzest
"Deep, clean and meaty with a powerful brine."
deepcleanmeatybrinypowerful
"Meaty and briny firm texture light, sweet finish."
meatybrinyfirmsweet
"Another brilliant oyster from the deepest holes of the Damariscotta River. Pemaquids are even brinier than Glidden Points."
brilliantbriny
"The palate of the Pemaquid Points leads with a bright burst of brine, which yields to a medium sweetness. Meats are full and pleasantly firm."
brightbrinysweetfullfirm
"Pemaquid oysters are briny, very firm, lemony and light, with a rock-hard brown and white shell."
brinyfirmlemonylight
"The cold water of Maine's Damariscotta River produces oysters with distinctive flavor."
cold waterdistinctive
"Deep & meaty w/ a powerful brine. Pemaquid Oysters develop their notably clean and refreshing slurp."
deepmeatybrinypowerfulclean
"Big, powerful white oysters with thick shells and pure, savory meats."
powerfulpuresavorybig
"Known for their hearty size, firm texture, and rich briny flavor."
heartyfirmrichbriny
About the Farm
Pemaquid Oyster Company
Est. 1986Founded in 1986 by Jeff 'Smokey' McKeen, Dr. Chris Davis, and Dr. Carter Newell (marine scientists), Pemaquid Oyster Company has become a Maine institution and one of the first oyster farms in the state.
- Cultivation Method
- suspended culture
History & Background
Pemaquid Oyster Company was established in 1986 in the Damariscotta River, one of Maine's oldest and most renowned oyster growing regions. The Damariscotta River has been ground zero for oyster lovers for thousands of years, with the Glidden Midden - an enormous 30-foot-high hill of oyster shells dating back over 2,000 years - testifying to the region's ancient oyster heritage.
Pemaquid oysters have gathered fame throughout the United States and are considered a 'Maine institution.' The Damariscotta River region is often compared to wine country, described as 'the Northeast's Cote D'Or,' with the same frigid ocean and unpolluted coastline that grows Maine's famous lobsters also producing exceptional oysters.
Did You Know?
- The Glidden Midden near the growing area contains oyster shells a foot long and runs 150 feet along the river
- Maine oysters take 3-4 years to reach market size, compared to just one year for southern oysters
- Pemaquid oysters are among the few Maine oysters that start and end their growing process in different environments
- The oysters are purged in custom wet storage containers before distribution to develop their notably clean flavor
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 12 sources.
- Pemaquid Oysters - Chefs Resources — chefs-resources.com
- Pemaquid Oyster — Oysterology Online | Pangea Shellfish Company — pangeashellfish.com
- Pemaquid Point Oysters » Atlantic Aqua Farms USA — atlanticaquafarms.com
- Guide to Maine Oysters - PORTLAND MAGAZINE — portlandmonthly.com
- Pemaquid - The Maine Oyster Company — themaineoystercompany.com
- Pemaquid Oyster Company: Working to fill a Thriving Market — scholars.unh.edu
- VIDEO: Maine's Pemaquid Oyster Company | Saveur — saveur.com
- Maine - The Oyster Guide — oysterguide.com
- Oysters & Chablis — oysterguide.com
- Your Essential Guide to Oysters | What is the Difference? — fultonfishmarket.com
- OYSTER VARIETIES - The Seafood Merchants — theseafoodmerchants.com
- Pemaquid Oysters - Seacore Seafood Inc. — seacoreseafood.com
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Learn More
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