Snow Hill
Crassostrea virginica
Grown in floating bags in Chincoteague Bay, Maryland. Bold and briny with creamy, bread-like sweetness. Balances ocean salt with freshwater character for approachable yet flavorful taste.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Sweet and balanced with freshwater sweetness
Expert Notes
Snow Hill oysters are grown in floating bags in the Maryland end of Chincoteague Bay, where they develop a unique flavor profile that balances bold ocean salinity with Maryland freshwater sweetness. These fat, plump oysters offer a creamy, bread-like sweetness reminiscent of New Brunswick's Beau Soleil, with a yeasty quality that tempers the brine. The result is the flavor of the sea without the 'smack' of salt, making them approachable yet flavorful. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- USA
- Grown in
- Chincoteague Bay, Maryland
- Size
- Medium to Large (3-4 inches)
- Shell Color
- Gray-white
- Meat Color
- Cream to light gray
What Experts Say
Across 7 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: yeasty, fatty butter, ocean-forward
"They deliver a yeasty sweetness reminiscent of New Brunswick's Beausoleils. Farther up the bay, they get a little less ocean water, giving them a perfect salinity of 28 ppt."
yeastysweetsalty
"Grown in floating bags in the Maryland end of famed Chincoteague Bay, Snow Hills temper the burning salinity of Virginia Chincoteagues with a little more Maryland freshwater sweetness."
brinysweetbalanced
"Steak fatty butter and no brine; kind of anemic."
butteryfattymild
"These fat and salty oysters from Scotts Landing Shellfish have a creamy finish."
fatsaltycreamy
"These bold, briny oysters are raised in Chincoteague Bay, Maryland. Their unique flavor is a balance of cool ocean water and freshwater."
boldbrinybalancedocean
About the Farm
Great Eastern Shellfish / Snow Hill Oysters
The farm is owned by David Chamberlin and Luke Breza who raise their oysters in Chincoteague Bay south of Snow Hill, MD. Snow Hill is a famous old Maryland oyster appellation.
- Cultivation Method
- floating bags
History & Background
Snow Hill is a famous old Maryland oyster appellation dating back generations. The town of Snow Hill, founded in 1686, was historically a port and center for oyster trade on the Chesapeake Bay.
Snow Hill hosts an annual Oyster Roast that brings close to 1,200 people and celebrates locally-grown oysters from Chincoteague Bay. The event emphasizes keeping dollars in the local community with all oysters sourced from local farms.
Did You Know?
- Snow Hill oysters are grown north of Chincoteague in the Maryland end of Chincoteague Bay at a perfect salinity of 28 ppt
- The oyster appellation is named after the historic town of Snow Hill, Maryland, which may have been named after a London neighborhood
- Many free African Americans from Snow Hill, Maryland historically worked as oystermen and some settled in Sandy Ground, Staten Island
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 7 sources.
- Snow Hills — The Oyster Guide
- Snow Hill — OysteRater
- A State-by-State Guide to the South's 35 Best Oysters — Garden & Gun
- Snow Hills Oysters — Chefs Resources
- Fortune Fish Co. Oyster Descriptions — Fortune Fish Co.
- Luke Breza Producer Panel — Maryland Sea Grant
- Snow Hill hosts 13th annual Oyster Roast — WMDT 47abc
You Might Also Like
38 Degrees North
US East CoastA balanced Chesapeake Bay oyster. Mild, slightly sweet with refined brine and a clean finish. Firm and meaty from floating cage cultivation.
Apalachicola
US Gulf CoastWild-harvested Gulf Coast oyster from Florida's legendary Apalachicola Bay. Small, intensely briny, and robust with a distinctive flavor that earned global recognition as the pinnacle of oyster quality.
Bagaduce
US East CoastA distinctive Maine oyster from the Bagaduce River. Medium briny with clean sweetness, pronounced umami, and savory smoky notes. Sun-grown in floating bags with gnarly shells and full meats.
Learn More
The Big Five: A Complete Guide to Commercial Oyster Species
Comprehensive guide to C. virginica (Atlantic), C. gigas (Pacific), C. sikamea (Kumamoto), O. lurida (Olympia), and O. edulis (European Flat)
Read article → Biology & SpeciesThe Atlantic Oyster (C. virginica): From Maritime Brine to Gulf Sweetness
Deep dive into America's indigenous East Coast oyster - flavor profiles, regional variations, and famous varieties
Read article → Merroir & EnvironmentWhat is Merroir? The Science of How Environment Shapes Oyster Flavor
Understanding merroir - the marine equivalent of terroir - and how water chemistry creates flavor
Read article →