Sunset Beach
Crassostrea gigas
Beach-raised Pacific oyster from Hood Canal, Washington. Full, plump meats with mild brininess, sweet flavor, and a distinctive melon-like aftertaste. Thick shells and crunchy texture from intertidal cultivation.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Sweet with melon-like aftertaste
Expert Notes
Sunset Beach oysters are classic beach-raised Pacific oysters from the lower Hood Canal, grown at the foot of the Olympic Mountain range. Their intertidal cultivation produces thick, sturdy shells that are prized by shuckers, while the meats develop full, plump, and crisp with a crunchy texture. The flavor profile is mildly salty and sweet with a distinctive melon-like aftertaste that reflects the pristine waters of southern Puget Sound. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea gigas
- Native to
- Japan
- Grown in
- Lower Hood Canal, Washington, Southern Puget Sound, Washington
- Size
- Medium to Large (3-4 inches)
- Shell Color
- White with heavy fluting
- Meat Color
- Cream to light gray
What Experts Say
Across 8 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: zinc, metallic, clean, plump, robust
"Full, briny, and sweet flavor with a creamy texture. Potent in zinc (taste lingers in the back of the throat)."
brinysweetcreamyzincmetallic
"Traditional Hood Canal flavor; a clean briny taste in every mouthful of full and firm oyster meat."
brinycleanfullfirm
"Beach grown oysters, thick shelled and deep cupped, hand graded and cleaned by a small but devoted group of farmers. The Sunset is mildly briny with a sweet finish."
brinysweetmild
"Beach raised in Lower Hood Canal. Like all beach grown oysters, these oysters have hearty, thick shells and plump, robust meats. Sunset Beach oysters are briny and full flavored."
brinyfullrobustplump
"Quite meaty, almost TOO meaty. Decent as far as their flavor profile."
meaty
"Decent"
About the Farm
Small devoted group of farmers (Hood Canal)
Hand graded and cleaned by a small but devoted group of farmers working the beaches of Lower Hood Canal, Washington.
- Cultivation Method
- beach culture
History & Background
Part of the traditional Hood Canal oyster farming heritage. In the old days it was simply called 'Hood Canal Oysters', but now specific beach locations like Sunset Beach are differentiated to highlight unique terroir characteristics.
Represents the classic intertidal Hood Canal beach oyster tradition. These oysters are favored by shuckers for their hearty, thick shells.
Did You Know?
- Sun Hollow oysters are a smaller variant of the Sunset Beach oyster from the same region
- Featured in oyster art paintings by Ithaca artist Carol Ast
- Known as a 'shucker's favorite' due to their reliable thick shells
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 8 sources.
- A Week in the Life of an Oysterholic — In a Half Shell
- Sunset Beach — Penn Cove Shellfish
- Sunset Beach Oyster — Chef's Resources
- Oyster Varieties — The Seafood Merchants
- Oysters, Sunset Beach — Santa Monica Seafood
- Sunset Beach — Oysterater
- Sun Hollow Oysters — The Oyster Encyclopedia
- Astounding Oyster Paintings — The Oyster Guide
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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 Pacific Oyster (C. gigas): Cream, Cucumber, and the Japanese Legacy
Understanding the world's most cultivated oyster - from Japanese origins to West Coast dominance
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 →