Basic Profile

Origin
Anglesey shore of the Menai Strait, North Wales
Species
Crassostrea gigas (Pacific Oyster)
Classification
Farmed; single-producer brand
Farming Method
Mesh bags on metal racks on the beach; graded six to eight times
Producer
Menai Oysters (Shaun Krijnen)
Visual Signature
Pacific oyster shell

Shaun Krijnen holds a master's degree in shellfish biology from the University of Wales, Bangor. In 1994 he bought an oyster farm on the Menai Strait from a hobby farmer who wanted to sell.1

The Menai Strait, between Anglesey and the Welsh mainland
The Menai Strait, between Anglesey and the Welsh mainland. Photo: Jeff Buck / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Two to Three Years in a Bag

He buys juvenile oysters from Morecambe Bay Oysters and puts them in polypropylene mesh bags fixed to metal racks on the beach. An eight-millimetre, two-gram oyster takes two to three years on average to reach 100 grams. Along the way each one is graded six to eight times, and one bag of seed ends up as about 25 bags of market oysters. They are purified before packing, in paper-banded punnets with no plastic.1

The farm lies inside a Special Area of Conservation. Krijnen has also worked with a nearby distillery at Llanfairpwll on an oyster gin.1

Flavor Breakdown

The water
Strong tides run through the strait and around its sandbanks, carrying a steady supply of plankton.1 Fast water makes for a firm, well-fed oyster.
The finish
Our scores put minerality highest, above both salt and sweetness. The ending is stony and dry.

What Makes Menai Unique

A farm run by someone trained in the animal's biology, inside a conservation area, on a strait known for its strong tides.1

The Welsh oyster to know. Firm and mineral, and better plain than dressed.

Should You Add Lemon?

Cautiously

A few drops. The finish is the point.

Pairing Guide

1
Welsh sparkling wine

If you can find it. Any dry English or Welsh fizz will do.

2
Chablis

Stone meets stone.

OptimalPlain
AcceptableShallot vinegar
AvoidCocktail sauce

Who Is This For?

Will love it
  • People who like firm, mineral oysters
  • Visitors to Anglesey
Sources
  1. Discover Seafood. "Menai Oysters: Passion and Innovation in North Wales." discoverseafood.uk
Tasting notes & flavor profile in the Oysterminds app →