National Oyster Day with George’s®
Happy National Oyster Day! August 5th is National Oyster Day, the perfect day to support the efforts of oyster restoration programs happening in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay. At George’s® Beverage Company, the work happening to restore our bay is important to us. This is why GEORGE’S® Craft Cocktails proudly supports the Oyster Recovery® Partnership, or, ORP.
The Oyster Recovery® Partnership is a nonprofit organization founded in 1994 that supports the Chesapeake Bay oyster restoration efforts. ORP is restoring the Bay’s native oyster population by building sanctuary reefs, rebuilding public fishery reefs, supporting the aquaculture industry, recycling oyster shells, and building public support via hands-on volunteering efforts, and events.
Oysters are vital to the ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay and are the answer to reversing the poor water quality, and declining habitats of the waters. Over the last 30 years, the Oyster Recovery® Partnership has planted more than 9 billion oysters on 3,000 acres of reef and recycled more than 250,000 bushels of shells.
By purchasing our products, George’s® Beverage Company supports the Oyster Recovery® Partnership and their hard work and efforts. Together, we can raise awareness and funds for this meaningful cause that supports our community!
Now, you know we couldn’t let National Oyster Day pass without showing some of our favorite ways to enjoy this gem of the bay. Check out a few of our favorite ways to celebrate below!
Ways to Celebrate National Oyster Day
Our George’s Oyster Shoots are both simple and delicious! Simply pour some OLD BAY® VODKA into a shot glass until it just covers the bottom. Then, add a freshly shucked oyster to the glass, and top it approximately halfway with chilled GEORGE’S® Frank’s RedHot®, Old Bay®, Zatarain’s®, GEORGE’S® Spicy or Mild Bloody Mary Mix. Add SHOOT!
Pro Tip: Add an Old Bay® rim and garnish with your shooter with lemon or lime, celery, or pickled okra slices!
Similar to our GEORGE’S oyster shooters, see how we enjoy Bay Oyster Shooters with award-winning OLD BAY® VODKA!
Ingredients:
- 1.5 ounces OLD BAY® VODKA.
- 1 raw Chesapeake Bay oyster.
- Dash of hot sauce, such as OLD BAY® Hot Sauce.
- OLD BAY® Seasoning
Gather your ingredients and wet the rim of a tall shot glass with water, and dip into OLD BAY® to coat. Then, pour OLD BAY® VODKA into a shot glass, add the hot sauce to taste, drop in a fresh oyster, and enjoy!
- Repurpose Your Shells!
There are hundreds of ways to repurpose oyster shells instead of tossing them away! We love to reuse ours by doing the following:
- Adding them to the garden to help buffer soil acidity and provide plants with vital calcium.
- Use them in our landscaping by breaking them down for walkways, or lining the flower beds.
- Clean up the oyster shell to make beautiful ornaments, wreaths, jewelry dishes, necklaces, and more!
The best way to repurpose oyster shells? Donate to ORP’s Shell Recycling Alliance! They collect oyster shells free of charge from designated collection sites and hundreds of restaurants in the Mid-Atlantic region. This makes it the largest oyster shell recycling network in the nation!
Pro Tip: If you’re looking for more ways to celebrate, purchase GEORGE’S® Craft Cocktail Mixes and OLD BAY®️ VODKA! Our team supports the Oyster Recovery® Partnership each year by donating our products to many of their regional events, and spreading awareness about their worthy cause!
We want to see how you’re celebrating National Oyster Day with George’s! Find OLD BAY®️ VODKA near you to get your favorite vodka. Then, tag George’s Beverage Company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, we’d love to feature your celebrations on our social media and website!
Cheers!