"Shuck or be shucked," the sign in front of The Brazen Head challenged.
And shuck they did. From 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, dozens of Brooklynites congregated at 228 Atlantic Avenue and partook.
bar's 34th Tri-Annual Clam shuck drew seafood and beer lovers from neighborhoods both in and out of Brooklyn. They feasted on clams, oysters and beer pairings provided by Long Island's Blue Point Brewery and Southampton Publick House.
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The price point was definitely geared toward the budget-conscious. One dollar Blue Point oysters and five dollar-a-half-dozen littleneck clams kept the raw bar busy with a flurry of activity as the evening continued.
Littleneck clams and Blue Point oysters fresh from Long Island's Great South Bay were doled out in small paper baskets and were in front of nearly every patron in the room.
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Aside from the raw bar offerings, five dollars was enough to buy a bottomless bowl of either New England or Manhattan clam chowder made by the bar's owner, Lou Sones.
The Brazen Head has been serving local beer enthusiasts with both beer and special events since 2001. The bar boasts 15 taps, most of which are always delivering a steady stream of small batch craft and cask beers. The bar also provides growlers (quart or 1/2 gallon jugs for buying take-home beer).
Despite some of the trappings of a beer bar, owner Lou Sones finds the label slightly limiting.
"We're not a bar for beer geeks," Sones smiles. "Whether you're a pro, a regular, or a newbie, we want everyone to be comfortable here." The bar helps makes the average Joe feel at home via daily specials (including Dart Night, Free Chicken Wing Night and Single Malt Scotch Day) as well as events like the Clam Shuck.
"This is a Brooklyn bar, and Brooklyn is famous for clams," Lou says. "Our clients love it."
Most of the customers at the bar agreed with Lou.
"This is fantastic," said Edward, a Fort Greene resident. "I'm from New England, and this is the best clam chowder I've ever had."
The bartenders seemed to enjoy the evening as much as the people on the other side of the bar. Many of them look forward to the tri-annual event.
"I really like being here on nights like these," said Kendra Cunningham, who has worked at the bar since 2001. "I've never worked a bad shuck."
It doesn't seem that there have been any bad shucks in recent or distant memory.
As ten o'clock aproached, the crowd began to thin, but the enthusiasm for the shuck did not. Someone notified Lou that the last of the clams and oysters had been shucked, and he let out a satisified "Good," and went to check on the last of the chowder.
