“WHY THE HELL HAVEN’T I TRIED THIS BREWERY BEFORE?”

This is what I yelled out after taking a sip of today’s Bourbon Barrel-Aged Rye Wheat Stout. My neighbors came over to see what prompted all the yelling, then asked for their own sips as soon as they saw this decadent dark brew in my hands.

Before I knew it, they drank up my entire stash! That’s not very neighborly! 

With my tongue still craving boozy dark chocolate, I hopped on the next flight to Florida to go beg Cycle Brewing for some more bottles. Their expertly-crafted brews aren’t sold outside the Sunshine state, so I grabbed what I could to share with the Tavour community. 

If you’re like me and don’t spend much time in Florida, this might be your first Cycle brew too. And unless you’ve read Thrillist’s list of the 10 Best Breweries in Florida, you may not have even heard of them — Cycle doesn’t usually enter competitions or throw crazy release parties.

That’s because this no-frills, fuss-free St. Petersburg brewery is all about the beer — Barrel-Aged Dark Beer! And what better introduction to their BA expertise than today’s 4.32 UT-rated Rye Wheat Stout?

Just be careful, because once you taste BA Rye Wheat, you’ll be yelling out just like I did! As will your neighbors if they come ‘round looking for sips. You might want to stock up on an extra bottle to hide from them, just in case. 

You’ll also want to avoid telling your neighbors that this boozy beauty was aged for one year in Woodford Reserve Rye* barrels and has whispers of black pepper and cardamom spice soaking in malty, dark chocolate-caramel depths. And if they find out that the rye and wheat specialty-grains steeped in this 11% ABV brew make for a thick, chewy mouthfeel, well, you can say goodbye to your stash!

As for me, I’m making sure my place is decently sound-proofed before I pop open another bottle. If my neighbors ask, I’m not home. 

*Yes, you read that right — Bourbon Barrel-Aged Rye Wheat Stout was actually aged in Woodford Reserve Rye barrels! 

Rated 4.32 on Untappd

Cellarable