Rare Dos Two (R2) Year Aged
Cycle Brewing

 

 

 

 

poured from a 22oz bomber into a TG DBA tumbler. pours thick, oily black. it has thin dark brown foam cap that fades into a few swirls. huge bourbon, oak and char on the nose. an oak barrel showcase for sure. taste follows but the base stout is very chocolate forward (like most cycle BA stouts) but still finished with oak and bourbon. thick, full mouthfeel. this was really good. definitely an in-your-face barrel-aged imperial stout. i think the R1 may have shown a little more balance but if barrel is your thing then this is for you. no adjuncts needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Got this from some webshop somewhere. Cheers!

From a bomber into a snifter
Barrel aged stout aged over two years

APPEARANCE: Thick, pitch black pour comes out syrupy, yielding a three finger, medium-thick looking, creamy, dark tan head with great retention. Jet black body with no carbonation. Head recedes to a thin wisp. A splotchy wisp and faint ring remain leaving no real lacing down the glass as it empties. Good looking stout.

SMELL: Huge bourbon barrel nose on this one, with lots of bourbon, oak, vanilla cream, milk chocolate, coconut, butterscotch, brownies and booze all over the place. This is Rare DOS on steroids.

TASTE: Bourbon and boozy up front. Lots of barrel character with oak, milk chocolate, vanilla cream and butterscotch sweetness up front and into the swallow. Bold and boozy finish of bourbon, oak, vanilla, milk chocolate, sweet butterscotch, coconut flavors, as well as some bitter coffee, roasted flavors, chocolate brownies and some alcohol linger on the palate. Bold and flavorful, with all DOS game all over the place.

PALATE: Medium – fuller body with medium carbonation. A little foamy on the palate perhaps, creamy enough though, goes down fine with a bit of a scratch and finishes quite sticky. Some decent heat lingers.

OVERALL: This reminds me that it’s been far too long since I’ve had some Cycle stout in my life. I miss them, and I know, deep down, they miss me too. Both the head and the feel are a little foamy for top marks, but the nose and flavor are what I wake up for every day. Piles of barrel quality on this one, both in the nose and in the flavor, with a robust, roasted stout beer as a base. All beers should just be like this. Cheers!

 

 

 

 

Nose is deep, rich chocolate and plenty of warm bourbon, very enticing. Taste follows suit and it is enormously satisfying. There is the addition of a jammy fruit note that is good but not 100% harmonious to me. Not sure I've ever had a beer that spend so much time in the barrel and the effects are definitely unique. I wouldn't necessarily say it's an improvement though.

Quite good, but not worth the price.