Sunday (2025)
Cycle Brewing

While I agree this may not be a great beer, I personally think it’s not as bad as I’m seeing here. Sweet notes of vanilla are strongest, but there’s dark fruit and honey present, both on the nose and the tongue. Slightly syrupy, thick and boozy. I apparently rate it a lot higher than everyone else.

Black body more than brown, opaque and dark either way, decently sustained lighter brown head. Brandy and vanilla explosion with toffee and barley in the background. Brandy and vanilla run with this for awhile before the caramel, barley, and mild barrel catch up. Heavy and thick with a shellac of sweetness that starts to add up. Good but not great

Poured from a 22oz bomber into a Mikerphone tumbler. Pours a deep, shiny and dark brown without any real foam or head. I’ll just say: I wanted to like this based upon the description solely. I was so psyched for the barrels and the vanilla but it gives off an odd, sour, fruity aroma along with some spirit barrel and wet cardboard. The taste is even stronger sour citrus fruit. I do get hints of caramel and vanilla underneath but it’s hard to get past that initial shock of sour fruit. Weird. It does have a thick mouthfeel. A rare miss from Cycle for me. Usually love all their barrel-aged beers.

Bottle pour into snifter. Brandy barrel and vanilla apparently don't jive together. This produced an odd citrus flavor that just didn't work. Was hoping for a lot more. Had to pour out 4/5 of the bottle.