WSU vs. Oregon State football: Baxter's beer of the game

Baxter was unable to share his beer of the game for USC because he is unable to use a computer and I was out of town. But never fear! I am home again (if for only a brief time) and I brought back more delicious beer for Baxter.

Last week my business travels took me to St. Petersburg, Fla. I didn't know much about St. Pete before my journey, but I did know there was a small up-and-coming brewery there called Cycle that I had to try. Luckily, the taproom was just a five-minute walk from my hotel room.

At the taproom there was a host of beers, from single-hop Pale Ales to IPAs to stouts to sours. Cycle didn't sell flights, but they did sell (generous) half-pours, so I was able to try a number of the offerings while still maintaining my ability to walk back to the hotel.

One of the standouts, and the flagship beer from Cycle, was the Crank IPA. I had heard of this beer from beer nerd friends and was eager to try it. The guy next to me, who was a local, was putting back a few pints of it so I figured I couldn't go wrong.

Crank wasn't the only good beer I tried, the quality was good across the board. My other favorites included a coffee stout, Amarillo single-hop and a deliciously tart Berliner Weisse. If you ever find yourself in St. Pete, I recommend a stop here for some delicious brews.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the brewery was its "crowler" system. We all know about growlers--typically glass and come in 32 oz or half-gallon sizes of varying shapes. But, as you can see in the picture above, Cycle's "growlers" were actually giant cans. I brought home a few to Vermont, and they traveled in the suitcase very well.

Craig's Review: Great citrus hop aroma. Light color. Wonderful juicy taste with good bitterness, but not so much to overpower. Well-balanced, drinkable and fruity IPA.

Baxter's Review: The good thing about the crowlers is that Craig has to drink it all in one sitting, so he definitely has to share with me. More IPA for Baxter!

That's what Bax and I will be having. What are you drinking for WSU vs. Oregon State?