UPDATE: We gave you the news a while back that Cycle Brewery, born out of Peg’s Cantina in Gulfport, was planning a brewry in downtown St. Pete. Today we’re finding out where!

Look for Cycle Brewing to pop up on the 500 block of Central Avenue just across from one of our faves, the St Pete Brasserie, at the former Artisan Gallery. No word on exactly when they’ll be open… but having sampled some of their brews over the weekend, we can’t wait till they are!

Previous Story Published 11/26/12:

There are big things brewing at Peg’s Cantina on Beach Blvd in Gulfport.

We found Doug Dozark, Peg’s full-time brewmaster, tucked behind his parent’s restaurant busily preparing the next batches of craft beer in a series of gigantic stainless steel kettles. Although he still looks young enough to get carded at a bar, when he talks about brewing it is obvious that he is no rookie. For the last four years Doug has been honing his craft at Tampa’s renowned Cigar City Brewing Company while simultaneously keeping the taps flowing with his own creations at his family’s popular restaurant.

 

It appears his hard work has paid off. The website Ratebeer.com recently placed Peg’s Cantina among the top 5 brewpubs in all of Florida, and Doug’s "Rare D.O.S." beer (aged in oak whiskey barrels) currently ranks #10 on the Beer Advocates top 100 list. If things go as planned, Doug will soon be making ‘Burg history by opening up the first licensed brewery ever in Gulfport/St. Pete under the name "Cycle Brewing."

The inspiration for the name comes from the brewmaster’s strong affection for cycling as well as the bicycle friendly culture of St. Pete. Doug claims he’s in the final stages of choosing a location for his brewery downtown. When all is said and done, he hopes to feature at least 16 taps showcasing his award winning creations. His eagerness to get started is clearly evident, "I wanna be in St.Pete to do more events. Get more people out, more people aware, bring something quality to St. Petersburg."

 

"Florida’s beer culture is still in the process of inventing itself," he remarked. "The Southeast is kind of wide open." In addition to the ever popular IPA beer styles, Doug says that he is best known right now for a type of sour beer whose pleasantly tart flavor loosely takes after the renowned Berliner Weiss beer…fondly titled "the champagne of the North" by Napoleon. But the similarities stop there.

"Florida really has changed the style and developed something unique. Some people even want to change the name to Florida Weiss, because what people are making here is something new," he mentioned. Never one to settle for the ordinary, Doug is constantly experimenting with fresh ideas.

Besides carefully sourcing his ingredients from around the world is search of unique flavors, he is also exploring a novel approach towards beer by adding fruity notes that compliment the tropical Florida climate. He has worked with flavors from key lime, strawberry and watermelon to even more exotic fruits such as passion fruit or tamarind to give the beers an original taste that you won’t find anywhere else. 

 

Currently you can taste Cycle Brewing’s beers on tap at Peg’s Cantina. The opening hours are from 5 PM Tuesday-Thursday, and 12 PM Friday-Sunday and closed Mondays. Happy Hour is from 5 – 6:30, Tuesday-Friday. If you aren’t holed up with your freeze dried food rations waiting for the end of the world on the 21st of December, be sure to venture over to Peg’s for the uncorking of Doug’s special end of the world beer "Rarer D.O.S." that is presently aging in rum caskets.  If you decide to cycle over, just jump off the Pinellas Trail at Gulfport and head down 55th to Beach Blvd, but be forewarned if you do as you might want to bring some training wheels along for the ride home! 

Peg’s Cantina/Cycle Brewing is located at 3038 Beach Blvd. S. in Gulfport.

Report contributed by Rudi Peseckas, freelance journalist, bicycle kamikaze, and all around friendly guy. An ESOL teacher by day, on the weekends he can be found standing on any number of downtown street corners parking cars. While lately his life consists of all work, he is doing his best to not become a dull boy.



Like to see Rudi cover a topic? Email info@iLovetheBurg.com with the subject "Waddup Rudi!"

If you like this story, "Like" us on Facebook to stay updated.