Deep Wood 2026: Part 2 | Revolution Brewing

Once again, Revolution returns to release their third Deep Wood lineup of the year. Much like the recent Deth’s Tar drop, this one contains one mainstay (Straight Jacket), a mainstay that took a year off last year (Ryeway to Heaven), and the second ever release of an interesting take on a breakfast stout (Dread & Breakfast). The quality will carry this one! 

Dread & Breakfast | 15.5% ABV

Making its triumphant return for the first time since the summer Deep Wood of 2023, Dread & Breakfast returns! It’s Revolution’s breakfast stout that only has coffee added – despite having a kick flavor kick of maple syrup. Mind blowing at the time – and it still is, since I haven’t had something that doesn’t have maple syrup taste like it – a little bit of the wonderment has worn off now that the process behind getting some of that flavor in there has been revealed. (Hint: It was amburana barrels.) Let’s see if it manages to maintain those maple syrupy flavors!

Dread & Breakfast pours a light black but sits in the glass black. Two fingers of khaki head slowly goes away and even hangs around for a bit before it goes away. Some alcohol stain coats the glass as well.

Once the can opened, the coffee filled the immediate space. Dread & Breakfast smells very much like a dark roast Café Deth with a kiss of unknown sweetness added. Some dark chocolate joins in as well. But what I’m not getting – which I expected – was maple syrup. Interesting.

That maple syrup doesn’t appear on Dread & Breakfast’s taste either. Coffee, something that resembles cream (I’ll guess some vanilla from the barrel), and some bitter chocolate pair together to create something I wasn’t expecting but enjoyed thoroughly nonetheless. There is little to no perception of maple syrup at all in this beer this time around. When that coffee and barrel vanilla stay around long after the sip, I’m not mad at all.

This vintage of Dread & Breakfast is what I would’ve liked Café Deth to taste like. This is absolutely worth a purchase but go in knowing that the prominent maple syrup notes of the first batch are not present at all in batch 2. Once you’ve adjusted to that new paradigm, you’ll be very happy with what’s in the glass. I know I was. 

Straight Jacket | 15% ABV

Consistent. Reliable. Delicious. Those words and many more can describe Straight Jacket. With ten years of canned releases (first canned in 2017), Straight Jacket has really only faltered once (that dry 2017). Otherwise you can set your watch to it. Easy to see why it was named to Men’s Journal (?!?) 50 Greatest Beers in the World 2026 (as best barleywine, thanks for the tip Revolution team!). Does it ever top my yearly Deep Wood rankings? Not really, as something super barrel-crazy and specific usually takes the top one or two spots. But Straight Jacket is always there, right beneath those. And this year’s is no exception.

Much like Deth’s Tar last month, not much changes with Straight Jacket. It pours caramel brown but sits in the glass very dark brown/orange with some crimson highlights. The head shows up then quickly goes away. Alcohol stains the glass. Just like every year.

The aroma always stays in the same pocket but typically different things are accentuated each year. This year the caramel and butterscotch nose flavors hit bigger, while alcohol and vanilla tie for second place. Dark fruits are there but not nearly as prominent as previous vintages. While there are some years I don’t get it, this year has a decidedly Werther’s-like aromatic bent.

Straight Jacket’s flavor, again, stays pretty much the same, with minor variations on the theme. It is, as always, smooth and filled with caramel and butterscotch notes. Some bourbon heat and vanilla from the barrel joins in and plays nice. Dark fruits hang out on the periphery. The difference with this Straight Jacket comes all at the end of the sip. A big kick of sweetness comes in and then the barrel and the beer dry it out. What’s left on your tongue is the butterscotch flavors that make it simply too difficult to stop drinking. That dry finish stops the beer from stacking sweetness and lets you polish it off while doing something else (playing a video game, watching a movie), only to realize that you’ve finished the 12 ounce can yourself.

So yeah, get yourself a 4-pack of Straight Jacket. It’s the same price as Deth’s Tar and, like Deth’s Tar, you know what you’re getting yourself into. Will this finish at the top of my Deep Wood rankings for the year? Probably not (DBSJ is the current leader in the clubhouse), but it won’t be far behind.

Ryeway to Heaven | 15%

For the first time in a very long time, Ryeway to Heaven was not part of a Deep Wood series lineup last year. Ryewine fans were not left hung out to dry, as the Ryeway to Heaven spot was occupied by Apple Brandy Ryeway last year. But the original, bourbon barrel-aged ryewine is back again in the lineup this year. Personal bias: Most years it’s good but I always seem to prefer Straight Jacket. But that’s really just me.

Ryeway to Heaven pours similar to Straight Jacket, a caramel brown color that sits darker in the glass. But it’s still a shade lighter in the glass than Straight Jacket, being more brown or orange with the same crimson highlights. The head vanishes fast and alcohol stains the glass.

As usual, rye spices, dark chocolate, bourbon, and some bready notes greet your sniffs. Sipping it reveals the same things minus the bread notes. Rye spices dominate, while dark chocolate supports but is significant. It’s still smooth but the dry finish stops it from continuing on and cuts off some of the flavors on the tongue. Pretty much all that remains is rye spices when some other flavors would’ve been appreciated.

Some drinkers will prefer Ryeway to Heaven to Straight Jacket. I’m again not one of them this year. Both are great but the mouthfeel and flavors that stick around after the sip tip the scales towards Straight Jacket for me. Ryeway to Heaven is definitely less sweet than Straight Jacket for what it’s worth.

That’s another Deep Wood release in the books. There’s only one more for this season – January 2027, with VSO Gravedigger, Private Press collab Stereolyth, and Twenty Ten variants Jackscrew and DB VSOR Les Vosges. Should end on a high note!

Dread & Breakfast, Straight Jacket, Ryeway to Heaven and DB VSOJ Calvados will be released Friday, November 6, 2026 at Revolution’s taproom. Order them at revbrew.com now!