Side Project — 12 Candles (2024)

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

12 Candles pours pitch black with a deep mahogany crown, releasing aromas of bourbon warmth, toasted oak, and dark chocolate truffle. The palate unfolds in waves: silky vanilla bean and rich fudge give way to roasted malt depth, caramelized sugar, and a whisper of coconut from the barrel. Layers of oak tannin frame the experience, while bourbon-soaked sweetness lingers without ever turning cloying. Brewed to mark Side Project’s twelfth anniversary, this imperial stout balances sheer decadence with the brewery’s hallmark precision, finishing with lasting notes of cocoa, brown sugar, and gentle barrel warmth.

Food Pairing

Pair with a flourless dark chocolate torte topped with vanilla bean crème anglaise to mirror the beer’s cocoa and barrel sweetness. For a savory match, try a dry-aged ribeye with bone marrow butter, where the charred crust and rich fat complement the stout’s roasted malt and bourbon depth.

About Side Project Brewing

Side Project Brewing was founded in 2013 in Maplewood, Missouri, as an ambitious extension of Perennial Artisan Ales. Created by brewmaster Cory King, the brewery was conceived as a no-compromise venture dedicated to producing extremely limited quantities of experimental and barrel-aged beers. Side Project operates with a singular philosophy: to push the boundaries of brewing without regard to commercial constraints or production schedules, releasing beers only when they reach optimal maturity and quality.

The brewery has earned international recognition for its exceptional barrel-aged stouts, wild ales, and fruited sour beers, with many releases becoming highly sought after by collectors worldwide. Side Project’s meticulous approach involves extensive barrel aging programs, often utilizing premium wine and spirit barrels, and incorporating unique ingredients to create complex, nuanced flavor profiles. Their small-batch production model and unwavering commitment to quality over quantity have established them as one of the most respected names in American craft brewing. The brewery’s reputation is built on consistently delivering beers of extraordinary depth and character, making their limited releases among the most anticipated in the global beer community.