Side Project — Anabasis (2025)

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

The 2025 vintage of Anabasis pours with the deep mahogany hue earned through nearly two years in premium bourbon barrels. Aromas of toffee, caramel, and Blanton’s bourbon lead, layered with vanilla bean, charred oak, and warm leather. The English ale strain lends a rounded, almost old-world warmth that softens the American malt backbone, while flavors of fig, raisin, and dark stone fruit unfurl across the palate. Weller 12yr influence brings a honeyed sweetness, finishing long with cocoa, brown sugar, and gentle tannic grip. A masterclass in patient blending and barrel selection.

Food Pairing

Pair with a seared ribeye finished in brown butter, where the beer’s bourbon-soaked malt complexity mirrors the steak’s char and richness. For dessert, try a sticky toffee pudding or aged blue cheese with fig jam, allowing the barleywine’s caramel, dark fruit, and oak-driven warmth to harmonize with the dish’s deep, indulgent sweetness.

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.