Side Project — 12 Year Anniversary (2025)

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

A celebratory milestone release in Side Project’s revered Anabasis lineage, this 12 Year Anniversary Barleywine pours dense and resinous, layering rich toffee and burnt caramel over a foundation of premium bourbon, vanilla, and seasoned oak. The English ale fermentation lends a warming, almost sherried character, coaxing out figs, raisins, and dark stone fruit from the American malt bill. Extended time in Blanton’s and Weller 12yr barrels imparts supple leather, baking spice, and a velvety oak tannin. Each sip unfolds with patient complexity, finishing long, warming, and quietly luxurious, befitting twelve years of barrel mastery.

Food Pairing

Pair with a properly aged blue Stilton drizzled with honey, allowing the cheese’s funk and salinity to harmonize with the beer’s bourbon-soaked dark fruit. Alternatively, serve alongside a sticky toffee pudding or pecan tart, where the dessert’s caramelized sugars echo the barleywine’s toffee, vanilla, and oak-driven warmth.

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.