Side Project — Beer Barrel Time BBT Rye (2022)

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

Beer Barrel Time Rye 2022 pours deep mahogany with a luxuriously slow cascade. The rye barrel character lends a distinctive spicy edge, weaving peppery warmth through layers of caramel, toffee, and dark molasses. Notes of vanilla and toasted oak emerge alongside rich brown sugar, dried fig, and dark cherry. The barleywine base offers dense malt sweetness balanced by bourbon-like depth, with hints of leather, baking spice, and candied orange peel. Full-bodied and gently warming, it finishes long with lingering oak tannin, sweet vanilla, and a sophisticated rye whiskey glow.

Food Pairing

Pair with a slow-braised short rib glazed in molasses and stone fruit, where the rich sauce mirrors the beer’s caramel and dark fruit depth. For dessert, try a salted caramel bread pudding with toasted pecans, complementing the vanilla, oak, and brown sugar notes while balancing the warming barrel character.

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.