Side Project — Double Barrel Anabasis (2025)

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

Double Barrel Anabasis 2025 is an opulent expression of Side Project’s flagship American Barleywine, lavished with extended secondary bourbon barrel aging. The pour reveals deep mahogany layers leading to a nose of rich toffee, caramelized sugar, and warm bourbon. The palate unfolds with vanilla, charred oak, and dark fruit notes of fig and raisin, woven into supple leather and English ale warmth. Premium Blanton’s and Weller 12yr barrels lend a profound spirit-forward depth, while the malt backbone carries velvety sweetness. The finish lingers with oak tannin, bourbon heat, and dried fruit elegance.

Food Pairing

Pair with a mature aged cheddar or Stilton, where the salty, crystalline bite cuts through the barleywine’s caramel sweetness and bourbon warmth. Alternatively, serve alongside a dark chocolate flourless torte or sticky toffee pudding, allowing the dessert’s deep cocoa and molasses notes to harmonize with the beer’s vanilla, fig, and oak 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.