Side Project — Marble Lions (2026)

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

Marble Lions 2026 is a decadent homage to Elvis Presley’s iconic peanut butter and banana sandwich, built on Side Project’s Horchata base. The pour is jet black, opening with a wave of creamy peanut butter and ripe banana that quickly folds into rich cocoa and dark chocolate. Ugandan vanilla beans add a plush, custardy sweetness, while cocoa nibs lend gentle roast and bittersweet depth. Thai banana nibs and banana chips reinforce the fruit-forward backbone, balancing the nutty richness. Full-bodied and luxuriously sweet, it finishes with lingering roasted malt warmth and dessert-like indulgence from start to finish.

Food Pairing

Pair with a warm flourless chocolate torte topped with caramelized bananas to mirror the beer’s cocoa and fruit-forward sweetness. Alternatively, serve alongside a sharp aged gouda or peanut butter cheesecake, where the salty-creamy richness contrasts beautifully with the stout’s pastry decadence and roasted malt backbone.

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.