Side Project — Silent Barrel #922 Brewers (2024)

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

A hand-selected single-barrel Imperial Stout pouring with profound depth and stillness, this release showcases the alchemy of extended slumber in a Willett bourbon barrel. The nose unfolds with dark chocolate, vanilla bean, and warm bourbon, layered with notes of oak, char, and pipe tobacco. The palate is dense and unhurried, weaving molasses and toffee through ribbons of caramel and roasted malt. Bourbon warmth lingers alongside whispers of leather and vanilla, while the oak provides structure and a gentle tannic grip. Bottled still and silent, it offers a meditative, expressive sip from a singular barrel.

Food Pairing

Pair with a flourless dark chocolate torte topped with bourbon-vanilla crème to mirror the beer’s roasted depth and barrel character. Alternatively, serve alongside a wedge of aged blue cheese with toasted pecans and fig jam, where the salty richness and sweet stone fruit accents amplify the stout’s molasses, toffee, and oak-driven complexity.

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.