Sauce Magazine // Guide to Beer 2015

GUIDE BEER

Cory King, brewer on fire p. 19

BEST BEER BUYS

The expert beer drinker knows a brew is only as good as how it’s made. Or bottled. Or served. Here’s what’s at the top of our (beer) shopping list right now. – Maggie Pearson

BEER OF THE MONTH CLUB

It’s fun to explore, whether it’s a stout, sour or Schwarzbier Enter the Beer of the Month Club at Craft Beer Cellar: You give the staff members a flavor profile, pay a monthly fee and they choose the suds for you. The beer bundle includes 12 smaller bottles (typically 12 ounces each) and three large-format bottles. From this particular vantage point, ignorance is, in fact, bliss. $58 per month. Craft Beer Cellar, 8113 Maryland Ave., Clayton, 314.222.2444, craftbeercellar.com

CUSTOM TAP HANDLES

If you've grown into your own as a home tavern enthusiast, serving craft beer instead of Shirley Temples, check out St. Louis-based Newberry Furniture's hand-turned tap handles. Usually made from reclaimed wood (often with some local lore), these pulls are sure to brew feelings of nostalgia, one way or another. $60. Newberry Furniture, 314.647.6090, newberryfurniture.com

3. Hands-on brewing session

HANDS-ON BREWING SESSION

Always wanted to brew but don’t have a clue? Sign up for a brewing “exBEERience” at J2 Brewing. Select the style of beer you want to make, then let the staff at J2 guide you through the brewing process. Come back in two to three weeks to bottle and package those suds to take home and impress your neighbors. $110 to $150 (bottles not included). J2 Brewing, 161 Long Road, Suite 105, Chesterfield, 636.536.9455, j2brewing.com

PROST POSTERS

In celebration of its fourth anniversary, Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. partnered with local printer Firecracker Press to create a limited series of letterpress prints that toast UCBC’s approach to brewing both modern American (Revolution) and classic European (Reverence) beers. As layered as UCBC's brews, these pieces are a great investment for any beerart lover. $75. Urban Chestnut Grove Brewery & Bierhall, 4465 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.222.0143, urbanchestnut.com

SYNEK DRAFT SYSTEM

St. Louis entrepreneur Steve Young’s Synek draft system is smaller than a keg and more convenient than a growler. Fill up the flexible 1-gallon bag (that’s two, count ’em, two growlers!) at Schlafly, Civil Life, 4 Hands, Alpha and other area breweries, pop it into the countertop Synek system and enjoy cold draft beer at home for up to one month. Preorder it now to get it by summer. $300. Synek Draft System, syneksystem.com

5. Synek draft system

2. Custom tap handles

4. Prost posters

1. Beer of the month club

SCHLAFLY

The Saint Louis Brewery has come a long way since its opening Dec. 26, 1991. How does The Lou’s first craft brewpub stack up 24 years later?

Schlafly co-founder Dan Kopman breaks it down. – Catherine Klene

14

States where Schlafly is distributed (plus the District of Columbia)

120,000

Pounds of hops used annually

30

Average age of a Schlafly employee

35

Employees when Schlafly opened in 1991

200

Employees in 2015

1

Schlafly Pale Ale was the brewery’s first beer and remains its most popular.

3,000,000

Pounds of malted barley used annually

14%

Highest ABV Schlafly beer, its single-malt Scottish ale

19,500

How far Kopman will fly, one-way, for Australia’s and Tasmania’s hop harvest this April

19,828,800

12-ounce bottles’ worth of beer produced annually

80

Recipes brewed each year

THE NEW PUB GRUB the minds behind

Drinking a beer is as old as humankind itself, but why relegate it to just your glass? Here, three area chefs changing the way we consume beer. – Maureen Zegel

Hungry beer drinkers are in luck at Perennial Artisan Ales. Pairings come naturally to head chef Brian Moxey, whose eclectic dishes swimmingly complement Perennial’s releases and often include beer as an ingredient. “I’m in love with our Saison de Lis,” Moxey said. “We’re doing a smoked trout tartine right now that I think is delicious with that beer.” Perennial Artisan Ales, perennialbeer.com

Adam Guess, chef de cuisine at Death in the Afternoon, is making good use of the restaurant’s collaboration with Upper 90 Brewing Co., tucked away in the basement.

“The brewery lends itself to customizing the restaurant’s craft,” said Guess. “What better way to amaze a special party than with a glass of beer made specifically with them in mind?” Watch for Guess’ hearty, whole-grain, German-style Treberbrot bread made with spent grains from the Upper 90 Kölsch. Death in the Afternoon, deathintheafternoonstl.com

chef Andrew Fair of

Chestnut Brewing Co. has scoured vintage cookbooks, magazines and videos to augment the brewery and Biergarten’s European-inflected menus. Never one to waste a good brew, Fair uses it in the food – UCBC Apotheosis and Bushelhead cider recently figured into the kitchen’s house-made sausages, and Zwickel is used to batter brandade beignets. And that marvelous rotating poutine? Whatever’s new on tap at the brewery frequently goes into the pan to make the gravy. Urban Chestnut Brewing Co., urbanchestnut.com

Executive

Urban

For a beer cheese soup recipe using Apotheosis turn to p. 25 of the main issue.

BEER-SWEET SYMPHONY

BY TED KILGORE

Combine your love for beer and the harder stuff by using homemade beer syrup in a cocktail recipe. Use a big-flavored, hoppy beer, such as an ESB or IPA, to maximize flavor. The syrup complements a galaxy of cocktails, like the Tom Collins, Sazerac, pisco sour and Old-Fashioned, including the reimagined one here.

SPRING FORECAST /

O’Fallon Brewing Co.’s Imperial Stout

The O’Fallon crew nailed its Imperial Pumpkin, so expect nothing less of this limited, draft-only, bold brew.

BEER SYRUP

6 OUNCES

12 oz. hoppy beer, such as an ESB or IPA

6 oz. sugar

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, simmer the beer until reduced by half.

• Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool. Syrup will keep, refrigerated, up to 1 month.

MALT-TEASEFASHIONED

1 SERVING

2 oz. Spirits of St. Louis Regatta Bay hopped gin

½ oz. beer syrup

4 dashes Bittermens Hopped Grapefruit Bitters

2 grapefruit twists

• Combine the gin, beer syrup and bitters in a stirring glass with ice. Squeeze 1 grapefruit twist over the glass to release the oils, then drop it into the glass. Stir and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with the remaining grapefruit twist.

Springtime in St. Louis: the harbinger of regrowth, renewal and, of course, good beer.

Here are some new local releases to awaken your taste buds this spring. – Katie Herrera

Urban Chestnut Brewing Co.’s Apotheosis

Bright citrus and floral hop notes round out this farmhouse ale, soon making a reappearance at both UCBC locations.

4 Hands Brewing Co.’s War Hammer Imperial IPA

Its delicious hops complexity is so anticipated, the brewery is throwing its fourth annual Lupulin Carnival to celebrate it.

Morgan Street Brewery’s When Helles Freezes Over

This easy-drinking, well-balanced lager is sure to quench your thirst through spring cleaning.

Perennial Artisan Ales’ Hopfentea

Hopfentea is a tart, refreshing, complex seasonal Berliner

Weisse – a sure sign spring is here.

Schlafly Beer – Femme Ferment’s Collaboration Elderflower Maibock

Debuting in time for Mother’s Day is a sweet, herbaceous elderflower maibock that marks Femme Ferment’s first anniversary.

A GUIDE TO THE ST. LOUIS BEER DRINKER

When it comes to drinking beer, it takes all kinds, especially in a city devoted to the stuff. Here are the beer sippers we’ve spotted in our travels through the River City’s beer scene. – Garrett Faulkner

The Lederhosen Revivalist

Where to spot her

Giving unauthorized architecture tours in Soulard at Oktoberfest Listens to “Edelweiss,” on repeat

Likely to say (Yodel) Drinks UCBC Schnickelfritz, from a glass boot

The Ph.D. Candidate

Wears Trotsky spectacles

Watches Twin Peaks, shouting Butlerian critiques at the screen

Reads The recipe for Guinness in Ulysses, highlighter in hand

Likely to say “How problematic was that Budweiser Super Bowl ad?”

Drinks Ommegang

Three Philosophers

The Beer Mule

Where to spot him Unloading smuggled beer crates from a truck bed behind an abandoned building at 3 a.m.

Reads RateBeer stat sheets

Drinks Never. Hoards Side Project and Off Color collaboration La Bière de Fantaisie instead

The Cyclist

Where to spot her Opening bottles on her seventh-gear sprocket

Wears BrewStrong knockoff bracelets, Lycra

Watches The Tour on pay-per-view in July

Likely to say “Beer’s Paleo, right?”

Drinks Stiegl Radler, piped from a CamelBak

The Suit

Where to spot him

Screaming lividly at a teenage valet in Clayton Wears Bespoke two-piece. How else will he make partner?

Reads The beer bingedrinking scene from The Fountainhead

Likely to say “Tom Schlafly’s portfolio? Yeah, I manage that.”

Drinks Bud Light Platinum

The Girl Who Knows More About Beer Than You

Where to spot her In front of you in line at iTAP

Wears Flats, smirk

Watches Your beer selection, with disdain Likely to say “He was nice, but he only drank Guinness.”

Drinks Perennial Barrelaged Sump Coffee Stout

defy gravity

It wasn’t too long ago when the buzz in craft beer was only about highgravity styles. Be it a hoppy Imperial IPA or barrel-aged Imperial stout, bigger was always thought of as better. Luckily, the tide has turned, and sessionable beers are gaining a national foothold. Beers like Founders All Day IPA and Tallgrass Halcyon Wheat showcase big flavor without the high alcohol content, meaning you can sip more and stay standing. Give these four local low-gravity beers a go. – Eric Hildebrandt

The Civil Life Brewing Co. English Pale Ale

A benchmark for the style, the 4.2-percent Civil Life EPA is a perfect example of an American brewer working in a classic British style. Biscuity malts balanced with subtle, grassy hop characteristics make this beer a must-try. Only available on draft. The Civil Life Brewing Co., 3714 Holt Ave., St. Louis, thecivillife.com

Excel Brewing Co. Flash Bang

A newcomer to the local, lowerABV category, this hop-forward wheat beer combines refreshing taste with delightfully citrusy notes. At 4.6 percent, Flash Bang proves you can pack a hoppy punch in a lower-test brew. The Wine and Cheese Place, 7435 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.727.8788, wineandcheeseplace.com

DRINKING GAMES

There’s a whole room devoted to darts on The Loop. Bring your cricket and around-the-world A-game. Blueberry Hill, 6504 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.727.4444, blueberryhill.com

Maplewood’s hippest corner offers pinball and skee-ball in a grown-up setting. Orbit Pinball Lounge, 7401 Hazel Ave., Maplewood, 314.769.9954, Facebook: Orbit Pinball Lounge

Bocce ball is old school, but they take it seriously here. There are courts, tourneys and open play for the non-diehards.

Milo’s Bocce Garden, 5201 Wilson Ave., St. Louis, 314.776.0468, milosboccegarden.com

Two words: giant Jenga. Just don’t let the stack topple onto you. The Pour House, 1933 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.241.5999, pourhousestl.com

2nd Shift Brewing Co. Green Bird Gose

A style unfamiliar to many, a Gose (pronounced go-suh) is brewed with coriander and a touch of salt. At 4 percent, Green Bird’s doughy malt profile and refreshing tartness round out this gem of a beer. Bridge Tap House, 1004 Locust St., St. Louis, 314.241.8141, thebridgestl.com

Morgan Street Black Bear

The award-winning Schwarzbier will make you rethink dark beer. This 4.6-percent, mediumbodied black lager has a slightly roasty malt character that finishes clean and sweet. The result is a surprise to your senses. Morgan Street Brewing Co., 721 N. Second St., St. Louis, 314.231.9970, morganstreetbrewery.com

Head to the second floor, where the house stashes its board games, such as Trivial Pursuit, Scattergories and Pictionary. The Civil Life Brewing Co., 3714 Holt Ave., St. Louis, thecivillife.com

Play washers on the back patio to your inner Hoosier’s heart’s content. Southtown Pub, 3707 S. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, 314.832.9009, southtownpub.com – Meera Nagarajan

WHERE TO EXPLORE NEXT BIERGARTENS

BY ERIC HILDEBRANDT

BY

The royale food & spirits

PHOTO

JONATHAN GAYMAN

The German tradition of outdoor drinking is rooted in gemütlichkeit, a term associated with good food, good company and – naturally – a beer or two. Traditional outdoor Biergartens have been mainstays in Europe (and St. Louis) since the 19th century, yet their growing popularity and migration across the pond has muddied their definition with a host of imitators. A real Biergarten is an open-air patio space offering beer, food and communal seating. Gather some friends and celebrate St. Louis’ rich heritage of confluences – rivers, people, top-notch suds – while you drink in all that gemütlichkeit.

THE ROYALE FOOD & SPIRITS

3132 S. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, 314.772.3600, theroyale.com

You’d be hard-pressed to find an outdoor space better suited to community than the Biergarten at The Royale, which owner Steven Smith has developed into a space where people of all stripes gather to share their stories and a mutual love of beer. Shaded in summer, firewarmed in winter, The Royale’s well-heeled beer list features plenty of local suds and some favorites from around the country. You’ll have your pick while you strike up a conversation with your neighbor.

Drink this: Schlafly Vanilla Milk Stout. Available only at The Royale and Schlafly, it bursts with the flavor of cocoa nibs and vanilla beans.

LLYWELYN’S PUB

4747 McPherson Ave., St. Louis, 314.361.3003, llywelynspub.net

Now almost 40 years young, the original location of Llywelyn’s Pub is one of the area’s most tuckedaway Biergartens. A looming mural in homage to Guinness artist Thomas Gilroy greets imbibers upon arrival, giving way to an outdoor bar that echoes the interior’s Celtic vibe. Umbrellas and the shade of a neighboring brick building make this a perfect spot for a warm St. Louis day.

Drink this: Schlafly and The Civil Life’s competing Welsh Ales, using the same malt bill but different hops: Admiral and East Kent Golding and Fuggles, respectively. A side-byside tasting is a great way to experience subtle differences in hop notes.

THE CIVIL LIFE BREWING CO.

3714 Holt Ave., St. Louis, thecivillife.com

The Civil Life’s Biergarten is the nerve center of the brewery’s communal vibe. Large, inviting picnic tables throng with eager beer drinkers, surrounded by flags from some of the world’s premier beer nations. Two outside service windows allow you to grab your pint or half-pint without setting foot inside. Whether you are into board games, books or simply hoisting a glass with friends and neighbors, avail yourself of this inviting urban oasis.

Drink this: The Civil Life English Pale Ale, served on draft (and cask, occasionally). Gentle hop notes and a creamy head are just a few things to look for in beer served this traditionally.

URBAN CHESTNUT BREWING CO. MIDTOWN

3229 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.222.0143, urbanchestnut.com

In 2012, Urban Chestnut added its traditional Bavarian Biergarten to its Midtown location. On a bright sunny day, colorful umbrellas adorn the long communal tables with bench seating. Eight beers are available at the beer window, served in traditional liter or half-liter vessels. The white stucco Central States building next door provides a picturesque backdrop to the Biergarten and its adjacent brewery room. Bavarian to the hilt (including co-owner Florian Kuplent’s birth certificate), you can do no wrong here, whether taking in outdoor movie screenings or traditional polka bands.

Drink this: Zwickel, the lightly hopped, unfiltered UCBC flagship

THE BIERGARTEN AT ANHEUSER-BUSCH

1200 Lynch St., St. Louis, 314.577.2626, budweisertours.com

In 2013, the titan of brewing opened its own Biergarten, a celebration of the august history of beer in St. Louis. At 10,000 square feet and with seating for nearly 300, the communal space rivals the size of the Biergartens prevalent in this city during the 19th century. Tasting flights are available, along with a brewmaster’s tasting and glass-raise at 3 p.m. daily, the moment A-B’s brewmasters around the country sample their beer to make sure it is of the highest quality.

Drink this: Faust. First brewed in 1884 and resurrected by A-B last year, this robust Vienna lager has notes of toasted caramel, toffee and a mild hop character.

the biergarten at anheuser busch

LONG LIVE THE KING

In 2013, BeerAdvocate named Side Project Brewery one of the top five breweries to watch. Last December, Draft magazine called Side Project’s Saison du Blé one of the top 25 beers in the world. Then, this January, craft beer website RateBeer named Side Project one of the 100 best breweries in the world. It’s time you met Cory King, the brains behind the unparalleled beers made right here in River City.

by ligaya figueras

photos by carmen troesser

from HOMEBREWER to PROFESSIONAL

Cory King, 31, had zero professional brewing experience before he was hired as a brewer for Perennial Artisan Ales in 2011. That fact shouldn’t surprise fans of craft beer, in part because King brewed at home, a hobby he picked up from his brotherin-law. “Homebrewers are some of the most forward-thinking,” said Mike Sweeney, creator and founder of beer website STL Hops and craft beer manager for Lohr Distributing. “They are pushing the envelope, as far as the brewing scene goes. Some (beers) they come up with are the most unique things you’ll try.”

The Side Project Cellar, 7373 Marietta Ave., Maplewood, 314.224.5211, sideprojectbrewing.com

Caring for beer at

THE SIDE PROJECT CELLAR

Cory and Karen King cut no corners when it comes to making and serving beer right. At The Side Project Cellar, their 50seat beer, whiskey and wine tasting room in Maplewood, each of the 24 draft lines can be programmed to three different temperatures. “When you have an Imperial stout served at the same temperature as Bud Light, you’re missing so many things,” explained Cory King. “We’ll never be a high volume account, but there may be other breweries going, ‘I want them to have this special keg because I know it’s going to be treated right.’” The beer cellar has UV-film on the windows so that light cannot strike the bottles, and those bottles are stored at a proper cellar temperature for proper aging. A lambic is presented in a traditional lambic basket, keeping the bottle tilted on its side so that the yeast doesn’t cloud the glass. These might seem to be minor details, but to the Kings, they are essential. “We put all this care and time into making beer and often when it’s served, there’s no care,” said Cory King. “I don’t cut corners on my beer, so I won’t cut corners on serving it.”

KING’S TOP BEER BOOKS

Brew Chem 101: The Basics of Homebrewing Chemistry by

Lee W. Janson

Farmhouse Ales: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition by Phil Markowski

Wild Brews: Beer Beyond the Influence of Brewer’s Yeast by Jeff Sparrow

“He represents, in my mind, the next generation of brewers who are going to carry forth the passion. ... He has staying power, a mature sensibility of beer.”

– ERIKA RIETZ, FOUNDER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, DRAFT MAGAZINE

Side Project IN A SNAPSHOT

Unlike the Belgian-inspired and experimental beers that Cory King brews for Perennial, his Side Project beers historically have been barrel-aged saisons and sour/wild ales. “Sour beers have been around forever, but as far as American producers, they’re in their infancy. Name another Missouri sour beer? If you did, it’s a special release and it’s once a year,” King said. Side Project brews are more traditional in style and use few ingredients – usually just water, malt, yeast, hops and fruit. “Most of my brewery is focused around the yeast, bacteria, the fermentation side of it and my wild culture,” he explained.

“Wild culture” refers to wild yeast and bacteria – strains harvested and grown outside of a lab. King’s main saison culture started with the standards, like Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus, but it’s been dosed with Missouri wild species he captured from his father’s land in Puxico, a small town in southeast Missouri. “I created a house flavor that is Side Project that’s not replicable by anybody else,” he said. “You can’t just go to a lab and buy what I have.”

Because King’s culture is always growing and changing, he cannot duplicate a brew. “Most breweries put all these ingredients in, and they get the exact same thing every time. I don’t.” He likened his work to that of a winemaker. “It’s up to me to be more of a blender,” he said.

Then there’s the art of aging beer. Every Side Project brew hangs out in oak barrels for months, even years. “I love the nuances oak can add to a beer when done right,” said King, who is also “director of oak” for Perennial. More than 500 barrels – some filled with Perennial brews, the rest with Side Project suds – take up space in two aging rooms at Perennial. These barrels once held rye, bourbon, rum or wines such as pinot noir, chambourcin, vignoles, Norton and chardonnay, the last being the predominant wood King uses for aging Side Project beers. “I like the challenge of putting everything in oak,” he said.

JULY 2011

ASCENDING the THRONE

Cory King is hired as brewer at Perennial Artisan Ales.

“I stalked Phil (Wymore). I read an article about Phil opening a Belgian and barrel-aging brewery. I met Phil and (his wife and Perennial co-founder) Emily, and I was the first hire.” – Cory King

OCTOBER 2012

Perennial Heart of Gold earns silver medal in Other Strong Beer category at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in the brewery’s first year.

“It was a great honor. I had the fortune of being with breweries that have won awards at GABF. To have that happen for my brewery … it was really gratifying. And it was a little bit of a relief to have that monkey off your back. You think: If we never win a medal again, at least we got one.”

– Phil Wymore, co-founder and brewmaster, Perennial Artisan Ales

NOVEMBER 2012

Perennial Barrel-aged Abraxas earns a silver medal in Experimental category at Festival of Wood and Barrel-aged Beers (FoBAB) in Chicago.

JANUARY 2013

Perennial Abraxas garners 100 points in initial BeerAdvocate review.

“That was such important news. We had this local brewery that

helped to put St. Louis, as far as craft beer goes, on the map.”

– Mike Sweeney, creator and founder, STL Hops and craft beer manager, Lohr Distributing

JANUARY 2013

Perennial Barrel-aged Abraxas is released.

“It was the first time we experienced the lines and hysteria and beer geekiness. We weren’t expecting it. People were like, ‘What’s the limit on it?’ We were like, ‘Why would we have a limit?’ We didn’t expect any of that.” – King

FEBRUARY 2013

Side Project Brewing announced. King brews using Perennial equipment and space.

AUGUST 2013

Release of first Side Project beers

(Saison du Fermier, Brett Project No. 1 and The Origin)

“Saison du Fermier is a phenomenal beer. I share a lot of my beer, but it’s getting difficult to share that. That’s the one we keep for Irene (Wan, his fiancee) and myself.” – Sweeney

NOVEMBER 2013

Side Project Fuzzy, an American wild ale fermented in chardonnay barrels with Missouri white peaches, earns gold in Wild Beer (Acidic) category at FoBAB.

NOVEMBER 2013

Perennial Barrel-aged Abraxas earns gold in Experimental category at FoBAB.

NOVEMBER 2013

BeerAdvocate names Side Project a brewery to watch .

SEPTEMBER 2014

Draft magazine names Perennial and Side Project among 25 breweries to watch.

“The business model is interesting. He’s the head brewer at Perennial, working within the space at Perennial. Phil had a feeling Cory was a talented brewer. He showed him the ropes on how to run a brewery and has been supportive of Side Project. It’s a win-win situation and a credit to both of them for coming up with the arrangement.” – Erika Rietz, founder and editor-in-chief, Draft magazine

DECEMBER 2014

Draft magazine calls Side Project Saison du Blé Batch 2 one of the best 25 beers in the world in 2014.

“We blind tasted it. I won’t forget the winelike notes – it’s aged in chardonnay barrels – or the citrus. The way the Brett was expressing itself was wonderfully harmonious. It was a way to work with barrels that wasn’t heavy-handed.” – Rietz

JANUARY 2015

RateBeer names Side Project one of the 100 best breweries in the world.

“Vinnie Cilurzo from Russian River, Tomme Arthur from Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey out of San Diego. Even some of the guys who do sours and funky beers. Cantillon’s Jean-Pierre Van Roy. Cory is doing beers that are of that same quality and caliber. … He is on pace to be one of the most sought-after brewers in the country.”

- MIKE SWEENEY, CREATOR AND FOUNDER, BEER WEBSITE STL HOPS AND CRAFT BEER MANAGER, LOHR DISTRIBUTING

“He had a really great background. He was already entrenched in this industry: an award-winning homebrewer, bar manager at iTAP Soulard. A great educational background, too (B.S. in chemistry, MBA). He struck me as the type looking at this thing at all angles. He has just a great character, a good work ethic – I thought that he would be a good person to work with on a day-to-day basis.

- PHIL WYMORE, CO-FOUNDER AND BREWMASTER, PERENNIAL ARTISAN ALES

POWER RANKINGS

I BREW WHAT I LIKE TO DRINK

Ranking of Side Project Saison du Fermier among all saisons in the world on BeerAdvocate

Ranking of Side Project Saison du Fermier among all beers in the world on BeerAdvocate 5 26 62 87 1

(it has held this spot for more than one year)

Ranking of Perennial Barrelaged Abraxas among all beers in the world on BeerAdvocate

Ranking of Perennial Barrelaged Abraxas among all beers in the world on RateBeer

Ranking of Side Project Fuzzy among all beers in the world on BeerAdvocate

BUY IT

Get these beers while they last at The Side Project Cellar.

Side Project La Bière de Fantaisie (Collaboration with Off Color Brewing) Blend of puncheonfermented saisons with Missouri wild yeast

Side Project Grisette Batch No. 2

Wine barrel-aged farmhouse ale with Brettanomyces

Side Project Foedre Beer Sour blonde ale aged in a French Oak foedre

to karen, THE QUEEN

I try to tell you this all the time, but you are always too humble to accept it, so I figured that typing it out might help. Thank you for all that you have done for Side Project.

You quietly helped, supported and pushed me to get our business off the ground while you were unable to publicly announce your involvement with it. Because of that, all too often, people miss just how important you are to me and our tiny family-owned and -run businesses.

You were the first to jump into the beer industry, starting as the Missouri sales rep for Goose Island. Because of your love for your job, your passion and your enthusiasm,

you quickly convinced me to reevaluate my career path. I started focusing more on the beer industry and realized that I wanted to be a brewer.

When you moved on to Deschutes, you supported our family while I kept spending money to grow Side Project. Days and nights were long, tough and hard, but you were always there, helping and supporting.

Now we have two businesses, and your role at The Side Project Cellar has become the most important part because The Cellar is the face of our brewery. You don’t bat an eye at managing, operating and owning that place. You hired an amazing staff, and you have

done much to further beer in St. Louis and the Midwest with your professionalism, integrity and care for what we love – beer.

Without you, I would have grown exhausted a long time ago, and The Side Project Cellar wouldn’t exist. You do everything except brew with me. You are what keeps Side Project and The Side Project Cellar moving forward. You are a brewery consultant, a small business owner, a tasting room manager, a label editor, a boss, a partner and my business teammate.

Thank you for everything, wife.

Cory

HOPES & DREAMS

“To make a little more beer, but I don’t ever want to be a slave to demand.”

“To experiment with more barrel types.”

“To make more spontaneously fermented beer, the true wild stuff inspired by the lambics and the Gueuzes of Belgium.”

“Five to 10 acres of land near Defiance, Missouri and the Katy Trail. I want to do all my spontaneous fermentation beers out there and have a barrel-aging facility there and live there. We’d love to find enough land to buy that we could put our barrel warehouse and our house on.”

“To slow down and relax.”

Karen King, co-owner, Side Project Brewing and The Side Project Cellar

Marriage of beer and wine

Schlafly and Chandler Hill Vineyards came together to create a boozy sipper for wine and beer lovers alike. The Chambourcin Saison is aged in wine barrels with chambourcin grapes, offering a taste that’s tart and fruity and a texture that’s wine-like yet carbonated to please the suds crowd. The first in Schlafly’s new Ibex series of innovative, one-off beers, this saison will be released April 18 at the Schlafly Tap Room – and when it’s gone, it’s gone. Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust St., St. Louis, 314.241.2337, schlafly.com

Beer for dessert

Hands off, kids, this float belongs to Mom. The Mad Cow at Stacked Burger Bar pairs Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout and vanilla bean ice cream for a grown-up take on the kiddie classic. Stacked Burger Bar, 7637 Ivory Ave., St. Louis, 314.544.4900, stackedstl.com

BEER ET AL.

by kristin schultz

Choices, choices – to go

Quit running around to get a bunch of perfect growlers for an evening soiree. Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar has more than 55 beers on tap from breweries down the street, across the country and around the globe, all available in 64-ounce growlers. Take home a favorite or try something new. Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar, 1004 Locust St., St. Louis, 314.241.8141, thebridgestl.com

Stew about it

The Guinness Stew at McGurk’s makes an exquisite vessel in which to enjoy the classic Irish stout. Beerbraised beef tips join carrots and potatoes in a rustic sourdough bread bowl for a soup that satisfies. John D. McGurk’s, 1200 Russell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.776.8309, mcgurks.com

One-hop wonder Celebrate single-hop suds. Magnum hops, normally used as a bittering agent, take center stage in The Old Bakery Beer Co.’s Magnum Pale Ale. The bold choice of a single-hop pale ale results in a clean, crisp flavor and the floral, grassy aroma we love. The Old Bakery Beer Co., 400 Landmarks Blvd., Alton, Illinois, oldbakerybeer.com

Sub Zero infused beer

The beer infusing tap system at Sub Zero gives your suds a flavor boost by infusing draft beer with fruits, herbs, spices – even coffee. The beer and the infusing ingredients change daily, making every take on a cold brew a new adventure. Sub Zero Vodka Bar, 308 N. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, 314.367.1200, subzerovodkabar.com

Have a seat

Grab some friends, a beer and a seat at one of the custom-built wooden tables and benches at 21st Street Brewers Bar’s new Biergarten, scheduled to open in late March. This may become your new favorite spot to chill – especially on Fridays, when whole-hog roasts and other feasts for a crowd will take place. 21st Street Brewers Bar, 2017 Chouteau Ave., St. Louis, 314.241.6969, 21stbrew.com

Taking flight in Red

A half-dozen offerings brewed on-site and a handful of guest taps allow you to mix and match your perfect flight of five, 4-ounce pours –all for a wallet-friendly price tag of $5. Kaskaskia Brewing Co., 105 E. Market St., Red Bud, Illinois, 618.282.2555, kaskaskiabrewing.com

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