the side project cellar NomiNated for james Beard award aNd side project BrewiNg expaNds
Side Project Brewing is no stranger to awards and fanfare – this year alone, the Maplewood, Missouri-based brewery owned by Cory and Karen King was named the eighth best in the world at the RateBeer Best awards and also grabbed the title of People’s Choice Brewery at the Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Invitational Beer Fest. Now, the brewery’s tasting room, which opened in Maplewood in 2014, is earning some major accolades of its own. In February, The Side Project Cellar, which Karen manages, was named a James Beard Foundation award semifinalist for Outstanding Bar Program. A handful of wines and whiskeys are on offer, but it’s the attention to detail in serving beer at the Cellar that shines. Draft beers are served at three distinct temperatures (40ºF, 46ºF and 52ºF) or on cask at 58ºF, and each beer is served in the proper glass for the style. Beer drinkers will find a carefully curated selection of Side Project’s highly coveted saisons, barrel-aged stouts, barleywines and Belgian quads in addition to local and regional craft beers. Perhaps the best news, though, is that the Kings are currently working on a major expansion for the brewery. Originally started as a "gypsy" brewery inside Perennial Artisan Ales in St. Louis’ Patch neighborhood (where Cory was formerly the head brewer), Side Project soon plans to open a new brewing and barrel space in Maplewood. The space will allow the brewery to increase production and provide a brewery experience to fans, establishing that Side Project is no longer a, well, side project. –H.R. 314.224.5211, sideprojectbrewing.com PHOTOGRAPHy By JONATHAN GAyMAN
Boulevard BrewiNg co. expaNds aNd redesigNs
Since opening in 1989, Boulevard Brewing Co. has offered brewery tours to the public. As the brewery has grown in the past 27 years, so have the crowds turning out for its tours, which tested the resources in its facility. In June, Boulevard addressed the challenge by opening the 20,000-square-foot Tours & Recreation Center at 2534 Madison Ave. in Kansas City. The visitor center features beer exhibits, a beer hall, gift shop and a staging area for free daily 60-minute tours.
turn to p. 30 to learn about h ow Boule vard Brewing Co., Exc el Brewing Co. and Free St ate Bre wing Co. are putting lo cal spins on radlers.
In 2016, Boulevard also tripled the size of its distribution center by moving into a new 182,000-square-foot warehouse space in the Three Trails Industrial Park in south Kansas City. The center enables the brewery, now owned by Belgium-based Duvel Moortgat, to better manage distribution and storage for its beers. As of spring 2016, the brewery distributed to 35 states, as well as Washington, D.C. Boulevard also rolled out a new company logo plus a sleek, modern redesign of the labels and packaging for its growing roster of beers. The makeover unified the brand design – from its staples to year-round Smokestack Series to seasonals – under one fresh look. The brewery released a variety of new beers this year, as well, including Tropical Pale Ale, Tripel Julep and Rye-on-Rye-on-Rye. –P.D. 816.474.7095, boulevard.com PHOTOGRAPHy COuRTeSy BOuLeVARD BReWING CO.
springfield Brewing CO.'s greene gHOsT Provenance: Springfield, Missouri Style: India Pale Ale (6.5% ABV) PairingS: Spicy pork tacos with cilantro and lime ○
Curry chicken with mango chutney
The aroma of Springfield Brewing Co.’s Greene Ghost is all hops, with tangerine and melon leading the way and notes of pine bringing up the rear. The beer’s bright white head holds these aromas as you take your first sip and get a new blast of hops on your palate. Those same tropical-fruit notes are accompanied by a bitterness that’s balanced nicely by the sweet wheat-bread and bread-crust malt flavors. Greene Ghost IPA is a summer seasonal release available in 12-ounce bottles. –J.P. 417.832.8277, springfieldbrewingco.com
Old Bakery Beer CO.'s HiBisCus TarT Provenance: Alton, Illinois Style: Witbier (4.6% ABV) PairingS: Raspberry-goat cheese salad ○ Rhubarb pie
Old Bakery Beer Co.’s Hibiscus Tart pours a deep fuchsia color with a soft-pink head. A subtle lemon-citrus aroma comes floating out first, followed by a deep, floral, rose-petal character. As you sip it, the floral character imparted by the hibiscus becomes undeniable, and the same lemon-citrus notes come through, as well. Additional fruits show up in the flavor, but plums are the most present, while the tartness evokes raspberries. The malt flavor almost tastes like white bread, which allows the hibiscus to shine. Hibiscus Tart is a summer seasonal available on draft at the brewery. –J.P. 618.463.1470, oldbakerybeer.com
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