Side Project Cellar

If I lived in the StL area, I would come here once a month.

 

 

 

A long-awaited trip to Side Project/Side Project Cellar, in town for Side Project's first Invitational Festival at the Majorette. Honestly, once I got here I didn't want to leave. The location is small, but it gives a nice intimacy, knowing that whoever is here also knows and respects world-class beer. While there with my dad, we got a variety of draft and on-site bottles, as well as a bunch of merch. Al the bartenders were great, with particular shoutouts to Mike and Erica, both of whom went WAY above and beyond to make our first experience there special. Honestly for me, while it sounds lazy, this experience earned 5's across the board. I know every time can vary depending on a variety of factors but as far as first impressions go, the Cellar couldn't have done any better.

IMHO pound for pound this is the best taproom out there from the perspective of beer selection, beer quality, service, presentation, design, and vibe. No food or eating but that’s a good trade off and has its advantages. World class!

From notes late 2019 visit.
Finally made it to SP Cellar. Met the hype and more. Extraordinary attention to detail. Great selection beers on tap and bottled. Broad and very well curated range of SP; Shared and guest beers.
Taps set at different temperatures to match with beer. Had an amazing Foedered Flanders Red on cask; excellent Saisons and otherwise wild ales. Couple of very rare imperial Stouts. And plenty of other styles and choices. Nice if small selection of To Go beers. In house consumption beers really lend themselves to sharing. Staff were passionate; energetic and really out to help both novices and seasoned sippers on the beers. Lovely comfortable 2 bar set up with many tables. Soft lighting helped intimacy but not so soft that the place wasn’t full of fun and excitement.
Lively upbeat on both sides of bar; enjoying drinks; conversational; fun!
Otherwise, full bar and wine cellar... both also well curated, and worth a stop regardless of beer. In our case it was perfect for friends who prefer whiskey or wine... but could then try styles and quality of beers that didn’t know existed. Opened up their eyes and palate beautifully.
Had heard pricing was high, but we went the route of 5oz pours so we could sample as much as possible and still get back to hotel. While the price of 1/2 pours was slightly higher than other breweries the quality was that much higher and was SO worth it. We split about 10 half pours; had a local share one of his bottles ...and then had a bit more other tastes for an extremely reasonable cost. Which helped me grab 3 bottles for the suitcase.
It was just beer heaven. Overall experience reminded me of Akkurat/Stockholm. Extremely well Curated beers, knowledgeable pleasant passionate people, setting… wow.
Only downside was lack of food on site.
One of very best I’ve visited in states or overseas.
Great room/setting... though one somewhat continuous structure the bar tends to split into one end with a full cabinet...liquor, wine, beer... Other end is where it is more reserved; beer taps only inc a cask for Foedered /other beers. Serious discussion with staff.
Beer menu is fantastic. So many styles to try on tap; so many on site only bottles.
People are top notch; serious beer people who know their stuff.
Bar/server/guide Mike spoke with local/Wes Matthews who proceeded to share some of his Cassis du Fermier with me /total stranger. Outstanding!
Lively people On both sides of bar enjoying drinks, conversational, fun.
Beer geek heaven…Very special beer, people and place.
Will not ever travel to STL in future w/o returning.

 

They've done an expert job making this space seem much bigger than it appears, with angles that hide little nooks that seem like they could go on forever. The very uniquely shaped bar adds seating that might be a little awkward at times, while at others, really facilitates conversation and, most importantly, bottle sharing.

They have a vast selection of beverages to imbibe, not just beer but whiskey and wine, and it can be insanely overwhelming, especially taking into account their impressive beer cellar list. Not only do they tend to offer some of their more rare, harder to get ahold of bottles for on-site enjoyment, but they also try to include some other well-respected, comparable guest bottles and drafts as well. The thing is, the prices are jacked about as far up as you can get them. But if you build it, they will come. And they sure do.

The beer is all of an excellent quality, and the service is prompt, helpful yet unobtrusive. The atmosphere is sleek yet cozy and rustic, very well-designed and refined for the spot.

Went here in 2016 & watched them turn away (in an impolite manner) a couple dozen thirsty customers because, “We don’t take people off busses.” Went yesterday and started eating lunchbwhile drinking a couple Side Project beers. Was hastily shooed out for, “no food on premises!” Beer was average and overhyped. Also, I had to listen to the bar tender speaking her negative opinion of police officers.
Overall just a real bad experience. There are numerous brewpubs in the area that easily beat this one, especially in the service department.

Visited St Louis in Nov 2018 and was lucky enough to have the time to spend an evening at the Side Project Cellar.

The Vibe is friendly and welcoming. I took a seat at the bar which always gives me a better feel for the vibe of a place. The crowd seems to be a mix of enthusiastic locals and beer fans passing through town. The place feels like a cross between a local bar and a winery tasting room.

The quality of the beer is world class and the prices reflect that. The beer is good enough to command the price, but I wouldn't come here looking discount pricing.

Service is top notch. The person that served us, really knew her beer well and helped guide us to some excellent choices.

They have an excellent selection of guest beers here, but the Side Project list is really the story. Its an outstanding list. The list includes draft beers, in house bottles, and bottles to go. Some of the in house bottles are only for in house, consumption. This Includes on-site limited bottles that are no longer available for retail purchase.

This place is definitely on my highly recommend list,

Made my second visit there in September (it will be a yearly thing from here on out). Great beer. Some would say it's pricey. I say you get what you pay for. Great vibe. I always find the other patrons are friendly and engaging. The staff is second to none. Always a great selection of Side Project and Shared offerings to go. Might have to find a way to head down during the winter.

 

best beer selection of any bar within 200 miles. many good to great taps. several of their first tier majorleague beers to go. the class of the st. louis craft fans and brewers hang here.

 

 

Super relaxing tap room, with a beautifully curated selection of barrel aged beers. Lots of great guest taps as well. Side project and Shared beers to go. It is pricey, but you pay for the quality. Great place.

 

 

 

Love the cellar!

 

 

 

Visited on a Saturday afternoon that wasn't a release day. Really nice, larger-than-it-feels space with a nice tap and bottle list. The bartenders were friendly. A must visit for me.

An even more rustic and european vibe than the brewery, which had a more modern feel to it. Cellar is more of a upscale neighborhood bar, with all sorts of wines, whiskey and beer available, and certainly not exclusive to Side Project offerings. Lots of good choices on draft and in bottle, the service at the bar is prompt and quick. Selection is fantastic, you'll always have Side Project offerings on draft, in bottle and to-go (same to-go selection as at SPB), but you also have excellent whiskey available as well as non-SP beers both on draft and in the bottle.

 

Nice cozy feel, as if I was drinking in my friends basement bar. Quiet, light music playing. Decent crowd for a Wednesday evening. Ample parking (big plus in this area). Wait staff very attentive and personal feeling. Now, the selection - some of the best beer that money can buy, Side Project, Perennial and others. The quality is upscale, so bring some cash and enjoy some of the best there is in the area. Will definitely go back again.

An amazing selection of not only Side Project's own beer, but from some of the best breweries in the world all in a very relaxed environment. The only downside to this place is the size. Very small and it can get packed on weekends and in the evenings but if you are passionate about good beer, the Side Project Cellar is an absolute must.

Chill vibe. Cozy feel. I could see this place getting pretty packed at busy times. Only one small bathroom became a bit of a problem. Excellent beer selection and not just Side Project stuff. They update the bottle list on their website regularly. Interesting to me how the menu is organized by temperature. Everything is top quality. Somewhat pricey but for the best of the Side Project beers, it's worth it in my opinion (Example: $25 for 375mL Fuzzy). Sharing is encouraged of course and they ask how many glasses you need and will let you pour yourself if you choose. Staff has friendly. They also have a really nice whiskey selection. Overall, a really great place and I'm looking forward to going back when I have the opportunity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was one of my fondest experiences, when it comes to brewery tap rooms. The beers I had were all exceptional, the space was friendly and warm, and the staff attentive. The co-owner was serving, and she lost track of my order briefly, so she comp'd me it, which was unexpected but welcome. The place was hopping for a Tuesday night. I loved the place, and would seek it out.