Side Project / Shared (2020)

Understood, but believe my “Full Throttle” membership entitles me to a third one

 

To sum up the last 2 years worth of Mikerphone threads: they mess up everything they touch. It has become one of those running jokes now, but still with a bit of truth due to some questionable practices in the past.

 

Bet there's no chicken in the SP collab.

 

TL;DR: Side Project has earned my loyalty and my business with this PN11 curb-side pick up, and I will spread the word of how awesome they are to anyone that chats beer with me.

Long version:
I picked up my Pulling Nails #11 today, and as if I wasn't already a fan enough of Side Project's beer, taprooms and just the overall experience whenever I've visited, today further reinforced my 'fandom' beyond what I expected.

Today, like an idiot, I drove 4.5 hrs from my north Chicago suburb and got to Side Project to pick up my beer at 11 A.M. because.... who the f**k knows??. I've had so much going on, on the home front, that in my mind I convinced myself that curb side pick-ups started at 11. Low and behold, it's at 4PM! I didn't know what I was going to do for 5 hours during the current situation we're in, and also that I wasn't going to be home until closer to 10PM at best.

Earlier in the day I had e-mailed Side Project that I was coming to pick up my orders and that I was going to pick up my beer between 11 and noon. I received a response during my drive sometime that it's actually between 4 and 7 PM. Once I arrived to the parking lot and noticed no one anywhere, I opened my phone and saw that e-mail. I was pretty disheartened and disappointed how I would miss that detail (I was just there for Anabasis b4 a month ago!). So I e-mailed back and thanked them politely, and mentioned that I just realized that once I got to their parking lot after driving all that time.

I was just about to leave when I got another message basically saying how they had no idea I was coming from so far and that I was already there. They said, just come back to the parking lot (because I had already started to leave to try and figure out what to do for 5 hours) and they'll quickly grab the bottles for my three different orders. They didn't want me to wait 5 hours. So I turned around and went back, apologized profusely for throwing a wrench in their standard operating procedure and thanked them immensely for making the exception on short notice. And they were so polite and understanding on top of it all. So after picking up my beer, I drove right back home another 4.5 hours.

Just the willingness of them to make an exception for a guy that clearly fudged it up by not being thorough, being accommodating on short notice and being so polite on top of it all, it just made me very happy to be supporting their brewery and their people. They've won me over completely after this. It might have been a 'small' inconvenience to them in view of some maybe, but to me it meant a lot after all that driving and all.

This isn't news to anyone, but I'm a firm believer that showing support for a brewery is best demonstrated through choosing to spend money on their beer in their taproom(s). So when they open their taproom(s) back up, my wife and I are going to come down for a weekend and my support will be substantial on that visit.

 

I haven’t had an experience as memorable as yours, but both pick-ups I’ve made have been perfect. Everyone’s been friendly and they were gracious I emailed ahead to put orders together. It’s been super easy and quick.

 

they definitely have their curbside down to a science.

 

Awesome story.

No one I've picked up from in town has been smoother. I showed up a month or two ago for a pack of cans (might have been Beaches) and Erica was bringing them out before I even had my phone out to get the order #. They've been awesome despite the tremendous stress I imagine they are all under.

 

Not sure if we are allowed to talk about LC beers on here but the blend of the big bottle that was just released to members sounds just perfect for those of us who miss being able to get our hands on Deal With the Devil bottles semi-regularly.

 

It sounds incredible. I believe this is the most expensive beer they’ve ever released togo.

 

So are you chosen ones going to say what it is, or just allude to this awesome mystery beer only the privileged are allowed to know about? I know, the rest of us are mere peasants who should mind our own business...

Seriously though, I am curious now

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/32319/487759/

 

https://www.sideprojectbrewing.com/shop/catamaran

New shop add

 

According to my Untappd, been almost 2 years since I had this one last.

 

i remember really liking this one, although i think it’s a different hop combination this time around.

 

They were also 12 oz cans last time.

 

yep, that’s right. good call.

 

Already released to members or just announced?

 

Emails today. Pick ups starting next week.

 

Thanks. Any indication if it will go to the public as well?