Side Project / Shared (2023)

good call. i had read a little of that post but i guess didn’t finish reading the whole thing.

 

Has anyone tried them all? Are they worth tracking down?

 

I’ll be drinking 767 and 798 hopefully next weekend and will report back.

On a separate note, it’s crazy how much lower rated batch 2 of Orviamo and The Scribe are on untappd compared to batch 1. I know it’s pretty much impossible to compare the new bottlings to the OG batches, but are the newer releases that much worse? Have people’s tastes changed so much over the years where niche stuff like this isn’t as unique anymore? It’s wild how easy the new releases of Orviamo and The Scribe are to acquire. I was able to get the $43 bottle of Orviamo shipped to my doorstep from someone for $50.

 

I never had scribe 1, but I really enjoyed b2, this makes me think about going after another one

 

I was never the biggest fan of orviamo, but Scribe b1 was unbelievable. There is bottle variation though. When it's on, it is sweet fruit forward perfection. Think new glarus fruit, but not THAT sweet. I have had the chance to have it twice in the last year and they were night and day. Even the "off" bottle was still tasty. Nothing bad about it at all.

 

As always with anything fruited from SP, the acidity level can be a problem.

 

Wouldn't be totally shocked to see a quick LC sale for Phase Rule today. Just a hunch.

 

Question for the locals on the anniversary - is it usually the same format as the Cellar anniverary? Different releases on different days? How crazy does it get - like lines forming etc.? Trying to determine if I'm gonna book a flight or do something else.

 

Yes, it’s basically the same thing as cellar Anny.

 

Got it - TY - so I guess we're just all waiting on the itinerary.

 

I loved both Scribe b1 and b2. Scribe b1 is an all time beer, but b2 is still excellent. I have one bottle cellared to see how it evolves in 5-10 years. I haven't tried my b2 Orviamo, but b1 was great.

On the topic of ratings, I think the clientele of Side Project has changed. There are a lot of early folks who still love the sour beer, quads, dubbels, etc. However, Side Project now seems to be a haven for "stout folk". Anyone who has followed this thread for the last couple of years can see the resentment from many about sour beers (or the inclusion of many of these beers in packages for stouts or barleywine).

It's not surprising to me that great saisons (or other non-stout or barleywine styles) released by Side Project nowadays have low ratings compared to if they were released 5-years ago.

 

I think the hate for the sour beers comes from the fact that you are forced to buy a few if you want a stout. That, and the acidity level. I've had some all-timer SP sours, but lately, I just can't get past the acidity. Every now and then, they absolutely nail it, but at $35-40 a pop? I am not usually willing to take my chances on that.

 

I can't speak for all, but I LOVED (still love) sours immensely. It's a shame my body won't cooperate and the older I get, the more these beers give me the finger via immense heartburn. I still enjoy them, but I pick my battles a lot more than I used to.

 

Sometimes a good gut reset will do the trick. Avoiding harsher beers, or especially all alcohol altogether for a week, can do wonders. And of course , other triggering foods, like tomatoes or greasy food whatever that may be. But also, sometimes, the beer is just too acidic for any of that to matter.

 

Compared to other saison spots like SARA, Nebuleus, Floodland, Hill Farmstead, I agree that Side Project’s saisons are tough to stomach for more than 4 ounces. The acidity is definitely a lot harsher which makes it tough for me to ever open these bottles without multiple people or dumping the majority down the drain.

 

You're right on the food pairings - it's amazing how much planning goes into a Saturday night when I plan to have a few sours at this point. No pizza. No tomato sauce (which, as an italian is harder than you think...), nothing fried, etc. For some reason, even peanut butter gets me sometimes (I have no idea what's going on there).

 

I'm just hoping there's another batch of gin barrel saisons in the pipeline. Gin Saison Du Fermier was oustanding

 

Continuance b4 to go (Cellar and Brewery) and on-site (all three locations) September 2nd.

 

My body hates them also. I do love a good sour but I seem to be accumulating them 4-1 compared to how often I drink them