Side Project Brewing (2025)

i think it’s somehow worse.

 

Heading to StL weekend of July 4th. Any recommendations for visiting locations, special cellar options, etc? Super excited for my first visit.

 

Make sure you go to both the cellar and brewery. They are 1.5 blocks apart and offer different draft and onsite bottle options. Brewery has great food.

 

1) I'll add that SP pizza location is pretty good. Comprehensive tap list w/ a few IPAs and Parfait.
2) Civil Life because it's the best brewery in STL that you probably haven't heard of. Czech, Alt bier, Black Lager (Schwarzbier) and the place is a great hang. THE place for soccer in STL.
3) Dressel's Pub cuz it's a St. Louis institution. Owner is also brewing some pretty good beers. GET. THE. PRETZEL

Now back to FOMO...

 

The problem with providing details is it puts SP on the hook to be accountable. With the current setup, if they need a cash injection and/or to move some extra product, they can just package a sought after BW / stout.

From a casual onlooker, it seems very much worse. The only SP stout I can name this year is one that didn't even see time in barrels.... I thought that was the whole point of SP vs. Shared. IDK what they'd have to do to make it regain its appeal to me. MJK was available on site so much that I don't really care to have a to-go bottle of it. I'd rather have a half dozen or more 750mL of high quality barrel aged stouts & barleywines.

 

I think for me, I’d need transparency to come back. What exactly am I getting in terms of stouts and barleywines? Because that’s the only appeal to me. Even the whole LC party is really just a big bottle share, so the value is brought on by the LC members, not SP. The SP beer avail at the party is almost entirely not complimentary, and it’s not even at original retail price. It’s inflated because it’s “vintage”.

Packaging also is a major turn off to me. Just stop making so many damn sours and make the stuff there’s actually demand for.

Feels like SP doesn’t care about their LC base and that’s not gonna change until, as the poster above said, they stop being able to sell the spots in the club. But I think that day is coming faster than they think. Once everyone that’s interested has had a year of disappointment in the club, they won’t be back. And then we may finally see some changes.

 

I think I'd prob do Modern, 2nd Shift, Narrow Gauge, or Perennial before Civil Life but honestly so many enjoyable breweries here you can really go wrong. Best part is STL isnt that big of a city so they are all only 20 min apart.

 

As a first timer, unless something significantly changes, this'll be a one and done thing for me. Everything we have been offered, has been made available to the public except the LC sours. Yes, they were in bundles, but basically so was ours. We just prepaid for all of the sours. Was super excited to get the invite, and so far... Complete let down.

 

As the person who was complaining about LC before it was cool: LC is in its eighth year. It’s been like this for pretty much six out of the eight years.

 

Lost Cause
La Clownery
Last Case

 

I've only been once...It was a super cool vibe and the staff and patrons were wonderful.
Be prepared to drop some serious $$ though. Worth it, though.

 

What do you mean by 'like this.'

Just this year is more the rule and last year was the exception?

Just trying to clarify as I only have last year and this year to go by.

 

Everything this entire thread has complained about. I’m not really sure why anybody thinks last year was better than this year, but LC has always been like 95% sours and the occasional stout/barleywine.

Ever since they expanded beyond 200 people the amount of beer LC doesn’t get because “there isn’t enough” has gone up, while the amount of LC exclusive beers (that people actually want) has gone down. This has been LC for most of its existence.

Also:
March - June 2024:
Derivation Grand Cru
D18
Parfait 7
Continuance 5

March - June 2025:
With Knox
With Tarpey
Parfait 9
Bubble Wrap
Brotha’s Keeper (I guess)

 

Wasn’t 10 + 10 in there too last year, like April-ish

 

Probably, I was going off of order history

 

Don’t forget the 12 bottles of pappy bbt

 

There was a public garage release of 10+10 and LC got leftovers in a first come first served sale the week after.

 

Honestly I think I’m just done after this year. I like Perennial’s membership more and how they do it now (stouts/barleywines) and Modern/Millpond make some quality beer. Seems silly to re up LC. Wish I didn’t join… dunno what I was thinking.

 

I should know by now…. Library Tasting is 5:30, correct?

 

I think so