Many craft brewers take circuitous career routes. Cory King, owner of Maplewood Missouri’s Side Project Brewing, is no exception. Winemaking was King’s original path, and it was where he developed an affinity for aging spirits in oak barrels. But then, his brother-in-law introduced him to home brewing. King’s focus shifted, leading to a professional gig at Perennial Artisan Ales. While there, in 2014, he started his own brewery. It was, literally, his “side project.”
Today, Side Project Brewing is a hidden gem in greater St. Louis, MO. King and his staff create unique varieties of beer tied together by a common theme: oak barrel aging. Passion, experimentation and patience drive the creation of Side Project’s rustic farmhouse ales, wild ales and spirit barrel-aged ales.