Abraxas - Barrel-Aged
Perennial Artisan Ales

 

 

 

L - Deep brown, nearly pitch black with a small tan head that dissipates nearly immediately, leaving behind no real lacking
S - rich chocolate and chilis up front followed by caramel, vanilla, rich bourbon, and toffee
T - follows the nose: rich chocolate and even fudge, caramel, molasses, and toffee intermixed well throughout, followed by notes of vanilla, roasted malts, warm chilis, and cinnamon.
F - full bodied with light carbonation. Incredibly smooth and soft. Silky.
O - easily one of the best barrel aged stouts I've ever had

 

750ml waxed and capped bottle into a DDG teku.

Pours thick, viscous. No head, no lace. Big, mocha colored legs. Spice and cinnamon sugar are apparent on the nose. Also notes of chocolate, fudge, molasses, and booze. Very pungent. Beer opens chocolate, fudge, and cinnamon sugar. Spicy and prickly. Vanilla and barrel in the middle. Oak, booze, and more molasses and fudge at the end. Sticky finish. Body is full with low carbonation. Smooth and rich on the palate and goes down messy with a lingering aftertaste.

I'm actually less of a fan of this than other imperial stouts in Perennial's barrel aged series. That being said, still far better than average.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excellent rye barrel with strong taste of cinnamon. Hints of cocoa nibs, ancho, and vanilla are pushed into the background by the barrel flavor, which dominates the other flavors. It is very good, but personally I slightly prefer the greater nuance of the regular Abraxis.