Abraxas - Barrel-Aged
Perennial Artisan Ales

Pours a black with a nice head and lacing
Aroma has generous bourbon, coffee and chocolate hints
Taste has a very well balanced bourbon, coffee and chocolate flavors
A medium bodied well carbonated beer
A great Imperial Stout

Pours opaque black with a deep mocha head that lingers nicely. Huge aroma of roasted malt, caramel, whiskey, and chocolate cake. The beer needs to come to proper temperature and then the taste is something else. There is a lot going on but everything compliments everything and it is not overpowering. First, it's cinnamon chocolate cake dipped in whiskey. Then, I get pillowy vanilla followed by chili that starts to linger on the back of my throat. Slightly sweet but balanced with the chilis. Mouthfeel is full bodied and silky. It's not syrupy feeling like a lot of high abv stouts can be. Overall, this a massive stout that blends all of its ingredients into a perfectly balanced chili stout wrapped in whiskey. World-class

A top‑tier stout. Deep black pour crowned with a smooth beige head. The aroma bursts with chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, bourbon, and a gentle peppery lift. The flavor is rich and layered, offering moderate sweetness and a long, satisfying finish. The balance is remarkable—truly impressive.

 

 

Pours deep chocolate with faint disappearing cap on draft at Churchkey DC with luscious silky boozy bourbon barrel notes layered in complex sweet chocolate nibs, vanilla and cinnamon with ancho chili finish at 12.5% ABv. Beautiful crafted rye bourbon barrel-aged stout.

 

 

 

 

Bottle via Tavour. What an unexpected treat. I’m a big fan of Perenial, and have enjoyed a great afternoon sampling multiple big beers/ styles at their tap room a few years back. Very excited to try this very highly rated brew…but…had been underwhelmed by Abraxas in the past. I love this style of beer especially Hunaphu. But had found the Abraxas I drank over multiple bottles too Cinnamon forward and less complex in nose and flavor than I had been anticipating.
So, am very satisfied and delighted to find the 2025 Barrel Aged Abraxas very much the stand out that I had always heard.
Poured at 50 degrees into my huge Avery snifter that really was a showcase glass for looks, fragrance and taste.
Look was both expected and pleasantly unexpected. Big, black with brief in quickly tan head. No lacing or halo. As expected with style and abv. But as hoped the “halo” that did emerge was the beautiful ruby and burnt orange brilliance that sparkled when light hit the edges of the beer. Absolutely stunning.
Will comment on taste first. First, you really need to let this beer warm into ‘60’s. Initial 50’s ant pour allowed beer to be masked by both soft chill, spiciness and alcohol brightness. But once it really warmed a bit and loosened up with airing it really showed off. Then the chilis really came out, dark, smoky and spicey…adobo-like; the cinnamon was significant but complementary not dominant, the oak from the Bourbon and Rye barrels (Willet and Wild Turkey Rare) brought highly complex wood and huge vanilla. Then throw in the cacao and nuttiness. Highly complex and interesting.
But I really want to acknowledge the scents and aroma this beer exudes. The incredible complexity of the nose may be the best I’ve ever experienced. Wish I could score higher than “5”. All the flavors noted above both stand out and also merge and compound in the nose. Then this is further characterized by streams of leather, dark dried fruits. While not noted, the woodiness seems more Amburana than oak…bringing hints of maple as well as its characteristic vanilla and cinnamon. The depth and complexity is stunning. (Throw in my 72yo nose…not something that happens at all anymore. lol.).
Body was smooth and silky overall but also had distracting elements of bright tongue tip carbonation, astringency and abv. Perhaps some acidity from chilis as well. Beautifully crafted, but a bit too bright for me.
Overall, this was a superb beer that (for me) far exceeded Abraxas. It was a fascinating jewel-like look to light, a very complex and interesting set of flavors but also layers and layers of fragrance that married in and out creating continuously evolving and attractive scents from first pour to end of bottle.
One of the most interesting and enjoyable big barreled beers I’ve had.

 

 

 

 

2023 bottle poured at fridge temp. Pours a very thick and viscous black with minimal head. The nose is splendid. Cinnamon and chili pepper come through immediately. Slight vanilla is there, along with dark chocolate.

The taste is where this one really elevates. Wow. What a beautiful symphony of flavors. Cinnamon, vanilla, slight bourbon, chili pepper heat, plums, raisins, chocolate, light toffee pudding, molasses, and almost a light layer of peppermint bark. I'm really loving this one.

The mouthfeel is thick and creamy. The aftertaste is perfect. Super smooth chili spice and vanilla, with a bit of bourbon. Super glad that I got to try this one.