What you need to know about Narrow Gauge Brewings anniversary release

For years I’ve written about stouts, describing them as winter beers. But these dark, silky beers appear to be for more than just a chilly fall day and frigid winter night. For I am seeing more and more St. Louis breweries like Narrow Gauge Brewing Company creating summer stouts, and I love it.

One reason may be that stouts are better suited to be paired with summer foods. The earthy rich flavor of stouts pairs naturally, according to foodies I’ve met, with foods like grilled vegetables and barbecued meats. I believe, my warmed-up palette, actually gets more flavor from stouts, than in the winter.

Narrow Gauge: Abeyance 2022

In celebration of six years of brewing, Narrow Gauge is celebrating with the release of four new Abeyance blends. This will also be Narrow Gauges’ first onsite release in over 3 years.

“It is certainly a little strange, but we are excited to have people out and try these beers that have been 3+ years in the making.

Narrow Gauge first released their Abeyance Barrel Aged Stout Blend #1 in June of 2019. These new blends are made from an Imperial Stout brewed back in March of 2019 and then placed in four different bourbon barrels to age for almost 3 years.

“Each of the beers took on characteristics from the spirits that aged in the barrels prior to us filling them.  They certainly have similarities as we aged the same base beer in each barrel,” said Hardesty.

The Rye barrels have typical characteristics of spicy/peppery notes which complement the base beer quite nicely.  All the barrels added oak/vanilla/caramel notes, which are more perceived in the bourbon batch due to less flavors to compete with.

“The double oak barrels have a higher oak presence, and I perceived a bit more of a caramel characteristic from it.  I have not sat down to do a side-by-side and only tried them independently from each other at this time,” said Hardesty.

Narrow Gauge: The releases and how to get them

Abeyance Blend #2 | 13.9% ABV (Purple Wax)
Imperial Stout aged in Willet Bourbon barrels for over 34 months.

Abeyance Blend #3 | 13.9% ABV (Green Wax)
Imperial Stout aged in Willet Rye barrels for over 35 months

Abeyance Blend #4 | 14.0% ABV (Orange Wax)
Imperial Stout aged in Buffalo Trace Rye and Bourbon barrels for over 35 months.

Abeyance Blend #5 | 12.9% ABV (White Wax)
Imperial Stout aged in Woodford Reserve Double Oaked barrels for over 35 months.

Each of these beers will also be available on draft at Cugino’s for you to enjoy! Bottles will be available for purchase as a 4-Pack containing one 375 ml bottle of each blend.

Release Details:

• Doors open at 11am Saturday, July 16th.
• This is an in-person release only. Bottles will NOT be available online for pre-order.
• On-site bottle sales end at 6 PM Saturday.
• If any inventory remains packages will be available online Monday at 10 AM.
• Bottles will be sold exclusively in 4-Packs that include one of each blend.
• Limit one (1) 4-pack per person. Subject to change day of release.
• Price $80 + tax
• Draft will be available at Cugino’s while supplies last.
• Additional parking is available behind Sherwin William’s (not in front) and at our new location (1545 N Hwy 67, formerly Pool King).
• If you plan to purchase any other 4-packs, bottles, or merchandise please consider placing an order ahead of time in our online store to help our staff streamline the pickup process. We accept online orders up to 7 days in advance of pickup.

If you have any questions, TEXT or EMAIL the brewery:

TEXT: 314-501-6108

EMAIL: [email protected]

DO NOT CALL CUGINO’S.

Narrow Gauge: The releases and how to enjoy them

The idea of a side-by-side, or vertical tasting session seems to make sense to me.

A vertical beer tasting is where you taste multiple years or versions of the same beer at once.

“I would recommend trying to get together with friends and family and sharing the set if possible,” said Hardesty. “This will give a better representation of what each barrel type brings to the finished product. With that said you certainly cannot go wrong drinking them independently, but it may be more difficult to remember the nuances between each blend if spread out over time.”

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