Every fall, St. Louis beer fans start watching the calendar for Abraxas Week. It’s more than a release. It’s a celebration of one of the city’s most beloved brews, born right here at Perennial Artisan Ales.
Since 2011, Abraxas, the imperial stout that changed everything, has grown into a national favorite. Each year brings a new reason to line up, refresh your OzNR app, and find out what Phil and Emily Wymore have up their sleeves.
This year, Perennial is giving St. Louis beer fans something new to get excited about. The newest addition to the lineup is Barrel-Aged Barleywine Abraxas, and it might be the most intriguing twist yet.
A new chapter for a legend
“We try to come up with new variants of Abraxas both for fun and to create something new that will peak the interest of our fans,” says Phil Wymore, co-founder of Perennial. “We’ve toyed with the idea of adding some barrel-aged beer into Abraxas in the past, without, of course, re-creating Barrel Aged Abraxas, which we’ve been making for over 10 years now. Going with a barrel-aged Barleywine as the base is a whole different twist that intrigued us, so naturally we thought it would also intrigue fans of Abraxas.”
That twist could pay off in a big way. The new variant layers the stout’s signature cinnamon, vanilla, and cocoa warmth with the toffee and caramel tones of a classic barleywine. It sounds rich, complex, and built for slow sipping as the weather turns cold.
What keeps Abraxas fresh
After more than a decade of annual releases, Perennial could easily coast on reputation. But that’s not how the Wymores work.
“I think the variants are what make Abraxas season so fun,” Wymore says. “We have a long standing collaboration with Sump Coffee to produce each year’s Coffee Abraxas, which is a little different each year based on the coffee that Scott Carey selects for it. Vanilla Abraxas is always a hit because who doesn’t love a cake frosting flavor profile on top of a sweet thing that they already enjoy? Then we produce a more limited quantity of a one-off variant that you can only get if you purchase our 4-bottle package — this year’s being the Barrel-Aged Barleywine Abraxas. In the past we’ve had other fun variants, such as Coconut, Maple, Salted Chocolate, and Mexican Hot Chocolate.”
It’s that mix of tradition and surprise that keeps fans loyal year after year.
A toast to St. Louis
“During our 14 years in business, St. Louis has always had an enthusiastic craft beer community,” says Wymore. “We keep these folks, and their expectations, in mind every year when we go back to the drawing board to plan our annual Abraxas releases. We’re thankful for their continued feedback and support every year.”
That community energy is what makes Abraxas Week special. It’s not just about getting bottles. It’s about gathering around a shared story, one that began with a fan’s idea and has grown into a symbol of what makes St. Louis beer so good.
Why you should try it
Because this is more than a new variant. It’s another layer in the story of a beer that refuses to stand still. The new Barrel-Aged Barleywine Abraxas shows that even the most iconic St. Louis stout can surprise you.
Pick up your package on @get.oznr through Nov. 5 at 10 p.m., then celebrate Abraxas Week at Perennial from Nov. 6–19. Expect bottles, draft pours, and plenty of merch.
Abraxas Week 2025 at Perennial Artisan Ales
Abraxas Packages are now live on @get.oznr!
Available now through November 5 at 10 p.m.
Package Includes
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🖤 1 bottle of Abraxas
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🖤 1 bottle of Vanilla Abraxas
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🖤 1 bottle of Coffee Abraxas
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🖤 1 bottle of Barrel-Aged Barleywine Abraxas (new this year!)
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🖤 1 Perennial bottle bag
Pick-Up Details
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When: November 6–19
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Where: Perennial Artisan Ales, during normal taproom hours
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Tues–Thurs: 4–10 p.m.
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Fri–Sat: 12–11 p.m.
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Sun: 12–6 p.m.
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Proxies allowed, assigned upon winning
On-Site During Abraxas Week
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Limited bottles of regular Abraxas
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Draft pours
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New Abraxas merch and specials
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