Founders Backstage Series #2: CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout)

Formerly brewed at Founders Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

Serve in Snifter

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Bottle of 2010. I feel very lucky to have gotten to drink this brew. This poured dark with a tan head. At first, the aroma had some cherry and chocolate notes. It mellowed out a bit as it warmed to have more roasted notes. Taste was equally amazing and so smooth. Not hot at all. Tastes of dark fruits, maple and a very little bit of coffee. I love that it was try to the Canadian side...maple. The bourbon isn’t excessive. The floral sweetness of the maple really makes this something special. And it isn’t too sweet. Finished perfectly dry. So balanced.

(From notes) 2011 bottle. Pours black with a thin tan head. Lovely aroma of thick maple syrup, chocolate, oak, and some coffee. A lot of roasted malt and oak with some sweetness from the syrup, slight booziness, and a heavy coffee kick at the back end. Nice stout, but I don’t consider it as amazing as many other raters

wow. Had this on tap in Indy @ 20 Taps 1 years anniversary. At first smell i didnt get a ton of the maple and told a friend it kind of smells like KBS. wherein he replies after a sip IT’S NOT KBS!! And it’s definitely not. CBS is the most balanced stout on the planet!

Bottled (first batch). Had this many times, first time trying it aged. Oxidized nose, massive amounts of bakers chocolate on the palate. Tons of malt, moderate coffee (dropped out a bunch); overall much more rounded and balanced. An excellent RIS.

Bottle 750ml. Pours black with medium pale brown ale. Aroma is of chocolate, roasted malt, sligth anise. Taste is of chocolate, maple syrup, roasted malt. Palate: Incredible texture. Wicked-sick. Reminescent of nitro stuff. Foamy feeling. Overall: Pretty good.

Bottle (750 ml). Shared by Julien, Pier-Luc and Benoît, huge thanks! Black with a medium creamy beige head. Aroma is of cold coffee, anises, chocolate, slight menthol and slight maple syrup. Taste is also of cold coffee, chocolate, herbal notes, green pepper and slight maple syrup. Interesting fluffy mouthfeel. It’s not a bad Imperial Stout per se, but it doesn’t live up to the hype.

If there is a beer in heaven, this is it. Quite similar to KBS, but more refined, more complexity, more smooth, and more sweet. It pours a near pitch black, scent of bourbon, maple syrup, caramel malt, chocolate, and so many other wonderfully balanced flavors. The mouthfeel is smooth, balanced, complex, and not too heavy - really just right.

Bottle thanks to Kan. Pretty black pour with a tan head. Aroma of cold coffee, anise, maple syrup and chocolate. Taste of coffee, harsh bitterness, light maple finish. Palate is slick and oily, low carbonation, decent alcohol warmth. Founders may be my most misunderstood brewery - I always find their beers heavy, cloying and generally not very good compared to the ridiculously high ratings they get. This is another perfect example of a decent beer that, IMO, isn’t worth the scores it’s getting.

I have had this one in my cellar for 8 months waiting for a good moment to drink it. Today is it. Worth the wait but unfortunately it is now gone. This may be the best stout I have ever tasted. I can smell the maple and taste the bourbon. I must be in heaven. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Founders does amazing things with their already amazing breakfast stout. Cbs is 1 of them.