Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)

Brewed by Founders Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

Serve in Snifter

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UPDATED: FEB 25, 2012
Name: KBS
Date: April 29, 2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Dark Lord Day, 2006
Appearance: black, whispy tan head
Aroma: huge ashy coffee aroma with sweet bourbon character
Flavor: big sweet bourbon flavor, lots of roasted character, huge coffee, good balance between the roasted and the bourbon

Name: KBS
Date: May 06, 2006
Mode: bottle
Appearance: sweet malt or bourbon aroma fills the air as soon as you pop but upon insertion of nose into glass it becomes all ash that eventually fades (or saturates) revealing the sweet bourbon, bits of lace
Flavor: thick sweet bourbon is the initial flavor impression, good rich and chewey chocolate comes through strong, coffee character is well balanced, very drinkable for a 10% beer as it only has a hint of any alcohol, deserves a higher score as it is best in its class, but it is in the second best class (behind Belgian quads)

Name: KBS
Date: May 05, 2007
Mode: bottle
Source: tasting
Aroma: huge ashy coffee aroma
Flavor: lots of sweet bourbon flavor well balanced with the coffee

Name: KBS
Date: February 29, 2008
Mode: bottle
Source: cellar stock
Vintage: 2005
Score: 4.5 to 4.4
Aroma: aroma is coffee and bourbon with lots of dark chocolate
Body: creamy body
Flavor: sweet bourbon and coffee flavor in perfect balance with the dark chocolate coming in behind, touch of dark fruits, ashy character is all but gone from the flavor
Overall: the best of coffee ever

Name: KBS
Date: February 09, 2007
Mode: draft
Source: extreme beerfest
Vintage: 2007
a bit better blended with the bourbon and coffee better in balance,

Name: KBS
Date: August 30, 2008
Mode: bottle
Vintage: 2007
Aroma: sweet chocolate and bourbon aroma, strong coffee, sweet vanilla
Flavor: rich chocolate and bourbon flavor, dark caramel sweetness, touch of vanilla for extra sweetness, low bitterness, no ash, smooth

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 9/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 19/20
Rating: 4.4/5.0
Drinkability: 10/10
Score: **** /4

Name: KBS
Date: March 25, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Trade
Vintage: 2009
Appearance: black, wispy tan head
Aroma: big coffee aroma, bourbon is rather subdued but adds a sweet touch along with a vanilla character, touch of dark chocolate, coffee subsides to allow the other characters to emerge
Flavor: rich dark chocolate flavor, well balanced bourbon adds sweetness, vanilla kicks up the sweetness a notch but an oakyness brings it back, coffee and dark chocolate provides the balancing bitterness, big roasted character follows the coffee, light alchocol fumes rise out of the bourbon

Name: KBS
Date: November 21, 2009
Mode: bottle
Source: cellar tasting
Vintage: 2009
picking up a big ashy character that was not there when it was fresh,

Name: KBS
Date: December 15, 2009
Mode: bottle
Source: cellar stock
Vintage: 2009
lots of the roasted but not as ashy, sweet chocolate and bourbon return,

Name: KBS
Date: February 21, 2012
Mode: bottle
Source: cellar stock
Vintage: 2009
Aroma: lots of coffee in the aroma, not ashy, still a good dose of sweet bourbon
Flavor: mellowed and blended flavor, bourbon and chocolate, subdued roasted character, sweet bourbon
Overall: the mellowing has smoothed the rough edges but taken some of the bold character as well

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: ***+ /4

Name: KBS
Date: March 17, 2010
Mode: Bottle
Source: Bullock’s
Vintage: 2010
Appearance: flack, frothy tan head, sudsy drippy lace
Aroma: sweet chocolate and caramel aroma, vanilla and bourbon sweetness
Body: creamy body
Flavor: rich chocolate flavor, vanilla sweetness, roasted malt, bourbon comes out as it warms and adds extra depth and sweetness, dark chocolate bitterness, only a hint of coffee
Overall: continues to mellow out every year

Name: KBS
Date: March 18, 2010
Mode: draft
Source: bsp
Vintage: 2010
Score: 4.0
Appearance: mirrored black surface beneath fine tan head, drippy sticky lace
Aroma: big roasted coffee aroma, sweet vanilla and bourbon
Flavor: rich coffee and chocolate flavor, vanilla and caramel sweetness, bourbon well in balance with the other rich characters, lasting roasted finish
Overall: more agressive on draft with the coffee and bourbon coming on stronger than the bottle

Name: KBS
Date: February 21, 2012
Mode: bottle
Source: cellar stock
Vintage: 2010
sweet bourbon and chocolate takes over as the coffee and roasted character starts to receed,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.7/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: *** /4

I had a vertical of this in late April. The older ones have gone a little stale. The most recent Pours a pitch black with a lot of bourbon, vanilla and coffee in the nose with similar flavors on the taste with some chocolate added in. I love this beer and I want more of it.

Dark pour with a big espresso head. Creamy mouth with big roast notes. Bourbon is very pronounced. Vanilla and hints of warmth in this. Very boozy and lots of chocolate. Once of the finer Bourbon Barrel stouts I’ve had.

Bottle, aged 5 months. This is a very bourbon’ed beer. You’ll also find a big vanilla presence, delivered in a smooth, big bodied, and creamy-rich texture. Personally, I really enjoyed it, but I’m pretty sure it’s NOT a beer that most people would expect and be happy to drink past the first sip. It definitely has one foot past the line of what does and does not taste like beer. Instead tastes more like a southerner’s dessert liquor. It would have been nice to see the other flavors come out more, rather than sitting in the bourbon’s shadow. Next time I’ll age it the full year and see what happens.

On tap at the Glass Nickel during Craft Beer Week in Madison. Pours inky black, with a mocha-colored head that dissipates to spotty foam. Thick, luxurious lacing. Nose is a perfect melange of dark roasted coffee, chocolate, and sweet bourbon. Taste follows: big, big coffee, with more well-crafted barrel notes, both dark and milk chocolates. Prominent vanilla tones from the barrel. My first time trying it. Lived up to the hype.

A truly great stout! Thanks to my uncle for scoring me 10 bottles of this beautiful concoction. It reminds me of Central Waters Bourbon Barrel stout, with a little less vanilla touch to it, but a better mouthfeel and bourbon lingering to it. The complexity is amazing, I taste something new in it almost every taste as it slowly warms. Wow!

Poured a 2010 bottle into my bruery tulip. Dark black with a 1finger mocha head that dissipates quickly. Nice lacing that clings to the glass like its glue. Aroma is coffee malt and light bourbon. I thought coffee fades out of beers quickly, I guess the coffee in KBS doesn’t follow the rules. Man this beer tastes smooth, it follows the nose but is more balanced with a year on it, less hot and booze. I like it fresh but I love it with a year on it. Fantastic brew!

UPDATED: MAY 21, 2012 The hype that surrounds this brew does not equal up to my standards. Nonetheless it is a wonderful stout. If youre not a fan of bourbon good luck with falling in love with the KBS.The bourbon "smell" and the after taste are heavy. Because of that much of the other ingredients are weakened.

pours thick nearly black. whatever bourbon these barrels came from is some harsh stuff. this is very biting. i’ve had smoother shots.

Pours near solid black/brown. Small light brown head that gets to a ring. Smell is dominated by coffee grounds. Smells charred and roasty with a touch of malt sweetness. Taste is a mix of charred coffee, sweet malt, licorice and alcohol bite. Medium/ full body with light carbonation.

Pours thick and dark with a creamy head. Very boozy, strong caramel bourbon flavours.