KBS
Founders Brewing Company

KBSKBS
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From:
Founders Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #19
ABV:
12%
Score:
100
Ranked #59
Avg:
4.6 | pDev: 8.7%
Reviews:
3,633
Ratings:
14,168
Status:
Active
Rated:
Tuesday at 01:12 AM
Added:
Dec 13, 2004
Wants:
  4,608
Gots:
  7,310
What we’ve got here is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year to make sure wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish. Makes your taste buds squeal with delight.

KBS stands for "Kentucky Breakfast Stout"

ABV varies by batch.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by deltatauhobbit:
Photo of deltatauhobbit
Reviewed by deltatauhobbit from Maine

4.34/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Thanks to hrking for the chance to try this top ranked brew. Hard to believe Founders uses screw tops for this beer. 2008 release.

Pours a jet black color, even with an aggressive pour there was very little head, what head there was disappeared fairly fast leaving no lacing. The color is perfect for a stout, but the lack of head is quite disappointing.

Wow, all coffee, seriously can't make out much more than an intense coffee aroma with only a slight bourbon scent, makes me almost wonder if I'm smelling a beer at all. Seems a bit one-sided of an aroma and not particularly complex, what's lacking in complexity though is made up by shear strength of what there is.

*As it warms up though, the bourbon aspect becomes more prominent and the coffee aroma takes the backseat, depending on what you prefer, drink it cold for coffee, warm for bourbon.

Taste has an intense coffee presence with the bourbon aspect being more subtle, nice low carbonation level that works quite well, very thick and sticky in the mouth, bitterness in the aftertaste as well as some alcohol notes, but while drinking the alcohol is virtually masked.

*Like the smell department, the taste becomes more affected by the bourbon aging, the alcohol in the beer also is more noticeable as a result of the bourbon taking hold.

*Revised for changes in temperature
Mar 30, 2008
More User Ratings:
Photo of nwalke16
Reviewed by nwalke16 from Michigan

4.61/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
I do like this beer a great deal. I haven't had it in awhile, but in 2018 I remember thoroughly enjoying this brew. It had all the right aging, balance, dark coffee/chocolate flavored malt, and hidden alcohol. So, it is definitely at my top 5 stouts I've had of all time.
Tuesday at 01:12 AM
 
Rated: 4.79 by Tbone10 from Wisconsin

Sunday at 08:23 PM
Photo of DumbRunner26
Reviewed by DumbRunner26 from North Carolina

4.85/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
This is the standard imo of my favorite beer style. It checks all the boxes of a great Imperial Stout. Thick and dark with a tan head. Aroma so satisfying that it takes effort to pull your nose away from the glass. But you do bc you know of the party that awaits your tastebuds. This is one of the most delicious beers I’ve ever had period, any style. A dessert in a bottle. I would drink these every day with every meal. But I don’t, bc my liver would hate me.
Mar 04, 2024
Photo of Paradox1000
Rated by Paradox1000 from Florida

4.43/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Excellent flavorful deserving of high rating.
Mar 03, 2024
Photo of DimlyLitQuonsetHut
Reviewed by DimlyLitQuonsetHut from Virginia

3.09/5  rDev -32.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
The booziest stout I've ever had, and I've had plenty with higher ABV. Nice complexity. Brownie and vanilla notes. Very solid but not especially impressive. Breakfast Stout is better and much cheaper. Must have been amazing when it first came out, but today it falls behind.
Feb 28, 2024
 
Rated: 4.83 by Jacob313 from Michigan

Feb 22, 2024
 
Rated: 5 by RBorsato from Virginia

Feb 17, 2024
 
Rated: 4.81 by ToshT2M from Rhode Island

Feb 03, 2024
 
Rated: 3.63 by SeanP99 from North Carolina

Jan 11, 2024
 
Rated: 3.28 by RoyalKaiju from Kentucky

Jan 07, 2024
Photo of Lifsabch
Reviewed by Lifsabch from Maine

5/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Pleasantly surprised to (finally) find this in my local grocery store. Nothing beats sipping a good stout during the holidays in Maine. This one lives up to the hype.
Dec 12, 2023
 
Rated: 4.87 by chlilley from Missouri

Dec 05, 2023
 
Rated: 4.95 by averageninjaface from Alaska

Dec 05, 2023
 
Rated: 4.63 by Iggy88 from Ohio

Nov 26, 2023
 
Rated: 4.59 by Nyoder

Nov 25, 2023
 
Rated: 4.64 by Zappa999 from Michigan

Nov 24, 2023
 
 
Rated: 4.49 by TreyJ88

Nov 24, 2023
KBS from Founders Brewing Company
Beer rating: 100 out of 100 with 14168 ratings