Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) - Founders Brewing Company

Vaison

Delaware

1.4/5  rDev -69.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

I don't really wish to put down a highly regarded beer but I feel this one is very overrated. I think it is unbalanced and tastes more like someone dropping a shotglass of bourbon in a stout. I could almost not notice the coffee or chocolate properties because of the overwhelming bourbon taste. I know most won't agree with this but it was a drainpour for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 20:54:25 | More by Vaison

BuddhaEK

West Virginia

2.08/5  rDev -55.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

I had really high hopes for this beer. I love the Founders Imperial Stout and the Breakfast Stout, so I was really excited to try the KBS. The KBS poured a rich black color. To me the smell was a little overpowering. This seemed more of a sipping beer and not a gulper. The alcohol taste was too overpowering to enjoy and it nearly masked the hints of coffee and chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2009 01:10:40 | More by BuddhaEK

dvsbizzyb

California

2.1/5  rDev -54.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.5

Tried a 2011 bottle on May 15 with two of my friends on our "Epic Beer Tasting Day". The line-up consisted of 2010 Darklord, Rare Bourbon County Stout, , 2011 Hanahpu, 2011 KBS, 2010 Abyss.

Appearance - It pours a very dark brown, almost black in appearance. Had a very thin mocha colored head that quickly disappears.

Smell - Bourbon? Nope I didn't smell any of that. I smelled mostly burnt coffee/caramel and nothing else. Disappointing to say the least.

Taste - The alcohol is just too overwhelming in this. I couldn't taste anything but alcohol. I thought it would have a wonderful balanced flavor of coffee, chocolate, vanilla, and bourbon, but got nothing of it.

Mouthfeel - Very thick as it coats your whole mouth and burns your throat as it goes down. Not a pleasant experience at all.

Overall - Overrated! Very disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 04:44:19 | More by dvsbizzyb

CheapHysterics

Pennsylvania

2.13/5  rDev -54%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 1

Bottle poured into a snifter. I was excited to try this one and vastly disappointed by the results.

A - dark as night as one would expect, but even a rough pour left a small, short-lived head.

S - bourbon, coffee (but not good coffee, we're talking bad gas station coffee here)

T - bourbon, bourbon, bourbon, and more bourbon, coffee, a little chocolate, and roasted malt. I couldn't enjoy the chocolate maltiness because the bourbon flavor was so overpowering. In spite of all that bourbon taste, I do give it credit for concealing its 11.2% ABV pretty well.

M - nice medium body, probably this beers best feature.

D - glad I tried it once. Left me never wanting another.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 02:47:45 | More by CheapHysterics

quasimoto

Ohio

2.23/5  rDev -51.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

So this beer pours a nice deep opaque black, that lets no light though. It also tops off with a nice deep tan head that is very dense, and laces very nicely. So this is where this beer went WAAAY down hill for me. This beer starts off with that obvious deep coffee grain aroma, that has the hint of paper, and some grass to it. not hops, but that old musty grass. Oh the The bourbon barrel comes up from the rear with the hickory aroma as well. Of course there is the standard chocolate, molasses, licorice, and well the standards. But damn, that coffee/musty smell has got to go. Its not balanced, and... it just has to go. The aromas transfer to the flavor unfortunatly and make this beer damn near undrinkable. Leaves a very unpleasant taste of cardboard along with the aforementioned aromas that make up the taste. Man, this is rough. The mouthfeel is nice. it Starts off with a nice smooth creamy feeling. Little bit of carbination. Leaves no residue. Its just nice. Now for the drinkability. I just have to say that this beer is way, WAAAYY over-hyped. It should be in the top, 50, but not the top ten, or thirty for that matter. I am not a fan.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2007 01:45:01 | More by quasimoto

Stunner97

New Jersey

2.3/5  rDev -50.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Appearance- dark brown to black, light tan head quicly fades away, very dark no light

Smell- very strong coffee and espresso, so strong and unique
smell, some roasted malts, but mostly pure coffee more then anything else

Taste- im a blown away how strong the taste of burbon whiskey is, infact way stronger then i had been hoping or expecting when i had put off to save trying this, not well balanced nearly enough as it should have been, literally not literally hint o f burbon taste like im drinking straight burbon, way to much alcohol to call it purely enjoyable, way overated and not enjoyable, unbalanced too burbony not enough beer,

Mouthfeel- semi sweet and syrupy but nothing impressive, the body is actually very light believe it or not in a way

Drinkability- tastes way to strong of liqour, i hope my other kbs tastes way better aged big freaking let down a terrible beer as of now that tastes too much burbon to be called beer, could never drink more then even one of these overerated beers, in my opinion had much better stouts

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2009 06:45:48 | More by Stunner97

BeerMeFitz

Illinois

2.5/5  rDev -46%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A: Jet black and the tan heads appears and then disappears kinda like flat coke.

S: Very nice. Bourbon, booze, liquorice, vanilla, oak and light roasted notes and maybe some coffee.

T: I know this is supposedly an amazing beer but the taste is like a dirty ash tray right out the gate...with lots of boozey taste.

M: Hot. Not sweet at all, well balanced with the bitterness.

O: Incredible disappointment here...I agree with this comment "Not to say it was bad, but I was led to believe this was something mind blowing, rather it is a pedestrian BA beer, which sadly let the bourbon take over (maybe it was just this year's blend, who knows... BCBS is definitely better than this and I enjoyed Boulevard's RIS more too..."

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 07:09:21 | More by BeerMeFitz

Fartknocker

Wisconsin

2.55/5  rDev -44.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured from from a 12 oz bottle into a globe glass.
A- Very black and thick
S- Good combo of coffee and bourbon
T- Starts out as a combo of coffee and bourbon but quickly is overpowered by simply a bourbon flavor
M- Thick, like whole milk or cough syrup
D- one and done, maybe it's just me, but it ended up as drinking as a lightly fermented bourbon.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2009 02:17:52 | More by Fartknocker

MysterySwirl

Wisconsin

2.63/5  rDev -43.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Opening a 2009 - this beer is opaque black with little head and a strong coffee flavor. Smells charred and bitter as if they burnt the coffee before putting it into the barrel.

This one tastes more chocolate-y and bourbon like. The vanilla notes are much more muted this year than the previous years and I honestly prefer the extra vanilla's presence. Not really complex flavor but decent mouthfeel. Honestly, I enjoyed the aroma more than the taste bc I could pick out the sweet/fruit notes better that way.

This beer isn't that complex. Maybe I've been spoiled - maybe it's not aging well with the bourbon notes mellowing and bringing out the coffee... I just know that it didn't live up to my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2009 18:16:11 | More by MysterySwirl

tlsmith

2.63/5  rDev -43.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Missed several opportunities to get my hands on this beer. Finally found it at a new bar tonight. Ok beer. Would rather have a CBS, Founders Imperial Stout, Founders Breakfast Stout, Hoppin Frog Oatmeal Stout, Stone Imperial Russian Stout, Old Rasputin, ect. KBS gets a lot of hype, but seems everyone out there is just conforming to popular opinion. Tasted like a bad bourbon. There are much more enjoyable stouts out there. Definitely did not live up to the hype.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 01:51:27 | More by tlsmith

liquidnoise

Illinois

2.65/5  rDev -42.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Allow me to be the (presumably) first to say I didn't enjoy this at all. It tastes like burnt, old coffee with whiskey mixed in. I've had coffee stouts before, Schaffly's comes to mind, that I have enjoyed, and I love coffee by itself, so it's not that I just don't like the style. I made it through two bottles and opened a third just trying to enjoy it (because I paid 20 bucks for it, not because it is highly rated, I'm not that lame) and I gave up on the third one for a Budweiser I had in my fridge. Sorry if your a fanboy and I'm stepping on your toes, and you can flag this review all you want, and if they take it down I really dont care, but the truth is the truth and the truth must be known. I hope I can save others from wasting 20 bucks on this stuff.

Most DEFINATELY doesn't deserve to be the third highest rated on BA.com. And only 200 reviews are putting it up there with those legendary beers. They really need to weight the number of reviews before compiling lists like that.

BTW, if any of you Founder's fanboys live in the Peoria IL area and want the last one, email me. It's yours for free.

Oh, here's the mandatory stuff --

Served from a bottle.

Poured motor oil black, barely any head, the appearance was kind of a turnoff.

Smelled mostly of coffee.

Tasted like old, stale coffee with whiskey mixed in, and alcohol was prevalant. Taste was very disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2007 19:42:20 | More by liquidnoise

Shaon94

New Jersey

2.75/5  rDev -40.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Founders KBS is a specialty stout, not an american double / imperial, IMO. I love the normal Breakfast Stout which is in the same class as this, but this one is just ok, and really does not taste much like a beer.

Appearance - Outstanding appearance. Jet black with a amber head (very small one with a quick pour) Sticky looking lacing left behind. Think, Breakfast stout without the head.

Smell - Bourbon? Ok, I know that is the type of barrel it was aged in but wow this first bottle is overpowering me. I am sensitive to liquor smells so that is all I am getting out of this one other than maybe a slight woodsy smell some coffee in the back.

Taste - Bourbon, and damned if it is not strong on the bourbon. Maybe this is a bad bottle? I mean it has a hint of the Breakfast stout behind it, but it pales in comparison to the taste of the liquor. I am going to have a second one on another day before I make this my final verdict*, but I am not fond of the taste in the least. It almost tastes like they added bourbon instead of just letting it soak up the flavors naturally from the wood. *Second bottle as strong as the first. They definitely added bourbon here. I think this would be much better if they had not added and just let it natural soak it from the wood.

Mouthfeel - Makes up some ground here! The mouthfeel is good. Slight bite, but it coats well. Smooth going down, and the alcohol kicks in giving it a nice warming feeling from the gut all the way up.

Drinkability - I am not sure you would drink more than one of these in a session unless you just really like the taste of bourbon, or just wanted to get drunk quick. But really if your looking to just get drunk there are a lot of other cheaper beers that will do it for you. I would not go out of my way to get this one again, but it is good for what it is I guess.

In conclusion, it looks nice, but smells like liquor and tastes like liquor.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2009 15:00:14 | More by Shaon94

RickS95

Indiana

2.8/5  rDev -39.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

A beautiful beer. Coal black with a thin brown head.

Hints of chocolate, coffee, whiskey and hops in the nose.

Lots of roasted things going on. Extremely powerful flavors, but everything is muted by the intense alcohol.

The alcohol is so strong (11.2%) you don't notice the bittering hops, just the burning sensation in your throat.

So strong and bitter it doesn't even feel good in your mouth.

If manly beers are your thing, this is the one for you; but it's far too strong to have more than one of these. Not very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2009 15:33:16 | More by RickS95

dnrobert24

Alabama

2.83/5  rDev -38.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

KBS. The notes on BA say this is NOT a barrel-aged version of the breakfast stout. Too bad. I love their breakfast stout. This? Not so much. It pours oily black with minimal tan lacing. No head, really, but none is expected. The first pour stirs up fresh coffee beans and toasty-smoky malts. It is very inviting. Later on, aromas of chocolate and dark fruits emerge. Finally, I start to smell the vanilla. I am encouraged to dive into this beer. But...I am amazed at the disconnect to the taste. There is a bitter sourness that permeates each drink, like I am licking an oak cube. There is a mysterious bitterness that keeps butting in. I keep looking for flavors in the glass and end up furrowing my eyebrows in disappointment. A hot alcohol burn ends up carrying the day. It reminds me of 100 proof cherry brandy. Think of chocolate covered cherries with a grain alcohol center and you get what I'm tasting. Yeah, I like chocolate, and I like cherries, but c'mon, this is too much. Maybe some time in the cellar will do this some good.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 02:03:32 | More by dnrobert24

Murchmac

California

2.88/5  rDev -37.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Thanks to Jw347 for this brew.

Before pouring this one you can already smell the coffee, which makes way for the bourbon. Some chocolate thrown in.

Looks a dark brown not much of a head for me.

Hops, coffee, bourbon, in that order. The bourbon is too strong for me. Its not a beer anymore. Its a bourbon with brewers yeasts.

Lingering bourbon aftertaste. Warms your cockels.

Great if you love bourbon, I dont like it though. Maybe aged it would be better. For me this beer was like the rape scene in deliverance, some people think its a classic, for me it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2008 04:55:30 | More by Murchmac

nkersten

Illinois

2.93/5  rDev -36.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

2011 bottle poured into nonic. Color is black with brown edges, a bit light in color compared to most double stouts, and a tiny mocha collar. Smells strongly of oak and bourbon, chocolate, some vanilla, some coffee and a bit of alcohol. Taste is mostly oak and bourbon, some chocolate and coffee, roasted malts, light alcohol, very little hop presence, an unfortunate old cardboard taste in there as well. Harsh oak in the finish. Mouthfeel is very watery for the style with a low carbonation. I know people love this beer, but i think it is average at best and would prefer many other stouts, especially at the price.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2011 00:31:53 | More by nkersten

jimbomill

New Jersey

2.98/5  rDev -35.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

KBS was another member of Capone's super Black Friday lineup. Unfortunately, perhaps the sixtel was off.
Appearance was brown - not the near black that was to be expected. The nose was acidic, not floral and creamy. Taste was thin, could this have gotten watered down? Mouthfeel was blah. Drinkability gets punted under these conditions. Normally, I'd be rating this (if I had been taking notes) in the mid-to-high 4's. Yesterday's edition was abnormal.

Fortunately for me, Matt had many other top notch offerings that did not disappoint!

Serving type: on-tap

11-27-2010 20:10:28 | More by jimbomill

Devi0us

California

2.98/5  rDev -35.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Let me start off by saying "Letdown"...had this as part of our Blind Epic Beer Tasting Event and it took a unaminous LAST Place overall. List included 2010 Darklord, Rare Bourbon County Stout, 2011 KBS, 2011 Hunahpu, 2010 Abyss.

A- Pours pitch black like old motor oil with a minimal tan head that disappears rather quickly. Very thick with decent carbonation. 

S- This is where it got me. Had a very Musty smell to it. I've smelled plenty of barrel aged brews and this smell is one that I was not familiar with.

T- Taste was bland and left a dry mouthfeel for me but got a little better as it warmed up. Did not expect it to be this bland. Alcohol was undetectable and very well hidden.

M- Mouthfeel is dry and bland. Light carbonation. 

O- Overall, this was the biggest disappointment of the day. I had a hard time finishing this brew. A bad batch perhaps? Trying this brew again is a MUST. With all the hype surrounding this beer, it has to be better. This was the hardest beer to obtain and was the biggest letdown. As of this review, I have two 4-pack for trade.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2011 23:01:25 | More by Devi0us

colt45n

Missouri

3/5  rDev -35.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pretty much what you'd expect. Motor Oil Black with a pretty thin mocha colored head. Lacing is beautiful.

S - There is so much going on. Vanilla, Oak, Tobacco, Chocolate and Bitter Coffee all at once. Although theyre all in there, theyre extremely hard to distinguish because theyre all blended so well due to the aging. Simply amazing.

T - The bitterness of coffee and dark dark chocolate come up front with the vanilla, bourbon and smokiness follows it. This is truly remarkable for an 11 percent beer, but the alcohol is not there at all. Not as much chocolate as I would have thought from the smell.

M - Smooth as can be. The fact that this is 11 percent is shocking, and the carbonation helps to cleanse the palate for the bourbon aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2011 23:57:04 | More by colt45n

jwolfie70

California

3.03/5  rDev -34.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

I had a lot of expectations regarding this beer, and I think I may have enjoyed this more without the expectations. The beer pours a very dark brown, with little head. The smell is of bourbon with some vanilla and roasted coffee. The taste is over the top bourbon, with burnt coffee. The taste just didnt do it for me, it was a little too overboard and tasted like a cold coffee and bourbon mixed drink. Given the hype around this beer, I will someday probably come into possession of another bottle and see if my first impressions were off.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2008 17:55:48 | More by jwolfie70

rowingbrewer

Massachusetts

3.03/5  rDev -34.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

2011 bottle poured into a Southampton snifter, served at cellar temp.

This beer pours nearly pitch black With a very thin mocha colored head that quickly dissipates. The smell is heavy on the bourbon with hints of vanilla and a hint of coffee, there is also a strong roasted malt character to the nose. The flavor is bourbon and slightly boozy a lot of roasty bitterness too barely a hint of vanilla a little more coffee and no residual sweetness. The mouthfeel is thin and lightly carbonated. Overall I was not as impressed by this beer as I thought i would be, the body was too thin there was no residual sweetness and to me it felt like the bourbon and roasted malts were just butting heads.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2011 11:47:35 | More by rowingbrewer

Damian74Shensky

South Carolina

3.03/5  rDev -34.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

I was excited wife scored a four pack for me. Not gonna go through a full review. I had it smelled like coffee and alcohol. But the taste I just couldn't take it. It taste like bourbon spiked cold coffee. And I don't like coffee. Don't take this wrong I know coffee notes are part of having a stout but usually chocolate is too and didn't get that anywhere in this beer. If ever have again it would be one and done, then go onto another beer. Sorry but this beer is overrated, Or maybe not just to my liking.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 21:05:06 | More by Damian74Shensky

hz23hz23

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -33%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

This is my first review for Beeradvocate. I've been in the booze biz for about 7 years now. I am currently a wine consultant but, I have several years of beer tasting experience. I guess that I have tried well over 100 beers, not including macro brews. The hype in the beer world is no different than the hype in the wine world so, I have to rip on this fairly overrated beer:

A: pours a slightly oily black stew with no head.

S: smells like mesquite wood, fresh ground coffee and dark chocolate. No bourbon aromas to be found.

T: Bitter sweet espresso shot cold. Long finish. Hate to say it but, it tastes just like a can of Starbucks Double Shot Espresso with less sugar and no cream. Not as boozy as a Bourbon County Stout as I thought it would be. Where's the bourbon?

M: Not as cloying as I thought it would be. Palate is on the medium body side and dryer than I thought it would be which is good.

D: One in the morning or one at night. Good with smoked cheese.

Both beer and movies have their "fan boys" (you know, the kind that love eye candy movies like The Matrix and Star Wars and will give movies like that a high rating simply because they are supposed to like it), and this beer will be praised by biased drinkers and will try to tell you it is the best thing ever. I disagree, this is truly an overrated beer but, it's not bad. For the price, Yeti and Storm King are a much better value and you don't have to wait for them to be released.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2010 14:57:03 | More by hz23hz23

PDXHops

South Carolina

3.1/5  rDev -33%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

1/2 pint on tap, oily and shiny body with a wisp of head that recedes to a bubbly ring. A bit of lacing.

Whoa, right from the first sniff loads more bourbon than I remember from the bottled version. Roasted malt and coffee are no match. Come sippin' time, the bourbon once again drops the hammer. Coffee's actually pretty strong as well. Dark fruit and chocolate are overwhelmed by the bourbon/coffee 1-2 combo, and roasted malts are mostly an afterthought. Holy mackerel this is boozy. Kinda like Bourbon County Stout randalized through chocolate chips and espresso beans. An intense experience, but not something I'd seek out.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2011 02:05:03 | More by PDXHops

bgramer

Washington

3.15/5  rDev -32%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A big thanks out to "WhoKnew" for throwing in a bonus bottle for me!

It poured a dark black with a minimal wispy tan-colored head that quickly disappeared. Remnants of the head sticks to glass and leaves a trace as I drink it down.

As I swirl it about the carbonation rises and surprises me with more flavor hinting at coffee, chocolate fudge, something burnt/roasted, maybe some vanilla(?) until I finish it off. The flavor continues into the aftertaste which turns into a subtle hint of bourbon that's just the perfect balance.

This is very balanced and extremely smooth. The mouthfeel is very full-bodied yet light and made for an easy drinkability but it's bursting potency commands your respect hence the sippability.

This is a world-class stout, deserving of it's rank on BA.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2008 23:37:41 | More by bgramer