Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) - Founders Brewing Company

masterhomebrewer

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A = Crazy dark black. About as black and opaque a beer as I've ever seen. One-centimeter, brown head forms slowly and lingers.

S = I am very pleasantly surprised to catch bourbon straight-away with the initial smell. Much more so than the 2009 version, which lacked in both bourbon and coffee charachteristics. Fabulous, beautiful array of bourbon, coffee, chocolate, dark fruits and roasted malt.

T = A lot like the smell. Bourbon, tons of malt (especially Special B), coffee, roast all work in unison to create a fantastic tasting experience.

M = Really thick and luscious, coating the entire surface of the tongue and palate -- just as I like my imperial stouts to be. Smooth and warm light carbonation that works at bringing out all complex aspects of the beer.

D = The easiest drinking 11.2--percent I've ever had. Just fantastic and delicious, and deadly drinkable. This is a young beer at this point, and I can't even imagine how it well it might age out. Seek and destroy this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2010 01:39:06 | More by masterhomebrewer

jjshowal

Indiana

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a growler into a Balloon Goblet.

This is simply one of the most enjoyable and best beer experiences I have ever had. I was with my older brother on a cool spring night in March on the outskirts of Cincinnati.

I won't even go into the specifics of each aspect of the beer, but I will say this is the only imperial stout that I have experienced three wonderfully distinct and vivid flavors in a row.

As soon as the extremely thick, black, syrupy consistency beer pours into the glass you are hit with an unforgettable aroma that is complemented by the perfect amount of carbonation for an imperial stout. The thick, amber-colored foamy head remains through the drink followed by a beautiful lacing.

When it hits your tongue, the drinker experiences a creamy chocolate taste that is infused with hints of vanilla. While in the mouth, a deep and rich coffee flavor erupts that is very powerful, yet very drinkable. The finish is a distinct flavor of aged oak and bourbon that is bitter and strong without being overwhelming. An incredibly soothing and warming experience. After being refrigerated overnight, we let the growler sit out for about a half hour or so drinking it at about 50 degrees.

Founders is known for making extreme beers and stouts and the Kentucky breakfast is no exception. Simply put, this beer will kick your ASS! I do not recommend this as a session beer. One is all you need to enjoy. After finishing the beer, I lit up a Makers Mark soaked Cigar that was an excellent cap to probably the best beer I have ever had.

Serving type: growler

03-20-2010 22:54:00 | More by jjshowal

anneseg

New York

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Maybe the best beer I have ever had. Only beer at the LI festival I went back to for seconds. The pour was inky black with a bit of a tan head. You could smell rich chocolate and coffee. You could definitely taste elements of the bourbon oak barrels. In addition to the chocolate and coffee you could taste some vanilla. None of the flavors were overpowering and you could taste the different layers of flavor in each sip.

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2010 19:29:59 | More by anneseg

carlborch

Michigan

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a beautiful silky, dense, black that absorbs all light. A thick, creamy head forms. The nose is firmly chocolate, bourbon, smoke, layered with notes of vanilla and dried fruits. The palate is rich with a medium-full body, with intense lingering of bourbon, chocolate malt, smoke and vanilla. Attractive lacing. This stout makes me smile. Definitely moreish! Reverence and dedication to sensory exploration is a must. This is not a quaffing ale but a serious sipper for pondering and reflection. The alcohol is hidden behind the richness. With dessert or after dinner or whenever you have time to spare and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2010 20:09:09 | More by carlborch

Spica66

Indiana

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2009 vintage

Very boozy. Wonderful bourbon aroma. Black as night. Thin head. Not like Founders Breakfast Stout (one of my favorites). This is a Fabulous beer! Better than Bourbon County Stout from Goose Island. I am going to lay this one down in the cellar to see what it does...

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2010 03:07:46 | More by Spica66

gnemesis

Michigan

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from 12oz bottle into snifter. Pours black like oil with a thin brown head. It smells of coffee, chocolate, slight toasted malt slight booze. The taste follows with vanilla and bourbon. So delish! Let this warm a bit. This ale is full bodied- almost syrupy but in a fantastic way. I would love to drink 4 of these but the ABVs remind me to consume slow. This will only get better with age. My second favorite beer of all time.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2010 14:50:52 | More by gnemesis

ZX6Chris

California

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A-Dark as night. A hard pour produces a little film of very fine dark tan head. A little swirling and the glass gets coated with bubbles on the inside.

S-Mostly vanilla, chocolately, oaky and bourbony. But all the smells seem to compliment each other instead of overpower each other.

T-Vanilla and chocolate then the oak and bourbon barrel come through. The alcohol comes out a little in the end but nowhere near the 11%. Very oaky aftertaste. The wood stays in your mouth after the beer is gone.

M-Surprisingly light for such an amazing beer. I'd say medium body and very lightly carbonated.

D-The aroma draws you in, the taste makes you stay.

I was honestly surprised at how light the mouthfeel was for such a big beer. Very easy drinking for a bourbon barrel ages 11% stout. I'm gonna keep this on my want list.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2010 15:03:35 | More by ZX6Chris

LauraAlberts

South Carolina

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle of 2009 Vintage KBS poured into a large snifter.

Appearance: the ideal, motor oil, watery rim, chocolatey/tan head - nice lacing on glass.

Smell: Bourbon, chocolate, coffee, vanilla, hint of pecan, fresh cotton, tree bark, leather, hint of pinaud aftershave,

Taste: vanilla, milk chocolate - a chocolate flavor that melds with the buttery oak flavor to create a smooth flavor, the hops mold with the coffee flavor to dry out the mid-back end and the rest is smooth bourbon whisky, semi-sweet chocolate morsel, clove, honey, molasses, a hint of citrus/hop bitterness/sour acidity comparable to lemon. This beer screams hot toddy! Hot chocolate chip cookies.

Mouthfeel: silky, thick, smooth, dry, crisp, fills every corner of your mouth - robust,
chewy - bourbon cleans up the finish with a minty mouthfeel on the roof of my mouth.

Drinkability: a sipper, however, were it readily available in keg form, I'd probably drink it non stop - I could probably hit this beer like the glaze curtain at Krispy Kreme. Beautifully crafted. A great standard in the bourbon barrel aged imperial stout category.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2010 04:24:42 | More by LauraAlberts

ejimhof

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- very black, maybe the darkest beer I've seen.

S- Huge coffee grounds and high alcohol smell.

T- coffee, chocolate, and whiskey barrel.

M- very smooth for an imperial beer could easily have more than one.

D- very enjoyable beer even though I don't drink coffee.

My label is different than the one pictured and says KBS instead of Kentucky Breakfast Stout.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2010 23:22:00 | More by ejimhof

scottyshades

Florida

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Big thanks to Beerwolf77 for this extra

Part of an epic tasting, along with Sculpin, BCS, BCBCS, and more.

A: Pours a syrupy, viscous-looking, black oil color with a small brown (almost purple) head. Truly a thing of beauty.

S: Ahhh...coffee, oak barrels are apparent in the nose giving a woody note, bourbon (but MUCH more balanced and manageable than BCS)- and not very hot at all, only a little chest warming. Vanilla, a hint of dark berries, toffee, molasses, brown sugar, lactose, oats, chocolate, maple syrup, and a roasted/slightly burnt malt character.

T: See above; nearly identical. The maple syrup is a little less pronounced in the flavor, but you can still get a slight whiff. Bourbon is essentially blended flawlessly into the rest of the profile. Lactose is present and gives a good cream flavor that really goes well with the chocolate, bourbon, and vanilla.

MF/D: Super (I emphasize super) viscous body- one of the biggest I've tasted. Alcohol is very well hidden, and the bourbon is not boozy at all, rather complementary. Low carbonation. This is the closest-to-a-5 beer I've reviewed.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2010 19:18:31 | More by scottyshades

Arenbeer

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Thanks a million to Lukafer for this amazing brew!!!!

12oz stub into a Snifter Glass.

A- Pours black as black could be with a nice thin brown head that doesn't stick around to long other than a nice thin line around the edge.

S- Strong oak vanilla nose with a great amount of coffee and a roasted toastiness.

T- So complex! Dark roasted blend perfectly with the strong vanilla oak flavors from the barrels. Getting hints of bourbon, coffee, and bittersweet dark chocolate in the background as well. Some alcohol is present but no where near overpowering like a lot of fresh imperial stouts. Just enough to give it a slight sting on the tongue and fullness. Really well blended and full of so many flavors!

M- Full bodied with lower carbonation and a slight bitter dry in the finish but not bad at all. This brew is so easy to drink it should have a warning label.

SkÅL!

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2010 22:33:46 | More by Arenbeer

doubleipa

Georgia

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

wow. What's there not to like abaout this beer. So many in this style all taaste a like. Definitely different than the rest. While a strong coffee aroma, the taste was not as strong in that area. Sooo nice and smooth with a good bit of chocolate. The high alcohol content does not present itself. Many other in this style leave me with a headache even after just one, but not this one. Is really at the top of my list now.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2010 11:45:59 | More by doubleipa

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle.

Pours pitch black, with a dark tan head that is little more than a lacing to begin with and dissipates down to about nothing.

Smells of roasted coffee beans and dark chocolate.

Tastes mildly smokey, a bit chocolaty and a little bacony. Has a good bourbony taste as it warms up.

Feels full with little carbonation.

The best imperial stout I've ever had. Too strong to drink a lot, but I would do it anyway.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2010 22:02:56 | More by Cylinsier

theembalmer

Michigan

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I recently had the pleasure of drinking this fine beer. It has one of the most complex flavor profile's I've tried. It is a very strong coffee smell and taste along with some nice caramel notes. I'm reminded of Kahlua and cream. I loved this beer and yet again am proud that I live in MI with so many fine breweries.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2010 23:54:28 | More by theembalmer

tewaris

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS)
Founders Brewing Co.
Imperial Stout (of the finest kind)
11.2% ABV
OG?
70 IBUs
12 oz bottle (from March 2010) poured into a New Belgium snifter on September 22, 2010.

Appearance 5/5
Pours black with a very dark brown head that is quick to dissipate into a thin collar. Expected from a high ABV barrel aged beer. Dark brown on the edges when held up to light.

Aroma 5/5
Coffee, dark chocolate, sweet bourbon in huge amounts. Some alcohol too, which is expected.

Taste 5/5
First impression is bliss. Bittersweet; malts and bourbon lend the sweetness, coffee and dark chocolate contribute towards the bitterness. Very rich, complex, and delicious taste that finishes bitter, and has a character like powdered chocolate. Some acidity of coffee is also felt. Alcohol warming is evident as well. But, this is not an extreme beer, it's a fine example of balancing the extremes.

Mouthfeel 5/5
Silky and full, but not very big. Medium carbonation, bitter, medium finish. Not cloying at all. A stronger body won't hurt this beer, but this is perfection as it is. Who am I to comment?

Drinkability 5/5
Given the alcohol, it's a sipper. But the great taste doesn't let it be one. I can keep drinking this forever.

Other
When I had it first, I thought it was the best beer I ever had. Still belongs in my "all time best beers" category and for a beer of this kind, there's only one that comes close or equals or possibly exceeds it by a tiny bit: Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout. Can only be determined in a side by side tasting, yet to come. KBS is good for everything a stout ought to be good for.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2010 08:51:39 | More by tewaris

Armand

California

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a tulip glass. Smell was amazing, and what I expected after wanting to try it for some time. Smell of chocolate and roasted malts swirled throughout the glass. Oaky and and slight bourbon floated on the palate. Genuine beer lives up to its reputation. Small head lingered for the first few sips. Great beer to chill to. Smoother and sweeter as it cooled down. Great 'til the last sip. Savored every moment.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2010 08:51:02 | More by Armand

Tomdee74

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I love this beer!!

A-great
S- amazing
T-insanely good
O-could drink everyday!!

This is one of my very favorites! Crazy my wife doesn't like any beer but loves this and is just as crazy about it as me. When I first drank it years ago I didn't like it, but now it's one of my favorites definitely in the top 5.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 23:16:00 | More by Tomdee74

donniecuffs

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I had the distinct pleasure of sampling this once again relatively recently at a Founders promo at The Blind Tiger in NYC, but since I first sampled it on draft at The Tap Room in Warren, NJ, I got to show some love in this review to Kevin Torpey, who does a great job getting great beers like this on tap at a bar inside a hotel (Somerset Hills Hotel).

Into a tulip glass, it poured black with one finger of brown head that retained and laced extremely well. Smelled of oak, chocolate, chocolate milk, hazelnut liqueur, modest licorice, and cherry-vanilla. The taste was a fantastically balanced mixed of the aforementioned flavors, with a cherry-vanilla/modest alcohol-presence finish, and leaving a spiked chocolate milk aftertaste. No carbonation, and medium to full thickness...like liquid silk on the palate. This is another one of those beers that you would think could not be sessioned, yet it goes down extremely easily. Absolutely outstanding beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2010 00:02:13 | More by donniecuffs

jchow79

New York

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I have this bottle at home - but I haven't tried it yet. Not sure why not. But I had this at my local watering hole on tap.

It blew my mind - quite possibly one of the best beers I've ever had. My friend and I both had KBS. We ordered a second round, but unfortunately the keg kicked. There was only 1 full pour out of the tap. In fact the 2nd glass was nearly full and the bartender didn't serve it. He put the glass somewhere else which makes me believe he saved it for himself. My kind friend let me have the full glass.

All I can say now is that I need more. In fact I want all that I can find. In NY I only ever saw it once and there was 1 single bottle in the entire store.

I NEED MORE!!

Serving type: on-tap

12-17-2010 18:20:08 | More by jchow79

mcgwire756

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2010 Vintage

I have had this beer on many occasions at this point, and everytime I have it I always say to myself: This is the beer I could drink for the rest of my life. The smell is really what makes this beer stand apart from many others. It is of rich coffee, chocolate and bourbon. I wish they made scented candles that smell like this beer. Also for something that is over 11% ABV I could drink it as fast as I want. Truly deserves the recognition that it gets.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 14:35:20 | More by mcgwire756

dgugliuzza

Illinois

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a snifter

A- Pours dark raisiny brown with a light golden hue. Thin layer of head dissipates and forms large bubbles on the sides of the glass. Nice lacing of small mocha colored bubbles.

S- Smells of sweet bourbon and coffee beans. Roasted chocolate hints with a distinct oak finish.

T- Wow....this is perfect in every way. Sweet bourbon up front followed by coffee notes. Tastes just like it smells and that is delicious. One of the most well-balanced beers I've ever had or will ever have.

M- Thick with little carbonation. Slightly bitter oak finish which lingers beautifully on the palate.

D- Amazing for a barrel-aged beer. So smooth and delicious. This one is right at the top of the list

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2011 03:41:52 | More by dgugliuzza

codsmith

Illinois

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance - Very nice and dark color with a very small tan head

Smell - I've tasted 2007-2010 (4 versions so far) and they all have a very nice chocolate and bourbon aroma that vary by year.

Taste - Its a wonderful taste from beginning to end that starts with a nice chocolate and vanilla flavor and ends with a great bourbon and wood flavor

Mouthfeel - Nice and hearty stout that is full of flavor with a very smooth taste from beginning to end

Drinkability - By far my most favorite beer, but very hard to get. Stock up if/when you can!!!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2011 03:05:22 | More by codsmith

mellowmark

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 12 oz. stubby brown bottle to an Oversized Wine glass. 2011 vintage. $16.99 for a 4-pack.

Appearance: Black as night with a dark and I mean dark brown 1-finger creamy head. No transparency in the liquid whatsoever. Head retention is moderate. Great lacing, thick rings.

Smell: Bourbon barrels for sure. It's very very woody with sweet brown sugar undertones. Roasted freshly ground coffee. Dark and milk chocolate really start to come out as it warms, like a fine bourbon chocolate Belgian truffle. Very little alcohol is detectable, if any. Some earthy tones, like fresh cut grass. I could go on. It's phenomenal.

Taste: Sweet up front, mild bitterness in the middle. No sign of the booze until the end leaving a pleasant warming sensation in the back of the throat and in the chest. Citrus comes through towards the end and plays around for a little while leaving your mouth juicy and wanting more. Chocolate and roasted coffee flavors are present. Vanilla bean. Earthy hops come through at the end. Fine bourbon and smoked wood dance on your palate till the next sip.

Mouthfeel: Mouthfeel is full and extremely creamy due to a low carbonation level. This really is a perfect mouthfeel. Absolutely zero harshness for such a big beer must not be easy to pull off. The flavor and nose express themselves even more as the beer warms without adding any of harshness attributed to some other IS's when consumed at higher temperatures.

Drinkability: Very High

This should be more of a sipper than it is. The smoothest and most disguised AD/IS I ever recall drinking, with an amazingly complex nose and flavor up the wazoo. Well worth the wait and the money. I feel like I am ripping THEM off.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2011 04:12:34 | More by mellowmark

Coachaloach

Ohio

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

12 oz. bottle poured into a snifter

A: Light fails to escape the darkness that sloshes in my glass. I feel I am about to drink a black hole. The tiny half inch head that forms and quickly dissipates is cocoa brown in color.

S: If there is a heaven it smells like Founders KBS. Vanilla, Milk Chocolate, Bourbon, and a mild scent of coffee flood my nose. I spent a solid 2 minutes holding to the glass to my face and inhaling.

T: Vanilla and chocolate assault my mouth. Coffee comes mere moments after followed by the wonderful taste of bourbon. A lovely oak finish. I could drink this all day.

M: Smoooth and mild carbonation

O: Easily the best stout I have had the pleasure of drinking. If you can find it, buy it.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2011 05:31:19 | More by Coachaloach

SeaUrchin

Michigan

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

review of a 2011 bottle, fresh, poured from the bottle into a tulip

appearance - Black, held to the light and very little lightens it up even around the edges, mocha colored head thats about 1 finger tall but faded to about 1/2 a finger and remains throughout the brew, low visible carbonation

smell - up front is coffee, strong coffee but less than FBS, second is whiskey, but a mellow whiskey almost sweet smell, in the back ground there was hint of chocolate and alcohol, the nose alone on this made me drool

taste - now i dont believe in god but i heard angels sing upon my first sip, up front is a nice roasted coffee flavor(less than FBS) that moves into a sweet whiskey, nice roasted malt and chocolate notes with coffee still being the main player, that quickly moves into a a sweet whiskey, and finishes with a slight burn, the after taste is like a frozen mocha coffee with a shot of whiskey in it, absolutely delicious, as close to perfect iv ever tasted, enjoyed this one far more than last years but i feel iv evolved as a beer drinker, and iv tasted many more BA stouts so i have other things to compare it to.

mouthfeel - very thick, rich velvety mouthfeel, very little noticeable carbonation, this is what i feel a big stout should feel like

drinkability - i know this is no longer rated but old habits die hard, if i could drink this every day i would be a happy man, i could of enjoyed another after but its too precious to drink at once

overall - my first ever perfect score but waiting for KBS is like waiting for christmas, if i had to pick a beer as my favorite it would be KBS, one of the few beers i can honestly say "i would have paid more for this and still been happy)

planning on aging at least one and doing a side by side next year, i planned that last year too and it didnt work out, only time will tell

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 22:51:09 | More by SeaUrchin