Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) - Founders Brewing Company

Dohtig

Maine

4.71/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

After missing out on this beer at the store and several local tap houses I caught it at the oldest beer bar in town. It was well worth tracking down and making the trip just for a glass. Very dark, served in a large tulip glass the aromas shifted from a hint of bourbon to chocolate. A smooth full body mouthfull. There where so many flavors coming accross that it took a long time to get through them all. It reminded me of the scene from Charlie and the Chocolate factory where the girl takes the gum and new flavors come to her as she chews. This beer was like that, every sip brought a new flavor and insight. When this gets bottled again I won't be missing out. It is well worth hunting for.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2013 07:13:01 | More by Dohtig

martyl1000

Wisconsin

4.71/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Why I'm not giving KBS A 5:

I may not be the most reliable judge For this beer because I do like me a sweeter stout.

I figure to review an iconic Brew like this,
rather than Hashing over the same
Old Ground, it would be more useful to place it on my list of all-time favorites.

For flavor in the mouth, my touch stones are Founders Imperial Stout, Black Hole, Berserker, 120 Minute, and BCBS.

For aroma, the KBS just doesn't have enough bourbon in the nose. My highest opinion goes to My Monkey's Got Wood and CW Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine and J.W.Lee's HarvestAle, and (I realize those aren't double stouts, they're just my top-smelling brews of all time. Ther

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2013 23:16:37 | More by martyl1000

rjp217

Massachusetts

4.64/5  rDev 0%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

I finally had the pleasure of getting to try this the other night on draft at the Yard House, Fenway, Boston. I've been on the hunt for awhile and happened to run into it by chance so damn was I excited...

Poured into a tulip glass, appearance was jet black with about a 3/4" head. Overall it was a beautiful sight.

BOURBON. Smell and taste, you get a ton of it. The coffee, wood, vanilla and roasted malts rise to the forefront and then you get a heavy bourbon aftertaste. It all blends seamlessly and is extremely well done. At just over 11%, I found myself sipping most of the night.

This easily lived up to the hype and is a must find.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2013 13:04:30 | More by rjp217

schwemjw

Ohio

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

A: Deadly Black !! huge mocha creamy head that left fairly quickly after i started drinking but left great lacing. oh man this looks good.

S: WOW! there is so much roast in here! lots of caramel, espresso, dark coffee, and vanilla. there is nice bourbon and oak on the end. i cant wait to drink this!

T: a nice bourbon up front. vanilla, toffee, and burnt coffee in the middle with rum soaked raisens on the end. super complex. i found as i drank this it had 3 distinct verses. the first verse was when it was cold and it very sweet with alot of caramel and toffee with some coffee thrown in there. The second verse was where the bourbon, vanilla and oak came in. the final verse was very fruity with rasiens and figs. absolutely amazing!!

M: creamy like milk. no carbination. this was motor oil thick but it was oh so smooth.

O: Words can't even describe. i came into this beer with a lot of expectations and this exceeded all of them. i drank several glasses and it was just as good each time. a timeless classic. i'll give it my highest rating which is a 99. awesome, awesome, awesome.
2013 vintage.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2013 06:37:37 | More by schwemjw

CMoPink

Michigan

4.79/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Absolutely love this beer. Got it on tap at the Founder's release party and it was just as delicious as it was talked up to be. I also have one bottle I am saving for a special occasion (I lied to someone and told them it was my birthday to get the bottle).

Serving type: on-tap

04-30-2013 15:49:41 | More by CMoPink

RacerX5k

Pennsylvania

4.84/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had one single last year and one single bottle this year and was not impressed at all. Thin, black licorice, with an unpleasant aftertaste. That review would be a generous 3.0 very average. This is not that review. When I saw the draft pop up on my list at an out of the way bar I purchased a good bit of Heady at last year, I thought, well, if I dont like it its only 7 bucks, and if I dont go after work Ill never know. So off I went. And what a pleasant surprise.

Walked in there is only 2 people in the bar and thats good. My 8 oz pour listed at $7 was only $5 and thats better. Beer looks real good, smells just ok (which does get better as you go), hints of chocolate, coffee, bourbon. First taste blows me away, nothing like the bottle. Big chocolate, coffee flavors mixing with a beautiful bourbon barrel in perfect harmony. Finishes dry, stout like dark fruits. Really impressive balance of flavor, thick and rich. 3 pours later I had my 24 oz bomber equivalent for $15 now thats what Im talking about. Something to chew on and contemplate this rainy, quiet, Monday afternoon. Founders you have finally impressed this Bourbon County lover. I will never care to have just one bottle, but this was a real treat.

Serving type: on-tap

04-30-2013 11:26:30 | More by RacerX5k

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.86/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A: Pour is dark black with no light coming through when held up to a window. Small head around the rim of the glass. And surprisingly a bit of lacing.

S: Bourban, vanilla, dark malt, some alcohol on nose.

T: Really nice flavor with bourbon dominant up front and sweeter vanilla and chocolate notes on the back. Slight presence of coffee late.

O: Expected to be overrated but is not. Consistent with very high ratings and definitely one to try.

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2013 16:13:06 | More by Oakenator

Neorebel

New Jersey

4.99/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Finally had the opportunity to experience this over at Newberry's Yard Of Ale in East Stroudsburg PA! We had a few 8 oz pours. Right off the bat I will confidently state that this was one of the most satisfying high end beers ever to grace my taste buds. It's obsidian appearance is opaque, and topped with a nice layering of foam that resembles chocolate mousse. It's about .5 to 1 inch tall. There's copious amounts of lacing adorning the glass also.

The aroma is luxurious, with top shelf whiskey notes, Toblerone, and light vanilla cream. It's quite vibrant! Upon tasting, the word 'exquisite' immediately came to mind. Lavazza espresso, gourmet dark chocolate, new oak, caramel, subtlety floral hops, and Haagen-Dazs ice cream...the multitude of perceived ingredients are all blended quite smoothly. The velvety liquid is dangerously drinkable with its moderately light body. It's almost too hard to believe the alcohol level is 11%.

It bears repeating that its degree of balance is astounding. Each sip is like a soft journey through it's flavorful layers. Going forward I will take whatever steps are necessary to have this beer each year, however inconvenient. Find it and enjoy as much as possible!

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2013 15:53:49 | More by Neorebel

Ilafan

Minnesota

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

AS GOOD AS IT GETS for me! I sought out this beer at a local Founders Festival and was thrilled at the result. My expectations were high; my expectations were met!

Pour: Black as coal with a great soft-brown foamy head.

Smell: Rich coffee and chalky chocolate

Taste: RICH, RICH, and MORE RICH! The roasted coffee and chocolate was so thick I could practically chew it. It is a heavy beer and a meal unto itself. LOVES IT!

Overall: The best beer I have ever had (so far)!

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2013 18:45:14 | More by Ilafan

MacQ32

South Carolina

4.85/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

2013 Keg @ Smokey Oak Taproom in Charleston, SC

A - Pours a near black with a very very thin outer ring of brown head, ok lacing.

S - Roasted coffee & chocolate, lots of vanilla and oak and maybe some caramel malt. Simple sounding but amazing smell.

T - Lots of roasty coffee flavors and bourbon up front, sweet chocolate, vanilla and alcohol astringency follows. A nice rather bitter/alcoholic finish. There may be some dark fruits as well. The roasted bitter flavors, bourbon/alcohol and sweet vanilla dominate.

M - Fullish bodied, a bit of a sipper as the bourbon is pretty noticeable. Mildly (appropriately) carbonated. Very smooth

O - Pretty much met all of the hype, bourbon/alcohol and vanilla sweetness really dominated this one for me. The dark fruits were very much in your face initially, the warmth brought forth more vanilla boozyness.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2013 03:44:18 | More by MacQ32

ktblue22

Vermont

4.84/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

I just realized I forgot to ask if this was being served nitro or not - perhaps I can research and update later. We usually ask to sit at the bar, however, since it was extremely packed we grabbed a table (at the Whetstone Station in Brattleboro- you may have seen ads for it on this site!).

Waited 15 minutes for the beer to come so you can imagine how antsy I was to finally try it. I was with my partner and one of my best friends, we all were trying it for the first time and the anticipation was exciting and fun. We all took sips at the same time, and we all exclaimed simultaneously OH MY GOD.

Seriously smooth and velvety - vanilla and caramel and sweet sweet bourbon. The aftertaste is a sweet burn from the bourbon barrel. Delicious and very sippable - the intensity of this beer makes me recommend not chugging it! It is also incredibly rich. So happy to have been able to try it on tap, would love to compare it to the bottle!

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2013 19:55:20 | More by ktblue22

tastymug

Ohio

4.76/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: Pours a thick black, with a minimal dark-tan head with some retention around the edge of the glass; lots of lacing as you drink.

Smell: Nose is sweet and roasted with coffee, chocolate and a hint of vanilla and oak.

Taste: Lives up to the hype; roasted, chocolate, vanilla (which typically comes from being aged in bourbon barrels) with a little hint of sweet bitterness; can also pick up on the oak and bourbon.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a real creamy smoothness; coats the tongue and lingers.

Overall: This was my first encounter with the esteemed KBS, and I have to say, it didn’t disappoint. I was drinking several very good beers in a flight while waiting for KBS to be poured at a local establishment’s Beer-Fest KBS party, and when compared side-by-side to KBS, the other beers definitely fell a bit into its shadow. In a special class, KBS is well worth the effort of hunting it down. I’m sure I’ll be doing the same when it releases again next year!

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2013 17:24:26 | More by tastymug

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4.44/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Draft pour is a black body with a finger of mocha colored head that retains very well.
Sweet chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and bourbon on the nose.
Great taste of chocolate, vanilla, roasty coffee, slight bourbon, alcohol warmth, and oak barrel.
Drinks full with slight carbonation. Gets dry at the end.
A great beer that shines on all fronts allowing all the components to come out.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2013 02:25:17 | More by MattSweatshirt

tito42

Missouri

4.88/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Served on-tap in a snifter at Waldo Pizza on 4/5/2013.

A: Thick and very dark brown with just a hint of cherry color.

S: Bourbon barrels, coffee, chocolate, vanilla. Wonderful.

T: Amazing blend of coffee, cocoa nibs, roasted malt, and bourbon-aged oak.

M: Very full bodied and smooth. Leaves a warm bourbon sensation in the throat without the bite of booze.

O: Just about as perfect as I can imagine a beer being. Glad I finally had a chance to try it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2013 02:29:17 | More by tito42

Omnium

Pennsylvania

4.21/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

On Tap at House Of 1000 Beers
A - Pours completely black with a brown head, but not a really thick head, and little lacing.
S - Big dark roasted malt right off the bat, some chocolate and vanilla, then that big bourbon scent.
T - Follows the aroma almost exactly, large roasted malt flavor, very sweet, with hints of vanilla, and some minor earthy hops, toasted wood chips, and some chocolate.
M - Very thick, but smooth, the sticky sweetness of the malt just lasts forever on your palate.
O - From personal preference, I dont see eye to eye with Imperial Stouts, this does have some great flavors, and is incredibly smooth, the 11.2% is masked almost completely, but it tastes like nearly every other imperial stout i've had. I'd much rather take your average stout against this, but I've had it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2013 21:50:27 | More by Omnium

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

4.34/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

At Westover Beer Haus.

A - Slightly viscous, black opaque, very little head, not much carbonation.

S - Coffee, some bourbon.

T - Coffee, the bourbon is not overwhelming. A slight bite of alcohol in the finish.

M - Smooth

O - I was actually not expecting to like this beer as much as I did. The barrel aging does not contribute a heavy bourbon flavor to the beer (if I wanted bourbon I would order bourbon). FBS is still the top double imperial stout for me, but I can now understand all the hype and rush to buy this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-05-2013 02:51:24 | More by Sludgeman

Ell

Alabama

4.75/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Yes please. Can I have more?

Serving: 8 oz Michelob Ultra tasting glass @ Hop City Bham (yes, I know - Mich Ultra - but a great beer place).

A: Dark. Very dark. It's a big stout, it's dark. Good head formation and retention.

S: Smells like booze. Delicious, bourbony booze. Some malt coming through on the nose.

T: Well, that's damn good. Excellent beer - lots of bourbon. Coffee notes barely making it through, but enough to know they're there.

M: Coats the mouth in the most glorious way. Exactly what you'd expect from this style.

O: Yep, it's KBS, it's rare, it's delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2013 15:17:27 | More by Ell

derekrick420

Pennsylvania

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

Teresa's tapped a 2010 firkin the day before the Super Bowl, unfortunately one was spilled on my coat. All I have to say is...it was 25 out, and windy. My coat was soaked with KBS and all I thought was how lucky I was that my coat smelled like KBS while I waited on a commuter train platform.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2013 02:18:56 | More by derekrick420

beagle826

New York

4.51/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Beautiful pitch black coloring with a tan 1" head. Chocolaty, roasted aromas. Lingering scent of vanilla and bourbon.

First sip is overwhelming. Awesome roastiness up front, with a smooth vanilla finish. This is what a beer should taste like! 11.2 % is very well hidden, which could be dangerous. One of the best RIS I've ever had!

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2013 00:33:07 | More by beagle826

KYGunner

Kentucky

4.34/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Gorgeous in the glass it served black with a tidy brown head.

Scent of bourbon and dark chocolate with slight notes of coconut. Hints of grain or earthiness, the scent is vivid and telling.

The taste is chocolatey with little hints of vanilla. More bourbon essence in this one, than others of the style, I got a lot of the barrel in this. Very earthy in tone theres alot of the oakiness from the barrel, along with the smokey bourbon flavor. It finished with a tinny alcohol taste. This taste lended to mouthfeel with a thin, stringy, metallic feel.

Overall, a very fine stout, especially for those who prefer more oak and bourbon.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2013 01:05:33 | More by KYGunner

joshbrink

Alabama

4.88/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Appearance - Rather dark beer, with a small, very manageable head. Mocha colored.

Smell - Definitely one for the nostrils. Pick up on chocolate, vanilla, major scents of oak. Smell of bourbon hits the nose. You can smell that it is a heavy hitter with the alcohol too.

Taste - Definitely more going on with this beer. Right off the bat tasted oak and chocolate. Had a bit of a sweet taste to it tho, possibly caramel. The taste off coffee comes later. At the very end, almost after the sip tasted the bourbon.

Mouthfeel - Very smooth. Almost deceptive for the amount of alcohol in the deer. Very syrupy beer. Best feel of the beer is after a beer, the residual affects of the bourbon lingered in my mouth and throat.

Overall - Very pleased with the beer. Originally a big fan of the breakfast stout so naturally i had to try this one when given the opportunity. Not disappointed at all.

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2013 22:54:44 | More by joshbrink

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.28/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance – Served a black colored brew with only a tiny off white head which faded very fast to leave some patchy spots of lace on the sides of the glass as well as some small islands of foam floating on the top of the brew.

Smell – The aroma was lighter then I was initially expecting. It had nice notes of coffee, dark chocolate, some vanilla sweetness and a nice boozy bourbon aroma. While it was light it was quite nice and warming in smell.

Taste – The taste begins with roasted malt and coffee flavors. Some sweet vanilla and dark chocolate are up front and grow stronger toward the middle. While these flavors grow stronger, some lighter bourbon flavors come to the tongue. While the bourbon starts out lighter, by the end it really picks up in intensity with the chocolate and caramel lessening some in the profile. Along with the boozy flavor increasing in intensity, so too does some of the coffee flavors, which in the end, when combined with roasted malt flavors creates a quite roasty and pleasantly bitter boozy taste on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer was on the creamier side with a carbonation level that is below average. Both the lower carbonation and thicker-creamier body are fantastic for the brew and really accentuating the roasted, coffee, and bourbon flavors of the brew.

Overall - A very tasty beer and one that is well worth a try. While it is fantastic with its wonderful roasty and bourbon flavors its reputation precedes it some. I actually think Founders Breakfast is more balanced then the Kentucky. While with this said however, the Kentucky is definitely a beer to try if you have the chance.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2012 23:38:46 | More by Darkmagus82

JimsArcade

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2012 vintage. Pours jet-black with a significant amount of dark-brown head. Smells of coffee and a shot of high-proof alcohol. The taste is amazingly complex: oak, bourbon, coffee, Belgian chocolate, and toffee. The first sip can be harsh, but it becomes nice and smooth as it warms. One of the best barrel-aged stouts I've ever tasted.

I've had this on-tap and in bottles, both fresh and aged one- through three-years. KBS' defining characteristics drop significantly the first two years, leveling out by year three. I usually prefer beers like this aged, but for me KBS is best fresh as it becomes just an average barrel-aged beer the older it gets.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2012 22:41:47 | More by JimsArcade

JustinMatthew

Pennsylvania

4.93/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I've had this one both on tap and bottled, don't really prefer it one way or the other, it's fantastic either way. But for the review I'll take from my notes at The P.O.P.E during Philly Beer Week '12

Poured very dark to a wine glass, a fingers width of tan head slowly dissipates. Smell is slight bourbon, Some roasted coffee, and Vanilla. Taste is great, so well balanced and delicious. Vanilla, caramel, bourbon, oak, chocolate and coffee.. Everything you think you'll taste, you will taste. Super easy to drink with a rich coating mouth feel. Looking forward to trying a couple aged variants in the coming months.

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2012 18:53:40 | More by JustinMatthew

RandyKemka

Connecticut

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

I have had this beer both on tap and 12oz bottle
Served in a snifter

A - It pours very dark and fairly thick. A half inch of head rests on top.

S - I get the coffee, bourbon and vanilla that is advertised.

T - AWESOME, I get a hint of coffee with a nice bourbon finish. The

M - Full and creamy

O - This beer is one of the best, it's so sad that it is so hard to get. Founders once again does an outstanding job with an outstanding brew.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2012 17:13:59 | More by RandyKemka