Founders CBS Imperial Stout - Founders Brewing Company

TheBeerTruck

Michigan

5/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Tapped at the brewery during their 15th Anniversary Party on 11-17-12. Most times, it runs out before everyone in the bar gets some, but not this time. It was on for around three hours...the first time. They brought it back again in the evening. Most people were ordering two and sometimes three glasses. I was able to enjoy four while enjoying the party.

Served in a snifter, which was held for a bit so it could warm up, it poured beautifully dark, rich, thick and with a great caramel colored head.

After warming up a little, all the expected aromas of chocolate, coffee and vanilla were there though the maple sweetness was a little thin.

The taste was just as I remembered. In my personal experience, the maple is the first flavor to fade. Expecting that, I wasn't let down that it was a little faint. All the other flavors reflected exacted what the nose displayed and was great swish after swish with an unbiting explosion of been too long flavor.

Overall - like I said...I had four.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2012 04:32:22 | More by TheBeerTruck

kylelenk

Michigan

4.73/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Review from Oct. 2011.

A: Didn't produce a ton of head room. Like most Founders Stouts, what it did have dissipated quickly and left a jet black glass of liquid. So dark it could black out the sun.

S: A little too fresh during this tasting. Bourbon was way too present which easily overpowered almost all of the other notes.

T: Heavy. Still torn on whether I prefer KBS over CBS. I've had KBS properly cellared and love the vanilla/sweet notes that come out and replace the bourbon. Unfortunately, this fresh, I felt that the bourbon was way too overpowering. The ale still had a wonderful taste and is definitely at the top of my favorite beers list.

M: Thick, like having a full breakfast and enjoying a glass of bourbon. Once again, that fresh, I still wish I would have let it sit awhile.

O: I've heard and read that it didn't age as well as expected. The KBS I've enjoyed the best has sit for 6-12 months before enjoying. Founders has sided against aging their beers as they feel they age them enough before release. Still, I feel this would have been knockout in between the said timeframe as it would have had opportunity to sweeten up and bourbon down.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 22:34:40 | More by kylelenk

beergod1

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Finally!!! World Wine and Liquor in Mentor Ohio during Cleveland Beer Week Broke out 1 of my Most anticipated big beers I have yet to try. Thank you Brendan. Unfortunatly only a 5oz. sample, Pours jet black with a fluffy brown head. Smell is largely like the Breakfast Stout or KBS, with dark malts, brown sugar, and coffee, with just a hint of maple. The maple really comes on more on the finish, balancing out the roasted malt and coffee for a memorable Beer. It’s a "Touch" too sweet, it’s not too bitter, But it is fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 12:54:27 | More by beergod1

sukwonee

Washington

4.85/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2011 vintage bottle.

Happy birthday to me!

A: No head. Just dark brown / black motor oil like body.

S: Smells like KBS but sweeter. Coffee, dark chocolate, brown sugar, and unlike what many say, I still get maple syrup note.

T: Delicious. Although I think I prefer KBS over this, CBS is basically smoother and sweeter KBS. Bitterness is there but it's balanced out by the syrupy sweetness. KBS is a sweet beer but compared to this, not so much. Bourbon, Coffee, dark chocolate, brown sugar, maple syrup/honey, tad bit of hoppy bitterness and alcohol notes towards the end.

M: Surprisingly, carbonation is there (unlike how it looks). Thick, syrupy, chewy.

O: This is definitely one of my top 10 beers, but I honestly slightly prefer KBS over this. Maybe I got lucky with my bottle, but maple aroma and taste was still there, although very subtle.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 03:33:59 | More by sukwonee

ThickNStout

Georgia

4.55/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle from Sherlock's (Marietta, GA). 17.99. Bottled 09/11, I believe. Served in a Terrapin snifter.

Pours jet black with a thick, slowly receding deep mocha head. Small patches of laces.

Aromas of coffee, dark chocolate, maple syrup, vanilla and a hint of alcohol. A different blend each time I go back to smell it again.

Wow! A smooth intense sweet blend of chocolate, coffee, bourbon, vanilla, maple, cherry pits, smokey wood, leather and of course some hot booze. A lot going on in here.

Creamy thick full feel with medium light carbonation. Long bourbon coffee aftertaste.

Despite the naysayers I firmly stand by my decision to hang on to this for a year. Yes, the maple syrup has faded but so has the bourbon and that allows all those other flavors to shine through. It also feels creamier and a little thicker. Rich, sweet, complex and outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 03:05:32 | More by ThickNStout

Samichlaus82

4.9/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a very dark brown with medium creamy tan head leaving sticky lacing along the glass. The aroma is a light roast vanilla oak and caramel. Medium mouthfeel with sweet malt and light roast and sweet finish. Hides the alcohol very well making it easy to drink. Really enjoyed this one, a very impressive Imperial stout that definitely lived up to the hype.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 09:08:45 | More by Samichlaus82

ngeunit1

California

4.85/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A - Pours a dark brown-black color with a finger of frothy chocolate colored head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is maple syrup, Bourbon, vanilla, oak, roasted chocolate malts, roasted coffee, black licorice, lactose, a hint of dark fruit, and just a touch of booze.

T - Starts off with a mix of roasted milk chocolate malts, vanilla, black licorice, and a touch of dark fruit. Through the middle, roasted coffee comes through with some good maple syrup, Bourbon, and oak, and a bit of molasses. The finish is a mix of roasted milk chocolate, roasted coffee, maple syrup, Bourbon, vanilla, oak, molasses, and a bit of booze.

M - Full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a warming, sweet, and roasty finish.

D - Very drinkable. Fantastic balance with the coffee, chocolate, Bourbon, and maple coming together just right.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 05:04:48 | More by ngeunit1

EgadBananas

Louisiana

4.48/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to JM03!

Pours black, with a minimal brownish coloured head, no lace.

The aroma was oak, vanilla, maple, touches of bourbon, sweet chocolate, hints of coffee roast.

Slighter bourbon-y notes on the taste, more maple, rich vanilla, woody notes, bittersweet chocolate, roasted coffee.

Full bodied, thick, slightly viscous, with a rich feel.

It's super drinkable. You can't get really any alcohol, and the maple sweetness balances out the bourbon notes, making it remarkably smooth but complex. This might not have been as good as it is fresh, but it's still a pretty remarkably wonderful beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 11:56:03 | More by EgadBananas

JimsArcade

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A review of the 2011 vintage sampled on 9/29/12.

Pours midnight black with no head to speak of. Aromas of caramel, booze, hot chocolate, and fresh coffee burst from the glass. Flavors of oak and whiskey dominate with a hint of stale coffee. The booziness is subdued after aging but for some reason I find it less drinkable compared to fresh offerings.

I've had this fresh out of a bottle and now aged in a keg. I prefer the fresher variety, though my scores would not move up much. All-in-all this is a great barrel-aged stout, but there are better examples of the style out there, including from Founders itself.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2012 21:26:25 | More by JimsArcade

stoutluvr420

Vermont

5/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap @ TPT. Poured a deep, dark brown- one shade away from black- with a nice, lasting head of dark tan foam. The aroma was loaded with fresh bourbon spiked coffee- lots of heavy roasted notes, and also a subtle woody sweetness of maple syrup. The flavor was also heavy on the coffee, just like the regular Breakfast Stout. Complimenting this was a smooth vanilla-maple sweetness, oat creaminess, and oak woodyness. The bourbon, coffee, and chocolate are so bold, that the maple really adds some nice depth and contrast. The mouthfeel was full-bodied and had light carbonation. Sweet, sticky, smooth heavenly viscus liquid. Damn.

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2012 01:07:33 | More by stoutluvr420

Thehuntmaster

South Africa

4.85/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750ml bottle 10,6% Abv.
Served lightly chilled in an over sized wine glass.
No visible bottle date.

A massive thanks to Futura123 for hooking me up with this huge want of mine!

Appearance: CBS is one great looking imperial stout! The body looks pitch black in the glass, with a strong back light only revealing a hint of light along the edge of the glass. A rough pour yields a large, creamy, mocha coloured head that lasts really well for the Abv. and leaves some good patches of lace clinging to the upper parts of the glass.

Smell: Ah man, this smells absolutely fantastic! The initial nose is all chocolate - cocoa dusted chocolate mousse, sweet dark chocolate and chocolate liqueur all come to mind. Soon a wonderful array of other notes join the chocolate. Sweet coffee, toffee, dark caramel, oak, bourbon, sweet maple syrup, a little vanilla, honey comb (the one in chocolates, not bee's wax) and light dark fruits are all easily noted.

Taste: Wow and I thought the nose was good! The flavour takes all the notes from the nose and intensifies them, resulting in one of the most delicious beers I have had to date. The combination of chocolate, coffee, sweet maple and bourbon is absolutely mind blowing and each sip seems to be unique in its composition of those elements. Due to the complexity of the interactions of the flavour components I will simply list some of the observed flavours. Notes include: Sweet dark chocolate, cocoa, chocolate mousse, chocolate liqueur, dark caramel, sweet toffee, dark fruits, sweet maple syrup, oak, vanilla and a hint of liquorice.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied and fairly sticky, with a medium level of wonderfully smooth carbonation. I usually prefer my imperial stouts to have a slightly lower level of carbonation, but on the plus side, it does make CBS fantastically (even dangerously) drinkable.

Overall: CBS certainly lives up to the hype - this is a phenomenal imperial stout and one I wish I could have again and again.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 19:13:05 | More by Thehuntmaster

BuckyFresh

Michigan

4.73/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes. Thanks goes out to TCHopCraver for supplying this epic beer!

Appearance: Poured from a 750ml bottle into a large snifter. This beer comes out thick and black as midnight on a moonless night. If jostled, some reddish/amber light can be seen shining through the edges of the glass. Head is mocha colored, average in height, and recedes slowly.

Smell: Aroma is filled with roasted malt, dark chocolate, molasses, coffee, and some maple/caramel sweetness.

Taste: Wonderful blend of chocolate, coffee, molasses, maple, toffee, caramel, and a whisper of hops. Every element is perfectly joined with the whole. Just awesome.

Mouthfeel: Mouthfeel is full and really coats your mouth as you drink. Well balanced, with just the right amount of carbonation.

Overall: This beer lived up to my expectations and more. Very well balanced and just a tad more drinkable than the KBS version. I will seek this beer out whenever possible!

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 15:25:28 | More by BuckyFresh

gonzowestwood

Connecticut

4.55/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

on tap at 'Rattle n Hum'

A- Dark, Dark, dark black color with thin chocolate head that lasts forever (4.5)
S- Booze, Maple Pancakes, brown Sugar, dark coffee/malts. This is were the beer shines (5)
T- I get a lot of maple, some dark coffee, a little bourbon and a nice burp of vanilla (4.5)
M- A nice creamy texture and it attacks the front of your tung. Gets much more boozy as its warms up (4)
O- Pretty good. Is it the best stout on earth? Idk. I've had KBS, Abyss, Bourbon County, Stone, and Speedway. I truly think that Goose Island's 'Bourbon County' is the best out there, but thats my Opinion. . . Man. Still a Really good beer (4.5)

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2012 03:50:24 | More by gonzowestwood

beagle75

Iowa

3.58/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Opaque black color with one finger of diminishing beige foam head. Light lacing remains on the glass.

S: Coffee is immediately evident, followed by reedy wood and intense vanilla. Coffee fades somewhat as the beer warms, replaced by dark and rustic grain. Some pure bourbon is also present, although the smell is only slightly boozy.

T: Begins off-dry, with aggressive carbonic acidity and dark chocolate. Flavors sweeten into the middle alongside potent anise that dominates the palate for a few beats. The finish begins to dry out, allowing for husky roasted malt and freshly-ground coffee to close the profile on an earthy and moderately bitter note. Hints of bourbon and vanilla linger on the palate, but essentially no alcohol is detected.

M: Thick viscosity, syrupy and slightly acidic on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: This beer exhibits powerful sensory qualities, even for an imperial stout. It is also a bit of a mess, although the end result is palatable. Founders KBS can be wildly inconsistent from bottle to bottle; this value-added rendition comes across as an average effort on the KBS scale--neither a disappointment nor a home run.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 02:55:27 | More by beagle75

dbossman

Nebraska

4.78/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Black with a thin but surprisingly steady chocolate brown head and lacing is quite nice

S: Wow, that smells delicious: coffee up front with roasted chocolate malts and subtle bourbon, boozy aroma; some sweet molasses, dark fruit, maple syrup underneath too

T: Oh my goodness that is a sweet, boozy, awesome, complex beer: maple syrup is much more prevalent in the flavors than the aromas but the chocolate, coffee, and bourbon play so well off of it; there is a roasty and almost smokey undertone with plenty of brown sugar and dark fruits and boozy bourbon in the finish

F: Such a thick, viscous, cream, oily beer; mouth feel is perfect

O: This is nearly perfect; one of the best beers I have ever had; so many flavors but they work so well off of each other

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 19:10:03 | More by dbossman

dvmin98

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I have had CBS several times at tastings, etc, but this was the first time I've had the cooyans to actually crack open one of my bottles. Enjoyed it with a couple of friends (lucky bastards).

A - Deep brown color with 1/2 inch of head

S - bourbon, coffee, chocolatey

T - best tasting beer I have ever had. I couldn't get enough. I was literally rubbing the glass with my finger to get every last drop. Bourbon, coffee, chocolatey, with sweetness. The maple is just a hint, but just the perfect amount.

M - creamy and thick with a very full body

O - Best beer I have ever had. I have two bottles left and can't wait to open them up and enjoy them, but only for a special occasion.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 13:50:25 | More by dvmin98

yamar68

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Big thanks to crunkchiggin2002 for getting this fine specimen to me! Poured from the bottle to a small brandy snifter. Vintage 2011 and an extremely high fill.

Pours an inky jet black with edges of mahogany clarity. A finger of soft brown head swells and then recedes to a fine milky collar. Fantastic lacing and a bit of legging.

Massive on the nose - bourbon is far more apparent than I was anticipating. Cocoa puffs, caramel, faint bitter coffee, rich sweet syrupy bits, more cocoa, molasses, maple, burnt wood, so incredibly complex. Not cluttered, just very intriguing.

Holy fuck. No wonder this thing was so hard to get. If I had any of this sitting in my basement, I can guarantee you that I wouldn't be giving any up. I can't dissect the flavors without first mentioning the perfect velvet consistency. That said, the flavors are monstrous and varied - the maple-y bourbon takes the lead, big cocoa, more simple syrup, a touch of black licorice, more booze than I had hoped for, vanilla, caramel, charred wood, milk chocolate. Likely the most complex beer that I've ever had. Delicious and challenging.

This beer is fantastic. I probably won't try to land another bottle as it cost me an arm and a leg, but I am very glad that I sprung for it just this once. Highly, highly recommended. And if you have the ammunition to land a bottle, fucking do it.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 23:41:57 | More by yamar68

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.95/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Love this beer. One of the main reasons is that it is just so seamlessly integrated- no one flavor dominates, each element of the taste is smell seamlessly flows into the next and plays well together. The pour is black, with a thin head and lacing. Nothing special there, but nice enough. The aroma, however is lovely. Nuanced notes of vanilla, Bourbon, chocolate, and a finish of Maple syrup. Each aroma is noticeable, but it makes a whole greater than a sum of its parts. Sweet, yes, but also complex. The taste is equally enchanting. What strikes me most again, is that each flavor is layered with the others to make a delicious whole. This time, it starts off with a bourbon and maple hit, with the bourbon flavor growing and sharpening into the long finish. The last note you experience is a nice chocolate note that picks up where the bourbon leaves off. Silky smooth, this beer just disappears, only the complex flavors make you linger to contemplate. An exemplary beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 00:02:18 | More by Georgiabeer

codysjb

Florida

4.25/5  rDev -9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Founders CBS – opened on 7/1/12 for my best friend’s wedding

A: Like motor oil with a huge head. The head stayed for ever and really didn’t fade all that much mostly just came off on my face.
S: bourbon and coffee with hints of chocolate yum.
T: Great, lots of bourbon followed by some coffee and chocolate notes. Some minor caramel and sweetness (which I assume is the maple syrup)
M: Lots of bourbon, and some sweetness when I drink down.
O: Good, but not living up to the expectation. Don’t get me wrong this beer is amazing but not worth the frenzy that it seems to have attained. It can’t hold a finger to bourbon county. I really expected more maple notes and they just weren't there.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 18:22:00 | More by codysjb

bvdubn

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer poured deep black with no light coming through. I poured vigorously and got about ¼” of mocha head that slowly dissipated. There is some residual lacing throughout the entire time I was drinking this beer. I drank it in a blind taste with KBS and I was surprised by the amount of head compared to the bottle of KBS. Very nice aromas and the sweetness from the maple syrup shines through. I can’t taste the maple syrup but it is definitely sweeter than KBS. I was pleased with the amount of carbonation of this beer and overall it was very good.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 03:15:13 | More by bvdubn

BostonHops

Massachusetts

4.73/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750ml bottle served in a snifter.

pours your standard imp. stout used motor oil black while yielding a 3/4" mocha-toned head that slowly fades to a lasting cap, leaving some nice patches of lacing. very nice appearance, particularly for a style where it can be hard to distinguish yourself.

in the nose, coffee explodes out of the gate; joined by secondary notes of chocolate, roasted malt, maple, and a touch of vanilla. not picking up much bourbon. very good, but far from transcendent. gives me pause: could the famed CBS amount to an overvalued let-down?

fortunately the answer here is a resounding no. taste exceeds the aroma by a fair margin, delivering rich, tasty flavors in spades. coffee, chocolate, roasted malt, vanilla, maple, toffee, and boubon... the more it warms the more these characteristics emerge. it's not a bourbon bomb - nothing along the line of BCBS or older viscosity - but even though i'm a bourbon fan this doesn't diminish my enjoyment of the beer. nice maple sweetness gives it a distinctive flair. smooth, velvety, medium-full bodied with medium carbonation.

overall i have to go A+ here. hype or no, IMO there's no denying this is just a delicious, flavorful beer. fantastic; if they ramp up the bourbon a bit (production numbers would also be nice) i think i'd have a serious contender for overall favorite beer. hell, i might have one anyway.

(originally reviewed: 10-09-2011)

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 01:24:15 | More by BostonHops

Nugganooch

California

4.63/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to Mid for this gem!

Cracked this bad boy on Saturday after the FW Invitational Beerfest
*22oz of goodness into a snifter

A: CBS pours a super dark, near black, color with just the tiniest browned edge to it. Looks plenty thick but not super viscous. Nice stack of finger thick mocha froth rimmed the top holding nicely and eventually falling to a halo leaving slippery sheets of lace with each sip.

S: Smells of deep and rich roasted grain with some accompanying barrel notes. Vanilla and melted chocolate. A touch of smoky char roast coffee and some alcohol. Not heavy on the barreling but very nice and inviting.

T: Taste is just divinity. Sweet and roasty with toffee and a ton of chocolates. Gourmet roast coffee with vanilla cream. Can’t say that I am actually picking up a whole lot of maple but it does have a very distinct flavor to it. Sappy with some oak and highly bitter earthy hop levels. Insanely smooth and well integrated for such high ABV. All flavors accompany each other so well with not one really jumping out over the other. Just a phenomenal blend.

M: Thick and full bodied yet manageable. Not terribly heavy at all. Very creamy with a bit of lingering coat to the palate.

D: An amazingly delicious Impy Stout…even with some age on it. Again I didn’t get much by way of Maple but everything comes together in unison. Will be on my tops list for sure. Def worth seeking out. So fortunate to have this opportunity.

Only now I am burdened with tracking this one down every year.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2012 13:48:23 | More by Nugganooch

Fux

France

4.25/5  rDev -9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cracked open for celebrating my birthday! This was a long time want.

A: Pours black, oily with no head at all.

S: Smell is all about roasted malts, coffee flavors with hints of chocolate hiding behind.

T: Tasted is coffee, roasted and sweet malts. Maple syrup, vanilla and oak follow. No obvious bourbon, despite the sweet malts and vanilla notes. Aftertaste on sweet chocolate.

M: Mouthfeel is creamy, chewy but a bit lighter than expected. Overall, very drinkable.

O: A good and solid Imperial Stout. I'm a bit disappointed however because of the relative lack of complexity in this beer. I prefer KBS.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 21:40:08 | More by Fux

zac16125

South Carolina

4.7/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750mL bottle poured into a snifter glass
2011 bottle

A huge thanks to levon15 for sending over one of my top wants in a trade.

A: Pours a slightly viscous opaque black with some browning on the edges and one fingers width of dark mocha colored head which dissipates down fairly quickly to only whisps and an outer ring.  Leaves a small amount of patchy lacing.  

S: Bourbon, bakers chocolate, oak/wood, coffee, and only a subtle hint of maple syrup.  Very nice but not quite the strength of aromas I was hoping for.  

T: A really great tasting beer!  There is wonderful complexity and depth of flavors.  I get chocolate, roasted malt, bourbon (which is rather subtle in comparison to KBS), oak, hints of dark fruit and a big coffee on the backend along with some hop bitterness.  The coffee and cocoa linger forever in the aftertaste.  Initially I get almost no maple syrup/sweet syrup characteristics, but finally the maple syrup hits in the first couple sips of the second glass.  It comes in waves, not in every sip, but when it does it is oh so delicious and lingers forever in the aftertaste.  I wish it was more prevalent and it makes me wish I could try this somewhat fresh to see if theres a difference.  Either way though, really a fantastic tasting stout, up there with the best I've had.  

M/D: Wonderfully smooth with a very chewy mouthfeel.  Body is full and somewhat thick, carbonation is fairly high for the style but not negatively so.  The double digit ABV is nicely masked and drinkability is great for the style.

O: No doubt this is a fantastic beer.  The aroma could be stronger but the palate profile is absolutely fantastic.   The maple syrup is much more subtle than I anticipated/hoped, and it seems the syrup aging in the barrel has mellowed out the bourbon characters and allowed more of the oak from the barrel aging to come out.  The degree of maple syrup is too subtle to make up for the subdued bourbon character present in the KBS, so I think I actually prefer the KBS.   That being said, KBS is one of my all time favorite beers so being slightly not as great as KBS is a huge compliment.   This is still fantastic and up there with the best stouts/beers I've had.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 01:53:40 | More by zac16125

DmanGTR

New York

4.13/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this beer multiple times on various occasions. Review from notes.

Poured deep black with no light crossing any boundaries here. Off white head that lasted a few minutes before becoming a thin streak. Very nice aromas of burnt toast, caramel, toffee, roasty coffee and a bit of chocolate. Vanilla, cream, and the slightest hint of wood. It's quite good, but I hardly get any maple from it. In fact, it was a bit underwhelming. A decent body with appropriate carbonation, but a bit thin. I'm glad I was able to try this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 16:18:26 | More by DmanGTR