FIS is awesome, but too hot when fresh, IMO. It's much better with a year or two on it. I also love the thick milkshake mouthfeel, which takes the beer to another level.
Abyss is actually a combination of barrel aged stouts, so I guess FIS is your favorite non-barrel aged stout.
Sadly I was out of town when this hit, and sold out of my local bottle shops pretty quickly. Founders has surprised us on more than one occasion with small restocks though.
Like a couple others said, take a few and throw them in the cellar. I did a vertical last year and enjoyed the velvety smooth layers of chocolate and coffee roast in the year old version. It is excellent fresh though, especially if you love a real bitter imperial stout. I am putting 5 in the cellar this year, have 2 from last year. I think I will sit on those until I can do a three year tasting. I am hoping it does as well as Expedition.
Founders RIS is DEFINATELY my favorite between Founders KBS, FBS, and RIS. Russian Imperial Stout is one of my favorite styles- and Founder's RIS is exactly what I think of when I think of the style- I find it to be good but it doesn't blow me away. I had a similar experience with Stone RIS as you have with Founders
I have a bottle of it that I bought last week, twas bottled in August. That will be my first time trying it. My expectations are not high at all because I had high expectations about Ten Fidy and was very disappointed. Personally I found Samuel Smith's RIS way better than Ten Fidy.
I recently bought a four pack that was bottled in 2011. It was on sale for $8. I have had one so far and thought it was awesome. Wish I had bought more while I had the chance. I was 9 hours from home.
I was tempted to grab a 4 pack of it, but I haven't enjoyed any other RIS I've tried (Ten Fiddy & Old Rasputin). I figure I'm just not a RIS kind of guy. On the other hand, Breakfast Stout is a gift from the Gods above.
What's the right price on this? I picked it up at my local shop for $11.99. Next door at the grocery store it was $17.49! Which one is more accurate?
I've always seen it for $9.99-10.99. Also, it's surprising to hear how fast it's selling where some of you are. Last release I saw it constantly until almost summer. I don't think it's even HIT Milwaukee yet.. hopefully it doesn't fly off the shelves before I even see it..
Not a great comparison beer wise. But this imperial stout is def better overall and cheaper. Unfortunately I could only get a four pack as the total wine in WS only got one case.
I think its a great beer. Fantastic. Went in for some Bolt Cutter, and left with this as a consolation prize. No disappointments.
Might have to agree with you. Have been drinking BFast Stout for awhile now and heard amazing things about Imp Stout and I am incredibly impressed! Founders knows how to balance beers just right.
FIS is a fantastic beer, I do not like it right out of the gate however. Give it a couple months and you're in business. It is a beer worthy of comparison to top tier Imperial Stout but it just does not surpass my personal favorites.
This beer is highly comparable to Zhukov IMO...while I like Zhukov slightly better, I drink this way more due to accessibility.
Had it for the first time a couple days ago as well. Stunning. Very well balanced, I cannot wait to try it with a year on it.
Love this one and also say it beats FBS although FBS is nothing to sneeze at. I love hoppy stouts and this is one of my favorites
If you like hoppy stouts and that coffee kick then you might like this one better fresh. I've had these aged and fresh and prefer the fresh just because the happiness and coffee favors are more pronounced but hey it isn't terrible aged and u may like it better with age.. Cheers man
It's gonna be one I buy every year. I love it fresh, just want to see what it turns into. This is for sure a favorite stout.
Founders needs to quit monkeying around with their Backstage stuff. Frangelic,Boltcutter.........weak! Put some FIS in some bourbon barrels and you'd have the beer of the year. No contest!
I love all things founders so I was slightly disappointed with this (expedition and ten fidy were both better for me). The mouthfeel was perfect but the flavors just weren't as bold as i had hoped.
Non barrel aged I'd have to say my top 3 are: #1 CCB Marshal Zhukov #2 Founders Imperial Stout #3 Bells Expedition Stout
It's called KBS I just had my first FIS tonight. Wow this beer is awesome! This may be my favorite RIS to date.
Founders Imperial Stout and Terrapin Wake n Bake should both be in store this week. There goes the beer budget. (who am I kidding? I never stay within the beer budget)
I like FIS better, but just slightly better than FBS. Both are solid beers and I'd love to try FIS on tap.
Founders Imperial Stout by a mile. FBS has a boatload of astringency, perhaps from the way they add the coffee. If you like the FIS now, just sit on it a couple months--it only gets better! Also: It makes a GREAT addition to bourbon chili to add complexity/flavor. (I've tried Ten Fidy in said chili also, but FIS seems to be the best thus far)
As others have mentioned, Abyss is actually partially barrel-aged (and delicious). Other high IBU RIS which are not too difficult to find: Oskar Blues Ten Fidy = 98IBU Surly Darkness = 85IBU Great Divide Yeti = 75IBU Smuttynose Imperial Stout(?)
After having a couple more of these I have to revise my opinion, I'm in love with this beer. It gets waaaay better as it warms a bit. The harshness drops off a lot and lets the chocolate come through a lot more. Superb.
I just had my 2nd ever Founders beer, their Porter, and I thought it was amazing. I'm a big fan of "regular" type beers, since we can't really drink BIG beers every day. And this beer was just about perfect for the style as I've ever had in a porter - it was so balanced in the flavor profile and delicious to boot.
