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KBS
Founders Brewing Company
- From:
- Founders Brewing Company
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
Ranked #19 - ABV:
- 12%
- Score:
- 100
Ranked #59 - Avg:
- 4.6 | pDev: 8.7%
- Reviews:
- 3,632
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 04, 2024
- Added:
- Dec 13, 2004
- Wants:
- 4,608
- Gots:
- 7,310
What we’ve got here is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year to make sure wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish. Makes your taste buds squeal with delight.
KBS stands for "Kentucky Breakfast Stout"
ABV varies by batch.
KBS stands for "Kentucky Breakfast Stout"
ABV varies by batch.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by JackRWatkins:
Reviewed by JackRWatkins from Georgia
4.33/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.33/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Review as of 12/27/15
it's good, it is not great. It is perhaps the most memorably overrated beer that I have ever had, tastes hot and and a little too hopped for the style. Sorry folks, I'm not new to beer, craft beer, or imperial stouts, and this is just really nothing special, thought that new holland dragons milk was far better. two ehh's up
A: 3 S: 3 T: 3.25 F: 2.75 O: 3
2017 Review
A: 1 finger beige to khaki head (the color is somewhat layered), good retention, mild lacing (which becomes more prominent), pitch black and oily body
S: immediate soy sauce, chocolate, a roasty coffee note and a sticky, toffee-esque aroma as well (reminiscent in moments of J.W. Lees Harvest Ale), subtle metallic penny quality, the roasty coffee note is the most prominent thing here (though the boozy note become much stronger as the beer settles).
T: Immediate chocolate, coffee and cinnamon with a hint of bitterness (which becomes slightly more prominent) and a mild soy-esque umami character, there is a boozy note here and while it is definitely present, it is not overwhelming, some warm vanilla notes here as well (a side note in regards to the vanilla, it becomes noticeable as the beer sits, and will be drowned out by bitterness if you swill the beer. For that reason, only swill the beer to get aroma). The cinnamon becomes more prominent as the beer settles out. the bourbon is most present in the general warmth and aftertaste (I get more booze than outright bourbon though I do get some bourbon). The boozy note smoothly blends in with the richness of the coffee as the beer settles out.
M: not nearly as thick as one might think though full and silky nonetheless, with a tinge of sharpness from the carbonation
O: Where to begin with this beer, it seems like I feel differently about it every time I have it. This time I'm feeling that it is superb and complex, but not as good as I recall from the first time I opened one of the 2017s. Don't get me wrong it's an excellent beer, but there is something personally about this beer that keeps me from loving it, I think that I personally, might like it better if it were either just a tad sweeter, or a tad less bitter (not that it's overly bitter but the bitterness distracts from the richness of the beer). Nonetheless, it is a superb beer (not as good as barrel aged el gordo IMHO) and is more or less worthy of the praise it receives.
Dec 27, 2015it's good, it is not great. It is perhaps the most memorably overrated beer that I have ever had, tastes hot and and a little too hopped for the style. Sorry folks, I'm not new to beer, craft beer, or imperial stouts, and this is just really nothing special, thought that new holland dragons milk was far better. two ehh's up
A: 3 S: 3 T: 3.25 F: 2.75 O: 3
2017 Review
A: 1 finger beige to khaki head (the color is somewhat layered), good retention, mild lacing (which becomes more prominent), pitch black and oily body
S: immediate soy sauce, chocolate, a roasty coffee note and a sticky, toffee-esque aroma as well (reminiscent in moments of J.W. Lees Harvest Ale), subtle metallic penny quality, the roasty coffee note is the most prominent thing here (though the boozy note become much stronger as the beer settles).
T: Immediate chocolate, coffee and cinnamon with a hint of bitterness (which becomes slightly more prominent) and a mild soy-esque umami character, there is a boozy note here and while it is definitely present, it is not overwhelming, some warm vanilla notes here as well (a side note in regards to the vanilla, it becomes noticeable as the beer sits, and will be drowned out by bitterness if you swill the beer. For that reason, only swill the beer to get aroma). The cinnamon becomes more prominent as the beer settles out. the bourbon is most present in the general warmth and aftertaste (I get more booze than outright bourbon though I do get some bourbon). The boozy note smoothly blends in with the richness of the coffee as the beer settles out.
M: not nearly as thick as one might think though full and silky nonetheless, with a tinge of sharpness from the carbonation
O: Where to begin with this beer, it seems like I feel differently about it every time I have it. This time I'm feeling that it is superb and complex, but not as good as I recall from the first time I opened one of the 2017s. Don't get me wrong it's an excellent beer, but there is something personally about this beer that keeps me from loving it, I think that I personally, might like it better if it were either just a tad sweeter, or a tad less bitter (not that it's overly bitter but the bitterness distracts from the richness of the beer). Nonetheless, it is a superb beer (not as good as barrel aged el gordo IMHO) and is more or less worthy of the praise it receives.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by DumbRunner26 from North Carolina
4.85/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.85/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
This is the standard imo of my favorite beer style. It checks all the boxes of a great Imperial Stout. Thick and dark with a tan head. Aroma so satisfying that it takes effort to pull your nose away from the glass. But you do bc you know of the party that awaits your tastebuds. This is one of the most delicious beers I’ve ever had period, any style. A dessert in a bottle. I would drink these every day with every meal. But I don’t, bc my liver would hate me.
Mar 04, 2024Rated by Paradox1000 from Florida
4.43/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Excellent flavorful deserving of high rating.
Mar 03, 2024Reviewed by DimlyLitQuonsetHut from Virginia
3.09/5 rDev -32.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.09/5 rDev -32.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
The booziest stout I've ever had, and I've had plenty with higher ABV. Nice complexity. Brownie and vanilla notes. Very solid but not especially impressive. Breakfast Stout is better and much cheaper. Must have been amazing when it first came out, but today it falls behind.
Feb 28, 2024Reviewed by Lifsabch from Maine
5/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Pleasantly surprised to (finally) find this in my local grocery store. Nothing beats sipping a good stout during the holidays in Maine. This one lives up to the hype.
Dec 12, 2023
KBS from Founders Brewing Company
Beer rating:
100 out of
100 with
14166 ratings
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