KBS
Founders Brewing Company

KBSKBS
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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:
14,166
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.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by andrewjraab:
Photo of andrewjraab
Reviewed by andrewjraab from Michigan

4.2/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Reviewed on 3/10 at the taproom release party. I first must say that the hype surrounding this beer is simply amazing. A few weeks back at the West Michigan Beer Festival ($44 entry fee) I waited over an hour in line for the founders tent to get a 3oz sample. After I had my sample, some guy came running out of the tent...."Nooo, the KBS is out!" I thought it was good enough to give it a go for the Tap room release party in which I just attended. More notes along the lines of the hype machine for this beer... People were camping out last night at Founders to get there hands on a case. People follow the distributors trucks around just to buy the beer and sell it on ebay or craigslist. I found a fellow beer lover selling a 4 pack of the 2011 for 34 bucks ( a bargain) so I'm jumping on it. ( I will review that later)....okay on with the review.

A - Black as night and thick. No sunlight getting through this blanket of black velvet. No head to show for and not much lacing. Each blanket of lacing disappeared with each new drink. As a swirled my glass around, the beer left nice "plinko board" bubbles sticking to the glass for a brief moment.

S - First thing that pops out is the bourbon followed by sweet notes of maple syrup, chocolate, and coffee. I'm not a big bourbon follower, but this still does a number on the senses.

T - Strong bourbon flavor up front followed by a smooth blend of the sweet characteristics and a bitter bourbon finish. It is absolutely amazing the different jigs this beer dances on the tongue.

O - This is one hell of a great beer....but I have a hard time with the fact that it is so hyped up. I actually prefer the breakfast stout to this any day of the week. I wonder if it wasn't so limited in supply if it would be so hyped up? Do you get the people that see that it is so highly rated and feel that they have to judge it that way just because they are supposed to? Don't get me wrong, I think it is incredibly smooth and would keep this in my regular rotation (if supply permitted), but I just don't see the hype surrounding it. Founders marketing folks are absolute geniuses.
Mar 11, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of DumbRunner26
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
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, 2024
Photo of Paradox1000
Rated 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
Excellent flavorful deserving of high rating.
Mar 03, 2024
Photo of DimlyLitQuonsetHut
Reviewed by DimlyLitQuonsetHut from Virginia

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, 2024
 
Rated: 4.83 by Jacob313 from Michigan

Feb 22, 2024
 
Rated: 5 by RBorsato from Virginia

Feb 17, 2024
 
Rated: 4.81 by ToshT2M from Rhode Island

Feb 03, 2024
 
Rated: 3.63 by SeanP99 from North Carolina

Jan 11, 2024
 
Rated: 3.28 by RoyalKaiju from Kentucky

Jan 07, 2024
Photo of Lifsabch
Reviewed by Lifsabch from Maine

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
 
Rated: 4.87 by chlilley from Missouri

Dec 05, 2023
 
Rated: 4.95 by averageninjaface from Alaska

Dec 05, 2023
 
Rated: 4.63 by Iggy88 from Ohio

Nov 26, 2023
 
Rated: 4.59 by Nyoder

Nov 25, 2023
 
Rated: 4.64 by Zappa999 from Michigan

Nov 24, 2023
 
 
Rated: 4.49 by TreyJ88

Nov 24, 2023
 
Rated: 4.32 by BeerKegger

Nov 24, 2023
 
Rated: 4.54 by cabsandking from Ohio

Nov 15, 2023
KBS from Founders Brewing Company
Beer rating: 100 out of 100 with 14166 ratings