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:
3,633
Ratings:
14,168
Status:
Active
Rated:
Tuesday at 01:12 AM
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 seedsofchaos:
Photo of seedsofchaos
Reviewed by seedsofchaos from Illinois

4.23/5  rDev -8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12oz bottle with no distinguishing marks of vintage or bottle number. 2010 batch.

Poured into a chalice/snifter a thick and opaque black reminding me of the mirror like qualities of a crystal ball... only jet black like the darkest of nights. Carbonation was fantastic and bubbled upwards to create a finger width head filled with colors of cappuccino and creamed coffee with just a touch of red. Head quickly fades to just a skimming but with great lacing that seems to haunt the side of my glass in large menacing rings and drips.

A heavy of bouquet of espresso beans, rich coffee and chocolate is quickly complemented by oak and vanilla. The vanilla lingers onward with hints of alcohol sharpness and bourbon richness.

Heavily alcoholic, the brew hits like the first sip of whiskey but then comes the chocolate... An interesting mixing of dark chocolate, black coffee, light oak, light molasses and espresso beans confuse my palette. Definitely enjoyable but very different. The more I sip, the more I feel as if I am drinking a cup of really great coffee as the aftertaste is only of coffee, cream and light vanilla.

Mouthfeel is medium heavy and a bit syrupy at times. For a stout, it drinks nicely and as I would expect.

Drinkability? I've downed half a chalice at this point and, at 330 pounds, feel warm and fuzzy... Don't even try to make this a session beer unless, perhaps, you're used to drinking moonshine. The beer is smooth enough, however, and the alcohol becomes dangerously more hidden over time. Careful drinking if you're having more than one.

All in all, this is a great beer with, perhaps, a little too much hype surrounding it at times. I would still recommend any BA to try one or two of these but don't go trading one-for-one for a Westy or vintage DL or anything. This is a grade "A" beer but it shouldn't be a white whale. This is another great offering from an already solid brewery that finds it's beers as regulars in my cellar.
Apr 02, 2010
More User Ratings:
Photo of nwalke16
Reviewed by nwalke16 from Michigan

4.61/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
I do like this beer a great deal. I haven't had it in awhile, but in 2018 I remember thoroughly enjoying this brew. It had all the right aging, balance, dark coffee/chocolate flavored malt, and hidden alcohol. So, it is definitely at my top 5 stouts I've had of all time.
Tuesday at 01:12 AM
 
Rated: 4.79 by Tbone10 from Wisconsin

Sunday at 08:23 PM
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
KBS from Founders Brewing Company
Beer rating: 100 out of 100 with 14168 ratings