Founders CBS 2017 Release

One can dream right??

 

If anyone around GR missed out on a bottle I ran into half a case of it sitting on the floor at the gas station in Grandville next to the Cracker Barrel.

 

I had a nice, but brief, visit to Founders yesterday afternoon. Luckily my brother and family had gotten there before us and got a table large enough for 8 of us. Having a server definitely helped getting pours. I had a CBS and BA Sumatra Mountain Brown. I thought the CBS delivered as expected from prior tastes - I get plenty of maple, plus a good balance of coffee. Very good. I agree on letting it warm up to let it show best.

I was a bit underwhelmed the BA Sumatra Mountain. I even left that out longer to warm up, but still wasn’t getting a ton out of it.

The pickup line for bottles was extremely easy - they had it down pat.

 

Totally agree, one of the smoothest releases and to drink CBS on tap all night was just incredible.

 

Traveling for a week really put a damper on staying up with Beer Advocate, but after finally coming back home (catching up to multiple pages on this thread), having CBS from bottle and on draft at Founders this past Friday, I can say that I'm quite happy with this year's CBS.

I've had the 2014 version and this year's reminds me a good bit of of the 2014. The word that came to mind then and came to mind this time was balance. I could pick up each individual ingredient: maple, chocolate, coffee and the barrel. None was overpowering the other and I think that was the goal. It's a bit confusing reading that there's barely any maple.... well, it's a subtle note. If you want an unbalanced maple pancake wrecking bomb, then trade for Double Maple ISLBS (which I had right after I had CBS from bottle) or just pour some maple syrup in any stout.

I'm quite happy to have grabbed CBS and will be happy to open a bottle every 3 months until depleting the 4 bottles I have.

Amen to this. I had the 'holy grail' expectation with a Barrel-Aged Abraxas '17, and even that beer ended up disappointing me due to unreasonable expectations.

 

Picked mine up at Founders yesterday, and had one one tap. I tasted virtually no maple, much less than I remember 2011 having. My fiancé, who never had 2011, also picked up no maple and said it tasted just like KBS to her.

Did they use Blis barrels for this one? Or because of the big volume of this batch, did they have to use Crown barrels? I have bottles of Blis and Crown syrups, and like Blis much better. I wonder if that contributes to the flavor of this batch of CBS. I would think it’s at least a small component.

 

Drinking my bottle now with a fresh palate. It tastes like a sweeter KBS. Other than the sweetness, I'm not picking up anything that remotely resembles maple syrup. I didn't have high-expectations, either. My only hope was that it DIDN'T taste like KBS. lol

 

Okay, I really thought all you no maple people were nuts and now am convinced of definite variation. I first had a bottle and reminded me of what I’d had previous years, maybe the maple a little more subtle but definitely there. Then had some draft pours at a local place and everything was pronounced and that reminded me why it was a top five beer for me.

Last night went to a local restaurant and had it again, literally thought it was KBS since that was on tap too. So much so that they brought me a sample of the KBS, then I could tell the difference easily with a side by side. Basically the maple just rounded out the rougher edges of KBS but was not very evident in taste.

Hoping my bottles are like my first one I had.

 

Figures, since it uses the same base beer as KBS.

 

I picked up a bottle this past Saturday and look forward on opening it on my birthday this month. I have never had this beer before.

 

I had this on tap today at Founders and picked up my bottles with some friends. I also had it from a bottle last weekend. I found both to be fantastic. Very balanced both in aroma and taste with Bourbon, coffee, maple, chocolate and roasted malts. For me, it is the balance and how smooth the beer is that sets it apart. Did it live up to the hype? What beer would?

What and where are all the shelf beers that are just as good?

 

Had it on tap saturday and was surprised how much maple I tasted after reading comments from the past week. Had a bottle tonight and the maple syrup was much more subdued but the beer seemed better balances and slightly more body. Just my opinion for what it is worth

 

So I cracked open a KBS (2016 that's been in the fridge for a year) tonight to compare it to the CBS I had at Founders yesterday. There's obviously similar flavors and viscosity but the experience is different. CBS is much smoother and leads with the sweetness while barrel hints come through closer to the finish. KBS has a sharper alcohol bite at the start that transitions to the choco and coffee flavors, later giving way to some sweetness. On that note I'm starting to appreciate KBS more for the way that the barrel heat meshes with the taste to produce a sort of bitter chocolate flavor. But this is just one shit-palate assessment.

 

I have a friend who has had it tap a few times now, both around CLE and directly at Founders. He is claiming at Founders, far more maple. It seems like others who had it multiple times and various format (bottle vs. tap) are claiming differences.

Wonder if there is any merit to this... Blending variance from various batches? They produced quite a bit of this beer this year, wonder how much difference there really is (or none at all).

 

I had a KBS the night before going to Founders and definitely could tell a difference. The maple is what separates it for me.

I had it on tap twice here in Chicago before going to Founders. I think all 3 spots were pretty similar. I may have gotten a bit more maple at Founders, but it was negligible (and could’ve been due to me allowing to warm up more). I think there can be batch/bottle variation, but I think most of this is primarily due to palate differences.

 

Weird, picked up my bottles yesterday and there were definitely subtle maple nuances in the draft pour I shared, even my wife noticed them. First beer of our day, and a great way to start it.

Just so people know...

"Maple Bourbon Barrels" are bourbon barrels that are filled with maple to impart bourbon notes to the syrup. The syrup is drained out of the barrels and sold, while Founders uses them for a third time, essentially. This isn't Lawsons Fayston Maple, Wicked Weed French Toast, or Funky Buddha MBCP, folks.

 

A lot of people aren't happy unless they get alcoholic cereal milk.

 

I just pour Cinnamon Toast Crunch into a bowl of White Russian. Delicious way to start the day.

 

You might be employing sarcasm, or you might just be the smartest person ever.

 

I'll be out in Grand Rapids next week for business and was wondering if CBS is on tap at many places around town? I've been to Founders several times in the past, but was hoping to know if it is somewhere on tap close to the airport. I'm really only out there for one night and I'll be with work people (and no car). I'm hoping to slip away and get a taste of it somewhere. I'm staying near the Costco in GR if that helps. Weird request, I know.