Founders Imperial Stout

I finished my last one yesterday. Next year I'll be lookin for a case so I can age a few. Meanwhile, my local shop still has some Ten Fidy which will have to suffice.

 

Chiming in on this thread because FIS is one of my favorite beers from Founders and I love how easy it is to obtain.

It's almost impossible to compare KBS and FIS directly because of the difference in barrel aging and additives (coffee, chocolate), but, I will say this:

The ratio of [enjoyment]:[difficulty to obtain] is exponentially higher with FIS than it is with KBS.

As far as the comparison with Founders Porter, I've never really noticed much similarity, because FIS is so much more rich and complex. But it's been awhile since I had the porter--may have to do a side-by-side for science...

Storm King is so much hoppier than FIS that they really aren't similar. To be honest, Storm King was so hoppy it was bleeding into "black IPA" territory for me.

 

Thanks

 

God I love this beer. Every time I drink one I am reminded of why it's one of my favorite beers ever. As for there porter, it's a great one as well. I think you get alot more dark fruit notes out of it and has less of a mouth feel. I agree with letting the RIS lay down for a year. It is at it's best at that point.

 

Founders Impy Stout is my favorite Russian Imperial Stout. Period. It has such a perfect combination of rich malt and dark, bitter roast. It's not rummy like Old Rasputin, it's not creamy like Ten Fidy or Stone, and it's not bitter like Expedition. It's just ... perfect! The only other RIS I've had that reminds me of it is Marshal Zhukov.

The best thing about Founders Impy Stout is how easy it is to get it. It's April and they still have cases of it at my local bottle shop! Hmmm. Perhaps I should stow away one more 4-pack in the cellar. I'll be back in 30 minutes ...

 

You should try aging this one. You won't be disappointed. I stock up on this every winter and drink what I put away the previous year.

 

To me its a toss up between FIS and FBS. Ten-fidy is excellent as well another one I had recently that surprised me was Left Handed Wake the Dead Imperial Stout Nitro...But as for KBS you can't compare IS to KBS like it was previously stated with the barrel aging etc. If you wanted to compare KBS to something it would have to be more on the lines of BCBS...

 

Hopefully alot let boozy, I stopped drinking mine until they have atleast 6 months on them. I find it to be waaay to boozy fresh.

 

I used to think that but now I'd give Harvest the slight nod. That is probably my favorite beer, but FIS is right there too.

 

If people can compare relatively thin and watery stouts like Old Rasputin and Stone RIS to FBS, then I can damn well compare KBS to whatever I want.

In all seriousness, I get what some of you are saying - but in the end, we are all just a bunch of people yapping subjectively about beer, not doling out medals at GABF. I drink stouts year-round and almost exclusively, and I like some non-BA stuff better than BA stuff, and I like some coffee-brewed stuff better than non-coffee-brewed stuff. I intermingle and cross-compare them all. Is it "fair" in absolute terms to say "Propietor's is better than Storm King," given the differences in cost, availability, added flavors, and aging? Maybe not. But that's also why people often qualify their opinions with "best readily-available" and so on. IMHO Ten Fidy and Yeti are good comparisons. And FIS is one of the "best readily-available" stouts I have had. But as a stout from the same company, I still like KBS better.

It's all good, I just find it odd when people on a totally opinion-based hobbyist forum lay down rules about what can and can't be compared.

 

It's not easy to get in NJ. This was the first year I was able to pick up a 4 pack.

 

I had it on tap last time I was in the Midwest, and have to say it is my favorite beer at this point. Wasn't able to get one of their porters for comparison, but it's on my list for my next visit.

 

Really? I've gotten multiple 4 packs from a few stores to the.point that I had well over a case of it. Still know of a place near me that has at least 2-3 4packs left.

 

FIS shits on fresh Storm King. I age my S.K., because fresh S.K. has a blast of hop flavor mingled with the roasted malts. FIS might have 90 IBUs, but the balance on that beer makes it an instant winner. Balanced and drinkable for 10.5 ABV should be illegal. Don't get me twisted, I like S.K. Just not as much as I love FIS.

 

In fairness, I wasn't really intending to say what people are or aren't allowed to compare. People can compare whatever they want--heck, I made a comparison myself after that initial note about it being nearly impossible. What I was getting at was really that the two beers have some fundamental differences that will impact which one an individual likes more. Someone who likes additives and/or BA stouts is *probably* more inclined to like KBS, and someone who likes non-BA and/or additive-less stouts is *probably* more inclined to like FIS.

Personally, I prefer FIS. The fact that it's so easy to get only increases how awesome it is.

 

About to crack open a year-old bottle!

 

Welcome to the Dark Side

 

It's still all over Philly area

 

I don't think the porter and IRS are very similar at all.