KBS fresh or aged?

I LOVED it fresh, had it with six months, not much much, after a year, even less so. I traded the aged bottles to a buddy. Cant wait for more fresh KBS!!!

 

Do not age. I listened to the aged beer fetishists and now have a bottle of 2012 KBS that, to me, is worthless. I'm still not sure how anyone can claim that aging out the distinctive characteristics that make KBS so great improves the beer.

If you like coffee bourbon barrel stout, drink it fresh. If you don't particularly care for it, then why are you buying KBS?

 

i received a 2012 and 2011 vintage in december and finallly popped them earlier this month..the 2012 might have been better than black note and bcbs. so delicious. the 2011 tasted like it was really startingto fade...never had one fresh, but my advice is if aging it, drink it at a year. just my limited experience.

 

Worthless? I'll take it then!

 

2012 was fantastic fresh. With 9 months it already was night and day for me. Tasted too much like stale coffee.

 

I'm for aged. I like the flavors to mellow out a bit. If you like strong coffee flavor, then go with fresh. If you like a more mellow, smooth taste, then put some age on it. I don't think there's a right or wrong with KBS.

 

It already has about 14 months on it so why would you AGE it any longer?!?!?!

drink FRESH!

 

Hey guys...I am getting KBS tomorrow and wondering the best way to store it? I don't have a fridge so my house is about 68 degress. Is it better to store these in the fridge or in a closet at the 68 degress?

 

Just picked up my '13 kbs. Had it on tap today it was phenomenal as always. I am gonna try '12 and '13 side by side tonight see what happens.

 

Fresh

 

I say fresh. Bought some this past Wednesday and drank one a couple days ago. Very tasty. I have had some from every year going back to 2009 and I would drink it over the next year or longer thinking it would be as good aged. It's still great but I prefer fresh as its phenomenal.

 

Every time I get KBS I just store it in my basement which stays 65-70 all year long. I just pull one out and pour it in a glass and it tastes delicious every time!

 

Ok from my notes taken Saturday while I tried fresh and year old kbs side by side.

Aroma: '12: chocolate, Bourbon and oak considerably less aroma then the fresh kbs.
'13: big big coffee nose. Not much complexity like the aged kbs I can only smell coffee.

Appearance: both jet black with '12 having slightly less of a head on the beer.

Taste: '12: chocolate, a slight coffee roasty-ness, big bourbon note and a warm oak note. Tastes sweeter than the fresh kbs.
'13: lots of coffee flavor, noticeable chocolate flavor, oak and bourbon are there as well. Slightly acidic.

Mouth feel: similar with '12 having a little less carbonation.

Overall: I felt both beers were excellent but very different. In the end I have to say fresh is just better. I wouldn't say aged is bad but the coffee that is present in the fresh kbs just puts it over the top.

I recently had a'10 and I will never let this beer sit more than a year.
Kbs is my favorite beer and I will continue to enjoy the crap out of it!

 

Fresh fo sure!

 

2 years+ is spot on in my book. Drinking '13 right now and its the best fresh batch I've ever had, but still too bitter and not enough bourbon for my liking. With a year its just at an awkward stage where the bitterness is still present but the coffee flavor is faded. With two years the bitterness also faded and let way to such a rich and sweet chocolate flavor.

 

But by then the bourbon is also fading? I guess I just don't quite get what is to be accomplished by aging KBS. It seems that it transforms much more noticeably than most beers because its main flavor components tend to decrease in intensity fairly rapidly over time.

It sounds to me like you don't really like KBS, and prefer to let age transform it into a different beer.

 

The reason I am going to age some KBS is simply so I have some down the line. That said, i'll enjoy at least a few fresh.

 

I've never tried aging KBS. I know this may raise a few eyebrows, but I think it tastes so good fresh that I keep it in my fridge. The stuff is just so difficult to come by that I've never felt like gambling a bottle on aging.