Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS)

At Taste of Midwest last summer. Just realized I never rated it. Very bourbon, very big. Not as much coffee flavor as the regular Breakfast Stout-- not sure if just because of bourbon or different recipe. Would like to try again when my palate is not toast from tasting big beers all afternoon.

12oz from Eithcubes - thanks, Mike! After about 7 months, it seems this is a beer best enjoyed fresh (against all reason, a high-ABV, barrel-conditioned stout should really last longer). Deep inky pour with minimal head/lacing, the aroma is big and bourbon-y, natch. But the body seems to have thinned a bit much, and there’s a slightly sour aftertaste. Strange, as I had much more positive impressions initially. Still enjoyable, but not as good as regular Founders Breakfast.

Pours an opaque soot black with a chocolate milk head and plenty of lacing. Looks like a beauty. Smells of roasted malts, roasted coffee beens, mild hops and some bourbon oak. Tastes like the smell with a hint of vanilla bean and it is delicious. Each of the flavors present themself proud as a peacock with each sip. Mouthfeel is full, a little chewy. Drinkability is amazing. The ABV is non existant which is rediculous, as it hides behind all the wonderful flavors. Definitly savoring each sip.

Bottle: Pours a dark brown, near black with a finger of thick tan head. Aroma is coffee and roasty, near burnt malts. Smoky presence with a little bourbon sweetness. Flavor is cofee with chocolate and bittersweetness, the smoke makes a little bit of a presence known. Kind of a dry smoky feel that detracts a bit from the overall sweetness and bourbon feel. Still, quite nice.

Consumed on 7/24/07- bday beer and complements of xav33. Pours out like motor oil. More head than expected-colour of milk chocolate. Nose- bakers chocolate and dark roasted coffee beans. Taste- that is some heavy shit! bourbon, chocolate explosion, vanilla, and so on... Viscous yet creamy mouthfeel and hops have a good bite at the end. Not boozy, not not a beer to be messed with . This bottle took a couple of hours to contemplate as it should.

Bottle: Pours a dark black color, thick tan head, large bubbles and a nice muddy appearance. The nose is coffee, rich semi-spent grounds, nice oak character and some light dry alkaline notes. The flavor is oaky, light briny wood and plum, vanilla, roast and ample thick coffee. Bitter espresso with the bite of straight but the body of breve. Interesting, but good. I’m not a fan of that type of roast in the nose and an astringent tail. Thanks Jake65!

Super dark pour, aroma of coffee, malt and a bit of smoke. Virtually no carbonation, but the beer is pretty active and lively in the mouth. Given the name, I was expecting a bourbon blast once the glass hit my mouth, but the barrel aging seems rather subdued. There are so many of these big bold barrel aged stouts out there that you really have to be excellent to make any kind of impression. Prior to this beer, I had a Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, and it was miles ahead of this. This one left me a bit unsatisfied.

This was the second time I had had the KBS, both times on tap. The first time was the Extreme Beer Fest, so I could appreciate it more this time. I had remembered it being sweeter the first time but more chocolatey this time. At any rate, I was much more impressed this time. It was served in a goblet at the brewpub. A: Jet black body with no head. Even when held to the candle at the table, no light penetrated. S: The smells emanating from the glass were very strong and delicious. Right up front was a ton of chocolate followed by coffee, dark fruits (dates?), some smokiness and a bit of maple syrup. All in all, it kind of smelled like a burnt mocha, but in a good way if that’s possible. T: The taste is just like the aroma, very chocolaty with coffee and some burnt sugar flavors. The smoothness and creaminess are incredible for a beer of 10% alcohol. This is definitely one of my favorite beers, although I am partial to double stouts. M: As I said before, the creaminess and smoothness are amazing although the beer is lighter in body than it would seem. Many of these high alcohol double stouts have the same quality of only medium body. D: I wish I lived in Grand Rapids. Enough said.