Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS)

Brewed by Founders Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

A Mes rate. Bottle at home thanks to Grant.
A thick vampire black pour with a decent, lasting tan head. Big chewy chocolate malt all round. Coffee and vanilla are a given, as are the stinking barrel notes. But there is something just that bit extra here. Yes the bourbon is obvious too but there are distinct notes of Islay whiskies that really make a difference. Seaweed, peat, slight iodine, yum. The alcohol is just a little on the raw side but it’s not too much of a spoiler. The vanilla and marzipan notes are excellent from start to finish. Great great beer, it’s just too hot. Cut out the raw boozy character and it would be sublime. As it is, I find it just s little over the top.

Bottle. [thank you, Yespr]
Pours pitch-black with amedium and very creamy brown head. Looks much like a Guinness in the way that the bubbles between the liquid and the head moves around a lot, gathering momentum, enhancing the head and increasing the liquid. Aroma is powerful, lots of mild coffee, super cocoa and a light tart bourbon note. Creamy and full mouthfeel. Flavour has chocolate, light dryish coffee and a great roasted feel to it. Some light tartness and oak, but not even remotely too much - very well balanced and nice.

12oz bottle acquired in trade with goldtwins (thanks!). Poured a dark black color with an averaged sized brown head. Aromas of wood, vanilla, smoke, roast, espresso coffee, and some chocolate. Very nice aroma. Tastes of wood, vanilla (strong but not as strong as in the aroma), roast, coffee, chocolate, and a very light bourbon finish. The barrel aging was done very nicely as it wasn’t overpowering. Light lacing left on the glass. Alcohol content well hidden. This one was very easy to drink.

Draft, EBF: Ebony black, nice tan head. Complex coffee emanations melted in whisky and a truck of oatmeal. Creamy chocolate component makes it appear very full. This smells as good as the original. Unfortunately, here ceases the comparison to me, the barrel-aging gave it a tartness I’m not a fan of. Whisky, dark fruits and oatmeal all work well enough, but roasted acidity and vinous cereals are not a perfect match. I just don’t dig the balance. Mouthfeel has also lost some compared to the original whereas it feels much thinner and has a close to metallic barrel tinge. A beer that starts well.

Bottle thanks to cgarvieuk. Aroma is roasty, toasty malts, alc is very noteable. Taste is similar, thick and cloying, alc is far to evedent.

(Bottle) Pours an oily opaque black body with virtually no head. Powerful aroma of bourbon, oak, and dark chocolate. Flavor of bitter coffee, roasted malt, oak, and bourbon. Way too over the top! If you enjoy sucking on bourbon soaked wood chips with your Cuban coffee...you may enjoy. Maybe I was too concerned I would get a splinter on my tongue.... Not sure how any one could finish a bottle on their own.

2007 bottle sampled on 3/21/08: Similar to previous vintages with a rich silky smooth and dark caramel and chocolate sweetness. Good oatmeal bourbon flavor with some mild coffee notes. Always complex and enjoyable.

First bottled release sampled on 5/4/06: Pours a viscous opaque with a brownish, thin-lacing head. Aroma boasts lots of fresh, dry roasty coffee and a good light oaky bourbon balance with some dark fruits and brown sugar. Body starts with a light caramel malty sweetness revealing some earthy bourbon and coffee complexity before a warming, lightly roasted mocha finish. It seems a little hot right now, but should improve with some age.

Sampled at the 2005 EBF: Rich oily black opaque body with a beautiful thick dark brown head. Aroma is a nice balance of sweet caramel and coffee with good oaky bourbon complexity. Body starts full and sweet with dry oaky flavor and a roasty mocha coffee finish with very little detectable alcohol. A great beer to start with and well balanced with the bourbon flavor. Founders is going to be giving Bells and Three Floyds a run for their money in the midwest.

Bottle...DLD’06... This beer rocks!... Pitch black ale with a small, creamy, brown head. Light bourbon, heavy coffee, chocolate and oak in the nose. The flavor is a swirl of coffee beans, chocolate, bourbon, vanilla and oak. Full-bodied and ultra-silky with soft carbonation. Finishes rich and chocolaty. World class beer!