Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS)

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

The beer gurgles from the 12-ounce brown bottle a soot black, the head is thick and creamy, the color a deep chocolate, the size perfect, as it slowly erodes the laces forms a thick concealing blanket to surround the glass. Nose is steeped with toasted grain, hints of chocolate and a touch of Bourbon barrel sourness, quite mouth watering. Start is somewhat sweet with a rich grain profile, the top rich and full in feel. Finish has a nice acidity, the hops plentiful and the deep roasted grain flavor sits long on the palate, a sure fire winner in my book.

12 ounce bottle from Beer Depot in Ann Arbor, MI (June 2007) drunk at cellar temperature from a Corsendonk glass at my parents’ house in southern Wisconsin. Beautiful pour, impenetrable midnight with a chocolate-pudding head that decays slowly leaving thick dark lacing.....nose is nearly all coffee at first, surprising as usually the bourbon overpowers these things, but slowly some oaky hints, burnt caramel, and faint traces of berries show up; its assertive and different, anyway....very rich mouthfeel, somewhat dry and coffee-ground-like at first, the gritty texture giving way to velvety cakiness quickly, dark bitter chocolate infused with blueberries, and doused briefly in fairly young, harsh bourbon....bitter and long, burnt malty character runs through to the finish. I had the feeling this would disappoint me, and it didn’t actually, I find it quite interesting and different from most other BBA Imperials I’ve had, the whiskey not overdone at all; that said, it’s a little harsh to drink with regularity so I’ll probably save a bottle or two for just a little mellowing. Perhaps not quite deserving of its praise, but not completely overrated either.

(trade with xmarcnolanx) At first pour it looks like motor oil with no sign of a head, but by the time the beer is in the glass there’s a dark tan head about 2mm high, which settles down to a ring of foam. Zero light penetrates the glass when held up to a 60w bulb! Strong aroma of cocoa powder with hints of vanilla. I could sit here taking air hits off the glass for a long time its so good. Remember I said looked like motor oil? It has a thick body of motor oil when drinking too. Huge flavors of coconut and vanilla. Make no mistake this is a sipping beer, the flavor is so intense. Once you get over the extreme roasty aftertaste there’s a warming on the palate of the bourbon which lasts for quite some time. While this may not turn out to be your favorite beer of all time, if you like imperials and you like alcohol barrell aged brews you MUST try this one.

Deep black color with a medium brown head that disappears steadily. Thin spotty lacing. Aroma of espresso, caramel and bourbon. Thick and oily with a strong coffee character, as well as roasted malt, oak and dark chocolate flavors. Bourbon/whiskey is there throughout and adds a nice dimension rather than being a distraction as seems to happen sometimes. The finish is bitter with coffee and a light alcohol burn. Enjoyable for sure, although a bit on the pricey side.

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.

12oz bottle-thanks to vyvvy for hooking me up with a sample of this rare one. pours pitch black with a soaphy tan head. very nice swirly appearance to the head. thick and viscous with some decent legs along the rim of the glass. HUGE coffee on initial nose with the bourbon right behind it. the aroma is actually well balanced for a barrel aged beer. the chocolate, char, coffee from regular breakfast stout come through strong here. flavors however, are mostly due to the bourbon barrel-vanilla, chocolate, char, roast, anise, cut wood, and chocolate covered cherries. big alcohol note on the finish. becomes somewhat tiresome as i finish the sample. very solid bourbon stout, but not something i would have repeated samples of.

OSLO and Guerde’s Memorial Weekend Tasting, 5/23/08. Thanks to STLWill for this one! Black color with a thin head. Big coffee and bourbon aroma. The taste screams both coffee and bourbon. Seems like Jack Daniels to me. A little thin, but still excellent. Dry malt finish and plent of roasted barley. Delicious.

Thin brown head with a fair retention. Lacing is surprisingly sticky, lasting and attractive. A pitch black colored brew. Nose is big roast, coffee, cocoa and lovingly chocolatey with the bourbon buried in the back. Body is med/full with a coating mouthfeel, silky. Tons of roast, coffee and chocolate playing off the bourbon flavors. The whisky is brash but does,nt seem out of place here. Roast is big and tasty with some black malt notes as well. Finish is dry, chocolatey and roasty, whisky of course. Alot of Stout here! Props to CMUBEERMAN for the bottle!