Breakfast at Night
Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout, 2010 Edition)
A+
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
A bottle of the 2010 edition of KBS is poured into the center of a tulip glass. It is an opaque dark brown liquid, with a perfect brown foam head. It’s not too thick, but has enough heft to give you pause when you look at it and remark “now that’s what a stout should look like!” Swirling the beer gives the head some strength and coats the walls of the glass with a foamy film that is trying its hardest not to recede.
The aroma is a great mix of coffee and bourbon. Roasty bitterness is quite apparent, but there is also smokiness in the background to remind you of the year this beer spent in close proximity to bourbon-soaked oak.
Tremendous flavor that refuses to admit it’s an 11.2% imperial stout. Coffee and vanilla flavors dominate, but neither overpowers. It’s not too bitter nor too sweet; both tastes are balanced perfectly. Bourbon notes come into play as I swallow and leave my mouth feeling warm without burning. Even as the bourbon flavor fades, an oakiness remains long after I’ve swallowed. I don’t recall how hot KBS is when fresh, but a year in the cellar has mellowed things out to make it an exceptional beer.
It is certainly a heavy beer and has low carbonation. It is a touch sticky on my lips and does leave a coat behind, but has a viscous feel, like it wants to be swallowed and not cling to your mouth.
KBS is a benchmark in the world of bourbon aged stouts. There is justification to how sought-after this beer is. Do yourself a favor and seek a bottle out. Even better, spring for the entire 4 pack. Drink one fresh and age the remaining three. It will be worth it.
