I think it is safe to say that CBS is the pinnacle of their stouts.  Taking the base Imperial Stout with its huge flavor we move on to their Breakfast Stout brewed with coffee, chocolate, and oats.  From there that brew is then aged in Kentucky Bourbon barrels to create KBS.  Then, when you thought it was not possible to perfect, Founders took that Bourbon barrel aging and used ones which once contained Michigan maple syrup to create CBS (giving nod to our Northern friends).

On December 1st, 2011 I had the privilege of sampling this beer for the first time on draft at the Bavarian Lodge in Lisle, IL.  Founders had a tap takeover and boy was it a rush.  Arriving shortly after 3pm there was a long line for a 4pm opening.  I was one of the lucky few to get a glass of CBS and Black Biscuit before the kegs popped 15 minutes into the event.  In all honesty it tastes very similar in both bottle and draft form which I think speaks a lot to the quality of the brew.

On Tap:  Deep mocha/tan head that is dense and creamy resting atop a viscous jet black body (syrup-like) that has legs.  Dark ruby edges were noticeable.  Huge coffee notes, astringent burnt grains, oats, and an abv sting.  Maple syrup on the nose for sure.  Caramel and vanilla come across big and bold.  The taste was that of raisins and vanilla.  The mouthfeel was thick, silky, smooth and almost buttery (oily).  It seemed to combine all the other stouts Founders makes.  Notes of plum and dark fruits are found in aftertaste.  Delicious and so good, CBS great sweet notes that help to mask the abv.

Bottle:  Poured a deep opaque black/brown color with a dense dark khaki head.  The appearance is very similar to its preceding stouts.  Something that I found interesting is that CBS seems much more viscous than KBS although both are barrel aged.  I gather this is due to the maple syrup which most likely lined the barrel.  Also the abv is much lower than KBS.  I’m not sure what to attribute to that as syrup is refined sugar.   Right from the broken seal I could smell a plethora of delicious burnt grain, roasted coffee, and chocolate notes.

Big roasted notes found in the Imperial Stout coat the nose while the maple syrup quality provide a relieving sweetness.  The coffee was the prevailing aroma, but it helped to highlight the grains, chocolate and syrup.  I’d say this is more of a Breakfast stout in all honesty.  All the ingredients to start your day.  There was an additional spiciness which smelled a bit like cinnamon or nutmeg found in the aroma.  Rich, hearty and bold it was one of the best smelling beers I have come across.

The flavor was unique and well balanced.  All aspects of this beer worked together to complement each other while at the same time stand alone.  There was a definite sweet quality that coated the front of the palate while letting the astringent grains and coffee flavors offer their soothing effects.  At colder temps it was smooth with bitter chocolate notes.  At warmer temps I received the full range of flavors from all aspects of the beer.  This gives way to the caramel and vanilla flavors.  The coffee accented the syrup to create a breakfast blend type of roast.  The chocolate and syrup made me think of chocolate chip pancakes.  The the maple syrup itself recalled the wonderful taste of Stroopwafel.  Additional notes of brown sugar, treacle, molasses, and black licorice were evident at different point of each sip.  The finish had a slight hoppy tingle to it that is piney and earthy along with a campfire smoke.  Barrel aging provides a very dry oaky tannin finish and aftertaste that is supplemented by the sweet syrup flavor and a burnt oats/grainy character.  Be advised:  CBS is super smooth!

Founders CBS lives up to the hype in so many ways.  Crafted with quality and care it stands as a benchmark for what a great Spirit-aged beer can offer…let alone what ingenuity can produce.  If you are a die-hard (that’s for you Jake) fan of Founders, Imperial Stouts, barrel aged stouts, or maple syrup I would recommend acquiring a bottle for your personal enjoyment.  I would definitely recommend letting this beer warm as you drink.

Once you get past the great color this beer has, an orange-copper hue, you are in for a treat.  The plume of delicate foam that laces invites you to waft in the hoppy sweet smells that rise from the glass.  Something I didn’t notice while pouring the Black Hatter is that these beers are unfiltered so there will be some sediment in the bottom.

Juicy wet hops prevail over a very pleasant toasty, spicy malt profile.  There are sweet caramel notes which provide a base for the fruity citrus hop aromas that are present.  Pineapple, mango, grapefruit, and lemon are the most prevalent.  The piney quality from the hops and spiciness from the rye malt compliment each other well lending a kick to the beer without the help of the abv.

Enjoying each sip, Rye Hatter has a nice biscuity flavor that contrasts the spicy rye malt used.  Similar to a Red ale night toasted bread notes and caramel wash over the palate giving some sweetness to counteract the hops.  They are for the most part pretty bitter and fruity.  I’d say they have an edge on the malt ever-so-slightly.  The finish is resinous, rich, and refreshing for a Fall evening (maybe not to much during the summer months).  There is a gentle caramel/light toffee aftertaste on the palate which helps balance the dang hop quality at the end.

My freshly poured glass delivered a big boozy, piney, resinous, grapefruit salvo.  While the abv was right there in my face the hops and malt did a good job of trying to hide the 12% heat.  Very pungent, the resins and oils completely invaded my nose as I tipped the glass back to sip.  I thought it was going to be like drinking fire and brimstone from Hell itself, but the flavors surprised me greatly.  Spicy and complex I thought it could have almost been a hoppy barleywine (maybe with some age).  The malts have a nice imperial red ale quality with just enough caramel sweetness to protect this beer from being all hops.  There is a slight nutty somewhat toasty flavor which lends some depth.  The hops!  Well, bold and spicy they do not let your taste buds retreat.  They blend to sting the nose and coat the palate the entire sip, but more importantly the finish.  Citrus, piney, pungent, resinous, yet clean like Double Trouble.  The abv did detract a little bit on the latter part of the palate as it was harsh.It definitely has a hoppy centered aftertaste that displays the citrus notes (pineapple, mango, grapefruit, orange), but balances into a spiciness with the malt.

It is worth all the hype, this much is true.  Grade: A-

Aged one year (2011):  Last Summer I bought two bottles for the purpose of enjoying one fresh and the other aged.  They were bottled on 5-28-10 and today (9-17-11) I thought was a great day to open up a beer from my stash.  Poured into a snifter I looked almost similar.  Some differences I noticed were a creamier head that developed late an had a yellowish tint to it.  The beer was super clear as the sediment has collected at the bottom of the bottle.  The color itself looked just a tad darker, but still possessed a vibrant ruby-orange hue.  Visually, this beer is very appealing.

The aroma was still chalk full of hops, sticky and resinous.  However, they did lack that fresh “kick” as noted the year before.  Not surprisingly, the malt character deepened and gave off some wonderful rich caramel notes along with a candied sweetness.  Minus the intense grapefruit aroma, I would liken this beer the second time around to their Red’s Rye or Pursuit of Hoppiness.  Both citrus and piney qualities could be found in the pungent hops.

The whole point of my little experiment was to see if it took on characteristics of a barleywine.  My theory was that it would.  The alcohol was more present in this sampling, but in the end the malts left me thinking I had just sipped a very boozy, hoppy Red Ale.  The finish is bitter with an abv warmth and honeyed malt aspect.  Regarding the mouthfeel, I’d say this was slightly below that of palate coating.  The sugary notes stuck to the roof of my mouth, but the hops (which stuck as well) and alcohol helped to clean the palate.  It is a slow sipper and best enjoyed around cellar temperatures.  No need to get this one cold as you will lessen the flavors.  Grade: B

Do not be fooled by the old “American Gothic” farmer on the label as this beer is lively and effervescent.  The head quickly rose as I slowly poured this beer.  The marmalade color beer bubbled excitedly making me think it was bottle conditioned.  Towards the end of the bottle some yeast sediment made my once clear beer cloudy so I guess you could say a partial fermentation took place in the bottle.

The aroma had a kick, and I don’t mean in a boozy way.  After all, it only has an abv of 5 and some change so this could be a nice aperitif or paired with a starting course.  There were great bubblegum notes, strawberry, melon, lemon, and lemongrass up front.  Deeper notes of white pepper, citrus and grassy hops, and bready yeast.  It was spicy at first and as you poured more of the bottle out it become more mellowed (most likely due to the yeast).  Light and lively.

The taste was exactly like the smell.  Up front the tangy yeast and spicy hops awakened the palate each sip.  The smooth, slightly creamy middle, was bready like a blond ale.  This then transitioned into the best part of the beer.  The finish!  All the above mentioned aromas converged on the back half of my palate to create a spicy medley of flavor.  Sharper notes of pepper and hops tickled the tongue while bubblegum fruitiness gave some relief.  The aftertaste was relatively Pil-like with a herbal hop quality.  Not my favorite variation, but good in its own right.

A few months ago I had the privilege of hanging out at Jolly Pumpkin’s Ann Arbor brewpub: sat at a table in the second floor lounge, which was overcrowded, humid, and loud … just like a middle school locker room. They were tapped out of a lot of the beers on their list, and I ended up sitting there for a couple of hours drinking beers I wasn’t interested in. Joke’s on me I guess. But I was with my cousins, so that made it palatable.

Last night’s sampling of Maracaibo Especial was a far cry from that musty, late night fiasco. In the quiet and comfort of my very own kitchen, I poured this rusty brown elixir into my pint glass and sighed deeply and with satisfaction. I think the best beer experiences are to be had away from the cacophony, in places more refined and subtle than loud and crowded. It’s in a place conducive to meditation, focus, and evaluation that I believe we can best judge a beer. Of course that isn’t to say that beer tastes awesome at parties, tastings, festivals, etc …

Maracaibo Especial is, like I said, a rusty brown with some great carbonation that develops easily when you pour into the middle of the glass and take your time. The nose will definitely come alive and in this case was bursting with this spicy, tangy aroma that seemed pretty atypical to me. Newcastle this ain’t. But it wasn’t “off-tasting” so I pushed ahead.

I was expecting to taste a few things: first the Brettanomyces aka “Brett” (yeast used in many traditional Belgian beers). Many people look at Brett as imparting undesirable and astringent off-flavors, which is legit. But this beer is brewed in the Belgian style, so the presence of Brett gives it a traditional foundation which I believe is important. I was also looking for some cacao bitterness and also that spice from the cinnamon, and figured there’d be a nice malty backbone to it for balance. As I sipped the beer, most of my thoughts were conformed. It’s a bitter beer, sour almost … that’s thanks to the Brett and probably the cacao. The cinnamon is there, but subtly. And the malts are in the background as well.

Calling this a Brown Ale is kind of misleading. When you use Brettanomyces as your yeast, you’ve gotta know that anything else you put in it is going to play second fiddle. There’s just no reckoning with the Brett. I appreciate the creativity with which Jolly Pumpkin approached this seasonal beer (released yearly in November) … but I can’t vouch for its effectiveness. Sometimes mixing American nuance with Belgian tradition just doesn’t fit.

If you’ve developed your palate enough to the point that you can enjoy and evaluate beers brewed with Brettanomyces … you’ll probably like this beer. It has some flavors of fall to it. But if Brett isn’t your thing and you know that it’s hard to get past those sour flavors, you really have no business messing with Maracaibo Especial. I think it’s a pretty polarizing brew, and am very interested to know what others think of it.

The head is dense and almost creamy as the reddish-beige hue rested atop the deep ruby red liquid.  It looked identical to the NCBC Old Stock Ale I had the night before so I figured the color is in good company.  As I sipped a foamy lace lined the glass and gave character.

The aroma of this beer is awesome.  Unlike most old ales or barleywines the abv is right up there to greet you.  This beer however restrains it beneath some amazing tannins, toffee, rich caramel, cinnamon, pumpkin, nutmeg, biscuit, autumn, and deep fruity grape notes.  Seriously, this beer has a lot going on.  Brewed with molasses and aged in oak for spell it creates a wide range of aromas to enjoy while sipping.  At times it smelled like an English Barleywind, others a pumpkin beer, and others a winter warmer.  The abv is mellow and at 9.8% it is hidden nicely behind all the malts.

I’ve found that I prefer Old Ales over Barleywines for their smooth and mellow texture while retaining a moderate-heavy mouthfeel.  As each sip passes over my palate I’m left with the huge malt bomb with some great spicy notes and dry oaky finish.  At cooler temps this finishes rather clean, but as you let it warm it is like finishing a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.  My mouth was dry and had a definite woodsy aftertaste.

If you want a bigger beer that is approachable and smooth without the harsh abv effects to the smell and taste, pick up a pack of old curmudgeon.  At the end of the night I promise…you will be far from ill-tempered.

The beer serves as the base for Founders KBS and CBS beers which are aged in various Bourbon barrels.   Brewed with Sumatra and Kona coffee, and imported bitter chocolates this beer has some extra added muscle.  I really enjoyed there Imperial Stout so the addition of oatmeal alone give Breakfast Stout a velvety, silky, slick mouthfeel.  Not to mention the aroma smells like a bag of oats in a barn.

I let you in on a little secret.  Please do not pour or enjoy this beer right out of the fridge.  You need to let this reach cellar temp (55-60 degrees) for maximum enjoyment and aroma.  This is for a few reasons.  1) the head on this beer adds to the overall presentation and I’ve noticed that many video reviews lack the head that I feel should rightly be there.  2) the colder temps limit the aroma and flavor of the chocolate and coffee.  So, if you want to get the most out of this beer…drink it warm(er).  I bought my bottle and let it sit on my basement floor for 8 hrs before opening.

The aroma is…bitter chocolate and deep coffee notes.  What else could I expect?  It had a great black coffee, espresso quality at some points.  The astringent bitterness form both ingredients lifted the other to new heights.  The dark bitter chocolate notes seemed to rides the coat tails of the coffee flavors.  However, other wafts seemed to suggest the opposite.  I guess you can say all three aspects (chocolate, coffee, and oatmeal) worked harmoniously to provide a very appealing aroma.

The taste broke down about the same.  I’ll be honest, the mouthfeel just about made this beer.  Breakfast Stout possessed the right amount of thickness which gave it that meaty, chewy, and creamy quality.  The flavors clung to my palate and I didn’t mind.  Coffee breath…you’ve smelled it on your co-workers.  Now add luxurious chocolate and oatmeal to that and you’ve got yourself the backbone.  Coffee up front and on the finish.  Smooth, yet bitter in its own right.  The chocolate was fresh and reminded me of making chocolate chip cookies with my mother as a youngster.

A beer every stout lover or craft beer lover should try at least once.  Grade: A+

John: I love breakfast! As a kid it was my favorite meal of the day. The smell and taste of bacon and eggs can’t be beat. And don’t forget the wafts of  coffee in the air. Ahhhh. Hard to improve on a good breakfast. Unless…here’s where Founder’s Breakfast Stout comes in, you have Breakfast Stout. Wow, what a beer! Especially when it’s warm. I love oatmeal stouts. Thick, sticky, smooth stouts. Stouts that confront you with power and strength. This is one of the best I’ve tried. A great way to start out the day. Well not too early. FBS pours a rich, thick, syrupy, blackish brown. Not quite like oatmeal and nothing like bacon and eggs but it gives you a wake up! The cinnamon colored head is a 1/2 a finger then lays low the entire “meal”. The aroma shouts bitter chocolate and rich espresso coffee. What a way to start the day. Oh, I said that. The taste is outstanding. Coffee first, chocolate next, malts and some interesting metallic something. There are some hops in there somewhere. The mouthfeel is medium to thick like a good “earthy” espresso should be. The finish is silky smooth and then stingy (no oatmeal here). What a breakfast. My advice is stretch it out. Long and slow. Warm and easy. Like no other breakfast you’ve had before.  Grade: A

Pouring deeper than a porter, yet not as black as a stout, this beer looks similar to every other Black IPA.  Same fluffy beige head that leaves lacy rings as you sip.  When held up to the light dark brown and mahogany hues highlight the edges.

Dry hopped with Centennial, there is that familiar Mad Hatter appeal that will draw you in.  Then, just as you remember the smell an earthy dark roasted malt profile a little remix for your nose.  This beer had soft floral herbal notes that blend well with the malts regarding the aroma.  The initial blast of hops is citrus-like but more lime in approach.  There was some spiciness, pepper, and piney qualities as well.  It smelled closest to Hopwork’s rendition.

The taste was actually pretty well balanced with a nod towards the malt side.  Centennial hops are not the most bitter so they allowed the burnt grains to come forward.  Since the abv is low, I found myself enjoying this beer more and more as I drank.  The reason being: I could explore the flavors without a harsh overpowering heat/sting.  Smooth and easy drinking all the way through.

The mouthfeel is on the lighter side making for a clean finish that has a spicy hop zing combined with the a mild astringency from the malt.  The aftertaste has a low oily hop mouth-smacking dryness which drive you to the next sip.

It pours like a grape juice cocktail, all fizzy and purple and a rim of foam across the top, a bright, almost unnatural magenta. It seems Founders must have used an artificial dye in this one, a few drops at least, to make it pop with color like it does. But no indeed, I guess that’s just what a bunch of fermenting raspberries do.

It smelled incredibly sweet, definitely fruity and reminded me of another big fruit beer I had recently had, Raspberry Tart by New Glarus. Founders version, however, was even deeper in color and more bold in scent. The raspberries were definitely present, but like they had been soaked in sugar and candied. The sip was wonderful. The body was bigger, more full and more smooth than I would have suspected. It slid down my throat easily, despite the slightly fizzy edges and slightly sour aftertaste. That sour lingered, coated and beckoned me to take sips number two, three and four, attempting to quench the unquenchable. But I didn’t stop trying. It was rich and solid, without too many nuances or complexities it was just a great raspberry brew. The folks at Founders knew exactly what they were going for on this one and in my book, hit it right on the head.  Grade: A

Tom:  My encounter with this beer came during a Founders tap take over at a local bar.  Before requesting this beer, I had sampled CBS and Black Biscuit so my palate was use to the roasted malt complexities.  Nonetheless I was determined to sample beers I could not get on a regular basis.  While the bottle does read an abv of 9.2%, the draft version clocks in at 12.3%.  Honestly, I’m not exactly sure what the difference is.  Maybe the keg has more volume for a secondary fermentation to take place or the bar wrote down the number.  Either way, the alcohol content was not an issue as it took a station wagon back seat.

Similar to Michael’s pour there was no head on my beer.  I was expecting something akin to Lindeman’s Framboise (which has an ample head), but no…there was nothing.  I did notice a moderate carbonation rising from the glass that ended up looking like a champagne.  The color was dark blood-ruby red.  It literally looked like raspberry or grape jelly.  The aroma was straight up raspberries.  Jammy and sugary.  No hint of alcohol on the nose.

The taste was a little too sweet like New Glarus’ Belgian Red Ale.  It did taste fresh and jammy all the way through the each sip.  Like I had just lathered on a dollop of raspberry preserves, jam, or jelly.  There was a slight tart prick, but nowhere near sour.  Essentially, it tastes like a Belgian Blond ale that had a fair amount of raspberry grenadine put in it.  A little too sugary for me.  I could see this as a nice aperitif if served in small portions or poured over vanilla ice cream for dessert.  Grade:  B

In color, its practically a chameleon. Under the initial light it was a dark brown, with hints of amber, yet in another room, the barley wine was practically red, like a tulip glass full of cranberry juice. The nice layer of head settled without lacing, creating a neat little lid of off-white. The scent was most definitely distinctive barley wine, alcoholic, sweet, malty, all blended to a pleasing mixture, coaxing me to sip. There is an earthy quality on the tongue, it weaves its way through the caramel, smooth and rich brew. There is a sour cherry note, like a bowl of them had been soaking in liqueur and then thrown in on brew day. That sourness pulls through the whole swig, down to the finish which is a bit stinging and quite alcoholic.

Trying to place the ‘wheatwine’ in this brew was less easily done this go-round. In my first experience it seemed to tone the astringency of the barley wine, it was less harsh and made for a smooth, pleasant experience. This time, however, it felt more like I was drinking an intensely alcoholic spirit, rather than a beer smoothed out around the edges. My experience with barley wines is, admittedly, not incredibly diverse. It could be that I have had too many aged varieties and too few without, but it seems to me New Holland’s rendition needs either a few months in a barrel, or a year in my cellar.