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.

DORIS is extreme, yet approachable as any well-crafted Imperial Stout.  In fact, I gave this beer an A+ after sippin’ on half the bottle.  Allow me to explain why…

You see, when it comes to Russian Imperial Stouts I like mine on the super astringently bitter side.  Almost tastes like pure Black Patent, charcoal, and oh yeah, hops.  While many a brewery produce good interpretations of the style, I found that I gravitate towards ones that seem to enter a higher stratosphere when it comes to burnt malt character.

No doubt about it, this beer has all the makings of a great stout from the dirty motor oil thick pour and deep mocha head to the intense aroma that proceeds it.  Completely opaque no light gets through this brew.  The aroma is monumental.  Thick notes of black licorice, tar, blackstrap molasses, charred wood, campfire smoke, and burnt grains prevailed.  A spicy and piney hop profile was very noticeable in both the aroma and taste.

The mouthfeel this thick and viscous due to the intense grain bill and oatmeal addition.  It is slick, silky, oily, and on the front of the palate velvety.  The flavor however, is much deeper than BORIS.  It took me some time to warm up to the little brother, but this beer was an instant classic in my mind.  Due to the astringent nature, alcohol content that was balanced just right, and the hopping.  Not one aspect of this beer was completely overpowering.  Yes, the malt profile was dark and burnt, but the hops were something to be reckoned with.  The beer was sticky on the lips which moved to astringent and resinous on the finish.  When enjoyed with spicy salsa the spiciness cancels out leaving a Rauchbier-like effect on the aftertaste.  I was left with an aftertaste that was woody, smokey and tasted like it had been barrel aged minus the caramel and vanilla.  Dry and oaky basically layered atop some massive burnt grains.  This beer is a definite must try for any Russian Imperial Stout fan.

Pouring like dirty motor oil it was thick, black, viscous and only produced a think dark espresso head.  The head dissolves slightly leaving a ring around the glass with minor bubbles in the center.  Boris has some deep molasses legs which were noticeable when I swirled the beer.  Overall, it looks like a big stout.

When I popped the cap there was a very thick baked wort smell that came up from the bottle and glass.  It is very astringent.  There are roasted burnt malt notes but for the most part the biggest aromas were burnt caramel and black-strap molasses.  Dark plum notes covered in bakers and dark chocolate.  The oats gave the noes a slick quality and softened the chocolate bitterness.  I picked up a faint floral hop component along with a mild abv warmth.

The mouthfeel is oily, slick, velvety, and viscous.  It tastes how it looks and smells…palate coating.  The flavors really do come out in a great way towards the middle and back of each sip.  Up front, that baked wort quality really sets the stage for the astringent flavors that proceed.  These flavors build upon that  initial jolt either adding to the astringency or mellowing it out.  The dark bitter chocolate notes do both actually.  At some points, the finish and aftertaste they provide the sweetness which balances out the grains and hops.  On the other hand, in the middle of the sip the dark chocolate notes lend a chalky drying effect.  The oats give depth and overall help to smooth this beer over…especially the abv which is very well hidden in the taste.  Some hints of licorice and dark fruits ended up on the roof of my mouth in the aftertaste.

I was a little hesitant at first given the baked wort aromas, but after letting this beer open up a little at room temp I found BORIS to be a wonderful stout.  It is meaty, full bodied, strong, complex, and deep.

Interestingly, enough the pour was not as viscous as the original.  My guess is that it has to do with the barrel aging which probably helped to thin it out a little due to the alcohol content.  I was surprised to see that the abv on this beer is the same and not higher.  In any case, the beer is still ink black, but it has picked up some ruby/garnet hues due to the wood caramels and whiskey hues.  The head does develop quickly and easier, but in the end faded by the time I was done taking the picture.

Wow…the aroma is awesome!  Huge, yet light notes of vanilla, char, wood sugars/caramels, dates, figs, creamy dark chocolate, chocolate covered raisins and licorice.  The abv on this beer was very pronounced given the fact that is sat in whiskey barrels for some time.  I found that this aging process helped to bring out the darker burnt malt notes lifting them from the astringent mess of the original BORIS.  The fruitier notes found in Bourbon and whiskey was very noticeable and welcomed as it added a softer dimension to the brew.  There was an additional hint of spices like chilies, pepper, and fennel added to the mix.

Super smooth.  Each sip was luxurious, chocolate-centered, and creamy.  Dark fruits danced among deeply roasted malt flavors.  The oats were still evident which pleased me as I enjoy a good Oatmeal stout from time to time.  The mouthfeel was silky and velvety, but lighter and softer due to the aging.  Great oak and charred wood notes helped to round out the rough edges, yet at the same time added a different astringency.  Wonderful vanilla notes that pair well with the oats used.  The abv is really only noticeable in the aromas and in the finish ever so gently.  This could get you in trouble if you are not careful.  I have to say, this is one of the best barrel aged imperial stouts I’ve had to date.  It is not harsh like the Goose Island BCS beers, and smoother than Great Divides Yeti series.  However, keep in mind that I’m drinking a 2009 vintage.  Sampled fresh, it might be a different experience.

The pour is like that of an imperial stout.  Pretty straight forward.  The head was tight and displayed a very deep brown/espresso hue.  I could not get much color from the brew so I decided it was charcoal black color.  It is not overly viscous actually, but it has deep maple syrup legs when swirled.  Looking at it from afar you would think it was one of Founder’s stouts.

Wow.  If the tradition behind Mephistopheles is true, then why did he not warn me of the hell I was about to put my sense through.  The nose on Meph is like a black hole.  Hands down the deepest, darkest, thickest burnt malt aromas I’ve encountered in any beer.  Huge hints of licorice was the first aroma I received quickly followed by an abrasive alcohol content.  A big charred wood component was there as well it should be.  If you have smelled burnt coffee or opened a fresh bag of ground Black Patent that should get you half of the way to what this smells like.  Uber dark, roasty, some toasty notes.  At 107 IBUs, the hops do make an appearance in the nose a little.

I will say, this was easier to drink than Dogfish Head’s World Wide Stout which was so abrasive it hurt.  Meph does hurt a little, but there are enough hops to give it a more well-rounded approach.  The flavors are so dark.  Go figure.  Raisins, dates, and figs dipped in what tastes like 100% cocoa dark chocolate and then chased with a chocolate covered espresso bean.  The carbonation is good helping to lift some of the thicker malts off the palate, but the abv aids in this as well.  After about 6 sips, my palate gained some traction with regards to picking out various flavors.  The hops are present at the finish lending some bitter resinous relief to the quagmire of licorice and boozy.  Interestingly, there were some sweet notes that lingered in the aftertaste, but for the most part it is utterly astringent.  Huge, bold, deep, dark and sinful Meph is a challenging beer to sample and not for the faint of heart.

It looks very similar to Great Divide’s Belgian Yeti  with an opaque black color and dense, fluffy, mocha head.  The beer itself is rather viscous pouring slow and developing bubbles gradually.  Overall, it looks like a very approachable stout.

The aroma was glorious.  Big roasted and burnt grain notes ran deep.  Complex layers of dark fruit and floral hops rested atop warm coffee notes.  In fact, the hops offered a light counterpart resulting and a deep black chai-like spice.  Hints of plums, some dates, and honey cascaded up with the help of the yeast strain which added a pleasant dimension.  It kept the beer from being, just another heavy American imperial stout really.  The nose was soft and delicate, yet containing great depth.  I could pick out the oatmeal-like qualities and for the most part the abv was very well hidden.

When it came to the taste I’d say the first think that stood out was the mouthfeel.  Creamy, slightly slick, velvety and moderate-heavy.  Again, the Belgian yeast strain helped to lighten the beer some so the viscosity was perfect in my opinion.  Big chocolate flavors struck my tongue at different point lending hints of milk, bittersweet, and dark variations.  The coffee flavors were found farther back on the palate and were not over the top.  The truth is: this stout is a very easy sipping, enjoyable brew.  It is made with quality.  There was a great deal of muscle from the intense grain flavors and abv giving it that “imperial” quality we like here in America, yet at the same time the Belgian flare gave it a unique floral aspect.

The finish was cocoa and dark coffee along with a herbal hops character which was astringent and somewhat spicy.  This was rounded out by a long roasted dark fruit aftertaste.

The pour was similar to the barrel aged rendition in that while it was on the thicker end of the spectrum, it flowed easier out of the bottle.  The head developed quicker and was a darker shade of espresso/mocha than other BORIS beers.  It too, faded relatively quickly into the brew which had similar legs that that of the original.  The color was in my opinion darker if that is possible.

When it came time for the aroma I was not sure what to expect.  Lifting the glass to my nose there was a very evident alcohol heat that rose up to greet me.  As compared to the original BORIS, there was a more pronounced astringent bitterness.  The oats were still recognizable, but they played second fiddle to the sweeter, smokier presence of the English malt.  I must say, this was interesting to experience.  I had a sample glass of the original right next to me and the aromas from both differed considerably.  While BORIS has a slick, oily, oatmeal character on the nose, the 100th batch heightened the burnt malt qualities and had layers of a smokey kiln effect.  It had a slight essence of burnt popcorn as well as salty seaweed.  Overall, it was more roasty and astringent in the aroma.

Different in many regards, this beer was knock out.  While I don’t think the overall thickness and viscosity of the beer diminished, the stronger burnt malt flavors were quicker to hit the palate than before.  The original developed in the latter half of the sip where as this variation hit you right away.  There were also sweeter point along the sip making it a full bodied brew.  Taking some time to enjoy the glass I realized this beer had similar qualities to that of a Dry Irish stout (i.e., Guinness and Beamish).  That burnt barley quality was evident in this beer even though a pale malt was used.  In addition, there was also a smokey aspect to this brew in the finish and aftertaste.  I was able pick up on the oat quality, but that too seemed muffled behind the smokier malt profile.

Pouring a moderately thick, definitely deep brunt brown color that can define a stout this beer boasted a mocha head that was dense.  Despite what looked seemed like a lasting head, it died rather quickly but did provide some lacing.  So far so good.  It had all the makings of a RIS.

The aroma was favored the roasted grains more so than the coffee and chocolate notes.  Both were present, but not the focal point.  I’d would argue that this beer displayed some great qualities both in the malt and hops category.  I have never had Phoenix hops before so I cannot speak to their bitterness, but the hops in this beer were spicy.  Combined with the abv they lent some heat to the mix of burnt grains.  These grains provided the backdrop for the dark coffee notes and bitter chocolate.  After some time of being swirled in the glass a dark fruity aroma came forward…prunes and figs.

The taste was straight forward and unassuming.  Smooth, boozy, and hoppy.  Maybe it is the West Coast influence, but these stout had a formidable hop presence that took over towards the later half of the sip.  Mind you this was not a Black IPA as the mouthfeel, abv, and malt profile all pointed and embraced the imperial stout style.  The mouthfeel was rather creamy while at the same time not being overtly thick or oily.  I enjoyed the malt and hop characters which were strong enough to force the abv to take a backseat.  Good drinkability for a RIS, yet lacking in the darker astringent roasty flavors of coffee, chocolate and booze.

It had a fairly huge nose as hints of prunes, dates, figs, dark fruits, vanilla, licorice, and light coffee filled the air.  In the end smooth Bourbon notes took over the aroma.  Earthy hops were spicy and provided a little kick along with the abv adding just a little muscle to the mix.  With regards to the barrel aging, richh tannin notes similar to a Cabernet Sauvignon.  Dark, spicy and jammy.

The head on this beer was thicker, creamier and lighter in color than its non-barrel aged counterpart.  Other than that, the appearance is identical.  Tipping back my snifter the first flavors that hit my palate were vanilla, dates, and caramel.  Mid sip the roasted grains started came to the forefront.  The abv is noticeable in finish which leads into date and fig notes.  The tannins from the charred wood gave a light smokey texture and taste on the back half of each sip.  While there is some hints of chocolate, they are minor and found in the aftertaste.  This beer is good, but not the best barrel aged imperial stout I’ve had.  The Bourbon flavors were rich and smooth, but they seemed to have a fruity mellowed aroma and taste.  I prefer more of cleaner, wood caramel, lighter mouthfeel Bourbon notes in my aged stouts.

The aroma is somewhat euphoric!  While Yeti(s) past had a very dark, astringently burnt malt aroma this one was different.  Soft fruity notes penetrated the malt offering up hints of raspberry, blueberry, and boysenberry.  The fruity notes combined with the roasted aspect gave a fennel spicy quality similar to that Stone collab.  Smooth and well balanced between yeast and malt.  I’ve had a few Belgian Stouts that are too far one way and fail to let both the unique yeast come forth or the malts play their role.  Light coffee notes present themselves along with a chocolaty bittersweet aspect.  At work today someone brewed a boysenberry coffee and I will say this Yeti smells very similar.  The abv was non-existent  unlike previous variations.  As the dark mocha head settled, I was perfectly content just smelling this beer.

However, it was not brewed for just sniffing.  When it came to the taste I say I was impressed more by the mouthfeel.  Velvety, silky, creamy, and elegant.  What a delight it was to sip on this beer.  The roasted flavors that make Yeti lovable were there, yet mellowed and muted.  The yeast was similarly muted, yet lent its wonderful qualities.  They consisted of dates, figs, and berries.  If you have had their Grand Cru, the yeast strain is most likely the same.  The characteristics you find it that brew (with regards to yeast) you will find in this beer covered in chocolate and coffee goodness.   Sweet flavors were found in the finish and aftertaste as the yeast did lend a bready body that sat upon the palate.  The malt was classic Yeti, but you’ll find that brunt astringency in the late aftertaste.

While one might think that chocolate, espresso, and oak added to a Russian Imperial Stout can’t be beat, I would add that Belgian Yeti tops all.  It is complex, yet simple.  Robust, yet graceful.  I wholeheartedly enjoyed this brew and think it is the best American representation of what a stout from Belgium should be.