Ahhhh, coffee.  That rich, roasty, liquid that one can smell from afar. The invigorating smell of coffee perks one up with just a whiff.  The taste of coffee is a little bitter, kind of acidic, a bit earthy, and maybe, with some hints of nuttiness, or some even have fruity notes.  Regardless of the flavor profile of a particular coffee, I, and most coffee lovers, find this dark brown liquid delectable.

Mmmmmm, stouts.  That rich, roasty, complex, malt-forward beer that pleases the palate, and leaves the mind lubricated, and the stomach pleasantly warmed.  The smells of a stout range from sweet, to charred, to licorice forward, to cocoa and chocolate, and even of roasted grains.  The black as night brew is grainy, with hints of chocolate, malts, and even bitterness.  These full-bodied brews are a personal favorite style of mine, and also, a favorite style of many a beer lover.

Yesssss, bourbon.  That amber, slightly translucent liquor that catches the light, and shimmers in the glass.  Bourbon has a wonderfully distinct bouquet of caramel, vanilla, sweet rich malts, and may even hint at smokiness, oak, leather, tobacco, and booziness.  The warming sips reward the drinker with elements of the aforementioned smells, usually coupled with a sugary sweetness from the malts, and a heat in one’s throat and belly from the booze.  What a magnificent drink!

All of these drinks, on their own, are wonderfully delicious and tasty.  But what if they were combined?  What magical, flavorful trinity could that be?

That bold blending results in the bourbon barrel-aged coffee stout.

When these flavors are brought together masterfully in a beer, it is little wonder that this, uncommon style is highly sought after.

One beer that falls into this subcategory is Founder’s KBS, or Kentucky Breakfast Stout.  Brewed only once a year, this brew has long been heralded as one of the top bourbon barrel-aged coffee stouts.

To test its merits, myself and my esteemed counterpart will be pitting it against a local favorite, Bourbon Barrel-aged Sunny Side Up from Pizza Boy Brewing Company.

Pizza Boy Brewing Company – BBA Sunny Side Up –

Judge 1 – The body is a perfectly thick, and dark, and is topped with a heavy, mostly brown, almost cocoa colored head.  The smell is prominently roasted coffee, with hints of cream and sugar.  There are notes of caramel and bourbon also in the nose.  Minor scent accents are molasses, roasted malts, leather, and tobacco.  The mouthfeel is chewy and rich in this stout. The very balanced flavor profile evenly distributes the coffee, mellow,  bourbon, and signature stout flavors.  There are also hints of sugar, vanilla, and oak.  There is no discernible heat or booziness from the 9.5% abv. This is dangerously drinkable.  As the beer warms, the bourbon elements come through more prominently.  9/10

Judge 2 – The smell of this beer is slightly fruity at first.  As it warms notes of vanilla, caramel, and booze come through.  Initially the impression of the flavor is that of an iced mocha.  Upon subsequent tastes, vanilla comes through more boldly, followed by the coffee notes.  The coffee flavor is reminiscent of bold, slightly burnt espresso, in a good way. “This beer is tall, dark, and handsome.” “This is how I like a beer to look.” “I would totally drink this any day of the week.” 8/10

Founder’s KBS –

Judge 1 – The appearance of this beer is extremely similar to that of the BBA Sunny Side Up.  Even the head on this beer is a cocoa/vanilla color.  The smell is bourbon, and booze-forward with accents of vanilla, oak, sugary caramel, light smokiness, peaty malts, and tobacco.  The coffee doesn’t come through quite as prominently in the nose, which isn’t terribly surprising, because the base beer, Founder’s Breakfast Stout, has always highlighted chocolate and malts over coffee.  The body is rich, smooth, and coffee forward.  Heavy bourbon flavors follow the coffee, and then some boozy heat makes a play with side notes of vanilla.  This beer highlights the bourbon side more, and if that is your preference, then this beer has absolutely nailed it.  9/10

(As a side note, Founders Breakfast Stout is also an excellent beer, and much more readily available than its barrel-aged counterpart.)

Judge 2 – This beer looks exactly like the last.  It smells like molasses, caramel, and brown sugar.  There is an intense depth of flavor in this beer.  There are so many flavor elements involved, its difficult to pick out all of them accurately. The burnt coffee taste of the prior beer isn’t as present in this one, the bourbon took its place.  There isn’t any bitterness from the coffee either.  “From the first sip, it’s amazing!”  “Its just delicious.” “The glass is already empty, what can I say?” 9/10

This incredibly close contest, was ultimately won by Founders KBS.  While an excellent showing for the Bourbon Barrel-aged Sunny Side Up,  it seems that KBS wins by virtue of a slightly more complex flavor profile.  (Or possibly, judge number two’s preference towards bourbon over the coffee or stout flavors.)  Either way, these beers are both fantastic.  Sadly the availability limits the opportunity to try them regularly.  I suggest stocking up on both when presented with the opportunity.  But snag them as soon as they release, neither lasts long on the shelf.

Humbly yours,

J