7.4

Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 6.5 | Flavor - 6.5 | Texture - 9 | Overall - 7

Review based on the BJCP2021 guidelines (base 20C / 30A: chocolate and coffee / 33B: bourbon). Bottle 35.5 cl - Batch undeclared (BB undeclared - Bottled on 10.16.24). AROMA: medium-high notes of cocoa and coffee, slight vanilla and faint dried grapes. medium-low vinous alcoholic aroma. APPEARANCE: very dark brown color and opaque. medium light brown head, creamy, with good retention for style. leg formation. TASTE: initial medium chocolate and roasted coffee flavor, followed by a slight woody note. hints of bourbon. medium bitterness with a semi-dry and roasted finish. TEXTURE: medium-high body with medium carbonation. alcoholic warmth. OVERALL: although the chocolate and coffee seems a bit too much, there are still some extra hints that gives some complexity to the beer. more bourbon character would be good.

8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

(Bottle) Brownish amber colour with frothy, tan head. Malty, spicy nose with coffee, coconut and vanilla. Malty, sweet taste with notes of coffee, coconut, vanilla, orange, caramel, chocolate and a mild roasty bitterness in the finish. More than medium body, sweet. Creamy mouthfeel. A bit odd, but rich and tasty. Works a lot better than feared. Very nice.

5.8

Appearance - 5 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 6

Pours light golden, slightly hazy, with a frothy white head. Aroma of harsh grapefruit notes. Taste has grapefruit and citrus oils, some overripe fruit elements. Palate has some maltiness, a slightly resinous finish, more of that overripe fruit and guava notes. Good.

3.6

Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 6.5 | Flavor - 2.5 | Texture - 2 | Overall - 2.5

Can man. Not sure why anybody would want to put bitter grapefruit into a beer that already tastes like bitter grapefruit, oh well, what ever. Pour is virtually clear pale with a foamy head that goes scum pond craggy. Nose is somewhat fresh grapefruit juice. First taste is mostly IPA hops with a little bit of that veggie thing going on, you know, that taste that most session IPAs carry. In the middle, I think I'm getting some grapefruit on the tongue, not much. If so, its certainly the green bitter rind kind of grapefruit. As usual, its rude like many on style IPA, tho its finish is not terribly long. Yea, perhaps a little lighter than most IPA. I guess that's what the grapefruit does to this, lighten it up a little. Has some decent carbonation that keeps it from becoming a mouthcoating hulabaloo.

7.6

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

I’ve had a number of the various KBS offerings, this time it’s the Hazelnut Fudge variety. 12 oz bottle purchased at Mr. T’s, the local shop. A snifter ready, I take the pour. Super dark brown with a thin mocha colored skim. I lift the glass and have a smell. Dark sweet chocolate, stewed grain and something herbal. A drink finally, it’s less sweet than I expected. Bakers chocolate, cereal, nuts, berries and a touch of coffee. Rich and thick. Not bad but others from the series are more interesting.

7.8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Can. Mango aroma with notes of pineapple, papaya, passion fruit, grapefruit and tangerine. Pours hazy golden colored with a large off white head that has excellent retention and some lacing. Starts with juicy mango, pineapple and papaya flavors. Finishes smooth but a touch dry with passion fruit, grapefruit and tangerine flavors. Pretty nice hazy.

8.6

Appearance - 9 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 9

Forgot to post this earlier:

Founders KBS Maple Mackinac fudge 11.6%

Deep black with a rust colored wisp of foam. It’s full bodied but the carbonation is a touch raspy rather than smooth which I didn’t expect. The aroma is a maple fudge and the taste was sweet but without boozy heat.

Really quite nice, a good dessert beer.

7

Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Old rating from 2014 - 355ml bottle, pours amber with a off white foamy head. Aromas & tastes of caramel, citrus, toffee, flora, pines & toasted malt. Medium body. Crisp medium bitter finish

8

Almost black color and a nice off-white head. Nose Is sweetish, roasted malts, grainy, DARK chocolate, honey. Taste Starts with Toffee ans nice roasted malts. Followed by DARK chocolate and dried fruits. Finish with nice bitter hoppy-piney flavors

7.9

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Bottle on The Weardale Explorer - 813, thanks to the Wingmane, 05/04/2025.
Black topped with a khaki head that thins to a swirl.
Nose is chocolate, coffee bean, dark malts, toffee fudge, mellow barrel.
Taste comprises dark malts, spice, mellow bourbon rip, molasses, coffee bean.
Full bodied, soft carbonation, semi drying close with a balanced rising boost.
Solid kit.