Founders Brewing Co. has announced the return of KBS, their popular bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout brewed with coffee and chocolate, in March 2019. The KBS release is an annual tradition at the brewery and will once again kickoff with an early ticketed bottle release of the beer from the taprooms. KBS will be available throughout the brewery’s 47-state distribution network on draft and in 750mL and 12oz bottles beginning on March 15.
“Mid-March has become somewhat of a holiday for us as it marks the annual return of KBS,” said Co-Founder and President, Dave Engbers. “To see our barrel program grow from just a couple of bourbon barrels stacked in the brewery to the 25,000+ barrels it is today has been nothing short of amazing. While the hunt certainly added to the fun of KBS season during the early years, we’re happy that craft beer fans all over the country can now find it near them at their favorite local shops.”
KBS is an imperial stout brewed with massive amounts of coffee and chocolate before aging in oak bourbon barrels in caves beneath Grand Rapids and at an offsite barrel-aging facility, the Barrel House. It comes in at 12.2% ABV. KBS is the second installment of the Founders Barrel-Aged Series, a lineup of five barrel-aged beers set to release throughout 2019. Backwoods Bastard is now available year-round, and CBS will be once again released in November 2019. Two Barrel-Aged Series releases have yet to be announced.
The brewery will not be hosting a KBS Week this year and will instead celebrate the return of KBS throughout March and April with tapping events around the country.
KBS will be available for pickup in 12 oz bottles at the Grand Rapids and Detroit taprooms and will be released using a pre-ticketed reservation process via Eventbrite. Bottles can be reserved beginning on February 8 (February 6 for Mug Club members), at 10am EST, and will be available for pickup March 8-10 from both taprooms – a week prior to the rest of the country. 750mL bottles will be available for sale from the Company Stores’ coolers beginning on March 8. Head to foundersbrewing.com/latest-news/ for more info on the ticket sale.
About Founders Brewing Co.
Established in 1997 by two craft beer enthusiasts—Dave Engbers and Mike Stevens—with day jobs and a dream, Founders Brewing Co. brews complex, in-your-face ales, with huge aromatics and tons of flavor. Founders ranks among the top 10 largest craft breweries in the U.S. and is one of the fastest growing. The brewery has received numerous awards from the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival and RateBeer and BeerAdvocate users often rate its beers among the best in the world. A proud sponsor of chasing the American dream, Founders launched the Chase Your What If campaign in January 2019 to inspire all beer fans to live life to its fullest. Located in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, Founders is a member of the Michigan Brewers Guild. For more information, visit foundersbrewing.com or follow Founders on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About the Barrel-Aged Series
Crafting legendary barrel-aged beers is an exercise in patience. We start by brewing complex, world-class beer worthy of time in a barrel. Then, our experience and years spent mastering our craft means we know exactly when it’s been aged to perfection. After one sip, you’ll know – it was worth the wait.
Terry Bunch
