Founders Releases Popular Kentucky Breakfast Stout

(GRAND RAPIDS, Mich) – It is a well-celebrated annual tradition – one that results in pilgrimages by die-hard craft beer lovers from throughout the Midwest – that is simply known as the release of Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS). Each March, Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Mich., releases its rich, barrel-aged brew in limited, high-demanded quantities.

Rated as an A / A+ by most major beer reviewers – and considered by some to be one of the Top 5 brews of its kind in the country – this Imperial Stout is well worth the wait. Only 1400 cases (33,600 bottles) will be sold in 2009, a slight increase over 2008.

“We are limited by the size of our brewing facility,” says Mike Stevens, Founders Brewing President. “By 2010, we plan to increase our production of Kentucky Breakfast…but it will still be significantly short of its demand.”

Kentucky Breakfast Stout is brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, before being aged a full year in oak bourbon barrels from Kentucky. These barrels are then stored 100 feet in the ground, in the caves of nearby gypsum mines, before returning to the tanks to be finished and bottled. KBS is a very labor intensive beer, requiring additional precision and devotion.

“While all of our beers are made with 100% pure deliciousness, I am personally drawn to the smell of the bourbon barrels,” says Alec Mull, Director of Brewing Operations. “The wood and bourbon flavors and aromas that surround the barrels become firmly entrenched in the fabric of the beer, and the chocolate and coffee find harmony with them. All of the characters are very distinct. While you can experience each independently, they also manage to work very well together and form a melded collage of flavor.”

Kentucky Breakfast Stout is available in limited quantities in 10 states and retails in 4-packs for $20.

“KBS is indeed an extraordinary beer,” Alec says. “We feel very lucky to be able to make this beer and are excited that everyone likes it so much.”

Founders Brewing Company, 235 Grandville Avenue SW in downtown Grand Rapids, is a proud member of the Michigan Brewers Guild. www.michiganbrewersguild.org.