H Sojourner

Nitro Rübæus Sojourner

On this beautiful day, not too warm nor too cool, I figured it made sense to transition from my normal big Imperial Stout (I saved a little for the end) to this light, fruity beer that I haven't checked in for five years. Raspberry and creaminess (nitro).

KBS Spicy Chocolate (2023) Sojourner

I am a huge fan of KBS and have been for the entire eleven years I have been a follower of Craft Beer, and the rating on this is just too low. I think people have a tendency to be overly critical of KBS variants. The spiciness is mild, the chocolate rich.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2020) Sojourner

KBS is one of a handful of beers (including BCBS, Deth's Tar, and Parabola) that I have had every year for nearly a decade. 2020 has been my least favorite vintage of KBS, though it is still solid. Bourbon, coffee, and cocoa.

Breakfast Stout Sojourner

I was both surprised and thrilled to find Founders Breakfast Stout on tap at a local Thai Restaurant. This beer was my introduction to roasty Stouts, and it remains a beer against which I would measure Coffee Stouts. Been a while. It's still outstanding.

French Toast Bastard Sojourner

I wanted to try this variant of Backwards Bastard so I stopped by Village Tap for an 8-oz pour. The maple flavor definitely predominates, along with a little bit of cinnamon, vanilla, and subtle Bourbon. Glad I tried it, though I won't seek it out again.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2015) Sojourner

This is my last bottle of the older vintages of KBS in my collection, and 2015 was a great vintage. So complex, well-balanced, and smooth. It serves as the epitome of its style. Cocoa, coffee, and Bourbon. What else could I want from a beer.

KBS Hazelnut Sojourner

I can appreciate why this gets lower ratings than most KBS variants, including the regular KBS. The hazelnut nuttiness, mixed with the coffee, results some bitterness. This doesn't bother me, but I also cannot imagine drinking this often. Still good.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2014) Sojourner

Working my way forward in time as I finished off the beers in my collection from '13 to '16, this is now the final bottle of '14 KBS in my collection. This nine-year bottle, admittedly kept a longer than ideal, has held up well. Bourbon, cocoa, & coffee.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2013) Sojourner

This is the last bottle I have of 2013 KBS. I am now making my way through the final 2013 to 2015 bottles in my collection. Cocoa, coffee, and Bourbon flavors, all well-balanced. This beer is now ten years old, and it is as solid as it was new.

Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS) (2019) Sojourner

As I continue to make my way through the final bottles & cans I have of some of my favorite beers from my stock, I admittedly feel a bit sad to say goodbye to another great beer. After four years, this is still beautiful. Coffee, maple, cocoa, & Bourbon.

KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge (2022) Sojourner

I really should stock more of this beer. I could drink it more often. This is the last bottle in my stock. It has the best of KBS, roasty cocoa and coffee, plus big chocolate richness and some smooth maple, all with a perfect amount of booziness. Stellar.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2022) Sojourner

With KBS now being bottled multiple times a year, there can be some subtle variation between batches. The previous bottle I had was bottled in Nov 2022. This bottle is from Feb 2022. I like this batch slightly more as there is more cocoa flavor. Stellar.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2022) Sojourner

Enjoying one of my favorite beers tonight. Bourbon, coffee, and cocoa, beautifully balanced.

KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge (2020) Sojourner

I decided to go for a more chocolate-focused evening, and I have accompanied this with a Dark Chocolate mouse for dessert. I enjoy how the extra chocolate adds to my favorite KBS flavor notes: coffee, roasty cocoa, and Bourbon.

French Toast Bastard (Barrel Aged Series 2022) Sojourner

This tastes like French Toast with maple syrup, which is one of my favorite breakfasts, even though I don't do it often due to the sugar content. The maltiness of Bastard provides the toast, with Bourbon, cinnamon, vanilla, & maple adding the rest. Solid.

KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge (2022) Sojourner

This is arguably one of my very favorite beers. I love both KBS and CBS, and this variant of KBS is simply stellar. Big chocolate richness, maple, roasty cocoa and coffee, and a perfect amount of booziness.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2022) Sojourner

Enjoying one of my favorite beers tonight. Bourbon, coffee, and cocoa, beautifully balanced.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2022) Sojourner

Enjoying one of my favorite beers tonight. Bourbon, coffee, and cocoa, beautifully balanced.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2022) Sojourner

I am absolutely loving KBS 2022. It's much like some of my favorite past vintages with beautiful Bourbon, coffee, and cocoa flavors, all balanced exceptionally well. I only bought two bottles of 2022, but I think I will return to buy a couple more.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2020) Sojourner

I had this last night (I forgot to check it in) and am having 2019 tonight. KBS is one of a handful of beers (including BCBS, Deth's Tar, and Parabola) that I have had every year for nearly a decade. 2020 was my least favorite vintage, though still solid.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2019) Sojourner

It was useful for me to have had the 2020 vintage of this last night and then the 2019 vintage tonight. 2019 is more indicative of the best years of KBS. The Bourbon, cocoa, and coffee are all big and flavorful and well-balanced. I love both KBS and CBS.

Dirty Bastard Sojourner

Having just had a bottle of 2014 Backwoods Bastard from my collection last night, I decided it might be nice to have one of my Dirty Bastards tonight. This bottle was bottled in 2015 or 2016. Smooth, malty, with a nice caramel sweetness. Solid Wee Heavy.

Backwoods Bastard (2014) Sojourner

This is a remarkably smooth and well-crafted beer, and it remains my favorite Wee Heavy that I have ever tried. After aging for eight years, it's even smoother. Booze, malt, & toffee, plus slightly smoky, spicy, and oaky, with a single-malt scotch taste.

Kentucky Bourbon Stout (KBS) (2021) Sojourner

I was in the mood for a KBS tonight, and I have one each of six different vintages. I decided to do 2021 tonight and then work my way backwards by year each time I choose to drink a KBS in the future. I love this beer. Coffee, cocoa, and Bourbon. Stellar.

KBS Cinnamon Vanilla Cocoa Sojourner

I am actually liking the second bottle of this more than I did the first. The cocoa and coffee stand out a bit more, and the cinnamon is a little less overpowering. I think this beer might be even better with more aging. Cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa, coffee.

KBS Hazelnut (2022) Sojourner

While this is solid from the first sip, it improves as it both warms AND breathes a bit. The flavors begin melding together more after a little breathing. I get a sweet hazelnut nuttiness to go along with the coffee, cocoa, roastiness, and Bourbon.

KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge (2020) Sojourner

This is one of those beers that I hesitate to drink only because I don't want to finish every bottle I have in stock. Having this again today, I can say it is without a doubt in my top ten beers of all time. The rich dark chocolate is pure perfection.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2014) Sojourner

When I chose my first beer for the night, I chose a 12-ounce can thinking 16 or 22 ounces were too much for tonight. It wasn't enough, and so now I am also doing a 12-ounce bottle of KBS, which if course outshines my previous choice. Stellar as always.

Velvet Rush Sojourner

I really enjoy this Imperial Brown Ale with adjuncts, which seems to me to be a rare beer. In many ways, it tastes an awful like an Imperial Stout with adjuncts, except less Roasty and more Malty. Strong flavors of chocolate, coffee, and vanilla. Solid.

KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge (2020) Sojourner

This is arguably one of my very favorite beers. I love both KBS and CBS, and this variant of KBS is simply stellar. Big chocolate richness, maple, roasty cocoa and coffee, and a perfect amount of booziness.

Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS) (2019) Sojourner

This is a perfect beer tonight to accompany some maple syrup roasted vegetables and BBQ brisket sandwiches. I do love this beer, in large part because the chocolate and maple flavors are of such high quality, so perfect, and so well-balanced. Stellar.

Kentucky Bourbon Stout (KBS) (2021) Sojourner

KBS, CBS, and some of the variants of KBS are arguably my favorite beers, but 2020 wasn't one my favorite years of regular KBS (I love the the Maple Mackinac Fudge variant from 2020, though). 2021 is closer to some of my favorite years in the past. Solid.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2013) Sojourner

This I believe is the next to last bottle I have of the 2013 vintage of KBS. It really is one of my very favorite beers. Cocoa, coffee, and Bourbon flavors, all perfectly well-balanced. This beer is eight years old, and it is a perfect as it was new.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2020) Sojourner

With now having my second bottle of the 2020 vintage of KBS, I am upping my previous 4.25 rating to 4.50. Historically I have rated KBS 4.75. While this year's vintage is not quite up to prior years, it's still excellent. Chocolate, coffee, Bourbon.

KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge Sojourner

I absolutely love this beer. In fact, if I were to have to choose one beer, and only one beer, to drink the rest of my life, this may very well be the one. Fudgy chocolate, maple, coffee, subtle Bourbon, and just general overall wonderful richness.

Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS) (2019) Sojourner

I really am a huge fan of this beer, even though it is possible that the new Maple Mackinac Fudge might actually edge it out. I seriously followed this beer with each release, & I have never been disappointed. Maple, cocoa, subtle Bourbon, well-balanced.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2020) Sojourner

Historically (for me, the past 8 years), KBS has been one of my favorite beers, which I normally rate 4.75. Both KBS & CBS in 2019 were up to that mark, as is 2020 KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge. However, 2020 KBS is thinner & less complex, with weaker flavors.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2015) Sojourner

I seem to have one of this vintage each year since it was released. It's always a treat for me to drink a KBS. So complex, well-balanced, and smooth. It serves as the epitome of its style. Cocoa, coffee, Bourbon. What else could I want from a beer.

KBS Espresso (2019) Sojourner

I am on the fence on this. I first tried a variant in March 2020 at Monk's Pub shortly before the lockdown, and my sense of it was that the extra coffee added bitterness. KBS and CBS are two of my favorite beers, but this is thinner and more bitter.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2013) Sojourner

KBS and CBS are my favorite beers, and 2013 was one of my favorite vintages. After this bottle, my collection now has two each of '13, '14, and '15. For me, the major flavor is cocoa (which I think many identify as coffee), as well as Bourbon and coffee.